Registry of Deeds (Massachusetts) explained

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has 21 separate Registries of Deeds, each functioning in districts dealing with real estate registration and land records. The registries are divided by county or subdivided within official state counties. These divisions are headed by elected officials known as a Register,[1] and fall under the purview of the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and local county governments.

By county

Barnstable

County Registry (area) Address Municipality location Notes
Registry of Deeds
(all)
3195 Main Street Established: 2 June 1685 from Plymouth County

Berkshire

County Registry (area) Address Municipality location Notes
(Northern District) 65 Park Street Established: 21 April 1761 from Hampshire County
(Middle District) 44 Bank Row Pittsfield
(Southern District) 334 Main Street

Bristol

County Registry (area) Address Municipality location Notes
(Northern District) 11 Court Street Established: 2 June 1685 from Plymouth County
(Southern District)
  1. 25 North Sixth Street
New Bedford
(Fall River District) 441 North Main Street

Dukes

County Registry (area) Address Municipality location Notes
Registry of Deeds
(all)
81 Main Street Established: 1 November 1683 by New York, and 22 June 1695 by Massachusetts.

Essex

County Registry (area) Address Municipality location Notes
(Southern District) Shetland Park, 45 Congress Street, Ste. 4100 Established: 10 May 1643
(Northern District) 1 Union St. Lawrence, MA 01840 Ste. 402 Lawrence

Franklin

County Registry (area) Address Municipality location Notes
Registry of Deeds
(all)
Franklin Regional Council of Governments
425 Main Street
Established: 24 June 1811 from Hampshire County.

Hampden

County Registry (area) Address Municipality location Notes
Registry of Deeds
(all)
436 Dwight Street, Room B042 Established: 25 February 1812 from Hampshire County

Hampshire

County Registry (area) Address Municipality location Notes
Registry of Deeds
(all)
60 Railroad Ave Established: 1 May 1662 from Middlesex County

Middlesex

County Registry (area) Address Municipality location Notes
(Southern District) 208 Cambridge Street Established: 10 May 1643
(Northern District) 370 Jackson Street Lowell

Nantucket

County Registry (area) Address Municipality location Notes
Registry of Deeds
(all)
Town and County Building
16 Broad Street
Established: 22 June 1695 from Dukes County

Norfolk

See main article: Norfolk County Registry of Deeds.

County Registry (area) Address Municipality location Notes
Registry of Deeds
(all)
649 High Street A Norfolk County was established 10 May 1643 by the Massachusetts Bay Colony with significantly different bounds than the present county (covering an area north of the Merrimack River); it was disbanded 4 February 1680. The current county was established by the state on 26 March 1793 from Suffolk County.

Plymouth

County Registry (area) Address Municipality location Notes
Registry of Deeds
(all)
50 Obery Street Established: 2 June 1685 from Plymouth Colony.

Suffolk

County Registry (area) Address Municipality location Notes
Registry of Deeds
(all)
Established: 10 May 1643

Worcester

County Registry (area) Address Municipality location Notes
(Southern District) 90 Front Street Established: 2 April 1731 from Middlesex, Suffolk and Hampshire counties.
(Northern District) 166 Boulder Drive, Ste. 202 Fitchburg

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: General Law - Part I, Title VI, Chapter 36, Section 2.