Portage County Clerk of Courts (OH): Court Records & Services

Portage County, Ohio Clerk of Courts Guide

Portage County Clerk of Courts (OH): Court Records & Services

The Portage County Clerk of Courts is the official court-record office for Portage County, Ohio, covering Clerk services for Common Pleas Court, Domestic Relations, Municipal Court civil matters, Municipal Court traffic and criminal matters, court costs, record searches, public records requests, and the Auto Title Division.

Use this guide to search Portage County court records, understand which court division to contact, request copies or certified court records, open the Ravenna courthouse in Google Map, use the correct payment portal, find Kent and Ravenna Municipal Court contacts, and avoid confusing court records with recorder, probate, or vital-record services.

Independent guide last reviewed September 2026. Always verify current hours, fees, payment instructions, court schedules, forms, and access rules on the official Portage County website before filing, paying, ordering records, or visiting.

Quick Facts: Portage County Clerk of Courts

Official office Portage County Clerk of Courts, Ohio.
Current Clerk Jill Fankhauser, Portage County Clerk of Courts.
Main courthouse Ravenna Court House, 203 West Main Street, Ravenna, OH 44266.
Courthouse hours Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Online records range Online case information is listed for Common Pleas General, Domestic Relations, Probate, and Ravenna/Kent Municipal Court from 1992 to present.
Main record search Search by party name, business name, case number, case type, case status, and date ranges where available.
Municipal Court branches Ravenna Branch and Kent Branch handle countywide Municipal Court traffic, criminal misdemeanor, and civil matters.
Auto Title office 449 S. Meridian Street, 1st Floor, Ravenna, OH 44266. Phone: 330-297-3450.
Fast answer: use the Portage County eServices court-record search for court cases. Use the Clerk’s division pages for Common Pleas, Domestic Relations, Municipal Civil, Traffic/Criminal, court costs, public records policy, and payments. Use Probate Court for marriage and estate records, and use the Recorder for recorded land documents.

Request Portage County Court Records, Copies, Certified Copies, and Public Records

For basic case lookup, start online. For a specific document, court-file copy, certified copy, older record, public-record request, or division-specific file, contact the Clerk division that maintains that record.

A strong records request should identify the record clearly. Include the party name, business name if applicable, attorney name if relevant, case number, case type, open or closed status if known, document name, date range, and whether the copy needs to be certified.

Common Pleas General PO Box 1035, Ravenna, OH 44266. Email: CommonPleasCOC@portageco.com. Phone: 330-297-3644.
Domestic Relations PO Box 1035, Ravenna, OH 44266. Email: DomesticRelationsCOC@portageco.com. Phone: 330-297-3475.
Ravenna Municipal Civil PO Box 958, Ravenna, OH 44266. Email: RavennaCivilCOC@portageco.com. Phone: 330-297-3635.
Ravenna Traffic / Criminal PO Box 958, Ravenna, OH 44266. Email: RavennaCriminalCOC@portageco.com. Phone: 330-297-3639.
Kent Municipal Civil 303 East Main Street, Kent, OH 44240. Email: KentCivilCOC@portageco.com. Phone: 330-678-9170.
Kent Traffic / Criminal 303 East Main Street, Kent, OH 44240. Email: KentCriminalCOC@portageco.com. Phone: 330-678-9100.
Certified copy tip: a certified court record is not the same as a printed online docket page. If a government agency, licensing office, employer, court, school, lender, title office, or attorney asks for a certified copy, state “certified copy” clearly when contacting the Clerk.

Portage County Clerk of Courts Google Map, Courthouse Address, Hours, and Contacts

The main court-service location for many Portage County Clerk of Courts services is the Ravenna courthouse area at 203 West Main Street. Municipal Court services are split between Ravenna and Kent, and Auto Title is located at the Portage County Administration Building on South Meridian Street.

Ravenna Court House

Address: 203 West Main Street, Ravenna, OH 44266

Courthouse hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Common services: Common Pleas General Division, Domestic Relations, Ravenna Municipal Civil, Ravenna Traffic/Criminal, record requests, filings, case lookup assistance, court schedules, and court-cost questions.

Visit note: bring your case number, citation number, party name, document name, payment method, and government-issued photo ID when records or certified copies are involved.

