Search Franklin County Deed Records

Franklin County deed records are filed and stored by the County Clerk in Malone. The clerk records all deeds, mortgages, liens, and other land documents for properties in the county. Located in northern New York near the Canadian border, Franklin County has a mix of residential property, timberland, and vacation homes in the Adirondack foothills. These deed records go back to the county's formation and are open to the public for searching and copying.

Franklin County Clerk's Office

The Franklin County Clerk serves as the official registrar of deeds. The office records and indexes all property documents in line with New York State law. When a property changes hands in Franklin County, the new deed goes to this office for filing. Once recorded, it becomes part of the public record. The clerk also provides passport processing, business certificates, and notary services.

The clerk's office is in Malone, the county seat. Walk-in visitors can search deed indexes and request copies during regular business hours. Franklin County borders Canada to the north, and property transactions here sometimes involve cross-border buyers or sellers. The recording process is the same regardless of who owns the property. All documents must meet New York State recording standards. For people who can't visit in person, mail requests work well. Send a letter with the property details and a check for the estimated fees.

How to Search Franklin County Deed Records

The Franklin County Clerk's website provides basic information about accessing land records. For online property sale data, the New York State Municipal Data Portal is a good starting point. The Sales Web tool covers 10 years of property sales and transfers across the state. You can search by county, municipality, and date range. The data comes from Form RP-5217, which every property transfer requires.

In-person searches at the clerk's office in Malone give you the broadest access. You can look through deed indexes by name, date, or instrument type. Staff can help you locate specific documents in the filing system. For older records, the clerk may have bound volumes and microfilm that cover transactions from the county's early years. Title searchers and genealogy researchers often need these older materials. Having a property address, party name, or prior document reference number makes the search go faster. The clerk can also tell you the book and page number for any recorded deed, which is useful if you need to reference the document in a legal filing.

Fees for Deed Records in Franklin County

Franklin County uses standard New York State recording fees. The base rate for a deed is $40 to $45. A per-page charge of $5 applies. The clerk creates the cover page. Extra names past two on the document cost $0.50 each. Cross-references add $0.50 per entry. Filing Form RP-5217 costs $125 for residential and farm properties, or $250 for commercial and vacant land. Form TP-584 costs $5 to file.

Transfer tax runs $4 per $1,000 of sale price statewide. Properties selling for $1 million or more face a mansion tax of 1%. Mortgage recording tax starts at 50 cents per $100 of debt, and local rates add to this amount. For one or two-family dwellings, the first $10,000 of mortgage debt is exempt from the additional tax. Plain copies of recorded documents cost $0.50 to $0.65 per page. Certified copies run about $1.25 per page, usually with a minimum of $5. If the clerk needs to search through older records not yet digitized, a search fee of $5 for every two years may apply.

Recording a Deed in Franklin County

Bring the original signed and notarized deed to the clerk's office in Malone. The document needs a full legal description of the property. Names and addresses of all grantors and grantees must appear. Original signatures with proper notarization are required. Use black ink on white paper, at least 8-point font. No white-out or corrections on the face of the document.

Form RP-5217 must accompany the deed. This form has a scannable barcode and must be filled out using Adobe Acrobat. The state rejects handwritten versions. Download the official form from the Department of Taxation and Finance website only. Form TP-584 for transfer tax is also needed. Under New York Real Property Law, the clerk checks that documents meet recording requirements before accepting them. The clerk does not judge the legal validity of the deed itself. Electronic recording may be available through third-party platforms. Call the clerk's office to check on current e-recording options.

Copies and Additional Resources

Copies of any recorded deed are available from the Franklin County Clerk. Visit in person or mail a written request with the property details and a check for fees. Certified copies carry the clerk's official seal and are accepted in court. Plain copies work for title searches and personal research.

After recording a deed, new homeowners can register for the STAR program. If the home is a primary residence and household income falls under $500,000, school tax savings may be available. The New York State Archives holds historical property documents. The Cornell Legal Information Institute provides access to New York Real Property Law statutes, and the Senate legislation page tracks changes to property law.

Property Taxes and Recorded Deeds

Deed recordings feed into the local property tax system. When a deed is filed, the transfer price goes to local assessors who use it to update property valuations. The equalization rate measures how a town's assessments compare to market value. Property taxes in New York are local, used to fund schools, police, fire services, and roads. School districts collect over 60% of all property tax revenue in the state.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Franklin County in northern New York.