Recording Fees And Taxes

Recording Surcharge

In addition to the fees listed below, a surcharge of $40.00 is charged for every instrument recorded in the land records, other than:

  • Power of Attorney
  • Request for Notice of (Foreclosure) Sale
  • Plats
  • Homeowners’ Association Disclosures

Recording Fees

Land Record Fees

Real Property Article, §3-601 provides, in part, as follows:

  • In general
    • In this subsection, “page” means one side of a leaf not larger than 8½ inches wide by 14 inches long, or any portion of it.
    • Before recording an instrument among the land or financing records, a clerk shall collect:
      • $10.00 for a release nine (9) pages or less in length [this does not apply to a termination of a financing statement]
      • $20.00 for any other instrument nine (9) pages or less in length
      • Except as provided in item 1 above, $20.00 for an instrument,regardless of length, involving solely a principal residence
      • $75 any other instrument ten (10) pages or more in length
Fees for Other Land Related Documents
  • $15.00 for a Request for Notice of (Foreclosure) Sale
  • $5.00 per page for plats subdivision Plats
  • $5.00 per set for boundary surveys
  • $50.00 for Homeowner’s Association Disclosures initial filing
  • $5.00 per page up to $25.00 for amendments to Homeowner’s Association Disclosures.

Recording Taxes In Wicomico County

State Recordation Tax

Recordation Tax is applied to any instrument that transfers an interest in real property or that creates a security interest in real or personal property. The recordation tax rate for Wicomico County is $3.50 for every $500 or fraction of $500 of consideration. (See Tax Property Article, §12-108, for exemption from tax.)

Recordation tax is collected by the Wicomico County Finance Office. A separate check for recordation tax should be made payable to Wicomico County.

State Transfer Tax

The tax is applied to instruments that transfer an interest in real property, e.g. deed, lease, easements, contract, etc. The tax is one half of 1% (0.5%) of the consideration, except for deeds to a first time MARYLAND home buyer*, in which case the tax is one fourth of 1% (0.25%). (See Tax Property Article, §13-207 for exemptions from tax)

State transfer tax is collected by, and payable to, the Clerk of Court.

Payment

All recording fees, surcharges and State transfer taxes are collected by the Clerk of the Circuit Court at the time of recording. Make checks payable to James B. McAllister, Clerk.

Refund of Tax and License Fees
If you believe that you erroneously paid tax and license fees, you may file a Claim for Refund of Tax and License Fees Erroneously Paid to the State of Maryland through the Clerks of Court.

Please call the land record department in the office of the clerk of circuit court at 410-543-1427 if you have any questions.