Common Pleas General Division

Ravenna Court House
203 West Main Street
Ravenna, OH 44266

Phone: 330-297-3644

Email: CommonPleasCOC@portageco.com

Domestic Relations Division

203 West Main Street
P.O. Box 1035
Ravenna, OH 44266-1035

Phone: 330-297-3475

Email: DomesticRelationsCOC@portageco.com

Ravenna Municipal Civil

Ravenna Branch Courthouse
203 West Main Street
Ravenna, OH 44266

Phone: 330-297-3635

Email: RavennaCivilCOC@portageco.com

Ravenna Traffic / Criminal

Ravenna Branch Courthouse
203 West Main Street
P.O. Box 958
Ravenna, OH 44266

Phone: 330-297-3639

Email: RavennaCriminalCOC@portageco.com

Kent Municipal Civil

Kent Branch Courthouse
303 East Main Street
Kent, OH 44240

Phone: 330-678-9170

Email: KentCivilCOC@portageco.com

Kent Traffic / Criminal

Kent Branch Courthouse
303 East Main Street
Kent, OH 44240

Phone: 330-678-9100

Email: KentCriminalCOC@portageco.com

Auto Title Division

Portage County Administration Building
449 S. Meridian Street, 1st Floor
Ravenna, OH 44266

Phone: 330-297-3450

Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Portage County Clerk of Courts Divisions and Services

The Portage County Clerk of Courts page is organized around three major areas: Common Pleas Court, Municipal Court, and Auto Title. Within the court system, the most important step is matching your case to the correct division.

Common Pleas General Division commonly handles larger civil matters, felony-level matters, judgment liens, service instructions, and related filings. Domestic Relations handles divorce, dissolution, custody, support, parentage, and civil protection order filings. Municipal Court handles countywide traffic, criminal misdemeanors, and civil matters through the Ravenna and Kent branches.

Common Pleas General General civil and criminal court-record support, judgment liens, service requests, temporary protection/no-contact order requests, and related filings.
Domestic Relations Divorce, dissolution, custody, support, parentage, domestic violence CPO packets, dating violence CPO packets, contempt motions, and related family filings.
Municipal Civil Civil division matters through Ravenna and Kent, including municipal civil filings, costs, civil forms, and reinstatement fee payment plan petitions.
Traffic / Criminal Countywide Municipal Court traffic and criminal misdemeanors, waiver information, driving privileges, appeals, continuances, subpoenas, and sealing/expungement forms for Municipal Court only.
Court schedules Common Pleas, Municipal Court, and Domestic Relations weekly schedules are posted through the Clerk’s court schedules page.
Auto Title Vehicle titles, title searches, lien-related title services, out-of-state inspections, duplicate titles, and passport application acceptance information.

Pay Portage County Court Costs, Fines, and Fees Safely

The Clerk’s website includes a clear warning: to make sure the Clerk receives your online payment, do not use third-party applications or services. Use the official Portage County eServices payment link from the Clerk page.

Before paying, confirm the court division, case number, amount due, and whether the payment will resolve the matter. Some payments may require a signed waiver, a court appearance, a payment plan, or direct division contact.

Collections phone 330-297-5886.
Ravenna Traffic / Criminal 330-297-3639.
Kent Traffic / Criminal 330-678-9100.
Common Pleas General 330-297-3644.
Payment safety: Portage County warns users not to use third-party applications or services for online court payments. Do not pay court costs, fines, warrants, or traffic tickets through gift cards, Zelle, Venmo, Cash App, crypto, or private payment links.

Portage County Municipal Court: Traffic, Criminal Misdemeanor, Civil, and Small Claims Services

Portage County Municipal Court has countywide jurisdiction with two branches: Ravenna and Kent. The Traffic/Criminal Division handles traffic and criminal misdemeanor matters. The Municipal Civil Division handles civil matters, including civil filings and related costs.

The Municipal Court is responsible for misdemeanor cases and setting bond on felony cases. It also hears civil matters up to $15,000 and small claims up to $6,000. Always use the branch listed on your ticket, summons, notice, or court document.

Ravenna Municipal Court 203 West Main Street, Ravenna, OH 44266. Civil: 330-297-3635. Traffic/Criminal: 330-297-3639.
Kent Municipal Court 303 East Main Street, Kent, OH 44240. Civil: 330-678-9170. Traffic/Criminal: 330-678-9100.
Traffic forms Waiver information, motion for continuance, plea of not guilty, driving privileges, subpoenas, appeal packet, and related forms.
Municipal sealing / expungement The Clerk lists applications to seal or expunge Municipal Court records, including nonconviction and conviction forms where applicable.

