Franklin County OH Clerk of Court: Records & Services

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Franklin County, Ohio · Columbus · Clerk of Courts

Franklin County OH Clerk of Court: Records & Services

Need to look up a Franklin County court case, request a divorce decree, obtain a certified judgment, check a criminal docket, pay court costs, or transfer a vehicle title? The correct first step is identifying which Franklin County Clerk or court division maintains the record.

The Franklin County Clerk of Courts serves the Common Pleas Court and Tenth District Court of Appeals, maintains case information and provides e-filing, public-records, passport and auto-title services. Municipal Court and Probate Court have their own record-search systems, so searching the wrong office can lead to unnecessary delays.

Common Pleas Case Search Municipal Court Records Request Public Records
Franklin County Clerk of Courts
373 South High Street, Columbus, OH 43215
Main phone: 614-525-3600
General published hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM, excluding holidays. The Clerk advises that public counters open at 8:15 AM on Wednesdays.

Independent court-records guide reviewed October 2026. This page is not operated by the Franklin County government or judiciary.

Know the right court before searching

Which Franklin County Clerk of Courts Handles Your Record?

Franklin County has multiple judicial divisions and separately maintained records. A felony case, divorce decree, speeding ticket and probate estate cannot all be located using one search.

Record or task Responsible office Official starting point
Felony criminal case, major civil lawsuit, foreclosure, judgment Common Pleas General Division Case Information Online
Divorce, dissolution, legal separation, domestic-relations matter Common Pleas Domestic Relations Division Domestic Relations
Juvenile delinquency, abuse, neglect or dependency Common Pleas Juvenile Division Use the Juvenile Clerk’s records process; access may be restricted.
Tenth District appellate case Franklin County Clerk of Courts — Appeals Division Appeals Division
Traffic ticket, misdemeanor, small claim, eviction, municipal civil case Franklin County Municipal Court Clerk Municipal Case Search
Estate, will, guardianship, name change, probate case Franklin County Probate Court Probate Case Search
Vehicle certificate of title Franklin County Clerk — Auto Title Division Auto Title Locations
Do not confuse Common Pleas and Municipal Court. The Clerk of Courts’ Case Information Online system is not the same database as the Franklin County Municipal Court Clerk’s case search. When a record is missing, first verify the court named on the citation, indictment, summons or judgment.
Separate local court records

How to Search Franklin County Municipal Court Cases

The Franklin County Municipal Court Clerk has its own official public-records search for misdemeanor, traffic, civil and related municipal matters.

This search is particularly useful when you have a citation number, ticket number, case number or a person’s full name.

  1. Open the official Franklin County Municipal Court Search Records page.
  2. If you have a Case Number or Ticket Number, enter it first.
  3. Otherwise, enter both Last Name and First Name, or use the Company Name field.
  4. Select optional filters such as case type, case year, party type or case status to narrow a large list.
  5. Choose Perform Search.
  6. Open the matching record and check the case summary, dates, financial information and docket details available.
  7. If the case is eligible for online payment, follow the official payment instructions displayed by the Municipal Clerk.
Municipal search requirement: the official search says you must supply at least one of the following: a case number, ticket number, both first and last name, or company name. The Court recommends the case or ticket number as the fastest search.
Traffic / Criminal

Traffic or Misdemeanor Lookup

Use the citation or ticket number where available, then compare charges, hearing events, status and the available payment instructions.

Civil

Small Claims or Eviction Lookup

Search the party or company name, choose the civil category and review relevant case events and judgments.

Fee and plea caution: a visible payment amount does not guarantee that a charge can be resolved without appearing. Confirm the court’s requirements before paying a traffic or misdemeanor matter.
Probate is a different records system

How to Find Franklin County Probate Court Records

The Probate Court maintains a separate searchable general case index for estate, guardianship, name-change and other probate matters.

