Rhode Island Discharge of Mortgage

Use this form to discharge a previously recorded mortgage. Upon satisfaction, the mortgagee/lender generally has 30 days to record a discharge of mortgage to avoid penalty as stated in Statute 34-26-5. Liability of mortgagee for failure to discharge, release, or transfer mortgage.

Rhode Island General Laws Title 34. Property Statute 34-26-2. Right to discharge on satisfaction of mortgage--Escrow accounts

(a) Every mortgagee of real estate, his, her or its heirs, executors, administrators, successors, or assigns, having received full satisfaction for the money due on the mortgage, shall, within thirty (30) days after final payment, discharge the mortgage as provided in 34-26-3 or by separate instrument of release of the mortgage, and shall send the discharge to be recorded in the proper record book with suitable references to the original record, including the mortgagor's name and address, which shall forever afterwards discharge, defeat and release the mortgage and perpetually bar all actions to be brought thereon in any court. Upon forwarding the discharge for recording the mortgagee shall notify the mortgagor. Any mortgagor or his agent upon tendering final payment to the mortgagee in full satisfaction of the mortgage may in writing require the mortgagee to issue the discharge by separate instrument of release, directly to a designated person or real estate closing officer within the thirty (30) day period.
(b)Every mortgagee of real estate, his, her or its heirs, executors, administrators or successors or assigns, having received full satisfaction for the money due on the mortgage, shall, within thirty (30) days after final payment, disburse to the mortgagor any and all funds held in escrow under the terms of the mortgage.

34-26-3. Methods of discharge.
A mortgage may be discharged in whole or in part by an entry acknowledging the satisfaction thereof or the payment thereon, as the case may be, made on the face or back of the mortgage, or upon the face or margin of the record of the mortgage, in the records of land evidence, and signed by the mortgagee or by his or her executor, administrator, successor, or, if the mortgage be assigned, by the assignee or his or her executor or administrator; and such entry shall have the same effect as a deed of release duly acknowledged and recorded.
For use in Rhode Island only.

(Rhode Island DOM Package includes form, guidelines, and completed example)