Frequently Asked Questions

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Please read our section concerning Board Appointment, or download the Board Appointment Application (PDF) now to print a copy.

They meet every Wednesday at 9:30 am in Public Hearing Room B, 4th floor, 226 Middle Avenue, Elyria, Ohio. They have also scheduled regular meetings for the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month at 9:30 am for public hearings, etc. (These meetings will be announced/cancelled at the meeting of the Wednesday before).

The minutes are kept in the County Commissioners administrative area located at 226 Middle Avenue, 4th Floor, Elyria, Ohio. The Clerk keeps 5 years of journals on-site and the rest are located at the County Records Center, 320 North Gateway Boulevard, Elyria, Ohio. You can also access the minutes online.

The meetings are available through Lorain County Commissioners YouTube Channel.

To purchase a copy of an audiotape - cost is $1.50 - please call the Lorain County Records Center at 440-326-4868.

Texting to 911 is different from making a voice call to 911 in this respect.  When you make a voice call to 911, the dispatcher will typically receive your phone number and your approximate location automatically.  This is called "Enhanced 911" or "E911."  However, in most cases when you text 911 from a wireless phone, the call taker will not receive this automated information.  For this reason, if you send a text message to 911, it is important to give the dispatcher an accurate address or location as quickly as possible, if you can.

In general, you must have a text-capable wireless phone or device and a wireless service subscription or contract with a wireless phone company.  You will also need a wireless data or text plan.  Remember, you can make a voice call to 911 using a wireless phone that does not have a service plan, but you cannot send a text message to 911 without a service contract that includes texting.

A 911 call center should respond to the text.

If Text-to-911 is not available, you should receive a bounce back message from the wireless carrier stating that Text-to-911 is not available and that you must place a voice or relay call to 911.

Translation services are not available at this time and any text to 911 placed in Lorain County should be in English.

If your device is not connected to a tower with Text-to-911 service you will receive a message that Text-to-911 service is not available and you should make a voice call or use a relay service.

SMS (short message service) is a basic form of texting.  It is limited to 160 characters.  DO NOT send pictures, videos, or use Emoji’s.  The message can only be sent to one recipient.

911 is the phone number you call in an emergency situation when you need police, fire, or medical services.

When you feel emergency response is needed. This usually involves threat to life, health, or property.

When you dial 911 in Lorain County, the Dispatcher will answer: "911, what is the location of your emergency?  Do you need Police, Fire, or Ambulance?"

• Stay calm and clearly request the type of service needed.
• Verify your address or provide the location you are calling from.
• Inform the Dispatcher of the location where help is needed.
• Wireless callers should provide their cellular phone number with the area code as well as mile markers, cross streets, landmarks, or other information.
• Remain on the line with the Dispatcher until completion of the call.
• Follow the instructions of the Dispatcher.
• Do not disconnect from the call until the Dispatcher tells you to.
• If you dial 911 in error, do not hang up! Stay on the line and inform the Dispatcher you have dialed in error.

In the past, the Solid Waste District hosted individual collection events for Household Hazardous Waste, E-Scrap, Fluorescent Bulbs and Scrap Tires, but the collection procedure has changed.

Now, we have a Collection Center where you can drop off all of these recyclable items three times a week, during any season, year-round! The Center is located at 540 S Abbe Road in Elyria. For more information, please feel free to our office at 440-329-5440.

That depends on the community - some communities already have the Volume Based Automated System and some communities are currently running a pilot program.

The time frame in which a specific community gets the Automated Trash Collection is decided by a contract between that particular community and Republic Services and Rumpke. Whenever a contract is up and a new one is negotiated - the Automated Trash Collection System will be a part of the new contract.

Recycling is the key here. The more you recycle the less you will have to put into your trash bin. This is the main reason the Solid Waste Department has decided to promote the new system of trash collection. We feel it will raise our recycling rates considerably!

