Maryland · Document Recording
Recording a Deed or Document in Dorchester County, MD
Dorchester County (population 32,531) records real-property documents through the Clerk of the Circuit Court for Dorchester County - Land Records Department. Below is what it costs and how to submit. Filing a memorandum of contract? We record it with the county for $199, notary included — no trip to the courthouse.
Dorchester County recorder — contact
- Recording office
- Clerk of the Circuit Court for Dorchester County - Land Records Department
- Mailing address
- Circuit Court for Dorchester County, Land Records Dept, 206 High Street, Cambridge, MD 21613
- Phone
- 410-228-0480 (general info 410-228-0481)
- Checks payable to
- Clerk of the Circuit Court (recording fees); Dorchester County, MD (real estate taxes)
- Electronic recording
- Available via Simplifile
Dorchester County recording fees
- First page / base fee
- $60 flat if principal residence (any length); otherwise $115 for non-exempt instruments 9+ pages
- Additional pages
- Included in flat tiered fee; $50 for release of deed of trust; copy fee $0.25/page (or $0.50/page if made by Clerk's Office)
- Other fees
- Recordation tax $5.00 per $500 of consideration; County transfer tax 0.75% (first $30,000 exempt for owner-occupant with affidavit); State transfer tax 0.5% (0.25% FTHB primary residence)
Counties change fees without notice. Check with the Clerk of the Circuit Court for Dorchester County - Land Records Department before you mail a check.
What Dorchester County requires
- Page formatting
- White paper, legible, original signatures/notarization; 3-inch top margin first page for recording stamp
- Cover sheet
- Yes - statewide Maryland Land Instrument Intake Sheet required (4 copies, 8.5x14 paper); 3-inch top margin on first page for clerk stamp
- Submission & return
- Self-addressed stamped envelope for mail-in recording, or automatic return via e-recording vendor
- Hours & turnaround
- Typically a few business days
Can you e-record in Dorchester County?
Yes. Dorchester County accepts electronic recording through Simplifile, so a properly formatted document can be recorded the same or next business day without mailing paper.
How to record a document in Dorchester County, Maryland
- Prepare the document so it meets Dorchester County's formatting rules (above): legal description, grantee address, signature block, and the blank space the recorder reserves for its stamp.
- Notarize it if the instrument requires acknowledgment. Most deeds and affidavits do.
- Submit electronically through Simplifile, or by mail to Clerk of the Circuit Court for Dorchester County - Land Records Department.
- Pay the recording fee, payable to Clerk of the Circuit Court (recording fees); Dorchester County, MD (real estate taxes).
- Receive the recorded instrument back with its book/page or instrument number as proof of record.
Looking up a Dorchester County property
Owner names, parcel numbers and legal descriptions for Dorchester County property are searchable at Maryland Dept. of Assessments & Taxation (SDAT) Real Property Data Search - Dorchester County. A deed or memorandum needs the exact legal description, so pull it from there or from the last recorded deed.
Filing with Jurably in Maryland
Maryland isn't available quite yet — it's coming soon. See the states we file in.