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Suffolk County, Massachusetts public records

In Suffolk County, deeds are recorded by the Suffolk Registry of Deeds; property values come from the City of Boston Assessing Department; court files are split between the Suffolk County Superior Court and the Suffolk Probate and Family Court - Register.

Last checked against official sources on .

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. Historical records
  11. Good to know about Suffolk County records
  12. Office addresses, phones and hours
  13. Records that are not online: public records requests
  14. Questions people ask
  15. Official copies vs look-alike sites
  16. Sources

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

Where to get each record

RecordOfficeSearch onlineFee
Deeds and land recordsSuffolk Registry of Deeds2Search deeds2Free search$.50 per page2
Property values and ownersCity of Boston Assessing Department3Property search4—
Property tax bills—Tax bill search4—
Court casesSuffolk County Superior Court - Civil Clerk's Office5
Suffolk Probate and Family Court - Register's Office6		Suffolk County Superior Court7Trial Court uniform fees: attested copy $2.50 per page; unattested copy $0.05 per page8
Marriage recordsCity/town clerk where the intention was filed9——
Divorce recordsSuffolk Probate and Family Court10——
Birth certificatesBoston Registry Division (Boston births 1870-present)11——
Death certificatesBoston Registry Division: online 1956-present12——
Probate and willsSuffolk Probate and Family Court, 24 New Chardon St., Boston (Register's Office (617) 788-8301)6——
Business names (DBA)Statewide: DBA ("business certificate") filed with the clerk of every city/town where the business has an office13——

Deeds and land records

Deeds, mortgages and other land documents for property in Suffolk County are recorded by the Suffolk Registry of Deeds (Suffolk District).2

Online search
masslandrecords.com/suffolk2Free search
Cost
Free2
Who runs it
Avenu Insights & Analytics (20/20 Perfect Vision Land Records)14
Years online
Recorded Land indexed and imaged from 1973 (Book 8595) to the present; images of older books back to 1800 (Book 194) via Unindexed Property Search; 1970-1972 being re-indexed14
Copy fee
$.50 per page2
Certified copy fee
$1.00 per page15
How to order
In person at 24 New Chardon St.; by mail with a cover letter giving book and page (or Registered Land document number), a check to "Commonwealth of Massachusetts" for the exact amount and a self-addressed stamped envelope; or free non-certified prints online2

How deeds work in Massachusetts

Property values, owners and tax bills

The City of Boston Assessing Department (assessors are municipal: Boston, Chelsea, Revere, Winthrop) sets property values3.

Property search
Boston Property Lookup: properties.boston.gov (Chelsea, Revere and Winthrop assess separately)4
Tax bill search
Boston Property Lookup (assessments and taxes): properties.boston.gov4
Parcel map (GIS)
Assessors maps linked by the Registry: Chelsea (mapsonline.net/chelseama), Winthrop (axisgis.com/winthropma), Revere (revere.patriotproperties.com), Boston assessors plans by ward3
Appealing a value
Abatement application to the city/town assessors (Boston: Taxpayer Referral and Assistance Center, 617-635-4287)4

How property tax works in Massachusetts

Court records: which clerk keeps which case

CourtCasesRecords kept byCase search
Suffolk County Superior Court (Massachusetts Trial Court)Civil and criminal (Civil and Criminal Clerk's Offices); serves Boston, Winthrop, Chelsea and RevereSuffolk County Superior Court - Civil Clerk's Officemasscourts.org/eservices/home.page.2 MassCourts public portal via mass.gov "Search court dockets, calendars, and case information"7
Suffolk Probate and Family Court (Massachusetts Trial Court)Divorce, family, wills and estates; serves Boston neighborhoods, Chelsea, Revere and WinthropSuffolk Probate and Family Court - Register's Office MassCourts public portal (same statewide search)6
Fees
Trial Court uniform fees: attested copy $2.50 per page; unattested copy $0.05 per page8

Criminal records and background checks

Summary
Suffolk County Superior Court Criminal Clerk's Office (617) 788-8160; most criminal cases online only by docket number16

How Massachusetts courts keep their files

Marriage records

City/town clerk where the intention was filed; Boston Registry Division: $14 per copy online or by mail (includes shipping)9

Massachusetts marriage records, statewide

Divorce records

Suffolk Probate and Family Court; certificate of divorce absolute $20 each (statewide Probate and Family Court fee)10

Massachusetts divorce records: decree or state record

Birth certificates

Boston Registry Division (Boston births 1870-present): $14 per copy online including shipping, $12 in person; 1841-1935 certified copies also from the Massachusetts Archives; Boston City Archives holds non-certified records back to 163011

Ordering a Massachusetts birth certificate

Death certificates

Boston Registry Division: online 1956-present; 1870-1956 by mail or in person; $14 per copy online, $12 in person12

Ordering a Massachusetts death certificate

Probate records and wills

Suffolk Probate and Family Court, 24 New Chardon St., Boston (Register's Office (617) 788-8301)6

Finding a will or probate case in Massachusetts

Historical records

Registry of Deeds dates from 1643; earliest deed books are viewable via archive.org from the Registry site17

