How To Find the Title Company That Handled Your Home

You can find the title company that handled your home by checking your closing documents or searching your local county's official public records online. Your closing disclosure, owner's title insurance policy, and recorded deed all identify the title company or closing agent by name. If you no longer have those documents, every Florida county clerk's office maintains a searchable online database of recorded deeds, mortgages, and other property instruments. The "prepared by" line printed on the first page of your recorded deed shows the name and address of the title company or law firm that handled the closing. This article walks through every method for finding your title company, explains where the name appears on each document, and covers what to do if your original paperwork is lost.

How To Find the Title Company That Handled Your Home

You find the title company that handled your home by checking two sources: your closing documents and your county's official property records. The closing documents you received when you purchased the property contain the title company's name, address, and contact information in multiple places. The county's official records contain the recorded deed, which identifies the company or attorney that prepared the document. Either source leads you to the same answer.

The closing documents method is the fastest approach because you already have the paperwork in your possession. The county records method works as a backup when you no longer have access to your original closing file. Both methods produce the same result: the name of the title company or closing agent that coordinated your residential closing and recorded your deed with the county.

How To Find the Title Company From Your Closing Documents

You find the title company from your closing documents by checking three specific items in your closing file: the closing disclosure, the owner's title insurance policy, and the recorded deed. Each of these documents identifies the title company by name, and the information appears in a slightly different location on each one.

Closing Disclosure (or HUD-1 Settlement Statement). The closing disclosure is the document that lists every fee and cost paid by the buyer and seller at closing. The title company's name appears as the settlement agent or closing service provider on the first page. If you purchased your home before October 2015, you received a HUD-1 Settlement Statement instead of a closing disclosure. The HUD-1 lists the settlement agent on the top of the form. Both documents identify the title company that coordinated the closing and handled the funds.

Owner's Title Insurance Policy. Your owner's title insurance policy identifies both the title company (the issuing agent) and the title insurance underwriter (the company that backs the policy). The title company's name and contact details are typically printed at the top or bottom of the first page. The underwriter's name, such as First American, Old Republic, Fidelity, or Stewart, appears separately. The title company is the local office that performed the title search and handled the closing. The underwriter is the national company that insures the policy. You need the title company's name, not the underwriter's name, if you are looking for the office that managed your transaction.

Recorded Deed. Your recorded deed is the legal document that transferred ownership from the seller to you. The deed includes a "prepared by" statement on the first page that identifies the person or company who drafted the document. In Florida, the "prepared by" line is required under Florida Statute Section 695.26. The title company or the attorney who handled the closing is almost always the party listed on this line. The deed also shows the recording information stamped by the county clerk, including the date, time, and official record book and page number.

How To Find the Title Company From Your Recorded Deed

You find the title company from your recorded deed by looking at the "prepared by" statement printed on the first page of the document. Florida law requires every recorded deed to include the name and address of the natural person who prepared the document. In most residential transactions, the title company's closing agent or a real estate attorney affiliated with the title company prepares the deed. The "prepared by" line reads something like "Prepared by: [Name], [Title Company Name], [Address]." That company or firm is the one that handled your closing.

The recorded deed also includes the names of the grantor (seller) and grantee (buyer), the legal description of the property, and the recording stamp from the county clerk. If you have a physical copy of the recorded deed in your closing file, the "prepared by" line is on the first page. If you do not have the physical copy, you can pull the deed from your county's online records system, which brings us to the next method.

How To Search County Records for Your Title Company

You search county records for your title company by visiting your county clerk's official records website and looking up the recorded deed for your property. Every Florida county clerk maintains a searchable online database of recorded instruments, including deeds, mortgages, liens, and satisfactions. You can search by your name, the seller's name, or the property address. Once you locate the recorded deed, open the document image and look for the "prepared by" line on the first page. The following steps walk through the process:

1. Visit the official records search page for the county where your property is located. Most Florida county clerk websites offer a free basic search.
2. Search by your last name as the grantee (the party who received the deed) and narrow the date range to the year you purchased the property.
3. Look for a document labeled "Warranty Deed," "Special Warranty Deed," or "Deed" in the search results. The recording date should match your approximate closing date.
4. Open the document image. The first page of the deed will show the "prepared by" statement, which identifies the title company or closing attorney.
5. Note the title company's name and address from the "prepared by" line. You can use that information to contact the company directly for copies of your closing file, your title insurance policy, or any other documents you need.