Republic Services will now accept your paperboard (cereal boxes, mac-n-cheese boxes, etc.) as part of your recyclables. This should significantly reduce the amount of trash most families need to throw away. For details about what you can put in your curbside bins, please see their Curbside Recyclables Flyer (PDF).

You would want to call Republic Services at 440-458-5191 and request a smaller container. Also, if your container gets damaged by the wear and tear of the trucks gripping and lifting the containers, then they will provide you with another container free of charge.

The amount of mercury contained in household CLF bulbs - is such a small amount you would have to break hundreds, if not thousands of them to have a reportable amount of mercury levels.

If you do not feel safe throwing them away, you can take the bulbs to your local Home Depot, which is now accepting CFLB's for recycling at their Customer Service Centers. You may also bring them to the Collection Center for recycling.

Republic Services provides Carton Recycling FAQs (PDF) and has announced the Expansion of the Lorain County Resource Recovery Facility Expansion, which will allow their facility to accept more types of recyclables; most notably all plastics marked numbers 1 through 7. Paper products (newspaper, junk mail, and magazines), glass, cardboard, aluminum, and steel are also accepted. For more information, please Contact Republic Services by calling 440-458-5191.

You can take your newspapers, office paper, school paper, etc. to any green and yellow Abitibi container in most school and library parking lots. When you put your paper in those containers - that school, library, church, non-profit, etc. gets money per ton of paper that is collected there.

If you have items such as new paint, used paint that is more than half full, construction or building items - you can donate them to the Lorain County Habitat for Humanity. Elyria Habitat for Humanity Office phone number is 440-322-2355. You may contact the newly opened Habitat for Humanity ReStore - Recycle Center at 440-984-3343, located in Amherst, Ohio for more information.

Contact the Lorain County Health Department at 440-322-6367 or 440-244-2209.

Contact the Lorain County Probate Court at 440-329-5176.

Contact the Clerk of Courts Records Department at 440-329-5511

The Records Center has Auditors Tax Duplicate Records dating back to 1824. We have the microfilm available that you may research at the Center to get you this information. It would be most helpful to have the following information when you come to research: The city, village, or township, address, parcel number, and the owner of the property's name back in the early years.

Not quite: we only accept inactive records that county employees consult less than once a month.

Currently 10,347 cubic feet of inactive records are stored at The Records Center.

Not quite. We have some marriage records, but the majority of these are held by Probate Court. Birth and death records are in the Probate Court and the Health Department. Ask us and we will refer you to the appropriate department.

As more records become inactive, they are transferred to The Records Center to clear primary office space.

The Lorain County Records Center holds a tremendous number of different records for Departments all over the County. It is our suggestion that you contact the Office of the Record Originator, and if the information you need is in our Center, the department will give you our contact information. If you do not have the contact information of the Department, feel free to call us and we will be happy to assist you in getting you the information you need.

Please remember that not all departments have records that are all considered public records. Many have records that are deemed confidential under the Ohio Revised Code 149.43 that are not available for public viewing. The Lorain County Records Center holds Records for the following Departments and Agencies:

• Adult Probation 
• Auditors 
• Board of Elections 
• Board of Revisions 
• CBCF- Lorain/Medina 
• Children and Family Council 
• Children Services 
• Clerk of Courts - Records from all divisions 
• Commissioners (all departments) 
• Coroners Crime Lab
• Court of Common Pleas
• Domestic Relations Court
• Engineer
• General Health District
• Probate Court
• Prosecutors Office
• Purchasing Department
• Recorders Office
• Solid Waste
• Transit
• Veterans Services

The Lorain County Board of Commissioners generally meets every Wednesday at 9:30 am. The meetings are held at the Lorain County Administration Building in Public Hearing Room B. For details about this arrangement, please refer to the information about the Commissioners Meetings.

Special events attended by the Commissioners may be posted on the webpage for Commissioner News. To find general events happening throughout Lorain County, please view our online County Calendar.

