Search Hempstead Deed Records

Deed records for properties in Hempstead are kept by the Nassau County Clerk, not by the Town of Hempstead. This is true for all three towns in Nassau County. The town clerk handles local permits, vital records, and town board minutes, but deed recordings are strictly a county function. Whether your property is in a village within Hempstead or in the unincorporated area, the Nassau County Clerk is the office you need for any deed search or recording.

Nassau County Clerk Handles Hempstead Deed Records

The Nassau County Clerk's Office serves as the official registrar of deeds for all property in Nassau County. This includes the towns of Hempstead, North Hempstead, and Oyster Bay, plus the cities of Glen Cove and Long Beach. When a property in Hempstead is bought or sold, the deed must be recorded at the county level to be valid against later buyers.

The office is at 240 Old Country Road in Mineola. You can reach them by phone at (516) 571-2664. Hours are Monday through Friday during normal business hours. Walk-in visits are accepted for both searching records and filing new documents.

Nassau County Clerk Office Details

How to Search Deed Records for Hempstead Properties

Nassau County offers online access to land records through its records portal. You can search by name, address, or document type. The online system covers records going back several decades. For older records, you may need to visit the clerk's office in Mineola in person.

When searching online, start with the property owner's name or the property address. The system returns a list of all documents tied to that search. You can view basic information about each recorded document. For full copies, you may need to request them from the clerk. Certified copies are available for a fee.

If you need to search by Section, Block, and Lot (SBL) number, the Nassau County system supports that too. The SBL is a unique identifier for every parcel in the county. You can find your property's SBL on your tax bill or through the county's property assessment records.

Recording Fees and Costs

The standard deed recording fee in Nassau County is $45 for the first page and $5 for each additional page. You will also need to pay the New York State real estate transfer tax of $2 per $500 of the sale price. Sales of $1 million or more are subject to the mansion tax.

The mortgage recording tax applies when a new mortgage is filed. Rates vary based on location and type of property. Nassau County is part of the Metropolitan Commuter Transportation District, so an additional surcharge applies. For one- and two-family homes, the first $10,000 of mortgage debt is exempt from the additional tax portion.

Form RP-5217 must accompany every deed filed in Nassau County. This form must be computer-generated using Adobe Acrobat. Handwritten forms will be rejected. The county clerk will not accept a deed for recording without a properly completed RP-5217.

Town of Hempstead Clerk Does Not Record Deeds

The Town of Hempstead Clerk's Office is at One Washington Street in Hempstead. This office serves as the secretary to the Town Board. It keeps meeting minutes, resolutions, and local laws. The town clerk also issues garbage permits, dog licenses, and marina permits.

As the local registrar for vital statistics, the town clerk maintains birth and death records for events in the town. But the town clerk does not record or maintain deed records, mortgages, or property transfer documents. Those are handled only by the Nassau County Clerk. If you call the town clerk about a deed, they will direct you to Mineola.

Legal Framework for Deed Records

New York Real Property Law governs deed recordings statewide. Under RPL Section 291, a deed must be recorded in the county where the property sits to protect the new owner's rights. RPL Section 333 spells out what a deed needs to include. The New York State Senate website lets you look up these statutes and track any proposed changes to property law.

The Cornell Legal Information Institute provides free access to New York legal materials including the full text of Real Property Law. Hempstead residents can use these resources to understand their rights and duties when buying or selling real estate.

Additional Resources

The NYS Municipal Data Portal includes property sales data, equalization rates, and municipal profiles for communities within Nassau County. You can look up recent sales in Hempstead and compare assessed values to sale prices. The NYS Department of Taxation and Finance also provides resources for homeowners, including STAR exemption registration.

For historical property research, the New York State Archives holds government records that may include older land documents. The New York State Library Digital Collections has scanned materials from as far back as the 18th century.

Certified Copies and Mail Requests

The Nassau County Clerk at 240 Old Country Road in Mineola provides certified and non-certified copies of deeds. Certified copies carry the clerk's stamp and seal. They are accepted by courts, banks, and government agencies as proof of the record. To get one, go to the office in person or send a written request by mail.

For a mail request, include the names of the parties, the date of recording, and the liber and page number if you know it. Send a check for the copy fee. Add a search fee if you need staff to look up the record. Processing times vary but most requests are filled within a few business days. The Mineola office handles a high volume of requests since Hempstead is the most populated town in the county, with roughly 801,000 residents.

Nearby Cities

These nearby communities also have deed records pages:

• Oyster Bay
• North Hempstead
• Brookhaven