Access Covington County Deed Records

Covington County deed records are stored at the Probate Court in Andalusia. Online access is available through the Ingenuity portal.

Covington County Probate Court

The Probate Court handles all deed recording in Covington County. The office is at Court Square in Andalusia. Staff record documents, maintain indexes, and help with public searches. This office serves about 37,000 residents across 14 cities.

Covington County is in south Alabama near the Florida border. Andalusia is the county seat and largest city. The county has more cities than most Alabama counties of its size. All of them file deeds at the one Probate Court office.

How to Search Covington County Deed Records Online

Covington County offers online access to deed records through the Ingenuity portal. You can search property documents from home. This is convenient for basic research needs.

The online portal is at ingprobate.com/Covington_Probate. Search by name, date, or document type. Create an account to access all features. Index searches may be free. Document images often have a small fee.

To search Covington County deed records online:

• Visit the Ingenuity portal
• Create a user account
• Enter search criteria
• Review index results
• View or download documents

For complex searches or historical records, visit the courthouse. Staff can help with documents not available online.

Covington County Deed Recording Fees

Recording a deed in Covington County costs eight dollars and fifty cents for the first page. Each additional page is three dollars. A typical deed costs eleven fifty to fourteen fifty to record.

Fee schedule for Covington County:

• First page: $8.50
• Each additional page: $3.00
• Certified copies: Additional charge
• Plain copies: Per page fee

The deed transfer tax also applies. Alabama charges fifty cents per five hundred dollars of property value. This goes to the state and county. Add the transfer tax to recording fees for total cost.

Requirements for Recording Deeds

Covington County follows Alabama state requirements for deeds. Your document must include certain items. The Probate Court checks each deed before accepting it.

Every deed recorded in Covington County must have:

• Original signatures of grantors
• Notarized acknowledgment
• Marital status of grantors
• Complete legal description
• Grantee mailing address
• Preparer name and address
• Derivation clause
• RT-1 form

Under Code of Alabama Section 35-4-73, the grantor's marital status is required. The Probate Judge can refuse to record without it.

Property Research in Covington County

Complete property research uses several record types. Deeds show ownership changes. Mortgages show loans. Releases show paid loans. The Probate Court keeps all these documents.

For thorough Covington County property research:

• Search deed records for ownership chain
• Check mortgage records
• Look for release records
• Review tax records at Revenue Commissioner
• Check court records for liens

The Revenue Commissioner has property tax data. Tax records help confirm ownership when combined with deed searches. Parcel numbers and maps show boundaries.

Historical Deed Records

Covington County was formed in 1821. Property records go back to that time. The courthouse holds these historical documents. They show over 200 years of land ownership.

Old deeds may look different from modern ones. Handwriting varied. Legal descriptions used landmarks. Some features no longer exist. Staff can help interpret old records.

The Alabama Secretary of State has original land patents. Search them free at sos.alabama.gov.

Cities in Covington County

Covington County has 14 cities. All file deeds at the Probate Court in Andalusia. One office serves the whole county.

Communities include Andalusia, Opp, Florala, Red Level, River Falls, and Lockhart. Andalusia is the county seat. Opp is known for the annual Rattlesnake Rodeo. All property transfers in Covington County record at the courthouse.

Nearby Counties

Covington County borders these Alabama counties. Coffee County is to the east. Crenshaw County is to the north. Florida is to the south.