Somerset County Recorder

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

First page - $19.00 plus $3.00 surcharge (state government and municipalities are exempt from surcharge)
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.

* Paper size should be no larger than 8.5 x 14 inches (and no smaller than 8.5 x 11 inches).

* 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.

* A certificate of acknowledgment or proof of execution must be indorsed on or annexed to the deed. A deed cannot be recorded without such certificate. Deeds must be acknowledged by the grantors or by the persons executing the written instrument.

* The marital status of grantors involved in the conveyance must be indicated on the face of the document.

* Down trees lying on land at the time of the conveyance are real estate and pass by the deed, but those that are cut into logs, wood, or other lumber are personal property and may be removed by the owner.

* Corresponding names should be typed or printed underneath signatures.

* In addition to the name of the grantee, all deeds should contain his address, including street and number, municipality, and state.

* An exception, reservation, or recital in a conveyance will not constitute actual notice of any other conveyance unless it contains one of the following: a reference to the volume and page of the instrument evidencing such other conveyance, which record can be found at the time of recording of the deed containing the exception, reservation, or recital or an adequate legal description by metes and bounds (or reference to the volume and page of the record of a survey plan) of the property affected by the exception, reservation, or recital, in which case the actual notice will extend only to the property described.

* 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.

TRANSFER TAX

A Maine Transfer Tax Declaration form should be filed with most deeds at the time of recording. These forms are available at no cost through the Registry of Deeds or online at the Maine Revenue Services. A tax map and lot number is required for the
Transfer Tax Declaration. This information can be obtained by calling the town office where the land is located. Unorganized township information is available at the Maine Revenue Services.

This form should be submitted in duplicate and signed by the parties to the transaction.