All Commissioner's Agendas and Minutes are posted online each week for community members to view. The collection of agendas is available online for the current and previous years (as far back as 2018).

Please feel free to Subscribe to Updates and receive the Commissioners agenda via email each week. To view an agenda that is not on this website, please contact the Clerk of Board.

While the Commissioners do not directly participate in lobbying, the County does belong to the County Commissioners Association of Ohio (CCAO) and the National Association of Counties (NACo). Both of these distinct organizations work in partnership and have a registered lobbyist for lobbying issues at the state and federal levels.

The policy development process leads to the publication of The American County Platform, which NACo uses as a guide to deliver County government's message to the Administration, Congress and the American public. The CCAO also publishes a variety of Publications.

NACo's Committees, whose members include County officials from every region of the country, are charged on an annual basis with evaluating issues and policies. The CCAO also charges a respective membership fee. For the year of 2012, Lorain County paid $6,007 for NaCo Membership and $10,392 for CCAO Membership.

The annual membership fee contributed to these two organizations is determined by population and is subject to change each year. For more information, please email Sandra Strohsack or call her at 440-329-5760.

The Lorain County Sheriff's Sales are scheduled on select Wednesdays on the Fourth Floor of the Lorain County Administration Building (226 Middle Avenue, Elyria, OH 44035), in the Commissioners Meeting Room D. Please note that the Lorain County Commissioners and their Departments are not at all affiliated with the Lorain County Sheriff's Sales.

Additional information and FAQs can be found on the website for the Lorain County Sheriff (updated daily on weekdays), by calling Mary Ochenas at 440-329-5544, or you can visit the Lorain County Sheriff Civil Office, located at the Lorain County Justice Center (225 Court Street, Elyria, OH 44035).

If you are interested in obtaining a notary license to become a notary public, please contact the Lorain County Clerk of Courts' Office. They are located on the First Floor of the Lorain County Justice Center (225 Court Street, Elyria, OH 44035). The Civil Division of the Clerk of Courts (Room 105) handles civil case filings, appellate case filings, notary public applications. Their office hours are Monday through Friday, from 10 am to 4:30 pm. For more information, please call the Clerk of Courts' Office at 440-329-5536, or fax: 440-328-2416.

If you were born in Lorain County or in Ohio you can obtain birth certificates by contacting the Lorain County General Health District:

9880 S Murray Ridge Road
Elyria, OH 44035
Phone: 440-322-6367 or 244-2209
Fax: 440-322-0911

The Lorain County General Health District provides certified copies of death certificates, which are available for those that passed away in Lorain County, except in the City of Lorain. Their office does not have state-wide issuance. For details about obtaining certificates, please their webpage for Birth and Death Certificates.

If you would like to request a copy of a person's will that died in Lorain County, please contact the Lorain County Probate Court:

225 Court Street
6th Floor
Elyria, OH 44035

Phone: 440-329-5175
Fax: 440-328-2157

Lorain County has a variety of programs available to assist small businesses. The Lorain County Community Development Department and the Lorain County Solid Waste Management District offer several Grant Programs, including the Lorain County Revolving Loan Fund. These departments can also direct you to other organizations in the region for assistance through other programs. Please call 440-328-2322 for more information.

Lorain County offers a variety of financial incentive programs for businesses. The Lorain County Community Development Department wants to help your business grow and thrive. Please call 440-328-2322 for more information.

The Lorain County Community Development Department has local and State grant programs available for qualified housing improvements, marketing and off-site infrastructure projects. Please call Community Development at 440-328-2322 for more information. You may also be interested in Grant Programs available from the Lorain County Solid Waste Management District. Please feel free to contact the District with your questions.

The Lorain County Community Development Department analyzes and distributes census figures by mail to the townships from Census.gov as they become available. Information is available upon request. Please contact Lorain County Community Development Department for more information.

