A historical search is any search of more than one document in a chain that cannot be located using a single query.
Self-Directed Search
A customer can conduct a historical search independently using the ISC website's Search function (i.e., a self-directed search). Or, for a fee, the customer can request ISC personnel to perform the historical search on their behalf (i.e., an ISC staff-assisted search).
The more knowledgeable customer can conduct a self-directed historical search using the Search menu to trace titles back to the point of conversion. To continue a historical search back past the point of conversion, a study of the old paper-based titles will need to be performed. ISC will no longer reproduce the paper-based titles, but rather image the paper documents and make them available on the website to anybody wishing to search and view them.
To view an image of an old paper-based document, the user must conduct a
Search by Pre-Conversion Title Number or a
Search by Pre-Conversion Instrument Number (depending on what type of document the user is searching). At this point, the user will either be able to view the imaged document online or request that this document be imaged. Documents are imaged on a request-by-request basis only, so if a document has not already been requested for imaging, the user has to initiate the request for imaging. The process of searching and imaging old paper-based system documents will have to be repeated until the historical chain is completely imaged.
Searching Backwards (from newest to oldest title)
Searching Forward (from oldest to newest titles)
Support Tools - Here you will find some additional help information and support tools that will assist in you historical title searches:
Using the History Feature
Using the Registration Date & Time Feature
Historic Land Districts Map
Searching Pre-59 Titles
Any customer who does not want to conduct this series of web searches and image requests themselves can have a historical search performed by ISC staff. The fee for this ISC-assisted historical search is the per hour service of the Registrar fee plus all search and output costs.