Essex County, Massachusetts public records

In Essex County, deeds are recorded by the Northern Essex Registry of Deeds; property values come from the City and town assessors; court files are split between the Essex County Superior Court and the Essex Probate and Family Court.

Last checked against official sources on November 4, 2026.

On this page

1. Where to get each record
2. Deeds and land records
3. Property values, owners and tax bills
4. Court records: which clerk keeps which case
5. Marriage records
6. Divorce records
7. Birth certificates
8. Death certificates
9. Probate records and wills
10. Business names (DBA)
11. Voter records
12. Historical records
13. Good to know about Essex County records
14. Office addresses, phones and hours
15. Records that are not online: public records requests
16. Questions people ask
17. Official copies vs look-alike sites
18. Sources

The Census Bureau lists no county government for Essex County.¹ The offices below are the state, registry or local offices that keep its records.

Where to get each record

Deeds and land records

Deeds, mortgages and other land documents for property in Essex County are recorded by the Northern Essex Registry of Deeds (Essex North).⁵

Online search

search.lawrencedeeds.com/ALIS/WW400R.HTM²Free search

Cost

Free³

Years online

North: online grantor/grantee index 1965 forward; scanned indexes 1869-1980; recorded land document images 1869-present; plans and plan indexes 1869-present.¹⁷

Which registry

Essex North (Lawrence): Andover, Lawrence, Methuen, North Andover. All other 30 Essex County communities: Essex South (Salem)⁵

Copy fee

$1 per page for copies; $.50 per page on coin-operated copiers (statute)⁴

Certified copy fee

Essex North: $1 per page¹⁸

Free homeowner copy

Essex North gives homeowners copies of their deeds free (online, by mail or in person)¹⁹

How to order

Essex North: print from the website, or a certified copy at the registry or by mail¹⁹

Recording fee

Essex North: Deed $155; Mortgage $205; Discharge $105; Declaration of Homestead $35; Municipal Lien Certificate $80¹⁸

Excise

Deed excise $4.56 per $1,000 (none if consideration under $100)¹⁸

Registered land

Registered (Land Court) land is a separate section; documents cite a certificate of title instead of book and page¹⁸

Consumer notification

Free Consumer Notification Service sign-up (Essex North)²

How deeds work in Massachusetts

Property values, owners and tax bills

The City and town assessors (34 communities) sets property values⁶.

Property search

No county assessor: each city or town assesses. Essex North registry links the four North assessors⁶

Statewide

MassGIS Massachusetts Interactive Property Map (statewide parcel viewer built with local assessors)²⁰

Parcel map (GIS)

Massachusetts Interactive Property Map (statewide parcels)²⁰

Appealing a value

Apply in writing to local assessors on or before the due date of the first actual (not preliminary) tax bill installment²¹

How property tax works in Massachusetts

Court records: which clerk keeps which case

Fees

Trial Court uniform fees: $2.50/page attested copy; $0.05/page unattested copy; $20 certificate of orders/judgments⁹

Criminal records and background checks

State

iCORI at criminalhistory.mass.gov (requires a MyMassGov account)²³

Courts

Most criminal cases are searchable online only by docket number²²

How Massachusetts courts keep their files

Marriage records

City/town clerk where the marriage intention was filed (not where the ceremony occurred); statewide copies from RVRS (1936-present)¹¹

State fee

RVRS: $20 in person; $32 by mail; $54 first copy online/phone (VitalChek), $42 each additional¹⁰

Massachusetts marriage records, statewide

Divorce records

Probate and Family Court in the county where the divorce was granted¹²

Fee

$20 certificate of divorce absolute; $20 certified copy of a judgment of divorce nisi; certified copy of a separation agreement: "$20 first page plus.05 cents for each additional page" (wording as published)¹²

How to request

Need docket number; submit Request for Copies form (PFC 18) by mail or in person to the courthouse¹²

Massachusetts divorce records: decree or state record

Birth certificates

City/town clerk of the place of birth (and of parents' residence) and the state Registry of Vital Records and Statistics (RVRS, Dept. of Public Health), 1936-present¹⁴

Fee

RVRS: $20 in person; $32 mail; $42 expedited mail; $54 first copy online/phone (VitalChek), $42 additional; expedited online $62.50/$50.50¹³

Who may order

Births to married parents are public records; births to unwed parents are restricted to the child, parents, father with paternity documentation, legal guardian or legal representative¹⁰

Ordering a Massachusetts birth certificate

Death certificates

City/town clerk where the death occurred and RVRS (1936-present); pre-1936 also at the city/town of occurrence¹⁰

Fee

Same RVRS fees as birth: $20 in person, $32 mail, $54/$42 online¹⁰

Ordering a Massachusetts death certificate

Probate records and wills

Probate and Family Court (state Trial Court department, with registries in each county) handles wills and estates¹⁵

Online

Estates and Administration cases are listed among Probate & Family Court case types on MassCourts.org; document images restricted remotely²²

Copy fee

Trial Court uniform fee: $2.50/page attested copy, $0.05/page unattested⁹

Older records

Older (generally pre-mid-20th-century) probate records via SJC Archives / FamilySearch; mid-20th century forward through the probate courts²⁴

Finding a will or probate case in Massachusetts

Business names (DBA)

Where Massachusetts keeps it: DBA ("business certificate") filed with the clerk of every city/town where the business has an office.¹⁶

Assumed names (DBA)

