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Putnam County, Ohio Public Records

Find the right office in Putnam County. Court cases, deeds and parcels, sheriff and jail records, vital records and county filings, each linked to the office that keeps them.

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Most requested Putnam County records

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Vital records

Ohio Death Records

The Ohio Department of Health Bureau of Vital Statistics issues certified Ohio death records for a fee, ordered online, by mail or in person; local health districts also issue copies.

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Police & jail

Ohio Death Row

Information about Ohio death row inmates from the Ohio Dept. of Rehabilitation and Corrections.

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Vital records

Ohio Marriage Search

Ohio marriage and divorce records are held by the probate court or clerk of courts in the county that issued the license; the state Bureau of Vital Statistics keeps only the index.

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Local record guide

About public records in Putnam County

County profile

Putnam County at a glance

State
Ohio
County seat
Ottawa
Population
34,451
Area
484 sq mi
Founded
1820
Cities and towns
13

Putnam County offices and records

Sheriff & Law Enforcement. Putnam County Sheriff's Office is responsible for maintaining law and order within Putnam County. Notable divisions within the Sheriff's Office include the patrol division, investigations, and a dedicated unit for handling drug-related offenses.

Police Departments. In addition to Putnam County Sheriff's Office, law enforcement in Putnam County is provided by municipal police departments in cities such as Ottawa, Columbus Grove, and Leipsic. Each city department is responsible for maintaining public safety within its jurisdiction, handling local law enforcement duties, and collaborating with the Sheriff's Office on major investigations.

Law Enforcement & Arrests. Putnam County Sheriff's Office, located at 1445 East Third Street, Ottawa, OH 45875, is the primary law enforcement agency for unincorporated areas and provides countywide services including jail operations, civil process, and criminal investigations. Putnam County Jail, operated by the Sheriff's Office at the same address, houses inmates awaiting trial and those serving sentences. Arrest records and booking information are public records under Ohio Revised Code Section 149.43, which mandates that public records be made available for inspection at reasonable times.

Arrest Records. Arrest records in Putnam County are maintained by Putnam County Sheriff's Office. Residents and attorneys can request arrest records by contacting the Sheriff's Office directly, following the procedures outlined under the Ohio Public Records Act.

Jail & Inmate Records. Inmate lookup services are available through the Sheriff's Office, allowing family members and legal representatives to find information about current detainees.

Mugshots & Booking Photos. Mugshots in Putnam County are taken and retained by Putnam County Sheriff's Office during the booking process. These photos are part of the public record and can be accessed through the Sheriff's Office website or by request.

Abandoned mine records

Old mine workings in Putnam County

Where the workings are, and the office that holds the mine maps.

From the old mine records

What is on record in Putnam County

Old mine sites
6
Past producers, now closed
6
Producing when recorded
2
Processing plants, not workings
1
Main minerals
Clay; Limestone, General; Stone, Crushed/Broken; Limestone, General
Holes drawn on the old survey maps
21
Shafts and tunnels
0
What they are
clay pit, quarry, gravel pit, gravel/borrow pit - undifferentiated
Maps surveyed
1960 to 1973
Records behind them
33 records for 30 sites, the rest are the same working written down more than once

Is an old working under a property here?

The mine records hold 9 mine sites inside the county: 6 past producers, now closed, 2 sites producing when the record was made, 1 processing plant, which is not a working; the old survey maps add 21 holes drawn inside the county, 0 of them shafts or tunnels. The minerals the records name are Clay; Limestone, General; Stone, Crushed/Broken; Limestone, General.

A point in either file is a location, not a property line: the sheet shows the opening on the surface, not the rooms under it. The record that shows what runs under a parcel is the mine map. The OSMRE National Mine Map Repository holds scanned underground mine maps and answers requests for a named mine or an area. Coverage is automatic in the 26 mandatory counties (Athens, Belmont, Carroll, Columbiana, Coshocton, Gallia, Guernsey, Harrison, Hocking, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Lawrence, Mahoning, Meigs, Monroe, Morgan, Muskingum, Noble, Perry, Scioto, Stark, Trumbull, Tuscarawas, Vinton, Washington) and optional in 11 more.

Ottawa Leipsic Kalida Columbus Grove Continental Pandora Ottoville Dupont Cloverdale N 10 miles
Putnam County: the boundary from the Census Bureau, and one dot for each old mine or hole on record inside it. The purple dots come off the old survey maps and the darkest of those are shafts and tunnels; the red, green and orange ones are mine records. The small open circles with a name are the towns and the pale shapes around the edge are the neighbouring counties, both from the Census Bureau. Hover a dot for its name.
Ohio mine map and abandoned mine records
Named workings recorded in Putnam County (9 shown, 21 unnamed on the map)

Ohio abandoned mine maps ranks every county and town in the state by the workings recorded inside it, names the office that holds the mine maps, and says what to do if the ground moves.

