Land Records
Essex Land Records
The Essex Town Clerk’s office is responsible for recording land records. The hours for recording are Monday - Friday, 9:00 am to 3:30 pm EST.
Copies of land records are available at Essex Land Records Online
Copies of land records and maps are also available at the Town Clerk’s office. Land record and copy/certified copy fees are listed below. The Town Clerk’s office accepts cash, check or credit cards or checks (payable to Essex Town Clerk).
Land Record Fees (CT State Statute, Sec. 7-34a)
Recording Documents
- $60.00 first page, $5.00 for each additional page
- Documents using Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems Inc (MERS) as a Nominee:
- $159 flat fee: Assignments and Releases where MERS is the Grantor
- $159 for first page, $5 each additional page for all other document types using MERS
- $2.00 fee for conveyances over $2,000 reportable to the State
- Maps: $20.00 for a survey map; $30.00 for a subdivision map
Conveyance Tax (Sec. 12-494)
- State and Local Conveyance taxes are paid at the time of recording deeds. The Town Clerk forwards the State tax to the Department of Revenue Services.
- Conveyance tax forms (OP-236) are available from the Department of Revenue Services and checks are made payable to Commissioner of Revenue Services.
- Local Conveyance Tax: consideration x .0025 = tax amount. Checks made payable to Essex Town Clerk.
Copy/Certified Copy Fees
- Copies of documents - $1.00 per page
- Certified copies - $2.00 per document in addition to $1.00 per page copy fee
- Copies of maps - $1.00, full size map - $5.00
Unlawful Restrictive Covenants
Connecticut Public Act 2021, No. 21-173 (the “Act”) defines an Unlawful Restrictive Covenant as “a covenant or other provision in an instrument affecting the title to real property that purports to restrict ownership or occupancy of such real property on the basis of race.” The Act declares Unlawful Restrictive Covenants to be VOID.