Search Ontario County Property Records

Property records in Ontario County are kept by the County Clerk's Office in Canandaigua, located in the Finger Lakes region. The Clerk records deeds, mortgages, satisfaction pieces, assignments, and liens affecting real property. Ontario County's land records date back to 1789, making them among the oldest in central New York. The Real Property Tax Department maintains assessment rolls, tax maps, and equalization data for all towns and villages. Both offices work together to provide a full picture of property ownership, valuation, and encumbrances in the county. Online tools and in-person access give you several ways to search these records.

Ontario County Clerk Property Records

The Ontario County Clerk's Office is at 20 Ontario Street, Canandaigua, NY 14424. The phone number is (585) 396-4205. Hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The office records all instruments that affect title to real property in Ontario County.

Recording fees follow the standard state schedule. The base is $45 plus $5 per page. TP-584 forms cost $5 to file. The RP-5217 report fee is $125 for residential or farm property or $250 for all other types. Every document must be acknowledged before a notary or other authorized officer as required by Real Property Law Section 294. The Clerk indexes documents by grantor and grantee names under Real Property Law Section 291.

eRecording through authorized vendors is accepted for most document types. Standard copies cost $1 per page and certified copies cost $5 extra per document. Public access terminals let you search through recorded documents at the Clerk's office during business hours. The Clerk does not provide title search services. Ontario County's records stretch back to 1789, though the very oldest documents may only be available in bound volumes or on microfilm.

Assessment and Tax Map Records

The Ontario County Real Property Tax Department is also at 20 Ontario Street, Canandaigua, NY 14424. Their phone is (585) 396-4420. This office maintains tax maps showing parcel boundaries, dimensions, and identification numbers for every property in the county. Assessment rolls list assessed values, property classes, exemptions, and taxable amounts.

Local assessors in each town and village determine property values. The county department provides guidance, technical support, and oversight. Equalization rates from the Office of Real Property Tax Services show how local assessments compare to full market value. Sales data from RP-5217 forms helps assessors and the county track market trends. The Statewide Parcel Map Program provides additional parcel boundary data and centroid points for Ontario County.

Property owners who disagree with their assessment can file a grievance with the local Board of Assessment Review. This right is established by Real Property Tax Law Article 5. Grievance hearings happen after the tentative roll is published each spring. If the board's decision is not acceptable, Article 7 proceedings in Supreme Court provide judicial review. Most grievance complaints need to show that the assessment exceeds the property's actual market value.

Recording Fees and Property Taxes

The state real estate transfer tax applies to Ontario County property sales where consideration is over $500. The rate is $2 per $500 of consideration. The Mansion Tax adds 1% on residential sales of $1 million or more. Form TP-584 must be filed at recording. The transfer tax page explains exemptions for gifts, divorce transfers, and government conveyances.

Mortgage recording tax is due when a new mortgage gets filed. The state rate is $0.50 per $100 of mortgage debt. Ontario County is outside the MCTD, so no additional surcharge applies. Form MT-15 is required with every mortgage recording. Mortgage recording tax information is on the Department of Taxation and Finance website.

The STAR program provides school tax relief for Ontario County homeowners. Basic STAR is available for primary residences. Enhanced STAR gives larger savings to homeowners 65 and older with qualifying income. Property owners can also apply for veterans exemptions, senior citizens exemptions, and agricultural exemptions through their local assessor. Most exemption applications have a March 1 deadline.

Public Access to Ontario County Property Records

Property records in Ontario County are public under the Freedom of Information Law. FOIL applies to assessment records, tax maps, and recorded documents. Agencies must respond to written requests within five business days. Copy fees are capped at 25 cents per page under FOIL.

Court records tied to property, including foreclosure actions, partition suits, and judgment liens, can be accessed through the eCourts portal. Ontario County is in the 7th Judicial District. The court system website has information about getting records from specific courts. Surrogate's Court in Ontario County handles probate matters that often involve property transfers through wills and estates.

Historical Property Records

Ontario County's land records stretch back to 1789. These early records document the original division of land in the Finger Lakes region following the Sullivan-Clinton campaign and the Phelps and Gorham Purchase. The County Clerk maintains these historic documents, though the oldest ones may be in bound volumes that require careful handling. Microfilm copies exist for many of the early records.

Surrogate's Court in Ontario County handles probate matters. Wills, estate inventories, and letters of administration often contain detailed property descriptions and transfer information. These records can be valuable for tracing property ownership through generations, especially for parcels that have been in the same family for a long time. The court is located in the same complex as the Clerk's office in Canandaigua.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Ontario County in the Finger Lakes region. Each maintains its own property records through a County Clerk and Real Property office.