Knox County Recorder

The Registry of Deeds is responsible for recording and maintaining real property records in Knox County.

First page - $22.00
Each additional page - $2.00 per page.

Names in excess of four to be indexed - $1.00 per name (please count all grantors, grantees, aka's, trustees, dba's, partners, nominees)

Marginal references to prior documents - $13.00 each after the first one.

Transfer tax - based on the value of the property as set forth in the declaration of value, $2.20 for each $500 or fraction thereof and imposed in equal parts on the grantor and grantee, unless transfer is exempt.

* Deeds must be acknowledged by the grantor(s) or by the person executing the instrument.

* Names must be typed or printed beneath grantor(s) and grantee(s) signatures.

* Documents need the proper acknowledgment language. At the least, the acknowledgment statement must include the state of acknowledgment, the date of acknowledgment, and the phrase 'personally appeared before me.'

* In order to reproduce digitally, deeds need to be of sufficient quality. The document should be typed or printed in black ink on white paper in either letter (8.5" x 11") or legal (8.5 x 14") size. Use 1.5" top margin on the first page, 1.5" bottom margin last page, 1" top margin all other pages, .75" side margins for all pages.

* Documents must contain an adequate legal description of the real property.

* The name and address of the grantee and grantor are required.

* A return to name and address is required with all documents.

* For documents that are being re-recorded, a reason for the re-recording must be listed at the top of the document.

* Unless the transaction is exempt, the seller of residential real property shall provide to the purchaser a property disclosure statement containing the following information: water supply system, insulation, heating system or heating source, waste disposal system, hazardous materials, and known defects. For more specific guidelines on the property disclosure statement, interested parties are directed to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 33, Chapter 7.

* All documents of conveyance must be accompanied by a Real Estate Transfer Tax Form. The transfer tax, which is $4.40 per $1000, is determined by the amount at which the property is sold. The transfer tax is equally divided between buyer and seller, unless exempt pursuant to Title 36, 4641-C. An exemption from the transfer tax must be clearly stated on the transfer tax form. The Real Estate Transfer Tax Form and instructions can be found on the Franklin County Registry of Deeds website.