Access Simsbury Deed Records

Simsbury Town Clerk Office

The Simsbury Town Clerk is the official keeper of land records for the town. This office records all new deeds and maintains files of old ones. Every deed for property in Simsbury goes through this office. The clerk also handles maps, liens, and releases that affect land in town. Walk-ins are welcome for land record searches during business hours.

You may visit the clerk office to search land records. Staff can help you find deeds by owner name or address. The office has books that go back many years. Copies of deeds cost $1 per page. A certified copy adds $2 more. Call ahead if you have questions about what you need to bring when searching for deed records in Simsbury.

Search Land Records in Simsbury

Simsbury participates in the statewide land records network. You can search for deeds online through several platforms. These tools show you deed indexes and sometimes full images of recorded documents. Most let you search by name or date. This makes it easy to find land records in Simsbury without going to town hall.

The Connecticut Town Clerks Portal has Simsbury land records available for search at all hours. The site shows the index for free. You can see the names, dates, and book and page numbers at no cost. If you want to view or print a full deed image, you pay a small fee. Many Simsbury deeds from the past 30 years are online. Older records may require a visit to the clerk office in Simsbury.

Another option is US Land Records. Choose Simsbury from the town list. Enter a name or date range. The site will show all matches from Simsbury land records. You can see book and page numbers for each deed. Some records have full images you can view with a subscription. This tool helps you trace property ownership in Simsbury over time.

When searching for a deed in Simsbury, gather:

• Full name of current or past owner
• Property address in Simsbury
• Approximate year of purchase or sale
• Book and page number if available

If you lack some details, a name search will still work. The index lists all deeds tied to that name in Simsbury. This is useful for checking title or finding out when land changed hands.

Recording Deeds in Simsbury

All deeds for land in Simsbury must be filed with the Town Clerk. Under Connecticut General Statutes Title 47, a deed is not effective against third parties unless it is recorded in the town where the land sits. Filing your deed protects your ownership and gives public notice that you hold title to the land in Simsbury.

The recording fee in Simsbury is $70 for the first page and $5 for each page after that. This fee schedule is set by state law and is the same across Connecticut. If your deed involves a MERS nominee, the first page costs $160. Extra charges apply if the grantee address is missing or if names are not printed under signatures. Review Connecticut General Statutes Chapter 92 for the full fee list.

Simsbury accepts e-recording through approved vendors. You can file deeds online using Simplifile, CSC, ePN, or Indecomm. Upload your deed as a PDF, pay the fee by credit card, and the clerk will process it the same day if everything is correct. E-recording is faster than mailing or hand-delivering your deed to Simsbury town hall.

Your deed must meet state formatting rules. Use white paper sized 8.5 by 11 inches or 8.5 by 14 inches. Print in black ink with at least a 10-point font. The grantor must sign and have their name typed below the signature. A notary seal is required. Include the grantee mailing address on the deed to avoid a $5 penalty. These small details matter when you file a deed in Simsbury.

Note: Documents received at the clerk office after 4:00 PM may be held for recording the next business day.

Real Estate Conveyance Tax

Simsbury requires a conveyance tax on property sales. This is a state tax collected by the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services. You pay the tax when you file a deed for a sale or transfer over $2,000. The tax form is called OP-236. Submit it to the Town Clerk along with your deed. The clerk sends the form to the state within 10 days of recording it in Simsbury.

State tax rates are:

• 0.75% on the first $800,000 of a home sale
• 1.25% on amounts over $800,000 for homes
• 1.25% for all commercial property and land

Some towns in Hartford County also charge a local conveyance tax. Call the Simsbury Town Clerk at (860) 658-3255 to ask if Simsbury has a local tax and what the rate is. Certain transfers are exempt, such as gifts between family members or deeds with no money paid. Even if exempt, you still file Form OP-236 and mark the exemption reason.

You can file the conveyance tax online at the myCTREC portal. Fill out Form OP-236 on the state website. Pay the tax by card or e-check. Print the form and bring it to the Simsbury Town Clerk with your deed. Without this form, the clerk cannot record a deed for a sale over $2,000 in Simsbury.

Land Record Types in Simsbury

The Simsbury Town Clerk files many kinds of land records. The most common is the deed. A warranty deed is used when you buy a home and the seller guarantees clear title. A quitclaim deed transfers property without any promises about title. Both types get recorded the same way in Simsbury, but the legal protection differs.

Other land records you may find in Simsbury include mortgages, which create a lien when you borrow money to buy land. Releases remove a mortgage or lien after you pay it off. Easements grant rights to use part of someone else's land, such as for a driveway or utility line. Attachments and judgments put claims on property for unpaid debts. Maps and surveys show property lines and lot size. Affidavits address title issues like name changes or boundary disputes.

All these documents are indexed by grantor and grantee. The grantor is the person who gives up an interest in the land. The grantee is the one who receives it. This index system makes it possible to trace the chain of title in Simsbury. A chain of title lists every owner from the earliest deed to the current one. Under Connecticut law, a 40-year chain of title is usually enough to prove marketable title.

Maps filed in Simsbury have separate fees. A simple map with two or fewer parcels costs $20. A subdivision map with three or more lots costs $30. The clerk keeps a map index so you can find surveys by subdivision name or lot number. These maps help you see the exact boundaries of land in Simsbury.

Hartford County Deed Records

Simsbury is in Hartford County, but land records are not kept at a county level in Connecticut. Each town maintains its own records. The Simsbury Town Clerk handles all filings for land in Simsbury. For more on how Hartford County land records work and links to other towns in the county, see the Hartford County deed records page.

View Hartford County Deed Records

Other Hartford County Cities

Nearby cities with their own land records include Hartford, West Hartford, Manchester, and Bristol. Each Connecticut town keeps separate deed records, so if you own land in multiple towns, you must file deeds in each place where the land is located.