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The Circuit Court Clerk's Office is responsible for recording and maintaining real property records in Cecil County.
Recording Fees
Pursuant to Chapter 642 (HB 1179), the following fee schedule for recording financing & land instruments applies:
* $10.00 For a release nine (9) pages or less in length;
* $20.00 For a termination of a financing statement nine (9) pages or less in length;
* $20.00 For any other instrument nine (9) pages or less in length or if it involves SOLELY a principal residence;
* $75.00 For any other instrument ten (10) pages or more in length.
Surcharge: $40.00 For all recordable instruments in land except power of attorney, notice of sale, plats, financing statements to be recorded in financing only.
RECORDATION & TRANSFER TAX
State recordation tax:
$4.10 for every $500 or fraction thereof of consideration (exemptions in Tax Property Article, 12-108).
These fees are to be paid at the Cecil County Department of Finance. Many questions, including viewing or paying property taxes and/or sewer bills on-line, can be answered by visiting their website
Transfer tax rate:
.5 percent of the actual consideration, unless grantee is a first-time Maryland home buyer purchasing a principal place of residence; in that case the transfer tax rate is .25 percent of the actual consideration.
To qualify for this exemption, each grantee must provide a statement under oath signed by the grantee or grantees stating that the grantee or grantees is a first-time Maryland home buyer who will occupy the residence as a principal residence or is a co-maker or guarantor of the purchase money mortgage/deed of trust who will not occupy the residence as a principal residence.
Document Formatting Requirements
* A document should consist of individual pages measuring no larger than 8.5 x 14 inches with printing on one side only. Printing needs to be in a font size of at least 8 point and in black letters on white paper. The paper needs to be of sufficient weight to produce a readable copy.
* On the first page, provide a blank margin of at least 2 inches. All other margins should be at least 1 inch.
* Corresponding names should be printed above or below signatures.
* On all instruments, please type or print on the front or last page to be
recorded the name and address of the person to whom the instrument is to be returned.
* A deed needs to include a prepared by statement. This should bear the certification of an attorney at law that the instrument has been prepared by an attorney or under an attorney's supervision, or a certification that the instrument was prepared by one of the parties named in the instrument. The preparer can be named in the following format: "This is to certify that the within instrument has been prepared by a party to the instrument." This statement is to be followed by the signature of the preparer.
* A legal description of the real property being conveyed should be included in the instrument. The legal description includes the municipality and state, as well as the parcel ID number. Previous recorded information should also be referenced.
* The relationship, if any, of the grantor and grantee, should be stated in the document.
* Include a certificate of residency and/or an affidavit of total payment amount of the non-resident withholding tax.
* When submitting an instrument, it should be accompanied by a copy that will be submitted to the Department of Assessment and Taxation. All public taxes, assessments, and charges currently due and owed on the property must have been paid before the document can be recorded.
* A deed of trust that is being financed needs to include the refinance language, which must be on one of the numbered pages before the signature page or, if on a separate page, it must be signed and notarized.
* An affidavit of consideration is required for a mortgage or deed of trust. A mortgage or deed of trust is not valid unless there is contained in, endorsed on, or attached to it an oath of affirmation of the mortgagee or the party secured by a deed of trust that the consideration recited in the document is true and bona fide as set forth.
LAND INTAKE SHEET
A completed Intake Sheet is required with every land instrument submitted for recordation, with the exception of releases and assignments of mortgages and deeds of trust, substitutions of trustees, powers of attorney, and financing statements and their modifications. Section 1, Sections 3 through 5, and Sections 7 through 10 of the Intake Sheet must be completed for all types of instruments for which the Sheet is required. Sections 2, 6, and 11 also must be completed on Intake Sheets submitted with deeds.
When a deed or other instrument changing ownership is submitted to the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT) for processing, a photocopy of the instrument for SDAT, as well as the original, must accompany the intake sheet.
The intake sheet should be printed or typed legibly in black ink only all of the applicable information. When printing, press firmly and prepare all four copies of the intake sheet; the white, canary, and pink copies will be retained by the clerk's office, SDAT, and the local finance offices, respectively. Only one intake sheet should be completed for each transaction involving the same property. If there are more than two instruments submitted for the same transaction, the Addendum to Intake Sheet should be used to itemize information relevant to grantors/grantees such as consideration, recording fees, and taxes.
The land intake sheet is not part of the instrument and does not constitute constructive notice as to the contents of the instrument.
For more information on the intake sheet, visit the Cecil County Circuit Clerk's website.