Disclaimer: The mine information here is for general information only. Old mine records can be incomplete, outdated or wrong, and finding nothing here does not mean there is nothing there. Check with the mine map office named here before you rely on it, and have a qualified engineer look at any ground you are worried about. PublicRecordCenter.com assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors, omissions, or consequences arising from the use of this information.

Labor Department file

Wage and hour cases in Putnam County

The U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division closed 20 investigations in Putnam County since fiscal 2005 and recorded $20,881 in back wages agreed for 48 workers. The county is the one the Census Bureau puts each employer's ZIP code in. Snapshot of April 22, 2026; a case here is a finding by the Division, not a court judgment.

Investigations closed
20
Back wages agreed
$20,881
Workers due back wages
48
Civil money penalties
$4,396
Employers on the record
17
EmployerCityCasesBack wagesWorkers
Hirt Media, Inc.Ottawa1$9,0803
Lock Sixteen Catering, Inc.Ottoville1$9,01312
Schulte's Produce, LLCPandora1$1,43215
Miller Contracting Group, Inc.Ottoville2$1,06214
CLAN BELL, Inc.Columbus Grove1$2954
Pandora ManufacturingPandora1$00
Roebke FarmsColumbus Grove1$00
Hovest Bros., LLCOttawa1$00
Schultes Produce LLCOttawa1$00
B&B Farm Supply Inc.Ottawa1$00
Donald H. Roebke FarmsColumbus Grove1$00
Enedelia CisneroPandora1$00
Carpet MartOttawa1$00
Verhoff Excavating, LLCOttawa1$00
Brookhill Industries, Inc.Ottawa1$00
Maple Drive Farms, Inc.Pandora1$00
Niese AG, LLCPandora1$00

Every employer on the Putnam County record, by back wages agreed; 3 employers have a page of their own and open from the table, the rest show their whole record in this row. The Ohio wage theft records page ranks the whole state.

Straight answers

Putnam County public-records FAQs

Open only the answer you need.

Where can I find mugshots or booking photos in Putnam County, Ohio?

Booking photos are kept by the agency that made the arrest, such as the Putnam County Sheriff's Office or a city police department in Putnam County. Ask that agency for its record. Under Ohio Revised Code 2927.22 no one who publishes criminal record information, booking photographs included, may ask for or accept a fee to remove, correct or stop publishing it; a violation is a first degree misdemeanor.

How do I get a criminal background check in Putnam County, Ohio?

The Ohio criminal history record comes from the Ohio Attorney General, Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI). Checks are fingerprint based: submit fingerprints electronically through a WebCheck location, or mail the BCI Civilian Background Check card with payment to P.O. Box 365, London, Ohio 43140. Fee: $22.00 for a BCI check.

How can I look up sex offenders in Putnam County, Ohio?

Search the Ohio Attorney General Electronic Sex Offender Registration and Notification (eSORN), or every state at once on the National Sex Offender Public Website run by the U.S. Department of Justice.

How do I register to vote in Putnam County, Ohio?

Register with the county board of elections or through the Ohio Secretary of State. You can also register online with the state online registration. Registration forms must be received or postmarked by the 30th day before the election.

How do I look up property records in Putnam County, Ohio?

Deeds and other recorded land documents in Putnam County are kept by the Putnam County recorder. Property values are set by the county auditor, and tax bills come from the county treasurer. Source: official state page.

How do I get a birth or death certificate in Putnam County, Ohio?

Certified birth and death certificates for Ohio come from the Ohio Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics. More than 100 local vital statistics offices at local health departments in Ohio offer in person or other same day certified copies of Ohio vital records. Online through the Department of Health order portal with a credit card, by mail with check or money order to PO Box 15098, Columbus, Ohio 43215-0098, or in person at a local vital statistics office; the state office at 4200 Surface Road, Columbus serves same day birth record requests Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Fee: $21.50 for each certified birth or death record.

How do I find business license records in Putnam County, Ohio?

Business entity filings are searched with the Ohio Secretary of State, Business Services Division. Ohio.gov says some licenses and permits come from the state and others come from your city or county.

Same county

Cities, towns and neighboring counties

Use the city page when a record was created by a municipal police department or city office; use the county page for courts, deeds, vital records and jail custody.