The Annual Budget and Annual Appropriation are really one and the same document and set of annual numbers. The word "Budget" is typically used as a business term, and focuses on the idea that a budget is a one-year "plan" together with many line-item accounts to guide businesses and governments during the course of the year.

The Budget Department provides current information concerning the County Budget (XLS) each year. The word "Appropriation" is a more formal term than "Budget" and focuses on the legal precept that monies must be set aside formally by legislation (through resolutions of by the Lorain County Board of Commissioners) to meet County payments to vendors, bond and noteholders, and other government agencies.

The "Tax Budget" is compiled in the first half of each year for the succeeding year's activity. In terms of County revenues, the Tax Budget provides governmental departments (Commissioners, County Auditor, State Tax Commission) with a first view of anticipated revenues for the succeeding year, including estimated revenues in relation to not only the General Fund but also special revenue funds and levy (millage) funds.

In terms of expenditures, the Tax Budget is a valuable tool for, again, providing a first estimate of what expenditures may occur in the succeeding year, and how realistic such expenditures may be as compared to tax budget revenue estimates. As of this writing, the County Budget Commission has waived the requirement of constructing a tax budget under Section 5705.28.1 of the Ohio Revised Code. However, the Budget Commission requires the taxing authority to provide information needed by the Commission to perform its duties, and more information after June 9, 2003.

The Annual Budget (annual appropriation) is the final budget created for the succeeding year. This budget is hammered out in the last half of the year for the succeeding year. It is approved by the Board of County Commissioners by formal resolution in December. The Annual Budget, then, as opposed to the Tax Budget, becomes the official budget for the succeeding year and provides the legal basis for the Board to meet its payment obligations.

The Lorain County Purchasing Department and the Special Projects Management office are now posting information about public bidding online, including RFPs & RFQs (Requests for Proposals and Qualifications). Please see our frequently-updated list of Public Notices to find bids that are currently available. Bids may also be advertised in some local newspapers, like The Chronicle-Telegram and The Morning Journal.

The County does not currently operate a Building Department. If the work is within a Local Municipality, then please contact the appropriate entity. If the work is within a Township, and the work is commercial, please contact the local Township entity and check to see if they have a relationship with a State of Ohio Certified Building Official and Inspector.

Another option is to contact the State of Ohio for plan review and permits. The Ohio Department of Commerce provides 2 lists of building departments and sub-departments for residential and commercial properties, which are certified by their Board of Building Standards.

For questions or more information, please contact the Lorain County Community Development Department at 440-328-2322 or email them.

The Lorain County Dog Kennel is the county facility for temporarily housing stray and unwanted dogs. For all questions concerning dogs missing or found, please contact the Dog Kennel at 440-329-5995, or email Dog Warden Tim Pihlblad.

You may also Sign Up for Doggie Alerts to receive information about recent captures, which include the area and physical attributes of dogs. If you would like to receive these notices via email, simply Subscribe to Updates.

If you are interested in adopting a stray dog for a new pet, please see our list of Dogs to Adopt. If you are interested in adopting one of these dogs, please contact the Dog Kennel at 440-329-5995, or email the kennel.

The Lorain County Dog Kennel updates this list of dogs as frequently as possible, sometimes more than once a day - so please check back frequently. If you have trouble viewing this page, please check back in about 24 hours - we may be experiencing technical difficulties with our site.

For further information about adopting dogs in Lorain County, please visit the Friends of the Lorain County Dog Kennel.

The County maintains a comprehensive list of local Recycling Centers, which provides contact information for these facilities. The Solid Waste Management District also supports these recycling businesses and organizations, along with actual collection programs. Many materials may be recycled at the Lorain County Collection Center.

The District's recycling projects include blue bag recycling, fluorescent bulb and ballast recycling, composting, e-scrap collection, household hazardous waste, latex paint disposal, use motor oil, printer cartridge recycling, and scrap tire disposal. For general inquiries about recycling in Lorain County, please call the Solid Waste District's Information Hotline at 800-449-5463.

