Merrimack County Recorder

The Registry of Deeds in Merrimack County is responsible for recording and maintaining records.

The fee to record a document is $10 for the first page and $4 for each additional page. A $2 surcharge will apply to each document.

An LCHIP surcharge of $25 will be assessed on all deeds, mortgages, discharge of mortgages, and plan sets. This should be paid by a separate check.

The transfer tax rate is $7.50 per $1,000 paid by both buyer and seller for a total tax of $15 per $1,000 based on the full consideration/purchase price of the sale, grant, or transfer. For consideration of $4,000 or less, the total minimum tax is $40.

Payment is due at the time of recording. Checks should be made payable to Merrimack County Register of Deeds. Separate checks are required for payment of transfer taxes, recording fees, and LCHIP. Return postage, if not included, will be added to the document.

* All documents must be suitable for reproduction as determined by the Register of Deeds, who shall provide guidelines concerning document quality.

* Original documents with original signatures are accepted. No photocopies, faxed copies, or carbon copies are accepted. A certified copy may be accepted at the register of deed's discretion, when the original is on record in another governmental office.

* Use clean white 20# paper without any watermarks. No foreign objects should be attached or glued to any page. Do not use continuous forms or bound pages. Do not use colored markers to highlight text. Stamps and seals should not cover or overlap information; instead, a new page can be added by referring to "see attached."

* 8.5 x 11 inch paper is preferred, but 8.5 x 14 inch paper may also be used. Pages are to have single-sided printing only.

* Use black print in a minimum of 10 point Times New Roman font. Signatures should also be in dark black ink, but dark blue ink is accepted. Reduced print is not acceptable.

* Notary seals should be impressed firmly and clearly. Justice and notary expirations should be printed clearly in black ink. The name of the Justice should be printed legibly or typed underneath the signature.

* The first page should have a top margin of 3 inches to allow space for the docket marking. All other margins must be a minimum of 1 inch to allow for complete capture of all information.

* The Register of Deeds will not accept a document unless it has the latest mailing address for the grantees named in the instrument.

* In the first sentence of the first description paragraph, provide the names of all municipalities in which the property is located. The names of all municipalities wherein all of the real property being transferred is located shall be recited in a separate sentence at the beginning of the description.

* The name of each person signing the deed as a party to the transaction should be typed or printed underneath the signature.

* Provide a legal description of the real property being conveyed.

TRANSFER TAX

A tax is imposed upon the sale, grant, and transfer of real estate and any interest therein, including transfers by operation of law. Each sale, grant, and transfer is presumed taxable unless it is specifically exempt from taxation under NH RSA 78-B:2.

Any exemption to the transfer tax must be stated on the document being recorded. If an exemption is not stated, the tax will be assessed.