Miami-Dade County's official records can be searched through the Miami-Dade Clerk of Courts online records portal. You can search by grantor name, grantee name, or document type. Broward County, Palm Beach County, Hillsborough County, and most other Florida counties offer similar free online search tools through their respective clerk of court websites.

Florida CountyOnline Records SearchSearch OptionsMiami-DadeMiami-Dade Clerk of Courts, Official RecordsGrantor/grantee name, document type, date rangeBrowardBroward County Records DivisionName, date range, document typePalm BeachPalm Beach County Clerk, Official RecordsName, date range, instrument typeHillsboroughHillsborough County Clerk, Official RecordsName, date range, document typeOrangeOrange County Comptroller, Official RecordsName, date range, document typeDuvalDuval County Clerk, Official RecordsName, date range, document type

Certified copies of recorded documents are available for a small fee, typically $2.00 per page in most Florida counties. You do not need a certified copy to identify the title company. The free online document image is sufficient for reading the "prepared by" line and confirming the company name.

What if You Lost Your Closing Documents

If you lost your closing documents, you can still find your title company through county records, your mortgage lender, your real estate agent, or the title insurance underwriter. The county records method described above works regardless of whether you have the original paperwork. The recorded deed is a permanent public record that does not depend on your personal files.

Beyond county records, your mortgage lender has a copy of the closing disclosure and the lender's title insurance policy in your loan file. Contact your lender's servicing department and request a copy of the closing disclosure from your original purchase. The settlement agent's name on that document is your title company. Your real estate agent may also have the title company's name in their transaction file, especially if the closing occurred within the last several years.

If you need a duplicate of your owner's title insurance policy specifically, contact the title insurance underwriter. The underwriter's name appears on the original policy, and the major national underwriters, including First American, Old Republic, Fidelity, Chicago Title, and Stewart, maintain records of every policy issued. You can call the underwriter's customer service line, provide your property address and approximate closing date, and request a duplicate policy. The underwriter can also confirm which title company served as the issuing agent for your policy.

Why Would You Need To Find Your Title Company

You would need to find your title company when you are refinancing, selling, filing a title insurance claim, requesting a duplicate policy, correcting a deed error, or verifying your ownership records. Each of these situations requires access to your original closing file or a copy of your title insurance policy, and the title company that handled your closing is the best source for those documents.

• Refinancing your mortgage often qualifies for a reissue rate on the new lender's title insurance policy, which reduces the premium. The new title company needs your prior owner's policy to apply the discount. Knowing which company issued the original policy speeds up this process during a refinance closing.
• Selling your home starts a new title search. The buyer's title company may contact your original title company for copies of prior curative documents, lien releases, or other items from the original closing file.
• Filing a title insurance claim requires contacting the title company that issued the policy. According to ALTA, the title insurance industry paid $667 million in claims during 2025. If a title defect surfaces on your property, your owner's policy is the financial protection that covers legal defense costs and potential losses.
• Correcting a deed error, such as a misspelled name or an incorrect legal description, often requires the title company to prepare a corrective deed. The original title company has the file and the knowledge of the transaction to handle the correction efficiently.
• Requesting a duplicate title insurance policy is straightforward when you know which company issued the original. Title companies maintain records of every policy they issue and can provide duplicates.

How To Find the Title Company for an Inherited Property

You find the title company for an inherited property by searching the county records for the most recent recorded deed on the property. The deed that transferred ownership to the person you inherited from will show the "prepared by" line identifying the title company that handled that transaction. If the property passed through probate, the personal representative's deed or the order of distribution recorded with the county may also reference the attorney or title company involved. If no recent deed exists because the property was held by the same owner for decades, the county records may show only older instruments. In that case, contacting a title search professional can help trace the ownership history and identify the relevant parties.

What Is a Title Company for a House

A title company for a house is the neutral third party that verifies ownership, issues title insurance, manages escrow funds, prepares closing documents, conducts the closing, and records the deed with the county. The title company performs the title search that examines public records to confirm the seller's legal right to transfer ownership and to identify any liens, judgments, or encumbrances attached to the property. According to ALTA, approximately 25% of residential real estate transactions involve a title defect that must be resolved before closing. The title company resolves those defects through curative work before the transaction reaches the closing table.