The Jury Commissioners have dedicated the Jury Duty page to provide complete guidelines and rules for the jury. All jury groups must call the Lorain County Justice Center every night for jury instructions. Please dial 440-328-2240, 440-328-2241 or 877-223-8744 (toll free) only after 4:30 pm for this information. Jurors must listen to the entire message for complete instructions. The information for jurors will also be posted on our Jury Instructions page, which is updated after 4:30 pm every day (and not before).

The Lorain County Transit (LCT) operates a total of 4 fixed Bus Routes and a Dial-a-Ride service. Printed copies of these bus routes may be picked up at the Lorain County Commissioners Office, located on the Fourth Floor of the Lorain County Administration Building. For additional schedule or fare information, please call the Transit at 440-329-5525 or 440-244-6261; you may also send LCT an email. LCT office hours are Monday through Friday from 8 am to 4:30 pm. If you are calling after hours, please call the Scheduling Department at 800-406-7541 or 440-365-0224. The hearing disabled may access these numbers through the Ohio Relay Service at 800-750-0750.

Lorain County has been a member of the National Association of County's (NACo) Prescription Drug Discount Card Program since 2005. This program was designed for uninsured and underinsured residents. Use the card anytime your prescriptions are not covered by insurance. Through a partnership with Caremark, this simple discount card can save an average of 22% off the full retail cost of prescription medication.

Printed copies of the discount card are available for pick-up at the Lorain County Commissioners Office, located on the 4th floor of the County Administration Building: 

226 Middle Avenue
4th Floor
Elyria, OH 44035

A Customized Prescription Discount Card is also available online for PDF download at Caremark's Online Resource Center.

We are always looking for ways to improve our website for Lorain County, Ohio. The Lorain County Commissioners would be delighted to include information for your business or organization as part of our Information Center, or as one of our Helpful Links. We are also able to add various upcoming events to our County Calendar. If you are interested in becoming a part of Lorain County's site, please call Sandy Strohsack at 440-329-5760 or email her.

While browsing this site, you may have noticed that a few webpages include a short message indicating that they are under construction. These webpages are not quite finished for the public to see.

Features of our site that are under construction include podcasts, email subscriptions, online newsletters, and streaming video. Please be patient as we work rapidly to complete these pages.

If you are looking for information on a page that is currently under construction, please call the County's Automated Switchboard at 440-329-5000, or feel free to Email Us. Your question will then be transferred to the appropriate County office.

Please understand that the Clerk's office is prohibited by law to give any legal advice. If you do not have a family attorney, you should contact the Lorain County Bar Association or the telephone directory for any attorney referral. Call the Legal Aid Society of Lorain County to see if you qualify for their service.

No. Electronic filing is not available at this time.

There may be several reasons. First, try conducting your search online with variations in the spelling of the name. For example, "James Smith" may be indexed as "Jim Smith." Second, our online case dockets start from October of 1987. Case information prior to that date is not available online. These records are available in our office from 8 am to 4 pm, Monday through Friday, in our Records Department.

Contact Lorain County Probate Court or visit us at:

Justice Center
225 Court Street
6th Floor
Elyria, OH 44035
Phone: 440-329-5295

You may search the index yourself for cases filed here since October, 1987. Be advised some case types may not be publicly available for viewing on the website.

The fact that the case was filed, a judgment was rendered, and the judgment was satisfied remains part of the public record. Our office has no authority to remove any cases from the public record absent a law or court order to the contrary.

Yes, both of our title office locations can provide photo service, no appointment needed. These photos are suitable for passport or CCW applications. The cost is $15 per picture.

