Land Records Department Location
Land Records Department (Circuit Court courthouse)
20 West Courtland Street
Bel Air, MD 21014
Office: 410-638-3474
Office Hours – 8:30am to 4:30pm Monday thru Friday (except State Holidays)
Land Record Recordings – 8:30am-3:30pm
Options for recording land documents include eRecording, mail, drop box and walk-ins.
eRecording
Documents can be electronically recorded online through Simplifile.
To establish an account or get information about fees for eRecording and the applicable recording fee, surcharge and taxes contact Simplifile at 1-800-460-5657or [email protected].
Mail document(s) to the Clerk of the Circuit Court, Land Records Department, 20 West Courtland Street, Bel Air, MD 21014.
Drop Box
The Land Records Department drop box is available from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm Monday-Friday at the 20 West Courtland Street entrance.
Walk-ins
The Land Records Counter is open and walk-ins are welcome. Receipts and take-backs are permitted for walk-in customers. Customers will be limited to 5 documents/sets at a time.
Returns
Recorded documents will be returned through US Mail, unless otherwise provided by the customer. Receipts and take-backs are permitted for walk-in customers.
Plats
Plats are recorded on Wednesdays and Fridays and must be recorded in person. Only one surveyor permitted. Coordination with Harford County Planning and Zoning is required for recording. Any plat presented for recording must be received by 11am to be recorded same day. If the surveyor does not arrive for the scheduled recording appointment, the plat(s) will be returned to Harford County Planning and Zoning.
Plats recorded for one of the three municipalities are accepted as walk in plat recordings during normal recording hours Monday through Friday.
Copy Costs
$.50 copy cost per page and $5.00 additional fee for certified copies. Plat copies are $1.00 or $.50 for 11x17 copy.
Fees
Surcharge
$40.00 surcharge fee applies for all documents except for Notice of Sale, Power of Attorney, Manufacturer Home Affidavit of Affixation, Manufacturer Home Affidavit of Severance or documents filed in Homeowner’s Association Depository.
Recording Fees (add to surcharge)
$10.00 recording fee for releases nine (9) pages or less in length.
$20.00 recording fee for a Termination statement of Financing Record.
$20.00 recording fee for all other instruments nine (9) pages or less in length or for any instrument over nine (9) pages in length if it involves solely a principal residence.
$75.00 recording fee for all instruments ten (10) pages or more in length that are not principal residence.
$15.00 recording fee for a Request for Notice of Sale (Foreclosure) no surcharge.
Taxes
Additional fees (taxes) for Deeds (add to surcharge and recording fees)
State Transfer Tax is collected by Harford County Circuit Court. State transfer is .50 % of the purchase price or .25% of the purchase price for first time Maryland home buyers purchasing a principal place of residence. If you are claiming an exemption to taxes, you must cite the specific (full) exemption code on your document. If the document is missing the state transfer tax exemption code, full taxes will be charged.
Maryland Comptroller Income Tax Withholding for Non-Resident Sale of Real Property (if applicable) is collected by the Clerk of the Circuit Court for Harford County. For refunds of non-resident withholding tax paid, contact the Comptroller of Maryland for further guidance at 1-800-MDTAXES or [email protected]
Recording Fees, State Transfer Tax and Comptroller Non-Resident fees may be combined in one check. Recording fees and state transfer taxes may be paid by check or money order payable to Clerk of the Circuit Court, cash, MasterCard, Visa or Discover.
Refunds
Recording fees are non-refundable, refunds of State Transfer Tax may be requested by completing a claim for refund of taxes at: https://www.courts.state.md.us/sites/default/files/import/courtforms/circuit/oc_aocx4.pdf and returned to Clerk of the Circuit Court, 20 W. Courtland Street, Attn: Land Records Department, Bel Air, MD 21014.