Another busy day at the Middlesex North Registry of Deeds. The systems we've put into place for receiving and recording electronic recordings, mailed-in documents, and dropped-off documents are all working well (see my recent blog posts for details on each).
We're also spending a lot of time unpacking and organizing our records and equipment in our beautiful new space in the just-opened Lowell Justice Center. In one way, having the public kept out of the building by the emergency orders in place has made it easier for us to accomplish all the necessary housekeeping and IT tasks.
This is especially true because we've divided the registry workforce into two teams with one working this week and the other next. The twofold purpose of this measure is to reduce the number of employees in the office and thereby increase the spacing between us. The second reason is to build some redundancy in case someone gets sick and all who have been working with that person have to self-quarantine for two weeks. If that happened with the entire staff present, we'd have to shut down the registry for two weeks. With two separate teams, the second team could step in and run the office during the quarantine.
While we do have the capability of processing incoming electronic recordings from offsite, I think we better serve the public by being in the office to handle mail and drop-off recordings as well as e-filings.
Last night I mentioned a new procedure promulgated by the Land Court for obtaining approval for certain documents. The Land Court has actually issued a number of orders relative to the pandemic, all are available on the Court System Response to Covid-19 page (scroll down to Land Court).
Also, State Senator Bruce Tarr and many co-sponsors have filed legislation that would permit a type of remote video notarization. In the 20 or so states that already allow remote video notarization, most contemplate that being done with an electronic document. The person signing has the document on a tablet or mobile phone and then activates the device's camera so the notary can see the person electronically signing the document. The video of the procedure is all archived in case questions arise, and the fully executed electronic document can then be whisked via the internet to the proper registry of deeds for electronic recording.
The Massachusetts proposal, SD. 2882, is kind of a hybrid of the traditional notarial act that takes place by signing a piece of paper with pen and ink and the remote video laws of other states. The Massachusetts law seems to require a lawyer to (snail)mail or courier a paper document to the client who would then sign it while on video camera with the lawyer watching the video feed from a distant location. Once the paper document was signed, the client would then mail or Fedex it back to the lawyer. The lawyer, once receiving it, would sign the paper document with pen and ink and then record it via electronic recording with the registry of deeds.
I've long had an interest in this area and have previously written about in-person electronic acknowledgements and also about remote video acknowledgements.
My experience has been that many lawyers who work in this field have long seen remote video acknowledgements as an existential threat to their business model and have therefore done everything possible to prevent such legislation from moving forward in Massachusetts. This bill seems precisely crafted to protect the interests of those lawyers while at the same time allowing them to continue doing business notwithstanding the extreme distancing requirements demanded by the pandemic. In other words, it's unlikely that they will try to kill this bill.
I find nothing objectionable about this bill and do hope it's enacted because by keeping people separated it will reduce the risks of infection spread. But hopefully this is more of a foot-in-the-door for remote video acknowledgments rather than the first and final move in that direction in Massachusetts.
Thursday, March 26, 2020
Wednesday, March 25, 2020
Wednesday, March 25, 2020, update
Nothing major to report today which is one reason why I didn't write earlier. Another reason is that we've been very busy. There are a lot of documents to record but we're also unpacking and settling in to the new place which is very nice.
Today, Governor Baker announced that schools will stay closed until at least May 4. While he didn't mention courthouses (that I know of), I suspect the current limits on public access will move in tandem with the schools.
We're dealing with a steady flow of e-files and are having no trouble receiving our mail and Fedex/UPS. Those are the best ways to record. We do continue to have a drop off box in the lobby. That's mostly been used by people with Registered Land since those documents cannot be e-filed.
This evening, Land Court issued a memo updating the procedures used to get Land Court approval on documents that require such approval before being registered. I'll post a summary or maybe even the full text if I can tomorrow on this site.
We did have one minor glitch today. Because of the volume of e-recordings, we contacted our land management application company and asked them to activate electronic recording on two additional terminals. They did this remotely but somehow when we used those two terminals, the electronic recording cover page that was automatically inserted in the newly recorded document was from the Hampshire Registry of Deeds, not Middlesex North. By the time someone caught it, we had already processed two dozen documents this way. We did go back and create new cover sheets for all so that was resolved by the end of the day.
That's it for tonight.
Today, Governor Baker announced that schools will stay closed until at least May 4. While he didn't mention courthouses (that I know of), I suspect the current limits on public access will move in tandem with the schools.
