Find Deed Records in Middlesex County

Middlesex County deed records are held at the town clerk office in each of the county's 15 municipalities. These land records contain property deeds, mortgages, liens, releases, maps, and other documents affecting real estate within each town. Since Connecticut does not have county-level recording, you must search the specific town where the property sits. Many towns provide online access through RecordHub or the Connecticut Town Clerks Portal, letting you view indexed land records and document images from home. If you cannot find the records online, visit or call the town clerk office in person for help.

Where Middlesex County Land Records Are Kept

Middlesex County was formed in 1785 from parts of Hartford and New Haven counties. It now has 15 towns, and each one keeps its own land records at the town clerk office. There is no county clerk or county recorder in Connecticut. If you need a deed for property in Middletown, you go to the Middletown Town Clerk. If the property sits in Clinton, you search Clinton's land records. Every town has its own system, but they all record the same types of documents under the same state rules.

Town clerks record deeds when property changes hands. They record mortgages when you borrow money against the property. Liens get filed when a debt attaches to your land. Releases show when those liens are paid off. Maps and surveys go in the land records too. All of these documents create a public record of who owns the property and what claims exist against it.

Most Middlesex County towns have public access terminals in their offices. You can walk in during business hours and search the land record database yourself. Staff can show you how to use the system, but they cannot give legal advice or do a full title search for you. If you need professional help interpreting the records, hire an attorney or title company. Town clerk staff maintain the records and help you search, but they do not certify title.

Recording fees are set by state statute. As of July 1, 2025, it costs $70 to record the first page of any document. Each additional page costs $5. These fees apply in all 15 Middlesex County towns. Some towns may have local conveyance taxes on top of the state conveyance tax, so check with the specific town clerk when you are ready to record a deed.

Search Middlesex County Deeds Online

Many Middlesex County towns offer online access to land records. Middletown and Clinton both use RecordHub from Cott Systems. This portal lets you search by name, date, or document type. You can view indexed information for free, but you may need a subscription to print or download document images. Some towns allow guest access for viewing, while others require you to create an account.

To search RecordHub, go to the site and select your town from the dropdown. Then pick a search method. You can search by grantor name (the seller), grantee name (the buyer), or book and page number. Enter the last name and first few letters of the first name. Hit search. The system returns a list of matching records. Click on any result to see details like the date recorded, document type, and parties involved.

The Connecticut Town Clerks Portal also provides access to some Middlesex County towns. This is a free statewide system that indexes land records from over 70 participating municipalities. You can search here to see if your town is included. If it is, you get indexed data and sometimes document images going back decades. If the town is not part of this portal, check its website for other online access options or call the clerk office for help.

If a town does not have online records, you can still visit the office in person. Most town clerks have public computers where you can search the database even if it is not available online. Call ahead to confirm their hours and whether they require an appointment. Some clerks have limited hours for land record searches, so plan your visit accordingly.

Copy fees for printed documents are $1 per page. If you want a certified copy, add $2 per document. Certification means the town clerk attests that the copy matches the original on file. Certified copies are often required for legal transactions like refinancing or clearing title issues.

Middlesex County Recording Fees

All Middlesex County towns follow the state fee schedule. Recording costs $70 for the first page and $5 for each extra page. A three-page deed costs $80 to record. An eight-page mortgage costs $105. These fees are the same whether you record in person or through electronic recording.

MERS documents have special fees. MERS stands for Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems. It is a nominee used by many lenders to track mortgage transfers. If MERS is listed as the grantor on an assignment or release, the recording fee is a flat $160 with no extra charge for additional pages. Other MERS documents cost $160 for the first page and $5 for each additional page.

Conveyance tax applies when you transfer property for consideration over $2,000. The state charges 0.75% on the first $800,000 for residential property. For amounts over $800,000, the rate jumps to 1.25% on the excess. Non-residential property is taxed at 1.25% on the full amount. Middletown has a local conveyance tax of 0.5%. Other Middlesex County towns may have their own local rates or no local tax at all. Check with the specific town clerk to find out the total tax due.

When you record a deed with consideration over $2,000, you must file Form OP-236 with the town clerk. This is the Connecticut Real Estate Conveyance Tax Return. The form calculates the state and local tax owed. You must pay both taxes when you record the deed. The town clerk forwards the state portion to the Department of Revenue Services within 10 days of recording.

Some transfers are exempt from conveyance tax. Gifts with no money changing hands do not trigger the tax. Transfers between spouses as part of a divorce are exempt. Corrective deeds that fix errors in a prior deed may be exempt if no new consideration is paid. Even if exempt, you still must file Form OP-236 to claim the exemption. The town clerk will not record the deed without the tax form.