  1. Open the official Franklin County Probate Case Search.
  2. Choose the available Search Method.
  3. For a name search, use the displayed format Last Name, First MI.
  4. Alternatively, search by case number, case suffix, case-open date or attorney/fiduciary information where appropriate.
  5. Use the case type and subtype choices to narrow the result.
  6. Open the matching case and review the available public information.
  7. Contact Probate Court if you need a document that is unavailable online or subject to access restrictions.

Franklin County Probate Court

373 South High Street
22nd Floor
Columbus, OH 43215

Phone: 614-525-3894
Email: probate@franklincountyohio.gov

Search freshness: Probate Court states that its case information is current as of the previous day. It also warns of routine evening backup periods that may temporarily affect searches.
Request an actual document

How to Obtain Franklin County Court Records & Certified Copies

A case search identifies a file, but an online result is not automatically the actual court document or a certified record. When you need a judgment, complaint, sentencing entry, divorce decree or certified court paper, use the Clerk’s official request process.

Submit an official public-records request

  1. Locate the correct case number through CIO or the appropriate court system.
  2. Identify the exact document and filing date, if available.
  3. Open the Clerk’s Public Records Request Form.
  4. Use the form to describe the records you seek, or contact the relevant Clerk division directly.
  5. Specify whether you want inspection, electronic copies, regular paper copies or certified copies.
  6. Ask about charges and the available method of delivery.
  7. Follow the Clerk’s response and any applicable access restrictions.
Ohio public-records rights: the Clerk’s published policy says a request generally does not have to be in writing and the requester ordinarily does not need to identify themselves or explain their reason. The Clerk may ask for clarification needed to identify the record.

Published ordinary-copy charges

Records service Published charge Notes
Paper public-record copy $0.10 per page Clerk’s ordinary public-record policy
Electronic copy by email or fax No charge under published policy For records suitable for electronic delivery
Copy in another physical medium Actual supply cost Depends on the medium requested
Mail delivery Actual postage and mailing supplies When mailing is requested
Court document certification $1 per document As listed on the applicable court fee schedule
Exemplified copy $4 per document Special authentication
Different legal access rules apply to certain files. Public-records policy does not make sealed, confidential or otherwise restricted court material available to every requester. Juvenile records require a distinct request process.

Requesting juvenile records

The Clerk specifically states that Juvenile Records requests cannot be submitted through its online public-records request form.

  1. Identify your relationship to the case and the records needed.
  2. Visit the Juvenile Division at 373 South High Street, 4th Floor, Columbus.
  3. Bring valid photo identification.
  4. Ask staff about authorization and documents required for your request.
  5. Follow any restrictions or court-order requirements.
Highly requested document

How to Get a Franklin County Divorce or Dissolution Decree

The Domestic Relations Division maintains divorces, dissolutions, annulments, legal separations and certain protection-order records. Although case information may be available online, the Clerk states that Domestic Relations document images cannot be viewed through public CIO.

Request your divorce decree by mail

  1. Identify the full names of both parties as used during the marriage.
  2. Find the approximate year the case was filed.
  3. Include the Domestic Relations case number if available.
  4. Write a letter requesting a copy of the divorce decree, including your name and return mailing address.
  5. Specify whether the decree should be certified.
  6. Follow the Clerk’s published payment instructions and confirm the current total.
  7. Mail the request to the Domestic Relations Division at the address below.

Domestic Relations Clerk

Franklin County Clerk of Courts
Domestic Relations Division
373 South High Street, 4th Floor
Columbus, OH 43215

Phone: 614-525-4410
Hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM–5:00 PM for the division’s published inquiry service.

The Clerk’s specific decree instructions reference a $1 certification fee. Its current Domestic Relations schedule also lists $0.10 per page for copies and $1 per certified document. Confirm the total before mailing payment.

Divorce decree versus marriage record: a final divorce decree comes from the Domestic Relations Court. Probate Court handles marriage-license functions. They are not interchangeable records.
Official filing-cost references

Franklin County Common Pleas Court Filing Fees & Payments

The Clerk publishes separate fee schedules for General Division and Domestic Relations matters. The following selected figures are from those official schedules and may be supplemented by service costs, statutory charges or case-specific deposits.