We're dealing with a steady flow of e-files and are having no trouble receiving our mail and Fedex/UPS. Those are the best ways to record. We do continue to have a drop off box in the lobby. That's mostly been used by people with Registered Land since those documents cannot be e-filed.
This evening, Land Court issued a memo updating the procedures used to get Land Court approval on documents that require such approval before being registered. I'll post a summary or maybe even the full text if I can tomorrow on this site.
We did have one minor glitch today. Because of the volume of e-recordings, we contacted our land management application company and asked them to activate electronic recording on two additional terminals. They did this remotely but somehow when we used those two terminals, the electronic recording cover page that was automatically inserted in the newly recorded document was from the Hampshire Registry of Deeds, not Middlesex North. By the time someone caught it, we had already processed two dozen documents this way. We did go back and create new cover sheets for all so that was resolved by the end of the day.
That's it for tonight.
Tuesday, March 24, 2020
Tuesday at 1pm update
Everything is running smoothly at the Middlesex North Registry of Deeds today. There's a lot less mail on Tuesday than on Monday, so we don't have as many mailed-in documents to record today as we did yesterday.
We are still accepting documents that are dropped off for recording. Just enter the front door of the Justice Center and look for the gray bin pictured below. Put your documents in the bin and then call us at 978-322-9000 and we'll come out and get the documents.
Remember, registry customers are not permitted into the registry area.
Also, if you have registered land to record, you must first email your documents to us for review. Only after you have received our OK should you drop off the documents at the Justice Center.
We are still accepting documents that are dropped off for recording. Just enter the front door of the Justice Center and look for the gray bin pictured below. Put your documents in the bin and then call us at 978-322-9000 and we'll come out and get the documents.
Remember, registry customers are not permitted into the registry area.
Also, if you have registered land to record, you must first email your documents to us for review. Only after you have received our OK should you drop off the documents at the Justice Center.
Tuesday morning update
It's 6am on Tuesday, March 24, 2020. Here's what I expect at the Registry of Deeds today:
We will be processing electronic recordings throughout the day
We will be recording documents received by mail or Fedex/UPS (assuming the carriers get to us)
I believe we will be able to take dropped-off documents, even after noontime.
Regarding dropping off documents, remember, the drop off box is just inside the front door of the Lowell Justice Center. Come inside, put your package in the Registry of Deeds bin, call us at 978-322-9000 to say you've just left a package. Then leave. We'll take care of the rest.
For Registered Land, we require you to first email your documents to lowelldeeds@comcast.net. We will review your documents and send a reply email authorizing you to drop off the documents.
The best way to communicate with us is via email at lowelldeeds@comcast.net.
As always, things can change very rapidly so please check back here for updates throughout the day.
We will be processing electronic recordings throughout the day
We will be recording documents received by mail or Fedex/UPS (assuming the carriers get to us)
I believe we will be able to take dropped-off documents, even after noontime.
Regarding dropping off documents, remember, the drop off box is just inside the front door of the Lowell Justice Center. Come inside, put your package in the Registry of Deeds bin, call us at 978-322-9000 to say you've just left a package. Then leave. We'll take care of the rest.
For Registered Land, we require you to first email your documents to lowelldeeds@comcast.net. We will review your documents and send a reply email authorizing you to drop off the documents.
The best way to communicate with us is via email at lowelldeeds@comcast.net.
As always, things can change very rapidly so please check back here for updates throughout the day.
Monday, March 23, 2020
Status of E-Recording on Tuesday
Monday, March 23, 2020 at noon update
I do believe we will be able to continue e-recording documents, even after noon tomorrow.
However, I am unsure if we will be able to accept drop off documents after noon tomorrow. As soon as I get clarification on that, I will post an update.
As of now, you can drop documents off today and tomorrow and we will record them. See my prior posts for the procedures you must follow to do that.
I do believe we will be able to continue e-recording documents, even after noon tomorrow.
However, I am unsure if we will be able to accept drop off documents after noon tomorrow. As soon as I get clarification on that, I will post an update.
As of now, you can drop documents off today and tomorrow and we will record them. See my prior posts for the procedures you must follow to do that.
Governor's Order - meaning for registry of deeds
Whether or not
we’ll be opening and processing e-files is unclear right now given the latest
order from the governor. The best way to keep track of our status is to check here at the registry blog which I will update as soon as our status is for tomorrow and afterwards is determined.
Richard Howe
Richard Howe
Monday status report: 9:30am
Middlesex North Registry of Deeds is established in our new home at 370 Jackson Street. There was a slight delay in switching the phone service to our new location but that seems to be resolved now.