Types of Land Records in Middlesex County

Middlesex County town clerks record many types of documents beyond simple property deeds. Warranty deeds transfer ownership with promises that the title is clear. Quitclaim deeds transfer whatever interest the grantor has, if any, without guarantees. Both are common in Connecticut. The deed shows who is selling (grantor) and who is buying (grantee). It includes a legal description of the property and the consideration paid.

Mortgage deeds create a lien on the property when you borrow money. The borrower is the mortgagor. The lender is the mortgagee. When the loan is paid off, the lender files a discharge or release. This removes the lien from the public record. Unreleased mortgages can cause problems when you try to sell or refinance, so it is important to make sure old loans are properly discharged.

Liens attach to property for unpaid debts. A mechanic's lien is filed by a contractor who did work but did not get paid. Tax liens come from the IRS or the state when you owe back taxes. Judgment liens result from court cases where you lost and owe money. All of these are recorded in the land records to give notice to anyone searching the title. Releases are filed when the debt is satisfied.

Maps and surveys show property boundaries. Subdivision maps display how a large parcel was divided into lots. Site plans show where buildings sit on a lot. Easements grant rights to use someone else's land for a specific purpose, like a driveway or utility line. All of these documents are recorded with the town clerk and become part of the permanent land records in Middlesex County.

Condominium documents are also recorded in the land records. The master deed creates the condominium. It describes the units and common areas. Bylaws and rules may be recorded as well. Unit deeds transfer ownership of individual condos. All of this gets filed with the town clerk just like other property records.

Note: Trade names and military discharge papers are sometimes recorded with town clerks, but these are not land records.

Requirements for Recording Deeds

Connecticut law sets specific rules for how deeds must be prepared. The document must be in writing and signed by the grantor. A notary public must acknowledge the signature. Two witnesses must attest to the signature, though the notary can serve as one of the witnesses. Names must be typed or printed beneath all signatures. The grantee's current mailing address must appear on the deed. These are all statutory requirements under Connecticut General Statutes Title 47.

If you do not include the grantee address, the town clerk will charge an extra $5 penalty. If you do not type names under the signatures, there is a $1 penalty. These penalties are added to the recording fee. It is easier to prepare the deed correctly the first time than to pay extra fees or have the document rejected.

Format matters too. Use black ink only. Font size must be at least 10 points. Paper should be white, either 8.5 by 11 inches or 8.5 by 14 inches. Leave clear margins so the clerk can stamp the recording information. Documents that do not meet these standards may be rejected.

The deed should include a legal description of the property. A street address is not enough. You need a metes and bounds description, a reference to a prior recorded deed, or a lot number from a subdivision map. The description must be sufficient to identify the property with certainty. Connecticut title standards require a proper legal description for valid recording.

Electronic Recording in Middlesex County

All Middlesex County towns accept electronic recording. This lets attorneys, title companies, and lenders submit documents online. You do not need to visit the clerk office in person. E-recording is faster and more convenient. You can submit documents any time, though the clerk only processes them during regular business hours.

Four vendors provide e-recording services in Connecticut. Simplifile is widely used. You can call them at (800) 460-5657 to set up an account. Corporation Service Company offers e-recording at (866) 652-0111. The eRecording Partners Network operates at (888) 325-3365. Indecomm Global Services can be reached at (651) 766-2350. All four vendors work with every town in Middlesex County.

E-recording fees are the same as in-person recording. You pay $70 for the first page and $5 for each extra page. The vendor may add its own service fee on top of the town's recording fee. Check with your chosen vendor for their pricing. The town clerk sets the hours when e-recorded documents are accepted. Many clerks accept e-recordings from 8:30 AM to 3:00 PM on business days. Documents submitted outside those hours are held until the next business day.

Middletown requires a registration form to be filed concurrently when you record a lis pendens for foreclosure. The registration form costs $70 in addition to the lis pendens recording fee. This is a local requirement under Middletown ordinance, effective for all foreclosure filings.

Cities in Middlesex County

Middlesex County has one city with a population over 25,000. This city maintains its own land records through the town clerk office.

Towns in Middlesex County

Middlesex County contains 15 towns total. Each town clerk office handles land records for property located within that municipality. Below are some of the towns in Middlesex County:

• Chester
• Clinton
• Cromwell
• Deep River
• Durham
• East Haddam
• East Hampton
• Essex
• Haddam
• Killingworth
• Middlefield
• Middletown
• Old Saybrook
• Portland
• Westbrook

Nearby Counties

Browse deed records in counties near Middlesex County.