What You Need

• Original Ohio certificate of title with the top portion completed by the seller (this includes the seller's notarized signature), and the middle (odometer certification) and bottom (title application) portions completed by you (including your full Social Security Number and notarized signature)
• If an active lien is reflected on the front of the original title, a lien release letter/form will be needed or the lienholder should complete and sign the front of the title where indicated to release the lien
• If the seller or purchaser is a minor, then the minor's parent must complete and send a BMV 3751 Minor Consent Form (found online on the "Forms and Manuals" tab at the Ohio BMV website - under heading "Vehicle Titles"), including notarization
• Payment of the title fee ($15) plus applicable sales tax on the vehicle purchase price (based on your county of residence). Lorain county sales tax is 6.75%

Example: Vehicle purchase price is $3,000. $3,000 x 0.0675 = $202.50 + $15 = $217.50 Total due

What You Need

• Ohio law prohibits the sale of a vehicle without transferring the title to the purchaser, so you must apply for a duplicate title by completing a BMV 3774 Application for Certificate of Title to a Motor Vehicle (found online on the "Forms and Manuals" tab at the Ohio BMV website - under heading "Vehicle Titles"), including notarization
• Payment of the title fee ($15)

Once we have completed the title transfer, your new Ohio title and your receipt will be mailed via regular U.S. mail to the address provided on the title. If this is not the address to which your title should be mailed, then make sure you include a note in your documentation providing the address to use for mailing purposes.

Please visit our FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) page. We update this section with answers regularly.

Our Directions page provides simple and easy instructions to help you find your way to the Lorain County Administration Building. For information about other County Buildings, please see our list of Building Directories.

Please visit our Feedback section to participate in our new site survey. Simply answer a few questions, and send us your personal comments.

If you are experiencing technical difficulties using this site, please send us an email. Thank you in advance for your help.

To find contact information for all County offices, please see our comprehensive list of Staff Directories.

The Lorain County Solid Waste Management District is not responsible for your waste, recycling or bulk pick up. For questions or concerns, you will need to contact your waste hauler.

The Lorain County Collection Center is open on:

Mondays 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Wednesdays 12:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Saturdays 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

(Hours of operation may change due to weather or holidays.)

No, you do not need to prepare your old paint prior to it to be recycled at the collection center.

Only transport 10 or less per load. 

In the state of Ohio, it is illegal to transport more than 10 scrap tires at time anywhere in the state without first being registered with or obtaining a registration certificate from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency.

If your community doesn’t allow for appliance disposal or the freon must be removed first - you can also take it to a company that has a certified freon recovery program and they will remove the freon and usually keep the appliance for recycling.  (Freon containing appliances include: Refrigerators, deep freezers, air conditioners, dehumidifiers.)

When non-recyclable items go into your recycling bin this is considered contamination. 
When the load of recyclables arrives at the material recovery facility (MRF) to be sorted, those pieces of contamination have to be sorted out. This is costly and takes a lot of extra time. When truck of recyclables arrive at the MRF it is checked and depending on the level of contamination – could result in a fine on the city from where it came or, if heavily contaminated, could be diverted to the landfill. 

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Hops Brothers Brewing, 32650 Lorain Rd. North Ridgeville, Oh 44053

Choose a book or movie about recycling or litter by using our online form to Request Resources from our Lending Library of Educational Materials. We will include a coloring activity for the students to enjoy when we send it to you!

Michael Recycle: Students will enjoy the story of Michael Recycle as he works to clean up his town while imparting an important message about recycling and environmental awareness. The story will be followed by allowing the students to color and decorate their very own Michael Recycle cut-out.

If time allows, the book "Michael Recycle Meets Litter Bug Doug" will also be read to the students.

Landfill Sorting Game: This is a hands-on learning lesson for students. The presentation starts with a discussion about Trash and where it goes - then moves on to Reducing, Reusing and Recycling to help save space in the landfill.

The activity divides the students into 4 groups and each group has a bag of "garbage" (multi-colored bottle caps) and a "landfill" (plastic coffee container) and the students who act as the "garbage trucks" pass the "garbage" to each other until it reaches the "Landfill". But what happens when the Landfill overflows? The students will put into action what they learned during the presentation and we will have a discussion!