DBA ("business certificate") filed with the clerk of every city/town where the business has an office; valid 4 years²⁵

Companies and LLCs

Corporations, LLCs, LPs searchable in the Secretary of the Commonwealth Corporations Division database²⁶

Voter records

Public access

Local voter lists are public (name, address, party, date of birth, active/inactive status, voter ID) and requested from local election offices; cost only²⁷

Historical records

Deeds

Essex North: land records from 1869 (district records); a research library for recorded land transactions²⁸

Probate17c

For 17th-century Essex County probate, the Massachusetts Archives points to the Suffolk County probate index and the Essex County Quarterly Court records²⁹

Vital

Massachusetts Archives (Secretary of the Commonwealth) holds vital records 1841-1935 for all cities and towns; certified copies $3 each³⁰

Pre

Before 1841: contact the city/town clerk³⁰

Which court

SJC Judicial Archives for historic court/probate/naturalization records³¹

Good to know about Essex County records

• Essex is split between two registry districts, but only four communities (Andover, Lawrence, Methuen, North Andover) use the Northern registry in Lawrence; the other 30, including Haverhill, use the Southern registry in Salem.⁵
• The Superior Court for Essex County sits in two places, Salem and Lawrence, each serving the whole county.⁷
• Essex North gives homeowners free copies of their deeds; certified copies are $1 per page.¹⁹
• Essex North offers bilingual Spanish customer service with a dedicated Spanish phone line.²⁸

Office addresses, phones and hours

Records that are not online: public records requests

Request page

massrods.com/essexnorth/contact³²

Contact: north

Public Records Access Officer: First Assistant Register of Deeds, Northern Essex Registry of Deeds, 978-557-1900³²

How to write a public records request

Questions people ask

Other counties in Massachusetts with a full guide: Hampden County, Hampshire County, Middlesex County, Norfolk County, Suffolk County, Worcester County. Every county in the state: Massachusetts county list. Looking for another Essex County? Essex County, New Jersey.

Sources

Every fact above links to the official page it comes from; all 33 sources were checked on November 4, 2026. Fees and rules change, so check the office's own page before you pay or travel.

1. Government Units List 2026US Census Bureau
2. Essex North Registry of Deeds home pageNorthern Essex Registry of Deeds (Secretary of the Commonwealth)
3. Genealogical ResearchMiddlesex North Registry of Deeds
4. M.G.L. c. 262, § 38 - Registers of deeds' enumeration of feesMassachusetts General Court (Legislature)archived copy
5. Massachusetts Registries of Deeds - Online Access to Land Records (Massrods.com)Massachusetts Registries of Deeds
6. Local Resources - Essex North Registry of DeedsNorthern Essex Registry of Deeds
7. Superior Court locationsMassachusetts Superior Courtarchived copy
8. Probate and Family Court locationsMassachusetts Probate and Family Courtarchived copy
9. Uniform Schedule of Fees (Trial Court, G.L. c. 262, s. 4B)Executive Office of the Trial Courtarchived copy
10. Order a birth, marriage, or death certificateMassachusetts Registry of Vital Records and Statisticsarchived copy
11. M.G.L. c. 207, § 19 - Intention of marriage; situs; time; feesMassachusetts General Court (Legislature)archived copy
12. Get a copy of your divorce recordProbate and Family Courtarchived copy
13. Vital records service feesMassachusetts Registry of Vital Records and Statisticsarchived copy
14. Ordering a CertificateMassachusetts Registry of Vital Records and Statisticsarchived copy
15. Probate and Family Courtarchived copy
16. M.G.L. c. 110, § 5 - Certificates of persons conducting businesses; contents; filing; fees; indexMassachusetts General Court (Legislature)archived copy
17. Essex North Registry of Deeds online research (search.lawrencedeeds.com)Northern Essex Registry of Deeds
18. Recording Fees - Essex North Registry of DeedsNorthern Essex Registry of Deeds
19. FAQ's - Essex North Registry of DeedsNorthern Essex Registry of Deeds
20. MassGIS (Bureau of Geographic Information)MassGIS, Executive Office of Technology Services and Securityarchived copy
21. M.G.L. c. 59, § 59 - AbatementsMassachusetts General Court (Legislature)archived copy
22. Types of cases available to the public onlineMassachusetts Court Systemarchived copy
23. iCORI (legacy address notice)DCJIS
24. Get access to historic probate recordsSupreme Judicial Court Archivesarchived copy
25. M.G.L. c. 110, § 5 - Certificates of persons conducting businesses; contents; filing; fees; indexMassachusetts General Court (Legislature)archived copy
26. Corporations DivisionSecretary of the Commonwealth, Corporations Divisionarchived copy
27. Access to Voter InformationSecretary of the Commonwealth, Elections Divisionarchived copy
28. About Us - Essex North Registry of DeedsNorthern Essex Registry of Deeds
29. Researching Your Family's HistoryMassachusetts Archives (Secretary of the Commonwealth)archived copy
30. Researching Vital Records at the Massachusetts Archives (Vital Records, 1841-1935)Massachusetts Archives (Secretary of the Commonwealth)archived copy
31. Accessing Court ArchivesMassachusetts Court System / Supreme Judicial Courtarchived copy
32. Contact - Essex North Registry of DeedsNorthern Essex Registry of Deeds
33. County population totals: Vintage 2025 (July 1, 2025)US Census Bureau