Domestic Relations: Divorce, Dissolution, Custody, Support, Parentage, and Protection Orders

Portage County Domestic Relations is a division of the Court of Common Pleas. It handles divorce, dissolution, legal separation, annulment, parentage, custody disputes, modification of parental rights and responsibilities, parenting time, visitation, child support, spousal support, enforcement actions, and civil protection orders.

The Clerk’s Domestic Relations page provides links for court costs, court rules, minimum requirements for dissolutions, divorces, parentage/custody actions, domestic violence civil protection order packets, dating violence civil protection order packets, motions to modify or terminate protection orders, and miscellaneous forms.

Family case caution: domestic relations records can involve children, addresses, financial information, and protection orders. Do not publish or misuse sensitive case details, and verify access limits with the Clerk or court before relying on online records.

Auto Title, Vehicle Title Records, Out-of-State Inspections, Good Deeds Program, and Passports

The Portage County Auto Title Department is a division of the Clerk of Courts. It assists the public with Ohio title transactions, titled vehicle records, title searches, lien-related title services, notarized title documents, out-of-state inspections, and related Auto Title forms.

Auto Title is not the same as license plates or driver licensing. License plates and driver licenses are handled by the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles. The Portage County Auto Title office is also listed as a passport acceptance location, so users should review the official passport requirement sheet before visiting.

Portage County Auto Title Division

Portage County Administration Building
449 S. Meridian Street, 1st Floor
Ravenna, OH 44266

Phone: 330-297-3450

Fax: 330-297-3451

Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Common Auto Title Services

Certificate of title, duplicate title, lien notation, lien cancellation, memorandum certificate, salvage title, sworn affidavit, out-of-state inspection, title search, and Good Deeds Program resources.

Passport Application Reminder

All applicants must be present regardless of age, and passport applications should not be signed until the acceptance agent instructs you to sign.

Wrong Office Checker: Clerk of Courts, Probate Court, Recorder, Auditor, Treasurer, or BMV?

Many people search “Portage County Clerk of Courts” when they actually need a different Portage County office. Use this checklist to avoid the wrong line, wrong portal, or wrong phone number.

Use Portage County Clerk of Courts for

  • Common Pleas General case records and filings.
  • Domestic Relations case records and filings.
  • Ravenna and Kent Municipal Court civil records.
  • Ravenna and Kent Municipal Court traffic/criminal records.
  • Court costs, fines, payment information, and collections.
  • Public records requests for Clerk-maintained court records.
  • Auto titles and title-related services.
  • Passport acceptance through Auto Title resources.

Use another office for

  • Probate Court: marriage records, estate records, guardianship, and probate-specific matters.
  • Recorder: deeds, mortgages, liens recorded against real estate, and land records.
  • Auditor: property values, parcel data, tax maps, and property-record tools.
  • Treasurer: property tax bills and property tax payments.
  • Ohio BMV: license plates, driver licenses, registration, and state BMV services.
Simple rule: court case = Clerk of Courts. Marriage or estate record = Probate Court. Deed, mortgage, or land recording = Recorder. Property value = Auditor. Property tax payment = Treasurer. License plates or driver license = Ohio BMV.

Portage County Clerk Fees, Court Costs, Copy Costs, and Payment Notes

Court costs and filing fees vary by division and case type. A Common Pleas filing, Municipal Civil filing, traffic waiver, criminal case, Domestic Relations case, title transaction, record search, and certified copy can all have different cost rules.

Varies Common Pleas filing fees and deposits depend on the action, filing type, and cost sheet.
Varies Municipal Court civil costs depend on the filing, service, and branch instructions.
Varies Traffic and criminal waiver amounts depend on the charge, court costs, and case status.
Varies Record copies and certified copies depend on page count, certification, and division handling the record.
$18.00 Certificate of title or duplicate certificate of title listed on the Auto Title fee page.
$9.50 Out-of-state inspection total fee listed by Auto Title, including inspection and Clerk fee.
$5.00 Late fee listed for title transfers not completed within the required time after notarization.
Confirm Passport fees include separate U.S. Department of State fees and local acceptance fees; verify current amounts before visiting.
Fee caution: do not rely on old screenshots, third-party summaries, or unofficial payment links. Court costs, waiver amounts, filing deposits, title fees, copy fees, and passport fees can change.

