Legislation Regarding Standardization of Forms

House Bill 525

Standardization of Forms.

Effective July 1st, 2009.

HB 525 is the new standardization act pertaining to documents filed with Ohio county recorders. HB 525 creates a revised O.R.C. 317.114 listed below.

Ohio Revised Code 317.114 Guidelines are as follows:

  • Computer font size of at least ten point
  • Minimum paper size 8 1/2 x 11 inches
  • Maximum paper size 8 1/2 x 14 inches
  • Black or Blue ink only
  • No use of highlighting
  • Margins of 1 inch on each side of the page and on bottom;
  • 3 inch margin on the top of the first page, reserved for recorder, auditor & engineer
  • 1 1/2 inch margin on the top of each of the remaining pages.

**If a document does not conform to these guidelines, an additional recording fee of $20.00 will be collected (ARF).

This law does not apply to:

  • Any document from any court or taxing authority
  • Plats
  • DD214’s
  • Any state or federal document
  • Any document executed before July 1, 2009

Also with this bill is the following - For instruments that convey or affect an interest in crude oil or natural gas (lease, assignment, easement, lien, or right-of-way) made by separate instrument, the county recorder DOES NOT have the power to limit the number of assignments, releases, partial releases, or waivers of priority that may be executed and recorded by means of a single instrument. See the code section on the Ohio Revised Code web site O.R.C. 317.37.