Search Clay Deed Records
Clay deed records are managed by the Onondaga County Clerk at 401 Montgomery Street in Syracuse. The Town of Clay does not record deeds. In New York, all property recordings happen at the county level, so Clay residents must use the Onondaga County Clerk for deed filings, searches, and certified copies. The county has land records going back to 1794. The Clay Town Assessor maintains property assessment data, but that office cannot provide deed copies or handle recordings.
Clay Quick Facts
Onondaga County Clerk Maintains Clay Deed Records
New York State law requires deeds to be recorded at the county level. For Clay, that means the Onondaga County Clerk handles all property recordings. The Clerk's Office is in the John H. Mulroy Civic Center at 401 Montgomery Street in Syracuse. The current County Clerk is Lisa Dell.
Clay is a town in the northern part of Onondaga County, just north of Syracuse. It is one of the larger towns in the county by population. Despite its size, Clay does not have its own deed recording function. The Town Clerk handles municipal records and local permits. The Town Assessor keeps assessment rolls and property data. But neither office records or stores deeds.
Onondaga County has kept land records since 1794. That gives the Clerk's Office more than two centuries of deed history. Whether you are researching a recent sale or tracing ownership back through the generations, this is the office to contact.
How to Search Clay Deed Records
The Onondaga County Clerk provides online access to land records. You can search by grantor, grantee, document type, or date range. The online system covers modern recordings. For much older records, you may need to visit the office in person and search the physical index books.
In-person searches are available during business hours at the Civic Center in Syracuse. Staff can help you pull records by liber and page number or by party name. A tax map parcel number or legal description will make the search go faster. The office is open weekdays.
The state Municipal Data Portal shows recent property sales in Clay through its Sales Web tool. Data comes from RP-5217 forms and covers 10 years of transfers. This is handy for a quick check, but it does not replace a full title search through the County Clerk.
Clay Town Assessor and Property Data
The Clay Town Assessor's Office keeps property assessment records for parcels within the town. Assessment rolls show current owners, assessed values, and property classifications. Tax maps display lot lines and section-block-lot numbers. This information is helpful when narrowing down a property before you search for the deed at the County Clerk.
Keep in mind that the Assessor has assessment data, not deed copies. If you need to see the actual recorded deed, you have to go through Onondaga County. The Assessor can tell you who owns a parcel and what it is worth for tax purposes, but the deed itself is on file in Syracuse.
Recording a Deed for Clay Property
To record a deed for property in Clay, bring the original to the Onondaga County Clerk in Syracuse. The deed must be typed, signed by the grantor, and notarized. Include the legal description, tax map number, and addresses of the parties. Present Form RP-5217 alongside the deed. This form must be completed in Adobe Acrobat. Handwritten copies are not accepted.
The TP-584 transfer tax form is also required. The real estate transfer tax is $2 for every $500 of the sale price. Sales above $1 million trigger the mansion tax at 1%. Pay all taxes and fees at the time of filing.
Fees and Costs for Deed Records
Onondaga County charges standard New York fees for recording. The first page has a base recording fee. Each extra page is $5. There is an RP-5217 filing charge and a cover page fee. The mortgage recording tax applies to mortgages filed in the county. The base state rate is 50 cents per $100 of debt.
Onondaga County is not inside the Metropolitan Commuter Transportation District. No MCTD surcharge applies. That keeps the mortgage recording tax lower than in downstate counties. Certified copies of deeds are available at a per-page rate. Contact the office for current pricing.
Legal Resources
New York Real Property Law sets the rules for recording deeds. A recorded deed gives constructive notice to the public. An unrecorded deed is still valid between the parties, but a later buyer who records first could gain priority. The Cornell Legal Information Institute has the full statutes online.
Historical records from the Clay and Syracuse area may be available through the New York State Archives. Track legislative changes on the New York State Senate website.
Getting Certified Copies
Certified copies of deeds are available from the Onondaga County Clerk. The base fee is $45.50 for the first page, with $5.00 for each page after that. A cover page is also added by the office. You can request copies in person at 401 Montgomery Street in Syracuse or by mail. Include the liber and page number or the recording date to help staff find the right document.
Plain copies cost less than certified ones. Most people need certified copies when they are refinancing a home or settling an estate. A plain copy works fine for personal research. If you just want to see who owned a parcel at a certain time, the online system may be enough. Save the trip to Syracuse if you can find what you need on the web.
Cross-reference fees are $0.50 per reference. This comes up when a document ties to another recorded instrument, like a prior deed or a mortgage. The clerk adds this small charge for each link in the chain. It is not a big cost, but it adds up if you are pulling a long title history.
Nearby Cities
Syracuse is the closest major city with a page on this site:
Syracuse is the county seat of Onondaga County and uses the same County Clerk for deed recordings. The Clerk's Office in Syracuse serves all communities in the county, including Clay.