Westchester County Property Records

Westchester County property records are managed by the County Clerk and Real Estate Tax Department in White Plains. As the second most populous county in New York outside of New York City, Westchester processes a large volume of property transactions each year. The County Clerk records deeds, mortgages, and other land documents while the Real Estate Tax Department handles assessment rolls, tax maps, and equalization data across the county's cities, towns, and villages.

Westchester County Clerk Property Records

The Westchester County Clerk is at 110 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, White Plains, NY 10601. Call (914) 995-3080 for information. The office records deeds, mortgages, assignments, satisfactions, liens, powers of attorney, and other instruments that affect real property ownership in the county.

Recording fees are $45 plus $5 per page, with additional charges for transfer taxes and required forms. Westchester County is part of the Metropolitan Commuter Transportation District, so mortgage recording carries extra taxes beyond the basic state rate. The transfer tax rate is $4 per $1,000 of consideration. The TP-584 form costs $5 to file. RP-5217 fees are $125 for residential or farm property and $250 for other types. eRecording is available through multiple authorized vendors.

The Clerk maintains grantor and grantee indexes under Real Property Law Section 291. Public access terminals in the White Plains office let visitors search for recorded documents. Copies cost $1 per page. The office handles a high volume of transactions given Westchester's active real estate market. Staff can assist with locating specific documents but do not perform title searches.

Search Westchester County Property Records Online

The Westchester County Land Records Online portal provides free access to recorded documents. You can search by name, document type, or date range. The database covers records from the 1980s to the present with viewable document images. The system is available around the clock.

The grantor and grantee index in the online system mirrors the paper indexes at the Clerk's office. Search by buyer or seller name to find all recorded transactions involving that party. Document details include recording date, liber and page numbers, and instrument type. You can print or download copies from your own computer. This is a good starting point before visiting the office in person for older records or certified copies.

For assessment and tax data, the Westchester County Real Estate Tax Department maintains records for all municipalities. Assessment rolls, tax maps, equalization rates, and sales data are available through this office. Each city, town, and village in Westchester has its own assessor responsible for property valuations and exemption applications.

Property Records and Tax Assessment

Property assessment in Westchester County is handled at the local level by city, town, and village assessors. Under Real Property Tax Law Article 5, each municipality prepares an annual assessment roll. Tentative rolls are published each year with a grievance period for property owners to contest their values before the Board of Assessment Review. Unresolved disputes can go to Article 7 judicial review in Supreme Court.

Westchester's high property values mean assessment accuracy is critical. Even a small percentage error in assessment can translate to significant tax differences for homeowners. The county Real Estate Tax Department maintains tax maps showing parcel boundaries, lot dimensions, and identification numbers. ORPTS equalization rates ensure fair distribution of taxes across the many school districts and overlapping jurisdictions in the county.

The STAR program is especially valuable for Westchester homeowners given the area's high school taxes. Basic STAR covers primary residences with combined income of $500,000 or less. Enhanced STAR is for seniors 65 and older with income under $92,000. New homeowners register with the Department of Taxation and Finance to receive STAR credit payments.

Property Records Transfer Taxes

Westchester County is within the Metropolitan Commuter Transportation District. This means property transactions carry additional mortgage recording taxes beyond the base state rate of $0.50 per $100 of debt. The MCTD add-on increases the total mortgage recording tax significantly compared to upstate counties outside the district.

The state real estate transfer tax is $2 per $500 of consideration. The Mansion Tax applies to residential sales of $1 million or more at a rate of 1%, paid by the buyer. Given Westchester's high property values, the Mansion Tax comes into play frequently. Every conveyance requires Form TP-584 and Form RP-5217. Without these forms and the required taxes, the County Clerk will reject the deed for recording.

Under the Freedom of Information Law, all property records at the Clerk's office and Real Estate Tax Department are public. Written FOIL requests must receive a response within five business days. Copy fees under FOIL are capped at 25 cents per page. The Clerk endorses each recorded instrument with the date, time, and book and page under Real Property Law Section 319.

Property Tax Exemptions in Westchester County

Several exemptions are available to Westchester property owners. Veterans, senior citizens, and persons with disabilities can apply for reduced assessments under Real Property Tax Law Article 4. Agricultural exemptions apply to qualifying farm parcels, though agricultural land is less common in Westchester than in upstate counties. Most exemption applications are due by March 1 with the local assessor.

Religious, educational, and charitable organizations may qualify for full or partial exemptions on property used for exempt purposes. The county Real Estate Tax Department provides information about available exemptions and application procedures. Given Westchester's tax rates, even a partial exemption can result in meaningful savings for qualifying property owners.

Property Records and Court Disputes

Property-related cases in Westchester County go through Supreme Court in the 9th Judicial District. This includes foreclosure proceedings, partition actions, quiet title cases, and mechanic's lien disputes. The eCourts system provides online tracking for many of these cases. Surrogate's Court in Westchester handles probate matters involving real property transfers through wills and estate administration.

Judgment liens from court proceedings are filed with the County Clerk and appear in property record searches. A thorough title search in Westchester should cover both the Clerk's land records and court records for outstanding judgments, liens, and pending litigation that could affect title.

Major Cities and Towns in Westchester County

Westchester County's cities and towns each have their own local assessor. Property records for all of these areas are filed with the Westchester County Clerk in White Plains.

Nearby Counties

Westchester County borders several other counties. Property near a county line may be recorded in an adjacent county's Clerk's office.

View All 62 Counties