Look Up Property Records in Cortland County, NY
Here's what to expect at the County Clerk — fees, what to bring, and where to go.
This county’s own published figure: the page it is printed on ↗
Where the number comes from. CPLR § 8021(a)(4) prices recording by a county clerk in three parts. (a)(4)(a) sets $5 to record an instrument plus $3 a page, and lets any county opt by county law to raise those to $20 and $5; a cover page counts as an additional page. (a)(4)(b) then adds $20 on every instrument— $5 for the state's records management improvement fund and $15 for the cultural education account. In an opt-in county the first page is $20 + $5 + $20 = $45, which is the figure most county clerks publish. A county's own figure is the one to bring.
Two more charges that are the same everywhere. A deed needs a Real Property Transfer Report (RP-5217) — $125 for residential or farm property, $250 otherwise — and a TP-584 transfer-tax affidavit at $5. Mortgage tax and transfer tax are separate again, and are the reason a recording bill rarely looks like the recording fee.
Deeds are recorded with the County Clerk. In New York City, property records go through the City Register — except Staten Island, which uses the Richmond County Clerk.
This page shows the best information we have for Cortland County. Fees and hours may vary — call ahead to confirm before visiting.