The route’s eastern terminus is at a signalized T-intersection with U.S. Route 20 about 1.25 miles (2.01 km) northeast of Painesville.

Created in the late 1930s, the route begins on a portion of Richmond Street which becomes High Street in Fairport Harbor; the route then follows East Street toward the north.

The entirety of State Route 535 exists in the Painesville vicinity in central Lake County.

The highway maintains the same routing in the Painesville vicinity today that it had when it was first designated, and has not experienced any major changes.

[3][4] The entire route is in Lake County.