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How to get a copy of a deed in Massachusetts

Who holds it: 21 Registries of Deeds (districts generally by county; some counties split), each led by an elected Register of Deeds under the authority of the Secretary of the Commonwealth1

Last checked against official sources on .

On this page
  1. How to search and order
  2. Fees
  3. More details
  4. Related records in Massachusetts
  5. How Massachusetts handles it
  6. Deeds in Massachusetts counties with a full guide
  7. Official warnings
  8. Official copies vs look-alike sites
  9. Sources

Copy fee

$1 per page for copies; $0.50 per page on coin-operated copiers (statute)2

Statewide search

masslandrecords.com - shared statewide search site used by the registries (each registry has its own section, e.g. masslandrecords.com/suffolk)3

How to search and order

Free online south (Middlesex)
Middlesex South Registry: copies free online4
Free online
Non-certified copies can be located and printed online free5
How to search
Search by name (Recorded Land) or Registered Land (Land Court) name search on masslandrecords.com; in person or by mail with book/page5
Payment
Suffolk: cash, check or money order only; checks payable to "Commonwealth of Massachusetts"6

Fees

Certified copy fee
Suffolk Registry: $1.00 per page for certified copies5

More details

Find your registry
Massrods.com lists all registries and a city/town-to-registry lookup table1
Consumer notification
Registries offer a free Consumer Notification Service (email alerts when a document is recorded in your name)3
Maps: parcel data
Massachusetts Interactive Property Map (statewide parcels)7

How Massachusetts handles it

  • Registry of Deeds districts differ from counties. 21 registry districts; some counties have several (e.g., Middlesex North/South, Essex North/South, Bristol North/South/Fall River, Berkshire North/Middle/South, Worcester/Worcester North)1
  • Land Court registered land. Registered (Torrens/Land Court) land searched separately from recorded land5
  • Courts are state, not county. Unified Trial Court with 7 departments; clerks and registers of probate are state court officials8
  • Barnstable and Nantucket registries on county/town sites. Barnstable registry linked at capecod.gov; Nantucket at nantucket-ma.gov1

Deeds in Massachusetts counties with a full guide

The local office, its official online search and its own fee, for each county with a full guide. Local fees can differ from the statewide figures above.

CountyOfficeSearch onlineFee
Essex CountyNorthern Essex Registry of Deeds10Search9Free search$1 per page for copies; $.50 per page on coin-operated copiers (statute)11
Hampden CountyHampden County Registry of Deeds13Search12Free search$1 per page for copies; $0.50 per page on coin-operated copiers (statute)14
Hampshire CountyHampshire County Registry of Deeds16Search15Free searchFree online copies; certified copies $1.00 per page15
Middlesex CountyMiddlesex South Registry of Deeds17Search17Free search$1 per page for copies; $.50 per page on coin-operated copiers (statute)18
Norfolk CountyNorfolk County Registry of Deeds20Search19Free search$1.00 per page in person; by mail $2.00 first page and $1.00 each additional page per document21
Suffolk CountySuffolk Registry of Deeds22Search22Free search$.50 per page22
Worcester CountyWorcester District Registry of Deeds24Search23Free search$1 per page for copies; $0.50 per page on coin-operated copiers (statute)25

For any other county, see the county list on the Massachusetts guide.

Official warnings

  • Deed copy mailers. Middlesex South Registry warns of direct-mail offers to sell homeowners copies of their deed; not from the Registry or Commonwealth; official copies viewable free online26
  • Deed copies free online. Official recorded documents viewable free26
  • Quitclaim deed fraud. Worcester Registry relays FBI Boston warning on quitclaim deed fraud; Consumer Notification Service available27

Official copies vs look-alike sites

A certified copy comes only from the office that holds the record; reports and "research copies" sold by commercial sites are not issued by any Massachusetts office. How to tell an official record source from a paid look-alike.

Rules in other states: deeds and land records in every state. Everything else in Massachusetts: Massachusetts public records guide.

Sources

Every fact above links to the official page it comes from; all 27 sources were checked on November 4, 2026. Fees and rules change, so check the office's own page before you pay or travel.

  1. Massachusetts Registries of Deeds - Online Access to Land Records (Massrods.com)Massachusetts Registries of Deeds
  2. M.G.L. c. 262, § 38 - Registers of deeds' enumeration of feesMassachusetts General Court (Legislature)archived copy
  3. Suffolk County Registry of Deeds (home)Suffolk Registry of Deeds
  4. Middlesex South Registry of Deeds (home)Middlesex South Registry of Deeds
  5. How to Get a Copy of Your DeedSuffolk Registry of Deeds
  6. Fees & Forms of PaymentSuffolk Registry of Deeds
  7. MassGIS (Bureau of Geographic Information)MassGIS, Executive Office of Technology Services and Securityarchived copy
  8. Types of cases available to the public onlineMassachusetts Court Systemarchived copy
  9. Essex North Registry of Deeds home pageNorthern Essex Registry of Deeds (Secretary of the Commonwealth)
  10. Massachusetts Registries of Deeds - Online Access to Land Records (Massrods.com)Massachusetts Registries of Deeds
  11. M.G.L. c. 262, § 38 - Registers of deeds' enumeration of feesMassachusetts General Court (Legislature)archived copy
  12. Search Records InstructionsHampden County Registry of Deeds
  13. Massachusetts Registries of Deeds - Online Access to Land Records (Massrods.com)Massachusetts Registries of Deeds
  14. M.G.L. c. 262, § 38 - Registers of deeds' enumeration of feesMassachusetts General Court (Legislature)archived copy
  15. Hampshire County Registry of Deeds (home)Hampshire Registry of Deeds, Secretary of the Commonwealth
  16. Massachusetts Registries of Deeds - Online Access to Land Records (Massrods.com)Massachusetts Registries of Deeds
  17. Middlesex South Registry of Deeds home pageMiddlesex South Registry of Deeds
  18. M.G.L. c. 262, § 38 - Registers of deeds' enumeration of feesMassachusetts General Court (Legislature)archived copy
  19. Welcome to the Norfolk County Registry of DeedsNorfolk County Registry of Deeds
  20. County of Norfolk homepageCounty of Norfolk, Massachusetts
  21. Obtain a Copy of Your Deed or Other Land DocumentsNorfolk County Registry of Deeds
  22. How to Get a Copy of Your DeedSuffolk Registry of Deeds
  23. Search Records InstructionsWorcester District Registry of Deeds
  24. Worcester District Registry of Deeds (home)Worcester District Registry of Deeds
  25. M.G.L. c. 262, § 38 - Registers of deeds' enumeration of feesMassachusetts General Court (Legislature)archived copy
  26. Beware of the Deed Copy Solicitation!Middlesex South Registry of Deeds
  27. Worcester District Registry of Deeds (home)Worcester District Registry of Deeds