We do have a document drop-off box just inside the front entrance of the Justice Center. It is a plastic bin on a table with a Registry of Deeds sign on it. Here's how it works:
We do have a document drop-off box just inside the front entrance of the Justice Center. It is a plastic bin on a table with a Registry of Deeds sign on it. Here's how it works:
- Come to the Lowell Justice Center at 370 Jackson Street, Lowell
- Enter the front entrance
- Immediately to your left is the drop-off basket
- Place your ready-to-record documents in the basket
- Call the registry at 978-322-9000 and tell us you just dropped off some documents
- Leave
- We will go out and pick up the documents, record them, and mail them back to you
- Your recording information will be available on our website as soon as we record the documents
IF YOU HAVE REGISTERED LAND you must first email your proposed documents to lowelldeeds@comcast.net. We will review the documents and email you back with any changes that must be made. Only after getting this pre-approval email may you bring your documents to the Justice Center.
Check back for more updates later today.
Sunday, March 22, 2020
A New Home for the Registry
Yesterday, March 21, 2020, the Middlesex North Registry of Deeds moved all of its operations to the Lowell Justice Center at 370 Jackson Street, Lowell MA 01852. After two months of intense preparation, the move went smoothly and by the time we left the new space yesterday afternoon, everything was set up and working.
There are a few things left to be done. For instance, at 8am tomorrow (Monday, March 23, 2020) our telephone lines will be ported over to our new service provider. We already had dial tone and could make outgoing calls on Saturday, but incoming calls will not be received until this transfer of service takes place. We don't expect any problems but we'll have multiple technicians on site just in case.
Also yesterday we were able to pull up documents that were submitted for electronic recording after we closed on Friday, so we know that system is still working. That should also be the case tomorrow morning but there may be some unforeseen delays in processing documents.
As for a drop-off recording service, I won't know if we are able to do that until sometime tomorrow morning. We will be opening in an entirely new setting with established protocols and security procedures and we will have to comply with them. However, if permitted to do so, we will definitely have a drop-off service for documents.
IF WE ARE ALLOWED TO HAVE DROP-OFF SERVICE, here is how I expect it to work:
A customer with documents to record that cannot be submitted electronically should bring them to the Lowell Justice Center. We will have a small table in the lobby of the building between the front doorway and the entrance to the security check point. The customer should drop their ready-to-record packet onto the table then call the registry at 978-322-9000 and say you have just left a document for recording. Then the customer should leave. Once that happens, a registry employee will go to the lobby and retrieve the document.
Documents submitted this way should be accompanied by a self-addressed envelope of sufficient size for us to mail back the original documents (there will be no scan and return service). Plans may be recorded in this way as well although original plans will not be returned.
We will be happy to answer questions about your recording BY TELEPHONE BEFORE YOU COME TO THE JUSTICE CENTER. Just call us at 978-322-9000 or email your question to lowelldeeds@comcast.net.
If you have Registered Land documents you must first email images of the documents you intend to record to lowelldeeds@comcast.net. Someone from our registered land staff will review the documents and send you an email that either tells you what else is needed or gives you notice that the packet is ready for recording (please print that email and put it on the top of the packet of originals that your drop at the registry).
As soon as possible in the morning - most likely around 10am - I will do another blog post here with an update on the status of drop-off recordings.
There are a few things left to be done. For instance, at 8am tomorrow (Monday, March 23, 2020) our telephone lines will be ported over to our new service provider. We already had dial tone and could make outgoing calls on Saturday, but incoming calls will not be received until this transfer of service takes place. We don't expect any problems but we'll have multiple technicians on site just in case.
Also yesterday we were able to pull up documents that were submitted for electronic recording after we closed on Friday, so we know that system is still working. That should also be the case tomorrow morning but there may be some unforeseen delays in processing documents.
As for a drop-off recording service, I won't know if we are able to do that until sometime tomorrow morning. We will be opening in an entirely new setting with established protocols and security procedures and we will have to comply with them. However, if permitted to do so, we will definitely have a drop-off service for documents.
IF WE ARE ALLOWED TO HAVE DROP-OFF SERVICE, here is how I expect it to work:
A customer with documents to record that cannot be submitted electronically should bring them to the Lowell Justice Center. We will have a small table in the lobby of the building between the front doorway and the entrance to the security check point. The customer should drop their ready-to-record packet onto the table then call the registry at 978-322-9000 and say you have just left a document for recording. Then the customer should leave. Once that happens, a registry employee will go to the lobby and retrieve the document.
