Search Tompkins County Deed Records
Tompkins County deed records are maintained by County Clerk Aurora R. Valenti at the office on North Tioga Street in Ithaca. The clerk records deeds, mortgages, assignments, satisfactions, and other land documents for the entire county. This includes the City of Ithaca and all surrounding towns and villages. The clerk also serves as Clerk of the Supreme and County Courts, managing both land records and court filings from one office. Tompkins County is home to Cornell University and Ithaca College, which means property activity in the area stays steady year-round.
Tompkins County Quick Facts
Tompkins County Clerk's Office
The Tompkins County Clerk's Office sits at 320 North Tioga Street in downtown Ithaca. Clerk Aurora R. Valenti runs the office. You can call (607) 274-5431 for questions about deed filings, copies, or search procedures. The staff handles a range of tasks beyond land records, including court document management and other public filings.
Walk-in visitors can search deed indexes and view recorded documents during business hours. If you are looking for a specific deed, bring the names of the parties or the parcel number. The more details you have, the faster the search goes. Staff are available to point you in the right direction, but they cannot provide legal advice about property ownership or title issues.
Ithaca is a college town, so there is always a good amount of real estate activity in the area. The clerk's office sees a steady flow of deed and mortgage filings throughout the year. Investors, homebuyers, and students all interact with the property market here in different ways.
Recording a Deed in Tompkins County
To file a deed in Tompkins County, you need the original document with proper notarization. All signatures must be original, not copies. The deed must have a full legal description of the property and meet New York State recording standards. Every deed also needs Form RP-5217 and Form TP-584 submitted with it.
The RP-5217 is a barcoded form that must be completed using Adobe Acrobat. The state will not accept handwritten versions. This form captures details about the sale price, assessed value, and property use code. The TP-584 is the transfer tax affidavit. Both forms must be accurate and complete, or the clerk will reject the filing.
Recording fees in Tompkins County follow New York's standard schedule. You should call the clerk's office at (607) 274-5431 to confirm current fee amounts before you bring your documents in. Fees can change, and it is better to have the right amount ready than to make a second trip.
Transfer Taxes and Mortgage Recording
New York State charges a real estate transfer tax on property conveyances. The rate is $4 per $1,000 of the sale price, or $2 per $500. If the property is a residence that sells for $1 million or more, the 1% mansion tax applies on top of the regular transfer tax. Both taxes are paid to the clerk at recording.
When a mortgage is recorded, the mortgage recording tax comes due as well. The basic state rate is 50 cents per $100 of the mortgage amount. Additional components exist, including a special tax and county portions. For one- and two-family homes, the first $10,000 of the loan is exempt from part of the calculation. Form MT-15 lists the exact rates for each jurisdiction in the state.
These taxes must be paid in full at the time of recording. The clerk will not accept a deed or mortgage without the correct tax payment. Real estate attorneys typically handle these calculations as part of the closing process.
Property Research Tools
The Municipal Data Portal run by the state Department of Taxation and Finance has useful data for Tompkins County property research. The Sales Web feature shows 10 years of property sales. You can search by municipality, date range, or property type. This data comes from RP-5217 forms, so there can be a delay of a few weeks before a new transfer shows up in the system.
For older property records and historical research, the New York State Archives may have relevant documents. Their collections include old maps, land grant records, and primary source materials going back to the colonial era. Genealogists often use these records alongside county deed indexes to trace property ownership through the decades.
The clerk's office is the starting point for any serious title search. Online tools can help with recent records, but for a full chain of title going back many years, you will likely need to visit the office on North Tioga Street and work through the physical deed books and indexes.
New York Recording Law
Under New York Real Property Law, a deed must be in writing, signed by the grantor, and acknowledged before a notary. Recording it with the county clerk gives constructive notice to everyone that ownership has changed. An unrecorded deed is still valid between the parties, but if a subsequent buyer records first, they could have priority over an earlier unrecorded transfer. This is why prompt recording matters.
The state does not set a strict deadline for when you must record. But delaying creates risk. The sooner the deed hits the public record, the better your legal position. Closing attorneys in Tompkins County typically record deeds the same day as the closing or the next business day.
Getting Copies of Deed Records
Copies of any recorded deed are available from the Tompkins County Clerk at 320 North Tioga Street in Ithaca. Visit in person or call (607) 274-5431 to ask about mail requests. Plain copies work for research. Certified copies carry the official seal and are needed for legal proceedings. Give the clerk the names on the deed or the book and page number so staff can find the right document fast.
Nearby Counties
Tompkins County is surrounded by several other counties. Each has its own clerk's office for deed records: