Gila County Property Deeds

Gila County stretches across central Arizona from the desert floor to the high country. The County Recorder maintains all deed records at the office in Globe. The address is 1400 East Ash Street in Globe, Arizona 85501. Staff handle property deeds, mortgages, liens, and plat maps for the entire county. You can search deed records online through a free county portal. The database covers filings from 1985 to the present with document images starting in 1998. Older records exist on microfilm or paper at the Globe office. Call (928) 402-8740 for information about deed recording in Gila County.

Gila County Recorder's Office

The Recorder sits in Globe at 1400 East Ash Street, Globe, Arizona 85501. This is the county seat and the only location where you can file deeds in person. Office hours run from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Monday through Friday. The office closes for federal holidays. Staff help with recording documents, providing copies, and answering basic questions about the recording process.

You can reach the office by phone at (928) 402-8740 during business hours. Phone staff can tell you about fees, explain format requirements, or check on the status of a document you filed. They cannot provide legal advice about which type of deed to use or how to resolve title issues. Contact a real estate attorney or title company for legal help in Gila County, Arizona.

The Recorder processes many types of documents. Deeds transfer ownership of real property. Mortgages and deeds of trust secure loans against property. Liens show debts. Releases clear old liens and mortgages. Plat maps record new subdivisions. Military discharge papers can be filed for safekeeping. All these documents become part of the public record once recorded in Gila County.

Search Gila Deed Records Online

Gila County offers free online access to recorded documents at recorder.gilacountyaz.gov. The database covers 1985 to the present for the index. Document images are available from 1998 forward. Earlier records are indexed but you may need to request copies from the office to see the actual deed.

The search tool lets you look up documents by name or date. Type in a grantor name to find all deeds where that person sold property. Search by grantee to see when someone bought property. The system returns a list of matching records. Click any result to view the document image if available. Most images are clear scans that you can read on screen.

The online system has some limits. You cannot search by address, legal description, or parcel number. You must use names or dates. This makes some searches harder if you do not know the names of prior owners. For complex title searches, hire a title company that has access to more detailed databases in Gila County.

Online copies are unofficial. They work for research but do not have legal weight. If you need a certified copy for court or a real estate closing, order it from the Recorder. Certified copies cost $1 per page plus $3 for the seal under Arizona law. You can request them in person or by mail in Gila County, Arizona.

Note: The search cannot replace a professional title examination.

How to Record Deeds

Recording a deed in Gila County requires following state format rules. The deed must have a two-inch top margin on the first page. Use white paper. Font must be at least 10 points. All signatures need notarization. These rules are in Arizona Revised Statutes 11-480 and apply statewide.

The recording fee is $30 per document. This is set by state law and is the same in all Arizona counties. Government documents like military discharge papers cost $15 to record. Plat maps are $24 for the first page and $20 for each additional page. Include an Affidavit of Property Value with any deed that transfers ownership. This form tells the county the sale price or assessed value for tax purposes in Gila County.

You can file in person or by mail. For in-person filing, bring your deed to the Globe office during business hours. Pay the fee and the staff will stamp your deed with the date and time. Your deed gets a recording number and enters the county system. Staff scan the document and add it to the online database within a day or two.

For mail-in recording, send your deed with payment and a self-addressed stamped envelope. The Recorder will process your deed and mail back the recorded original. Allow a week or more for mail-in filings. In-person filings are faster and you get your deed back the same day in Gila County, Arizona.

Online Search Limits

The Gila County online system does not support all search types. You cannot search by property address. You cannot search by legal description like "Township 2 North Range 12 East." You cannot search by assessor's parcel number. These limits make it hard to find all deeds for a specific piece of property unless you know the owner names.

Title companies use professional databases that link parcels to owner names and legal descriptions. These paid services are more powerful than the free county search. If you need a full title search for a real estate transaction, hire a title company. They can trace the chain of ownership and find all liens and encumbrances in Gila County.

The Recorder's office can help with basic searches. If you visit in person, staff may be able to look up records in different ways than the online system allows. But they cannot do extensive title searches for you. Their job is to record documents and maintain the archives, not to analyze title in Gila County, Arizona.

Deed Format Requirements

Arizona law sets strict format rules for recorded documents. The first page must have a two-inch margin at the top with no text or marks in that space. This leaves room for the recording stamp. Subsequent pages need only one-inch margins. All text must be at least 10-point font. Handwritten text must be legible.

Use standard paper sizes of 8.5 by 11 inches or 8.5 by 14 inches. Paper must be white or near-white. No colored paper. Signatures must be original and notarized. Photocopied signatures are not acceptable. The notary acknowledgment must be complete with the notary seal and signature in Gila County.

Deeds that do not meet format rules will be rejected. The Recorder will return the document unrecorded. You must fix the problems and resubmit. This can delay your recording by days or weeks. Check all requirements before submitting to avoid rejection in Gila County, Arizona.

Common Questions

Why can't I search by address? The county database indexes deeds by name and date, not by address. Linking addresses to recorded deeds requires extra data that the county system does not maintain. Professional title databases have this data but they cost money to access in Gila County.

Can the Recorder tell me who owns a property? They can search for deeds recorded in a name. But they cannot tell you for certain who currently owns a property. That requires analyzing the full chain of title. Contact a title company for ownership verification in Gila County.

How long are deed records kept? Forever. Recorded deeds are permanent public records. Even deeds from the 1800s are still on file. Old documents may be on microfilm or in bound volumes in the archives at the Globe office in Gila County, Arizona.

What if my deed has an error? You may need to record a corrective deed or affidavit. Contact an attorney to determine the right approach. The Recorder cannot change a document after it is recorded. You must file a new document to correct mistakes in Gila County.

Does the Recorder offer notary services? No. You must get your deed notarized before bringing it to the office. Banks, UPS stores, and many businesses offer notary services in Globe and other Gila County towns.

Cities in Gila County

Gila County has no cities over 50,000 population. The largest communities are Globe, Payson, and Miami. All property owners in these towns record their deeds at the county Recorder in Globe.

Nearby Counties

Property in other counties must be recorded at those county offices.