Filing or service Published amount Division
New standard civil complaint $225 General Civil
Foreclosure complaint $300 General Civil
Administrative appeal $100 General Civil
General Civil jury demand $300 General Civil
Garnishment of personal earnings $35 General Civil
Criminal conviction sealing/expungement $50 General Division schedule
New divorce action $275 Domestic Relations; service extra
New dissolution action $225 Domestic Relations; service extra
New legal separation $200 Domestic Relations; service extra
Domestic post-judgment motion $150 Domestic Relations, applicable category
Court copy $0.10/page Published General and Domestic schedules
Certified copy $1/document Published General and Domestic schedules

Source: the Franklin County Clerk’s official General Division Fee Schedule and Domestic Relations Fee Schedule.

How to pay a Franklin County court-cost bill

  1. Open the Clerk’s Online Payments page.
  2. Find your case number on the cost bill or by using Case Information Online.
  3. Select the category matching your obligation: Civil, Criminal — Not on Probation, Criminal / Supervision — On Probation, or Divorce & Domestic.
  4. Enter the case and payment details requested by the selected official provider.
  5. Review the amount and any processing charges.
  6. Complete the eligible payment and save the receipt.
What cannot be paid through the usual online route? The Clerk lists bonds, jury-demand deposits and state tax liens among exclusions. Bonds require an in-person procedure at the General Division, 345 South High Street, 1st Floor. The Clerk also states that it does not accept partial filing-fee payments.
Official document submission

How to File Documents Electronically in Franklin County

Franklin County operates an e-filing system with separate resources for General Civil, Criminal, Domestic Relations, Juvenile and Appeals filings.

Filing requirements vary by division and document. Do not assume that a portal used for looking up a case can also receive your court filing.

  1. Open the Clerk’s e-Filing Resources.
  2. Choose the correct division: Appeals, Civil, Criminal, Domestic Relations or Juvenile.
  3. Open the relevant training instructions, forms and administrative order.
  4. Determine whether your case category requires electronic filing or permits another submission method.
  5. Use the official e-filing portal linked from the Clerk’s website.
  6. Register or sign in as the permitted filer.
  7. Choose a new case or existing case as applicable.
  8. Upload the correct documents and required attachments.
  9. Complete any filing and service requirements.
  10. Save the submission receipt and verify acceptance or rejection.
Self-represented Domestic Relations filers: the Clerk states that attorneys representing parties must e-file Domestic Relations documents, while parties filing without an attorney may present their documents in paper format under the division’s guidance.
Important: a transmission receipt does not necessarily establish that a document has been accepted and filed. Keep the clerk’s acceptance notice and any file-stamped copy.
Additional Clerk services

Auto Titles, Passports, Appeals & Other Franklin County Services

Auto Title

Motor Vehicle and Watercraft Titles

The Clerk’s Auto Title Division issues motor vehicle certificates of title and handles eligible title transfers and other statutory transactions.

  1. Open the Auto Title locations page.
  2. Select the most convenient branch.
  3. Review the transaction’s identification, original-title and notarization requirements.
  4. Consider scheduling an Auto Title appointment.
  5. Bring the completed documents and applicable payment.

Title help: 614-525-3090.

Appeals

Tenth District Court of Appeals

The Clerk’s Appeals Division receives and maintains filings for the Tenth District Court of Appeals.

  1. Open the official Appeals page.
  2. Identify the order and original trial-court case number.
  3. Read the applicable Ohio appellate and local rules.
  4. Check the Notice of Appeal deadline immediately.
  5. Use the authorized e-filing, mail or in-person route described by the Clerk.

A Notice of Appeal is commonly due within 30 days of the appealable judgment, subject to applicable exceptions and rules. Do not calculate a legal deadline solely from this summary.

Passport services

Passport Application Assistance

The Clerk’s homepage includes passport services among its public offerings.