After the title search, the title company issues a title commitment that outlines the conditions for issuing the final title insurance policy. At closing, the title company oversees the signing of all documents, collects and disburses funds, records the deed and mortgage with the county, and issues the final title insurance policies to the buyer and lender. Title companies spend an average of 22 to 45 hours closing a single transaction depending on complexity, according to an ALTA study cited by First American Financial. The title insurance industry generated $18.5 billion in premiums during 2025, according to ALTA, and Florida accounted for $2.01 billion of that total as the second-largest state by premium volume.

Who Hires the Title Company When Selling a House

Who hires the title company when selling a house depends on county custom and the terms negotiated in the purchase contract. In Florida, the party who pays for the owner's title insurance policy typically selects the title company. In the majority of Florida's 67 counties, the seller pays for the owner's policy and therefore selects the title company. In Miami-Dade, Broward, Sarasota, and Collier counties, the buyer customarily pays and selects the company instead.

The FAR/BAR residential contract, which is the standard purchase agreement used across Florida, includes checkboxes in Paragraph 9 that designate which party pays for the Owner's Policy and Charges and which party selects the closing agent. The selection is always negotiable. A seller in a buyer-pays county can offer to cover the title insurance as a concession. A buyer in a seller-pays county can request the right to choose the title company in exchange for absorbing the cost. The residential purchase contract is where these terms are locked in before closing. We handle closings across Miami-Dade County daily and work with buyers, sellers, realtors, and lenders regardless of which party initiates the order.

Frequently Asked Questions

How To Check Your Home Title Yourself

You check your home title yourself by searching the county clerk's official records for all recorded instruments associated with your property. Visit your county clerk's online records portal and search by your name or property address. Look for the recorded deed, any recorded mortgages, lien releases, and satisfactions. These documents trace the chain of title and show the current ownership status. A self-conducted search gives you a general picture, but it does not carry the thoroughness or legal weight of a professional title examination performed by a licensed title company.

Can You Do a Title Search Yourself

Yes, you can do a basic title search yourself by visiting the county recorder's office or searching online public records databases. However, a self-conducted title search lacks the expertise and depth of a professional examination. Title examiners are trained to identify subtle issues like breaks in the chain of title, improperly executed documents, and undisclosed encumbrances that an untrained person would likely miss. A professional title search also comes with the option of title insurance, which provides financial protection if the search missed something. You can estimate title-related costs with our title calculator.

Who Performs a Title Search

A licensed title examiner or title abstractor performs a title search on behalf of the title company. The title examiner reviews public records at the county level, including deeds, mortgages, court judgments, tax records, and lien filings, to trace the property's ownership history and identify any claims or encumbrances. In Florida, title companies and real estate attorneys perform title searches as part of the closing process. The title company that handles your closing is the one that performs or orders the title search.

Who Usually Pays for a Title Search

Who usually pays for a title search depends on county custom and the purchase contract. In Florida, the title search fee is bundled into the Owner's Policy and Charges under the FAR/BAR contract. The party who pays for the owner's title insurance also pays for the title search. In most Florida counties the seller pays. In Miami-Dade, Broward, Sarasota, and Collier counties the buyer pays. The cost is always negotiable between the parties.

How Much Does It Cost To Do a Title Search on Your Home

A title search on a residential home costs between $75 and $200 for a standard property, according to Rocket Mortgage. Properties with complicated ownership histories or multiple prior owners can cost $300 or more. The title search fee is separate from the title insurance premium and the settlement fee, although all three are typically grouped together as part of the closing costs. In Florida, title insurance premiums are regulated by the state, so the base rate is the same at every title company. The service fees, including the title search and settlement charge, can vary between providers.

Putting It All Together

Finding the title company that handled your home is straightforward once you know where to look. Your closing disclosure, your owner's title insurance policy, and your recorded deed all contain the title company's name. If you no longer have those documents, your county clerk's online records system lets you pull the recorded deed and read the "prepared by" line that identifies the company. Your mortgage lender, your real estate agent, and the title insurance underwriter can also point you in the right direction. Knowing which title company handled your closing matters whenever you refinance, sell, file a claim, or need a corrective deed.

Whether you need help tracking down your original title company or you are ready to start a new transaction, we are here to help. At Liberty Title & Escrow Partners, we handle every step of the title and closing process with clear communication in English and Spanish and the care your transaction deserves. Call us at (305) 530-8998 or order title online to get started.

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