Clinton County Property Records Search
Clinton County property records are managed by the County Clerk's Office and the Real Property Tax Service in Plattsburgh, the county seat. Located in the northeastern part of New York State along Lake Champlain and bordering Canada, Clinton County maintains land records dating back to 1788. The County Clerk records deeds, mortgages, liens, and other instruments affecting real property. The Real Property Tax Service oversees tax maps, assessment rolls, and provides coordination for local assessors across the county's municipalities.
Clinton County Property Records Overview
Clinton County Clerk Property Records
The Clinton County Clerk's Office is located at 137 Margaret Street, Plattsburgh, NY 12901. The phone number for land records and recording information is (518) 565-4701. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The Clerk's Office records all land documents affecting real property in Clinton County, including deeds, mortgages, liens, and other instruments. Historical records date back to 1788, covering the county's full recorded history since its formation.
Public access computers are available at the office for searching land records at no charge. The office provides grantor and grantee indexing for all recorded instruments, allowing name-based searches. eRecording is available through authorized electronic vendors for those who prefer to submit documents remotely. Copy fees are $1.00 per page for regular copies and $5.00 additional for certified copies. Certified copies carry the official county seal and are accepted for legal proceedings and real estate closings. All documents submitted for recording must meet New York State formatting and acknowledgment requirements.
How to Search Clinton County Property Records
The Clinton County Real Property Tax Service at 137 Margaret Street, Plattsburgh, NY 12901, provides access to property assessment data. The office phone is (518) 565-4830. An online property search system is available for looking up assessment information by address, owner name, or parcel number. Assessment rolls are available for public inspection showing assessed values, property classes, and exemption amounts for all properties in the county.
For recorded land documents such as deeds and mortgages, in-person research at the County Clerk's Office remains the most thorough way to trace chains of title. The public access computers let you search grantor and grantee indexes at no cost. These indexes cover the full history of recorded instruments dating back to 1788. The Clerk's Office can provide regular copies at $1.00 per page or certified copies for use in legal matters. Clinton County's location on the Canadian border means some property transactions may involve cross-border considerations, but the recording process follows the same New York State requirements as any other county.
The Statewide Parcel Map Program provides parcel centroid data for Clinton County, giving a geographic point for each tax parcel. This data is available as a web service or downloadable dataset and is useful for mapping applications, boundary analysis, and zoning research. Tax maps maintained by the Real Property Tax Service show property boundaries, dimensions, and parcel identification numbers. These maps are available for purchase and are updated annually to reflect changes from deeds, subdivisions, and corrections.
Property Records Filing Fees
Recording fees in Clinton County follow the New York State statutory schedule. The base recording fee is $45 plus $5 per page. Additional fees apply for the TP-584 Combined Real Estate Transfer Tax Return at $5.00 and the RP-5217 Real Property Transfer Report at $125 for residential or farm property and $250 for other types. Transfer tax of $4 per $1,000 of consideration must be paid on deed conveyances at the time of filing.
Documents must be properly acknowledged by a notary public or other authorized officer under Real Property Law Section 294. The County Clerk endorses each recorded instrument with the date, time, and filing reference as required by Section 319. Residential deed recordings carry an additional $10 notice fee under Real Property Law Section 291, which funds a program notifying owners when documents are recorded against their residential property. Mortgage recording tax at the state rate of $0.50 per $100 of mortgage debt applies when filing a mortgage.
New York State imposes a real estate transfer tax on conveyances where consideration exceeds $500. The rate is $2 per $500 of consideration. The TP-584 and RP-5217 forms must accompany every conveyance and provide data used by the Office of Real Property Tax Services for equalization rate calculations. Failure to include these forms will result in rejection of the deed for recording. eRecording through authorized vendors is available for electronic document submission around the clock.
Property Records and Tax Assessment in Clinton County
The Clinton County Real Property Tax Service maintains tax maps for all municipalities in the county. These maps show property boundaries, parcel numbers, dimensions, and acreage. Tax maps are updated annually to reflect new subdivisions, boundary adjustments, and corrections. Assessment rolls prepared by local assessors list assessed values, property classes, and exemptions for every parcel. The Real Property Tax Service provides technical assistance to local assessors and coordinates equalization rate calculations as required by Real Property Tax Law Article 8.
The City of Plattsburgh Assessor's Office handles property assessments within city limits. The tentative assessment roll is published each year, followed by a grievance period when the Board of Assessment Review meets to hear complaints from property owners. Exemption applications for STAR, veterans, senior citizens, and disability benefits must be filed by March 1st with the local assessor. Assessment data is available through the county's online portal. Sales data is monitored by the assessor to ensure that assessments reflect current market conditions and values.
The STAR program provides school tax relief to eligible Clinton County homeowners. Basic STAR applies to primary residences with combined owner income of $500,000 or less. Enhanced STAR serves homeowners age 65 and older with income below $92,000. Property owners turning 65 no longer need to apply separately for Enhanced STAR, as the Tax Department now automatically upgrades eligible Basic STAR recipients. Under Real Property Tax Law Article 4, additional exemptions are available for veterans, agricultural properties, charitable organizations, and other qualifying categories.
Legal Framework for Property Records
Clinton County property records are governed by the Real Property Tax Law and the Real Property Law. Real Property Law Section 292 makes unrecorded conveyances void against subsequent good faith purchasers for value who record first. Section 293 establishes that recording provides constructive notice to all persons. The County Clerk maintains alphabetical grantor and grantee indexes under Section 291, which ensures that recorded instruments can be found through name searches.
Public access to Clinton County property records is guaranteed by the Freedom of Information Law, found in Article 6 of the Public Officers Law. Agencies must respond to written FOIL requests within five business days, or within 20 business days when circumstances require additional time. Copy fees under FOIL are capped at 25 cents per page for photocopies. Assessment records, tax maps, and recorded land documents held by the County Clerk and Real Property Tax Service are all subject to FOIL disclosure. Property owners may challenge their assessments through the grievance process under Real Property Tax Law Article 5, or seek judicial review through Article 7 proceedings in Supreme Court.
The New York State Unified Court System provides access to court records related to property, including foreclosure proceedings, partition actions, and judgment liens. Supreme Court in the 4th Judicial District handles real property litigation for Clinton County. The eCourts system offers online case lookup for searching court records by name or case number. Surrogate's Court handles probate matters that may involve property transfers through estates, with records available through the County Clerk.
Communities in Clinton County
Clinton County has no cities that meet the population threshold for a dedicated page on this site. Plattsburgh is the county seat and the City of Plattsburgh is the largest municipality. Other communities include the towns of Plattsburgh, Beekmantown, Chazy, Peru, and Ausable. Each town has its own assessor who maintains the local assessment roll. All assessment data is coordinated through the Clinton County Real Property Tax Service for tax map maintenance and equalization rate reporting. The county's location on Lake Champlain and the Canadian border gives it a unique position in the state, though property recording procedures follow the same state laws as every other New York county.