  1. Go to the Clerk’s official homepage.
  2. Choose Passport.
  3. Review the current acceptance locations and appointment requirements.
  4. Prepare the appropriate U.S. Department of State form, citizenship evidence, identification, photo and payment.
  5. Confirm the acceptance location before traveling.

A passport acceptance location and a court-records counter may have different services and hours.

Public records and finance

Financial Records and Unclaimed Funds

The Clerk provides public financial record resources involving outstanding checks, certain unclaimed funds, excess sale proceeds and financial reports.

  1. Open the official Public Records directory.
  2. Choose Public Financial Records.
  3. Review the relevant record or claim type.
  4. Follow the official identification and documentation instructions for any claim.

Franklin County Auto Title branch locations

Office Address Published hours
Title South 45 Great Southern Boulevard, Columbus, OH 43207 Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM
Title North 220 East Campus View Boulevard, Columbus, OH 43235 Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM; Saturday, 8:00 AM–12:00 PM
Title East 1583 Alum Creek Drive, Columbus, OH 43209 Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM
Title West 4153 West Broad Street, Columbus, OH 43228 Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM

The Clerk advises that offices open to the public at 8:15 AM on Wednesdays. Confirm holiday hours and appointment availability before visiting.

Choose the correct Columbus location

Franklin County Clerk of Courts Addresses, Phones & Hours

The Clerk’s divisions occupy different counters and floors in downtown Columbus. The correct records desk for a divorce may not be the same counter used for a felony criminal filing or an appeal.

Office or division Location Phone
Main Clerk Administration 373 South High Street, 23rd Floor, Columbus 614-525-3600
General Civil / Criminal 345 South High Street, 1st Floor, Columbus 614-525-3621
Domestic Relations 373 South High Street, 4th Floor, Columbus 614-525-4410
Appeals 373 South High Street, 23rd Floor, Columbus 614-525-3624
Juvenile 373 South High Street, 4th Floor, Columbus 614-525-4411
Juvenile Traffic 373 South High Street, 4th Floor, Columbus 614-525-5279
Fiscal Services 373 South High Street, 4th Floor, Columbus 614-525-8839
Auto Title Division 45 Great Southern Boulevard, Columbus 614-525-3090
Travel tip: the Court of Common Pleas General Division is located at 345 South High Street, while the Clerk’s administration, Domestic Relations, Juvenile and Appeals counters use 373 South High Street. Bring the correct case number and check the destination before entering a courthouse security line.

Verify the Clerk’s current division directory and office hours.

Resolve search problems

No Franklin County Court Record Found? Check These Causes

Problem Possible reason What to do next
Traffic or misdemeanor not in CIO Municipal Court uses separate records Use the Municipal Court Clerk search
Estate or guardianship missing Probate has its own index Use Probate General Case Search
Divorce appears but documents unavailable Domestic document images are not publicly viewable through CIO Contact Domestic Relations or Records Division
Juvenile record cannot be requested online Separate privacy and identification requirements Visit Juvenile Division with identification
Recent filing missing Posting or processing delay Check again or call for urgent matters
Appeal missing from trial-court search Separate appellate docket or other origin court Identify originating and appellate court
Similar names appear Common name or different party roles Compare case number, category and filing date
Sealed or protected record unavailable Legal confidentiality or access restrictions Ask the court about lawful authorized access
Important: a search showing no result does not prove that a case never existed, has been dismissed, or has no outstanding legal consequences. Confirm important information with the appropriate court or Clerk.
Save time before contacting the office

What to Prepare for a Franklin County Clerk Records Request

✓
Full names
Include former names and business names when relevant.
✓
Correct court division
Common Pleas, Domestic Relations, Municipal, Probate or Appeals.
✓
Case number
Use the exact number from the docket or court notice.
✓
Document name
Judgment, decree, sentencing entry, docket, complaint or other filing.
✓
Approximate filing date
Helpful for older or large case files.
✓
Certification and delivery needs
State whether you need certified copies, mail delivery or electronic copies.
Request wording that saves time: identify the precise file and document instead of asking for “all records about a person.” A targeted request is easier for the Clerk to locate and quote.
Frequently asked questions

10 Franklin County Ohio Clerk of Court FAQs

1. How do I search Franklin County Common Pleas Court records online?

Open the Franklin County Clerk’s Case Information Online page and follow the link to CIO. Read the Conditions of Use, choose the appropriate search option and look up the case using its number or available party details. Verify the court division, case number and docket before relying on the result.

