Chemung County Deed Records
Chemung County deed records are kept by the County Clerk's Office in Elmira, the county seat. These records cover deeds, mortgages, liens, judgments, and all other property instruments recorded under New York law. Chemung County is part of the Southern Tier region and borders Pennsylvania. Property owners, attorneys, and title companies file and search deed records at the Clerk's Office for transactions involving any parcel in the county.
Chemung County Overview
Chemung County Clerk's Office
The Chemung County Clerk's Office records and maintains all land documents for the county. This includes deeds, mortgages, assignments, satisfactions, liens, and UCC filings. The office is in Elmira, and visitors can come in during regular business hours to file documents, run searches, or request copies. The Clerk also handles court records and administrative services, but deed records are managed through the land records division.
If you are recording a deed for the first time, the staff can walk you through the process. They can confirm what forms are needed, how much the fees will be, and whether your document meets the formatting requirements. Phone calls are also a good way to get this information before your visit.
Searching Chemung County Deed Records
You can search for deed records at the Clerk's Office in Elmira. The office keeps grantor and grantee indexes that help you find recorded documents by the names of the parties involved. Once you locate the index entry, you can request the actual deed using the liber and page reference. Older records may be on microfilm, and more recent ones could be in digital format.
Ask the Clerk's Office about remote search options. The New York State Municipal Data Portal provides property sales data for Chemung County. You can view transfers from the past decade, filtered by municipality, property type, or date range. This data comes from RP-5217 forms and can help you identify specific transactions before looking up the full deed at the Clerk's Office.
Recording a Deed in Chemung County
To record a deed in Chemung County, submit the original signed and notarized document at the Clerk's Office. New York law requires the deed to include the names of both parties, a legal description of the property, the grantor's signature, and proper acknowledgment before a notary. Put the tax map parcel number on the deed so the county can match it to the correct property in its records.
Every deed recording in New York must be accompanied by Form RP-5217. This is a barcoded PDF that reports the sale to the state. It must be filled out in Adobe Acrobat. Paper forms and handwritten entries are rejected. The state uses the barcode data to update assessment rolls and track property transfers statewide. Download the form only from the official Department of Taxation and Finance website to make sure it works correctly.
Deed Recording Fees and Transfer Taxes
Chemung County uses the standard New York recording fee schedule. The base fee is $5 for the first page and $5 for each additional page. A $125 filing fee is common for deeds with metes and bounds descriptions. The real estate transfer tax of $2 per $500 of consideration must be paid at the time of recording. Sales of residential properties at $1 million or more are also subject to the 1% mansion tax.
Certified copies cost $5 for the first page and $1.25 per additional page. Request copies in person or by mail with the liber and page number or approximate recording date.
Mortgage Recording Tax in Chemung County
The mortgage recording tax is due when a mortgage is filed with the Chemung County Clerk. The state base rate is 50 cents per $100 of mortgage debt, plus additional state and local components. For residential properties with one or two units, the first $10,000 of the mortgage amount is exempt from the additional tax. Form MT-15 shows the combined rate for Chemung County. The total tax must be paid in full at the time of recording.
Property Assessment and Tax Information
While the County Clerk handles deed records, property assessments are maintained by local assessors in each town and city within Chemung County. Assessment rolls show the current owner, assessed value, and property class. The equalization rate for each municipality shows how assessed values compare to market values. If a town's rate is 100, properties are assessed at full market value. A lower rate means assessments are below market value, which affects how school and county taxes are distributed.
Legal Resources and State Records
New York Real Property Law sets the rules for deed preparation and recording across the state. The Cornell Legal Information Institute provides free access to these statutes. You can look up specific sections about deed requirements, transfer tax calculations, and recording procedures. The New York State Senate site tracks legislative changes that could affect property owners in Chemung County.
The New York State Archives preserves historical records from all branches of state government. Some of these records relate to early land grants and property transactions. For new homeowners, the Department of Taxation and Finance offers information about STAR registration, exemptions, and property tax relief programs.
Towns in Chemung County
Chemung County has no cities above the 100,000 population mark. Elmira is the largest city and serves as both the county seat and the main hub for government services. Other communities include Horseheads, Big Flats, and Southport. All deed records for properties in these areas are recorded with the Chemung County Clerk's Office in Elmira.
Nearby Counties
These neighboring counties maintain their own deed recording offices: