About

What does the Recorder's Office do?

Why is the Allen County Recorder’s Office an essential part of local government? The answer is simple: Preserving a clear and precise record of property ownership.


There are nearly 163,000 parcels of land in Allen County. Those parcels represent the single biggest investment most people will ever make – their homes and businesses. The Allen County Recorder’s primary function is to maintain permanent public records of the transactions that convey property from one owner to the next.


These records provide the legal foundation for the institution of private property ownership. Generally, all of these instruments are recorded either for giving legal public notice of their existence or for safekeeping and future reference.


The Allen County Recorder is responsible for receiving and processing thousands of documents a year, a collection dating back to 1824. Some of the most important documents in addition to property deeds, mortgages and liens, the Recorder’s Office hold neighborhood covenants, military discharge records and business name filings.


With the exception of veterans’ military discharge records (which, by Indiana statute, are open only to the veteran or his/her next of kin), ALL records held by the Allen County Recorder are public records and thus open to inspection without restriction. Copies of most Recorder’s Office documents cost $1 per page. Copies of military discharge documents are available to the veteran or next-of-kin free of charge.


In addition to making available paper copies of documents, the Allen County Recorder’s Office offers approximately 3.2 million documents online. We also receive nearly 81% of incoming documents via paperless e-recording.


Currently the Allen County Recorder’s Office is the only self-funded office in Allen County Government meaning that we operate solely on a portion of the user fees collected and without property tax dollars.

ALLEN COUNTY RECORDER

Nicole Keesling

Nicole Keesling was elected as the Allen County Recorder in 2022. Prior to becoming the Recorder, she served as a Records Controller in the office for a little over three years. Before that she served as the scheduler in the Washington DC office of Congressman Jim Banks and a field organizer for the Indiana Republican Party and the Republican National Committee.


Nicole is a graduate of the Richard R. Lugar Excellence in Public Service Series, AVOW Women’s Campaign Institute, Greater Fort Wayne’s Leadership Fort Wayne, the Ambassador Institute for Civic Engagement, and the New Haven Citizens Academy. Nicole received her Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Indiana University.


As Recorder, Nicole serves as secretary of the Allen County Public Records Commission. She also serves as the Co-Chair of the Indiana Recorder's Association (IRA)  Legislative Committee and is the IRA appointment to the Association Of Indiana Counties (AIC) Legislative Board.   


Additionally, Nicole currently serves on the Board of Directors for AVOW (Advancing Voice of Women) and the MLK Montessori School.  She also serves as the events chair for the NIBCC Race for the Warrior, and previously served two years as the City Council appointee to the Mayor’s Commission on Domestic Violence, Rape, and Sexual Assault. She also serves as a Court Appointed Special Advocate for the Allen County Superior Court CASA/GAL program.


Nicole serves as the Past President of the Allen County Republican Woman. Nicole volunteers as a tour docent at the Allen County Courthouse, for the Fort Wayne chapter of Ducks Unlimited, and for the New Haven Festival Committee. She is also a member of the Fraternal Order of Police Associate Lodge #6.


Nicole currently lives in New Haven with her cat, Apollo, and in her free time she enjoys spending time with her family, going to auto shows and races, and visiting Allen County's many great restaurants and community events.

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