Documents submitted this way should be accompanied by a self-addressed envelope of sufficient size for us to mail back the original documents (there will be no scan and return service). Plans may be recorded in this way as well although original plans will not be returned.
We will be happy to answer questions about your recording BY TELEPHONE BEFORE YOU COME TO THE JUSTICE CENTER. Just call us at 978-322-9000 or email your question to lowelldeeds@comcast.net.
If you have Registered Land documents you must first email images of the documents you intend to record to lowelldeeds@comcast.net. Someone from our registered land staff will review the documents and send you an email that either tells you what else is needed or gives you notice that the packet is ready for recording (please print that email and put it on the top of the packet of originals that your drop at the registry).
As soon as possible in the morning - most likely around 10am - I will do another blog post here with an update on the status of drop-off recordings.
Thursday, March 19, 2020
Pandemic Update: March 19, 2020 at 10am
There's much to review this morning:
Our move to the Lowell Justice Center is on schedule for this weekend. On Monday, March 23, 2020, we will be located at 370 Jackson Street, Lowell MA 01852.
On Monday, be prepared for:
Our move to the Lowell Justice Center is on schedule for this weekend. On Monday, March 23, 2020, we will be located at 370 Jackson Street, Lowell MA 01852.
On Monday, be prepared for:
- Delays in electronic recording
- Unavailability of document drop off service
- Potential disruption to our phone system
We are doing all that we can to minimize disruptions, but some are inevitable in an operation of this scale. Keep checking this blog during the move for the latest news. Also, there should be no interruption of the lowelldeeds@comcast.net email so continue to use that.
We did switch to our new website last evening. Everything that was on the former lowelldeeds site is there (or will be there shortly). You can still reach the site by going to the www.lowelldeeds.com domain name, but the site can also be reached at https://massrods.com/middlesexnorth/
Our document drop-off service went very well yesterday. About 20 people took advantage of it. However, if you do plan to use that service tomorrow or Friday (or after that, if it is allowed at the Justice Center), you should call us by phone (978-322-9000) or email us first so we can review the process with you.
Understand that with this drop-and-go process, there is no opportunity to do a run-down or anything else at the registry. You just drop off your package and leave. We will record your documents and mail the originals back to you. As soon as the documents are recorded, recording information and the document images themselves are available on our website.
Finally, if you have registered land to record, you must email us images of the documents being submitted in advance of bringing them to the registry. Our registered land staff will review your intended submission and either direct you to make necessary changes or give you pre-approval of your documents. (Please print the approval email from us and put a copy at the front of your packet).
Wednesday, March 18, 2020
New Look for lowelldeeds.com
To coincide with our new location, we will be launching our new website later today. The address - www.lowelldeeds.com - will be the same, but the look will be entirely different.
This blog will remain intact and unchanged but you might want to book mark a direct link to it. It will be easy to reach from the new lowelldeeds site, but the blog will remain the best source of registry news and updates during the pandemic.
This blog will remain intact and unchanged but you might want to book mark a direct link to it. It will be easy to reach from the new lowelldeeds site, but the blog will remain the best source of registry news and updates during the pandemic.
Tuesday, March 17, 2020
March 17, 2020 at 4 pm update
[UPDATED: March 18, 2020, at 6:30 am]
On Wednesday, March 18, 2020, the Middlesex North Registry of Deeds plans to allow customers to drop off documents to be recorded. Our hours for this service will be from 9am until 4pm. Please call the Registry at 978-322-9000 if you have questions about this process.
Here is how it will work:
Customers will wait at the front entrance of the Middlesex Superior Courthouse at 360 Gorham Street. A Registry employee will let a customer into the vestibule of the building. The customer will WRITE A RETURN MAILING ADDRESS ON THE BACK OF DOCUMENT ALONG WITH A TELEPHONE NUMBER then leave the documents and the recording check AT THE FRONT ENTRANCE.
Documents will be retrieved by a registry employee, recorded and mailed back to you. There will be no scan and return. There will be no certified copies. If the documents are not in order when they reach the recording counter, they will be mailed back to you unrecorded. There will be no opportunity to do a pre-recording rundown and no one will be allowed beyond the front entry foyer of the building.
If you have Registered Land, please scan your documents and email them to us at mailto:lowelldeeds@comcast.net. We will review the documents in advance and send you pre-approval for recording.
We also will continue to record electronically submitted documents and documents recorded by mail.
