Massachusetts · Document Recording
Recording a Deed or Document in Bristol County, MA
Bristol County (population 565,217) records real-property documents through the Northern Bristol County Registry of Deeds (Taunton) — note: Bristol County has three recording districts (Northern/Taunton, Southern/New Bedford, Fall River); jurisdiction depends on the specific town. 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.
Bristol County recorder — contact
- Recording office
- Northern Bristol County Registry of Deeds (Taunton) — note: Bristol County has three recording districts (Northern/Taunton, Southern/New Bedford, Fall River); jurisdiction depends on the specific town
- Mailing address
- 11 Court Street, Taunton, MA 02780
- Phone
- (508) 822-0502
- Website
- tauntondeeds.com
- Checks payable to
- Northern Bristol County Registry of Deeds
- Electronic recording
- Paper / mail
Bristol County recording fees
- First page / base fee
- $155 flat fee per deed (statewide MA fee schedule)
- Additional pages
- Not page-based — flat fee; Mortgage $205; Mortgage Discharge $105
- Other fees
- Excise tax on deeds (statewide formula) not a recording fee
Counties change fees without notice. Check with the Northern Bristol County Registry of Deeds (Taunton) — note: Bristol County has three recording districts (Northern/Taunton, Southern/New Bedford, Fall River); jurisdiction depends on the specific town before you mail a check.
What Bristol County requires
- Page formatting
- White paper, one-sided, max 8.5"x14", 3"x3" blank recording area upper right of page 1 (statewide MA Indexing & Formatting Standards; registry references "Indexing Standards 2025")
- Cover sheet
- If a document lacks space for the recording information block, an official registry cover sheet must be attached; property address required in left margin for deeds/mortgages/discharges unless shown on page 1 (statewide MA standard)
- Submission & return
- Originals mailed back to sender; include SASE or extra $1.00/document if none provided
Can you e-record in Bristol County?
Bristol County records documents submitted by mail or in person. Jurably notarizes your document, mails it by certified mail, and tracks it to a recorded instrument number.
How to record a document in Bristol County, Massachusetts
- Prepare the document so it meets Bristol 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 by mail to Northern Bristol County Registry of Deeds (Taunton) — note: Bristol County has three recording districts (Northern/Taunton, Southern/New Bedford, Fall River); jurisdiction depends on the specific town.
- Pay the recording fee, payable to Northern Bristol County Registry of Deeds.
- Receive the recorded instrument back with its book/page or instrument number as proof of record.
Looking up a Bristol County property
Owner names, parcel numbers and legal descriptions for Bristol County property are searchable at Massachusetts assesses real property at the municipal (town/city) level; no county-wide assessor exists. Best statewide situs-lookup tool: Massachusetts Interactive Property Map (MassGIS). A deed or memorandum needs the exact legal description, so pull it from there or from the last recorded deed.
Filing with Jurably in Massachusetts
Massachusetts requires the seller's notarized acknowledgment before a purchase agreement or notice of one can be recorded (MGL c.184 §17A). See the states we file in.