Sealed, Expunged, Juvenile, Restricted, and Sensitive Records

Not every Portage County court record is available through public online search. Records may be sealed, expunged, restricted, confidential, juvenile, protected by court order, or excluded from public display because of privacy rules.

The Traffic/Criminal Division page includes sealing and expungement applications for Municipal Court only, including forms for sealing records of nonconviction, sealing records of conviction, expungement of nonconviction records, expungement of conviction records, and special categories where applicable.

Legal-use notice: this page is an independent informational guide and is not the official Portage County Clerk of Courts website. It is not a consumer reporting agency. Do not use this page or linked court-record searches for employment screening, tenant screening, credit eligibility, insurance eligibility, or any Fair Credit Reporting Act purpose.

Official Portage County Clerk Links Used in This Guide

Use these official resources instead of outdated directories, ad-heavy record-search sites, or unofficial payment pages.

Accuracy, Public Records, and Legal Use Notice

This page is an independent informational guide and is not the official Portage County Clerk of Courts website. Court records, court schedules, payments, case status, fees, branch locations, email addresses, passport requirements, and office hours can change.

This website is not a consumer reporting agency. Do not use this page or linked court-record searches for employment screening, tenant screening, credit eligibility, insurance eligibility, or any Fair Credit Reporting Act purpose.

Verify before acting: if a hearing date, warrant, payment deadline, traffic citation, certified copy, sealed record, expungement, domestic protection order, filing deadline, passport application, title transfer, or court-cost balance matters, confirm directly with the official Clerk, the court, or a qualified professional.

Portage County Clerk of Courts FAQs

1. How do I search Portage County court records online?

Use the official Portage County eServices court-record search. Search by case number, party name, business name, case type, case status, or date range, then verify the court division, filing date, case status, and docket entries before relying on the result.

2. What is the official Portage County Clerk of Courts website?

The official Clerk of Courts page is on portagecounty-oh.gov under Portage County Clerk of Courts. It links to Search Court Records, Pay Fines & Court Costs, Common Pleas, Domestic Relations, Municipal Civil, Traffic/Criminal, Auto Title, court schedules, and public records policy.

3. Where is the Portage County Clerk of Courts located?

Many court services are connected to the Ravenna Court House at 203 West Main Street, Ravenna, OH 44266. The Kent Municipal branch is at 303 East Main Street, Kent, OH 44240, and Auto Title is at 449 S. Meridian Street, Ravenna, OH 44266.

4. What phone number should I call for Portage County Clerk services?

Use the division phone number that matches your matter: Auto Title 330-297-3450, Collections 330-297-5886, Common Pleas General 330-297-3644, Domestic Relations 330-297-3475, Kent Civil 330-678-9170, Kent Traffic/Criminal 330-678-9100, Ravenna Civil 330-297-3635, and Ravenna Traffic/Criminal 330-297-3639.

5. What courts are included in the Portage County online court-record search?

The Portage County public access system lists case information from the Common Pleas Court General Division, Domestic Relations Division, Probate Court, and the Ravenna and Kent Municipal Court divisions from 1992 through the present date.

6. Can I pay Portage County court costs or fines online?

Yes, eligible payments may be made through the official Portage County eServices payment link. The Clerk warns users not to use third-party applications or services because the Clerk may not receive the payment correctly.

7. Why can’t I find a Portage County case online?

The case may be sealed, restricted, archived, juvenile, confidential, entered under a different spelling, outside the portal’s indexed range, or not available to public users. Contact the correct Clerk division if the record is important or if a certified copy is needed.

8. Does the Portage County Clerk of Courts handle auto titles?

Yes. The Auto Title Division is part of the Portage County Clerk of Courts and is located at 449 S. Meridian Street, 1st Floor, Ravenna, OH 44266. It handles title transactions, title searches, lien-related title services, and out-of-state inspections.

9. Does the Portage County Clerk of Courts handle marriage records and estate records?

Marriage records and estate records are generally located through Portage County Probate Court, not the regular Clerk of Courts court-record division. Use the county records search guide to choose Probate Court for marriage and estate matters.

10. Is this page the official Portage County Clerk of Courts website?

No. This is an independent guide. For official court records, payments, copies, filings, court schedules, Auto Title services, passports, maps, office hours, and public-record policies, use the official Portage County links provided in this article.

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