On Wednesday, March 18, 2020, the Middlesex North Registry of Deeds plans to allow customers to drop off documents to be recorded. Our hours for this service will be from 9am until 4pm. Please call the Registry at 978-322-9000 if you have questions about this process.
Here is how it will work:
Customers will wait at the front entrance of the Middlesex Superior Courthouse at 360 Gorham Street. A Registry employee will let a customer into the vestibule of the building. The customer will WRITE A RETURN MAILING ADDRESS ON THE BACK OF DOCUMENT ALONG WITH A TELEPHONE NUMBER then leave the documents and the recording check AT THE FRONT ENTRANCE.
Documents will be retrieved by a registry employee, recorded and mailed back to you. There will be no scan and return. There will be no certified copies. If the documents are not in order when they reach the recording counter, they will be mailed back to you unrecorded. There will be no opportunity to do a pre-recording rundown and no one will be allowed beyond the front entry foyer of the building.
If you have Registered Land, please scan your documents and email them to us at mailto:lowelldeeds@comcast.net. We will review the documents in advance and send you pre-approval for recording.
We also will continue to record electronically submitted documents and documents recorded by mail.
E-Filing During Pandemic
Good morning. During the pandemic, we urge all eligible registry users to file electronically. If you are not already an e-file customer, below is information from two companies that provide the service.
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Monday, March 16, 2020
March 16,2020 update at 11am
Middlesex North Registry of Deeds (and all courthouses) are definitely closed today and tomorrow but we are hoping that on Wednesday we
can allow people in the front door solely to give us walk-in recordings,
especially things that can’t be e-filed like plans and registered land. Our
plan is to greet people at the building entrance, take their documents, record
them [UPDATE: If we are allowed to accept walk-in documents, we will not scan and return; we will mail the originals back when we are done recording them. Also there will be no ability to do a pre-recording run down].
We won’t be
allowing closings or researchers into the building.
Also, for any
registered land transactions, we ask you
to email images of all the documents in advance to mailto:lowelldeeds@comcast.net so
that we can review them in advance and tell you what changes are needed before
you bring in the originals on Wednesday or thereafter.
We do intend to move to the new Justice Center on this Saturday although everything is subject to change.
March 16, 2020 at 9am update
The Middlesex North Registry of Deeds remains closed to the public today, however, we are processing incoming electronic recordings.
The building will also be closed to the public tomorrow, Tuesday, March 17, 2020.
Please check back later for updates regarding operations on Wednesday, March 18, 2020, and thereafter.
The building will also be closed to the public tomorrow, Tuesday, March 17, 2020.
Please check back later for updates regarding operations on Wednesday, March 18, 2020, and thereafter.
Courts Closed to Public: March 16 & 17
The Massachusetts Trial Court has ordered that all courthouses be closed to the public today and tomorrow (Monday, March 16 and Tuesday, March 17, 2020). Because the Middlesex North Registry of Deeds is within the Superior Courthouse, the registry will be closed to the public on these days too.
However, registry employees will report to work this morning. As of now (6am on Monday), we plan to operate our electronic recording system and intend to record documents submitted in that way.
This is all subject to change so check back later today for updates.
However, registry employees will report to work this morning. As of now (6am on Monday), we plan to operate our electronic recording system and intend to record documents submitted in that way.
This is all subject to change so check back later today for updates.
Thursday, January 23, 2020
Access to newly recorded plans
This office uses a Xerox 8830 wide format scanner/printer to scan newly recorded plans into our land records software. It has been in place since 2008. It failed in late November 2019 and we have been unable to get it working since then. This has hindered our ability to make the images of newly recorded plans available online.
As an interim way to address this issue, we have photographed these newly recorded plans, uploaded the individual plan images to the LowellDeeds website, and have now made links available to each of these plans. Here's the page with the links: http://www.lowelldeeds.com/2020plans/2020plans.html
We continue to work on a long-term solution to this problem. The Xerox printer/scanner is mechanically sound despite its age. The problem we have is with its software. Resolving the problems has been made more complicated by recent changes in Xerox's makeup and business model (i.e., the branch of Xerox responsible for our machine no longer exists).
If you have any questions on this issue, please call the registry's Customer Service office at (978) 322-9000.
As an interim way to address this issue, we have photographed these newly recorded plans, uploaded the individual plan images to the LowellDeeds website, and have now made links available to each of these plans. Here's the page with the links: http://www.lowelldeeds.com/2020plans/2020plans.html
We continue to work on a long-term solution to this problem. The Xerox printer/scanner is mechanically sound despite its age. The problem we have is with its software. Resolving the problems has been made more complicated by recent changes in Xerox's makeup and business model (i.e., the branch of Xerox responsible for our machine no longer exists).