Good to know about Suffolk County records

  • Suffolk County has no county government; the Registry of Deeds is run under the Secretary of the Commonwealth, the courts by the state Trial Court, and vital, assessing and tax records by Boston, Chelsea, Revere and Winthrop.3
  • Suffolk County is made up of Boston, Chelsea, Revere and Winthrop.18
  • The Registry of Deeds was formed in 1643.17
  • About 10% of Suffolk property is Registered Land (Land Court), indexed by document number, not book and page.17
  • The Registry cannot take credit cards; checks are payable to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.2
  • The Registry's free Consumer Notification Service emails a homeowner when a document is recorded with their name or address (up to 3 properties).18
  • In 2024 the Registry recorded 92,967 documents, including 12,657 deeds and 11,089 mortgages.3
  • Registry staff bring services to Chelsea, Revere, Winthrop and Boston neighborhoods through a "Traveling Tuesdays" program.19
  • Boston issues no certified birth copies before 1870; there are no certified copies from any source for events before 1841.11

Office addresses, phones and hours

Suffolk Registry of Deeds (Suffolk District)

Address
Edward W. Brooke Courthouse, 24 New Chardon St., 1st Floor, Boston, MA 021142
Mail
Suffolk Registry of Deeds, 24 New Chardon St., Boston, MA 02114-96602
Phone
617-788-6221 or 617-788-8575 (recorded land); 617-788-6251 (registered land); 617-788-6253 (plan counter)3
Hours
Monday-Friday; research 8:30am-4:30pm; recording 8:30am-4:15pm3

City of Boston Assessing Department (assessors are municipal: Boston, Chelsea, Revere, Winthrop)

Address
1 City Hall Square, Room 301, Boston4
Phone
617-635-4321 (main); 617-635-4287 (Taxpayer Referral and Assistance Center)4

Suffolk County Superior Court - Civil Clerk's Office

Address
Suffolk County Courthouse, 3 Pemberton Square, 12th Floor, Boston, MA 021085
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:30 am-4:30 pm5

Suffolk County Superior Court - Criminal Clerk's Office

Address
Suffolk County Courthouse, 3 Pemberton Square, 14th Floor, Boston, MA 021085
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:30 am-4:30 pm5

Suffolk Probate and Family Court - Register's Office

Address
24 New Chardon St., Boston, MA 02114; satellite office at Chelsea District Court, 120 Broadway, Chelsea, MA 021506
Phone
(617) 788-8301 (Register's Office)6
Hours
Main office Monday-Friday 8:30 am-4:30 pm; satellite office (Chelsea) Tuesday-Thursday 8:30 am-3:00 pm6

Suffolk Probate and Family Court (divorce, custody, family matters)

Address
24 New Chardon St., Boston, MA 021146

City of Boston Registry Division (Birth, Death, and Marriage)

Address
1 City Hall Square, Room 213, Boston, MA 02201-200620
Hours
Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.20

Records that are not online: public records requests

Request page
City of Boston public records portal (JustFOIA): boston.justfoia.com/…21
Where to send it
City of Boston Records Access Officer: [email protected], 617-635-403721

How to write a public records request

Questions people ask

How do I get a copy of a deed in Suffolk County?

The Suffolk Registry of Deeds (Suffolk District) keeps deed records. To order copies: In person at 24 New Chardon St.; by mail with a cover letter giving book and page (or Registered Land document number), a check to "Commonwealth of Massachusetts" for the exact amount and a self-addressed stamped envelope; or free non-certified prints online. Plain copies: $.50 per page. Certified copies: $1.00 per page.215

Can I search Suffolk County land records online for free?

Yes. The official search: masslandrecords.com/suffolk2

Where do I get a divorce decree in Suffolk County?

Suffolk Probate and Family Court; certificate of divorce absolute $20 each (statewide Probate and Family Court fee).10

How do I look up who owns a property in Suffolk County?

Use the property search of the City of Boston Assessing Department (assessors are municipal: Boston, Chelsea, Revere, Winthrop): properties.boston.gov4

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 Suffolk County office. How to tell an official record source from a paid look-alike.

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

Sources

Every fact above links to the official page it comes from; all 22 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. How to Get a Copy of Your DeedSuffolk Registry of Deeds
  3. Suffolk County Registry of Deeds - home (suffolkdeeds.com redirects here)Suffolk Registry of Deeds
  4. AssessingCity of Boston
  5. Suffolk County Superior CourtMassachusetts Trial Court (mass.gov)
  6. Suffolk Probate and Family CourtMassachusetts Trial Court (mass.gov)
  7. Search court dockets, calendars, and case informationMassachusetts Court System
  8. Uniform Schedule of FeesMassachusetts Trial Court
  9. How to Get a Copy of a Marriage CertificateCity of Boston
  10. Get a copy of your divorce recordProbate and Family Court
  11. How to get a birth certificateCity of Boston
  12. How to get a death certificateCity of Boston
  13. M.G.L. c. 110, § 5 - Certificates of persons conducting businesses; contents; filing; fees; indexMassachusetts General Court (Legislature)archived copy
  14. masslandrecords.com - SuffolkSuffolk Registry of Deeds
  15. Fees & Forms of PaymentSuffolk Registry of Deeds
  16. Types of cases available to the public onlineMassachusetts Court System
  17. FAQsSuffolk Registry of Deeds
  18. Consumer Notification ServiceSuffolk Registry of Deeds
  19. About the RegisterSuffolk Registry of Deeds
  20. Registry: Birth, Death, and MarriageCity of Boston
  21. Public RecordsCity of Boston
  22. County population totals: Vintage 2025 (July 1, 2025)US Census Bureau