You are NOT on the Franklin County official website, you are on Deeds.com, a private website that is not affiliated with any government agency.
The Registry of Deeds is responsible for recording and maintaining real property records in Franklin County.
Recording Fees
Recording fees regardless the number of pages.
Declaration of Homestead $35
Declaration of Trust $255
Deed $155
Mortgage $205
Mortgage Foreclosure Deed & Affidavit $155
Mortgage Discharge, Release or Partial Release $105
Municipal Lien Certificate $80
UCC Documents (up to 2 debtors) $75
Federal Tax Liens (and related documents) $5
Plans (per sheet) $105
All other Documents $105
Non-statutory marginal references are $1.
Certified copies are $1 per page.
Recorded Land or Registered Land: Most property is Recorded Land and fees are now the same. If the document refers to a "Book and Page" number, it probably is Recorded Land. If it refers to a "Certificate of Title" number, it is probably Registered Land.
Excise Tax: The effective tax rate is $4.56 per $1000 or fraction thereof of taxable value, rounded up to the nearest $500. No excise tax is due when the consideration is less than $100.00.
Cash and checks are acceptable forms of payment. Checks can be made payable to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. A home or office telephone number must be on the check. A self-addressed stamped envelope for the return of documents is appreciated.
Document Formatting Requirements
* All documents must be signed with an original signature and notarized. Signers and notarized names must be printed under respective signatures. The expiration date for the notary is required and the notary seal is requested.
* Documents must be on white paper of sufficient weight to reproduce in registry scanners. All document pages and attachments must be on paper that is no larger than 8.5 x 14 inches.
* Pages with printing on both sides will not be accepted. Printing must be sufficiently dark to be legibly reproduced on registry scanners.
* The first page must contain a "recording information area" in the upper right hand corner measuring 3 inches from the top edge of the document and 3 inches from the right edge of the document that is free from all writing and printing. Other margins must be of sufficient size to be legibly reproduced on registry scanners.
* Below the 3 x 3 inch blank area on the first page, a document title should be given.
* The property address must be noted on the first page in the left margin or in the top margin of deeds, mortgages, and discharges.
* The grantee's mailing address is required on deeds.
* If a document refers to an attached exhibit, the exhibits must be included at the end of the document.
* Please note a return address on the reverse side of the last page.
* The document must specify whether it is Registered land that needs to be registered in the Land Court.
* A legal description of the property must be provided.
REGISTERED LAND
The customer is solely responsible for recording (or registering) Registered Land documents in the correct section of the Registry of Deeds. Registry personnel will make every effort to record documents in the correct section, but this is only a courtesy and the Registry bears no responsibility for recording or registering documents in the correct section. If you are not sure if your property is Registered Land, contact the Registry of Deeds.
The requirements for Registered Land documents are similar to Recorded Land documents, but there are some differences that should be noted:
* Documents pertaining to Registered Land must note the Certificate of Title number, relevant document number, and book and page number of the certificate. Registry employees are not permitted to add information to documents. If the information is missing, the documents will not be registered.
* Deeds require a lot number, a plan number, a grantee address, consideration, property address, "being" clause, and the grantor must be the same as that on the Certificate of Title.
* Mortgages are required to have an exhibit containing the property description, which must have the certificate number, plan number, and lot number.
* When one tenant by the entirety named on a Certificate of Title has died, a death certificate and a certificate of no divorce must be filed.
* All documents presented for registration must be originals. The originals will be retained by the Registry of Deeds.
* If the property in question relates to both Registered and Recorded land, you must do one of two things: (a) obtain two sets of originals---one for Registered land and one for Recorded land or (b) register your documents first, have certified copies made of the Registered Land documents, then record the certified copies in the Recorded Land section.
* Most documents filed in the Registry District that can stand alone must be filed separately (i.e. do not attach a death certificate to any other document.
Effect of Recording: A conveyance of an estate in fee simple, fee tail or for life, or a lease for more than seven years from the making thereof, or an assignment of rents or profits from an estate or lease, shall not be valid as against any person, except the grantor or lessor, his heirs and devisees and persons having actual notice of it, unless it, or an office copy as provided in section thirteen of chapter thirty-six, or, with respect to such a lease or an assignment of rents or profits, a notice of lease or a notice of assignment of rents or profits, as hereinafter defined, is recorded in the registry of deeds for the county or district in which the land to which it relates lies.
The Franklin District consists of the following cities and towns: Ashfield, Bernardston, Buckland, Charlemont, Colrain, Conway, Deerfield, Erving, Gill, Greenfield, Hawley, Heath, Leverett, Leyden, Monroe, Montague, New Salem, Northfield, Orange, Rowe, Shelburne, Shutesbury, Whately, Sunderland, Wendell, and Warwick.