If you have any questions on this issue, please call the registry's Customer Service office at (978) 322-9000.
Thursday, January 02, 2020
December 2019 Recording Statistics
Here are some statistics on the number of documents recorded in December 2019 compared to December 2018:
- Total Documents: In Dec 2019 there were 6173 documents recorded, a 36% increase from 4504 recorded in Dec 2018
- Deeds: In Dec 2019 there were 670 deeds recorded, a 15% increase from 583 in Dec 2018
- Mortgages: In Dec 2019 there were 1165 mortgages recorded, a 60% increase from 729 in Dec 2018
- Foreclosure Deeds: In Dec 2019 there were 11 foreclosure deeds recorded, a 31% decrease from 16 in Dec 2018
- Orders of Notice: In Dec 2019 there were 24 orders of notice recorded, a 20% increase from 20 in Dec 2018.
Here are some statistics for all of 2019 compared to all of 2018:
- Total Documents: In 2019 there were 60,104 documents recorded, a 5% increase from 57,380 recorded in 2018
- Deeds: In 2019 there were 7459 deeds recorded, a 2% increase from 7319 in 2018
- Mortgages: In 2019 there were 11,631 mortgages recorded, a 19% increase from 9745 in 2018
- Foreclosure Deeds: In 2019 there were 91 foreclosure deeds recorded, a 57% decrease from 213 in 2018
- Orders of Notice: In 2019 there were 260 orders of notice recorded, a 9% decrease from 287 in 2018.
Tuesday, December 31, 2019
Fee Increase Implemented Today
The implementation of the recording fee increase that took effect today went smoothly. The computer people from Boston and from our software provider worked diligently on making the change without disruption. That task was complicated by the law's requirement that documents sent to us in the mail with a postmark of December 30, 2019 or earlier will be charged the old recording fee whereas everything else, including electronic recordings, incurred the new, higher fee as of this morning.
Technically, our recording fees did not go up because it was the Community Preservation Act surcharge that was raised, in most cases, from $20 to $50. The last time recording fees increased was in 2003.
Technically, our recording fees did not go up because it was the Community Preservation Act surcharge that was raised, in most cases, from $20 to $50. The last time recording fees increased was in 2003.
Friday, December 27, 2019
Recording Fees increase on Tuesday, Dec 31, 2019
This coming Tuesday, December 31, 2019, recording fees at the Registry of Deeds will increase in most cases by $30 per document. To be more precise, the per document surcharge that funds the Community Preservation Trust Fund is increasing from $20 to $50. The primary exceptions are for Municipal Lien Certificates which will see the associated CPA surcharge rise from $10 to $25 per document and Homesteads, which have no CPA surcharge associated with them.
Here are the old fees followed by the new fees for most document types:
Here are the old fees followed by the new fees for most document types:
- Deed - old fee is $125 - new fee will be $155
- Mortgage - old fee is $175 - new fee will be $205
- Declaration of Trust - old fee is $225 - new fee will be $255
- UCC Document - old fee is $45 - new fee will be $75
- Plan - old fee is $75 per sheet - new fee is $105 per sheet
- Homestead - fee will remain $35
- Municipal Lien Certificate
- Most other documents - old fee is $75 - new fee will be $105
Here's a link to the new recording fee chart.
One caveat is that documents mailed to us or sent by the equivalent delivery service (UPS or FEDEX) will have the fee determined by the date of the postmark on the envelope conveying the document to us. If the postmark date is December 30, 2019, or earlier, the fee to record the document will be the "old" fee, regardless of when we record it.
Documents submitted through the e-file system will incur the fee in effect on the day the registry processes the document submitted.
Finally, even though the law clearly states the fee increase takes effect on December 31, 2019, a number of our customers and callers today have expressed a belief that the new fees will not be charged until the start of January 2020. But come Tuesday, December 31, 2019, we'll be charging the new fees starting the moment we open at 8:30 am.
Sunday, December 01, 2019
Middlesex North Registry of Deeds closed Dec 2, 2019
The Massachusetts Trial Court has ordered that all courts in Lowell will be closed on Monday, December 2, 2019, due to the ongoing snowstorm. Because the Middlesex North Registry of Deeds is located in the Superior Courthouse, the Registry of Deeds will be closed too.
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