Search New Rochelle Deed Records

Deed records for New Rochelle are filed with the Westchester County Clerk in White Plains. The New Rochelle City Clerk manages municipal records but does not record deeds. Westchester County holds land records going back to 1680, making it one of the deepest archives in New York State. Whether you are buying a house, checking for liens, or researching ownership history, the County Clerk is the office that has what you need.

Where New Rochelle Deed Records Are Kept

The Westchester County Clerk's Office is the only office that records deeds for New Rochelle. County Clerk Tom Roach took over in January 2025, succeeding Timothy Idoni. The main office is at 110 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. in White Plains. You can reach the Land Records Division at (914) 995-3094 or by email at CC-Land@WestchesterGov.com.

The New Rochelle City Clerk handles city council minutes, local laws, licenses, and permits. That office has no role in deed recording. It is a common mix-up, but New York puts deed recording at the county level across the whole state.

Westchester County Clerk Office Details

Westchester County was the first in New York State to electronically record mortgages and deeds. The office is home to millions of land and legal records. Deed records stretch back to 1680, covering some of the oldest land grants in the state, and mortgages to 1950. The county also maintains satellite offices in Peekskill (24 Mitchell Place), Yonkers (131 Warburton Avenue), and Mount Vernon (100 East First Street) for limited services.

New Rochelle residents can use the Mount Vernon satellite office for some Clerk services, since it is closer than White Plains. However, the main recording office in White Plains handles most deed filings. Check with the county to see what services each satellite location offers.

How to Search New Rochelle Deed Records

The Westchester Records Online system lets you search thousands of records from 18th-century deeds to recent filings. New users need to register to view document images. You can search by name, document type, or date range. The system is well organized and staff have created tutorial videos on the County Clerk's YouTube channel to help people learn the search tools.

Westchester County uses the PREP system for electronic recording. Attorneys and title companies submit deeds through this portal during real estate closings. For help with e-recording, call (914) 995-3111.

In-person searches are available at the White Plains office during business hours. The Land Records Division handles walk-in requests all day. Bring the property address or owner name to speed things up. If you know the book and page number from a prior search, that makes it even faster.

Deed Recording Fees

Recording fees in Westchester County follow the state schedule. The base fee is $45 plus $5 per page. A cover sheet is generated by the Clerk. Cross-references cost $0.50 each. Transfer tax is $4 per $1,000 of the sale price. The mansion tax of 1% applies to residential sales at or above $1 million.

Copies of recorded deeds cost $5.00 for up to five pages and $1.00 for each extra page. Non-certified copies are $1.30 for two pages plus $0.65 per additional page. Mail requests add a $5.00 search fee. Municipality taxes must be prepaid before documents can be submitted through the PREP e-recording system.

You must file Form RP-5217 and Form TP-584 with every deed recording. The RP-5217 is a barcoded form completed in Adobe Acrobat. The state won't accept handwritten versions.

Mortgage Recording in Westchester County

Mortgages for New Rochelle properties also go through the County Clerk. The mortgage recording tax depends on the property's location and loan amount. Westchester County is in the Metropolitan Commuter Transportation District, which affects the tax rate. For one- and two-family homes, the first $10,000 of the mortgage is exempt from the additional tax portion. Check Form MT-15 for current rate details.

Legal Requirements

New York Real Property Law says a deed must be in writing, signed by the grantor, and notarized. It needs a legal description and the names of both parties. Recording gives public notice of the transfer. Without it, the deed still works between buyer and seller, but a later buyer who records first could have a stronger position. Your attorney handles the recording as part of a standard closing.

The New York State Senate legislation page tracks bills that could change recording rules. Real estate attorneys in New Rochelle stay on top of these changes to make sure their filings meet all current requirements.

Satellite Offices Near New Rochelle

Westchester County runs satellite clerk offices in Peekskill, Yonkers, and Mount Vernon. The Mount Vernon office at 100 East First Street is the closest to New Rochelle. It offers some clerk services, though the White Plains office handles most deed recordings. Call ahead to check what services each satellite provides before making the trip.

The Yonkers satellite is at 131 Warburton Avenue. Peekskill's office is at 24 Mitchell Place. These locations help cut down on travel for Westchester residents who live far from White Plains. For deed searches, the online system at Westchester Records Online is available from any computer. Most routine lookups can be done from home. Register for an account to view document images. The county has records going back to 1680, which gives New Rochelle one of the deepest property archives in the state.

Nearby Cities

• Yonkers
• Mount Vernon
• Greenburgh
• White Plains

All four of these are in Westchester County. They share the same County Clerk for deed filing. Fees, procedures, and online tools are identical across the county.