2. Can I search Franklin County court cases by a person’s name?

Yes. Use the name-search options available in the relevant official court system. Common Pleas uses CIO, Municipal Court has its own Search Records page, and Probate Court uses a separate general case index. Compare names with case type, filing date and case number.

3. Are Franklin County Municipal Court records included in Common Pleas CIO?

Municipal Court has a separate records-search system operated by the Franklin County Municipal Court Clerk. Use fcmcclerk.com/case/search/ for municipal traffic, misdemeanor, small-claims, eviction and related cases.

4. Can I view Franklin County divorce records online?

Case information may be available, but the Clerk states that Domestic Relations documents are not publicly viewable through Case Information Online. To obtain a decree or another eligible filing, contact the Domestic Relations Division or the Clerk’s Records Division.

5. How do I obtain a certified Franklin County divorce decree?

Send the Domestic Relations Division a request identifying the parties’ names during the marriage, filing year, case number if available and your return address. The division is at 373 South High Street, 4th Floor, Columbus, OH 43215. Certification is listed at $1 per document; confirm total copying and delivery charges.

6. How much does Franklin County Clerk charge for court record copies?

The Clerk’s public-records policy lists $0.10 per paper page and no fee for records furnished by email or fax. Its court fee schedules also list $1 per certified document and $4 per exemplified document. Additional mailing or service charges may apply.

7. Can I request Franklin County Juvenile Court records online?

Not through the Clerk’s general online Public Records Request Form. The Clerk instructs juvenile-record requesters to visit the Juvenile Division at 373 South High Street, 4th Floor, Columbus, with valid photo identification. Access depends on applicable confidentiality rules.

8. How do I pay Franklin County Common Pleas court costs online?

Open the Clerk’s Online Payments page and select the correct civil, criminal or domestic payment category. Use the case number from your bill or court search. The ordinary online service does not accept bonds, jury-demand deposits or state tax lien payments.

9. Where can I search Franklin County Probate Court cases?

Use the official Franklin County Probate Court General Case Search at probate.franklincountyohio.gov. It supports case name, case number, opening date and other probate-specific fields. The Probate Court is at 373 South High Street, 22nd Floor, Columbus, and its telephone number is 614-525-3894.

10. What is the address and phone number of the Franklin County Clerk of Courts?

The main Clerk administration office is at 373 South High Street, 23rd Floor, Columbus, OH 43215, telephone 614-525-3600. General Civil and Criminal counter services are at 345 South High Street, 1st Floor, telephone 614-525-3621. Check department-specific hours before visiting.

Official court and county references

Franklin County Clerk of Courts Official Sources

The resources below support the record-search, copies, fees, court-division and service instructions in this guide.

Franklin County Clerk of Courts — Official Homepage Case Information Online Official CIO Case Search Portal Franklin County Municipal Court Records Search Probate Court General Case Search Public Records Request Form Clerk Public Records Policy and Fees Domestic Relations and Divorce Decree Instructions General Civil and Criminal Fee Schedule Domestic Relations Fee Schedule Online Court Costs Payments Court E-Filing Forms and Training Tenth District Appeals Clerk Auto Title Office Locations Franklin County Clerk Department Directory

This independent guide is not an official Franklin County Clerk of Courts website and does not provide legal advice. Court rules, balances, filings and deadlines may change. Verify all case-specific information with the responsible court or Clerk before taking action.

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