>>Real Estate

The Franklin County Auditor maintains the most comprehensive set of real estate records available in Franklin County. The Real Estate Division's 60-plus employees oversee the appraisal of more than 433,000 parcels. Ohio law mandates a general reappraisal every six years, with an update at the three-year midpoint. The most recent update was completed in 2008 and the next general reappraisal will be completed in 2011

The Real Estate Division compiles information for all residential, commercial, industrial, agricultural and tax exempt properties in Franklin County.

All real estate related inquiries should be directed to (614) 462-HOME (4663) or to e-mail: gewoodwa@franklincountyohio.gov.
  

Valuation Process Presentation

Valuation Process Video

Online Applications

2008 Tax Rates

Transfer & Conveyance Standards

Building Codes

Land Use Codes

Levy Estimates 

 >>Appraisal

Ownership, appraised value, legal description, property address, building description, building footprint records and photographs are available in the Auditor's Map Room on the 19th floor of the Franklin County Courthouse, 373 S. High St., and on the website.

Following the 2008 triennial update, Franklin County had a total real estate market value of $97.7 billion. Residential properties were valued at $54.7 billion, commercial properties accounted for $19.1 billion, and industrial properties totaled $4.04 billion in value.

The Appraisal Section administers the Current Agricultural Use Valuation (CAUV) program, which saves farmers tax dollars because farm land is assigned value based on soil type rather than standard real estate factors. The CAUV application and CAUV renewal application deadline is the first Monday of March each year. For further information please call 462-6254.

In addition, owners of properties that have been damaged by fire, flood or other means are encouraged to submit a Property Value Reduction application. A substantial reduction in property value will result in a lower property tax bill until the property has been essentially restored to its prior condition. Applications for value reductions for properties damaged between Jan. 1 and Sept. 30 are due by Dec. 31 of the same tax year. Applications for properties damaged between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31 are due no later than Jan. 31 of the year following the damage. The amount of the value reduction allowed is adjusted quarterly depending upon when the damage occurred. For more information please call 462-HOME (4663).

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>>Tax Incentives

The Tax Incentives section handles the administration of tax exemption and abatement programs. There are currently over 23,600 parcels within Franklin County that receive some form of tax abatement. The Auditor's Office is not involved in the approval of abatement programs, but does manage the parcels and keeps track of the abatement status. In addition, the Auditor is by law the Chair of the Tax Incentive Review Council for each area of the county that has granted abatements. For further information please call 462-6272.

>>Transfer and Conveyance

Transfer and Conveyance documents the transfer of properties and maintains the Auditor's parcel numbering system. This section also manages subdivision and condominium plats, as well as property splits. The Transfer and Conveyance section processes over 50,000 property transfers yearly. Call 614-462-3254 with any questions.

Daily Conveyances
Exemption's for Real Property Conveyance Fee
Transfer and Conveyance Standards
Transfer and Conveyance Codes

Conveyance Fees & Transfer Tax

Franklin County conveyance fees are $2 (two dollars) for every $1,000 (one-thousand) of the sale price. Effective January 12, 2006, The Franklin County Commissioners have imposed a $1 per thousand permissive conveyance tax in addition to the mandatory $1 per thousand conveyance fee. This action was approved on December 13, 2005 by passage of Resolution number 998-05.

Transfer tax is $.50 (fifty cents) per parcel. Credit cards and personal checks are not accepted. For more information regarding fees call 614-462-3254.

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The Tax Accounting section provides a service to Franklin County townships and municipalities by collecting surcharges for special services such as weed cutting and sidewalk installation, and special improvement districts.

In addition, annexations, real estate tax adjustments and refunds due to a change in a properties taxable value are administered in this section. For more information please call 462-3205.

In addition, a 2½% supplemental property tax rollback given to homeowners on their annual tax bill for their primary place of residence is administered through this department. The application deadline is the first Monday in June each year. Call 462-6271 if you have any questions.

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BOR Home Page

The Franklin County Board of Revision hears formal complaints on property valuations and appraisals. BOR complaints are accepted from December after the first half tax bill is mailed to March 31 each year. Filing a complaint allows property owners to schedule a hearing before the Board of Revision, which is comprised of the County Auditor, Treasurer and President of the Board of Commissioners or their representatives. At the hearing, property owners may present information such as recent appraisals or sales data for similar properties in support of their complaints. For more information please call 462-3913.

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The Franklin County Auditor's Public Information Section handles requests for information via telephone, internet, and walk-in inquiries. Available information includes property record cards, taxpayer information and parcel identification sheets.

A wide array of information, including maps, color aerial photography and ownership records, are available in the Public Information Section on the 19th floor of the Franklin County Courthouse, 373 S. High St., in Columbus.

A central telephone number has been established to handle all real estate inquiries. It is estimated that the telephone number, (614) 462-HOME (4663), will receive 200,000 calls per year. The Real Estate office may also be reached by e-mail.

Residential Rental Property Registration Program

House bill 294 which took effect on September 28, 2006 requires the owner(s) of residential rental property to file information with the County Auditor of the county in which the property is located. Residential rental property means: real property, 1 or more dwelling units leased or rented solely for residential purposes, mobile home park or site where lots are leased for parking mobile/ manufactured homes/RV's for residential purposes. Click here for further information.

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>>Geographic Information System GIS Manual

The Franklin County Auditor's appraisal Geographic Information System (GIS) is a computer graphics and mapping program comprised of more than 4,000 color aerial photographs. The system, which has received national recognition, consists of geographic data layers attached to a base map.

Data layers include property lines, planimetric features (aboveground structures), and topographic details (land contours and elevations), as well as other factors that affect property values.

The GIS Section provides additional services, including public-access computer terminals in the Auditor's map room on the 19th floor of the Franklin County Courthouse, 373 S. High St. In 1995, the GIS Section began producing a quarterly releases of the GIS base map on DVD's in three formats, MetaMAP, DXF and Shapefiles (To Order Mapping Data Click Here).

Since January 1996, all updated property information has been recorded only on GIS. Prior to 1996, information was recorded on approximately 3,800 paper tax maps that had been in existence for approximately 150 years.

In February 1995, the Auditor's Office implemented the County Auditor's Reciprocal Data Agreement (CARDA). Through CARDA, governmental agencies receive the GIS DVD's and quarterly updates at no charge in exchange for providing the Auditor's Office with updated information used to maintain and enhance the GIS. By early 2008 more than 90 agencies were involved in CARDA.

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