Find Deed Records in Baltimore County

Baltimore County deed records are kept at the Circuit Court Clerk's office in Towson. This is a separate jurisdiction from Baltimore City, with its own records and its own office. You can search Baltimore County land records through MDLandRec.net, the county's dedicated records portal, or in person at the Towson courthouse. This page explains your options for finding property deeds, recording documents, and getting copies.

Baltimore County Circuit Court Clerk

The Clerk of the Circuit Court for Baltimore County is located at 400 Washington Avenue in Towson. This office handles all deed recording, land record storage, and copy requests for Baltimore County properties. Public access terminals are available in the clerk's office for in-person research. Staff can help you navigate the search system and process copy requests, though they cannot perform title searches.

One thing that trips people up is the name. Baltimore County and Baltimore City are two different places with two different record systems. Baltimore City is an independent city in Maryland, not part of any county. If your property address is within the city limits of Baltimore, you need the Baltimore City land records office, not this one. If your property is in Towson, Catonsville, Dundalk, Essex, or another area outside city limits, this is the right office. When in doubt, check your property tax bill or the SDAT database to confirm the jurisdiction before you make the trip.

For Public Information Act requests, contact the PIA Coordinator at 400 Washington Avenue, Suite 219, Towson, MD 21204 or call (410) 887-4420. Written requests must be submitted, and the office has 30 calendar days to respond.

Baltimore County Deed Records Online

MDLandRec.net is the primary online source for Baltimore County deed records. This Maryland State Archives system covers all 24 jurisdictions, including Baltimore County. A free account is required. After logging in, search by grantor or grantee name or by liber and folio number to pull up deed images. Historical indices are available for older records.

Baltimore County also has its own dedicated records portal at baltimorerecords.us. This site provides access to Baltimore County land records and court records in one place. It is a useful supplement to MDLandRec.net, especially if you are doing broader property research that includes court-related documents. The SDAT Real Property Database is another free tool where you can search by address or owner name to find deed book and page references, with no account needed.

For court records connected to Baltimore County properties, the Maryland Judiciary Case Search covers judgments, liens, and other case filings that may affect title. Checking both MDLandRec.net and Case Search gives you a more complete picture when reviewing Baltimore County deed records for a title or ownership question.

Note: Always confirm you are searching Baltimore County records and not Baltimore City records, as the two systems are separate and properties in each jurisdiction will not appear in the other's database.

Getting Copies of Baltimore County Deeds

You can get copies of Baltimore County deed records in person, by mail, or through a PIA request. In-person visits to the Towson courthouse let you use the public terminals to find and print records yourself. Staff can also make copies for you at $0.50 per page for standard copies. Certified copies add $5.00 per document on top of the page rate.

Written requests by mail or under the Public Information Act are handled by the clerk's office. For PIA requests, send your written request to the PIA Coordinator at Suite 219, 400 Washington Avenue, Towson, MD 21204. The office has 30 calendar days to respond, though complex requests may take more time. Include as much detail as possible about the property and the document you want, including the book and page number if you have it from SDAT or another source.

After a deed is recorded in Baltimore County, the original is mailed back to the grantee within four to six weeks at no charge. Electronic recording through Simplifile is available for title companies and settlement agents who regularly file in Baltimore County.

Baltimore County Deed Recording Fees

Baltimore County follows the statewide fee schedule. All recordable instruments carry a $40 surcharge. Base recording fees are: $10 for releases of nine pages or less; $20 for other instruments of nine pages or less; $20 for principal residence deeds regardless of length; $75 for any instrument of ten or more pages. The $40 surcharge is added to each of these amounts.

Recordation and transfer taxes are also collected at recording. State transfer tax is 0.5% of the sale price, or 0.25% for first-time homebuyers under Tax-Property Article § 12-108. Baltimore County may also collect a county-level transfer tax depending on the transaction type. Contact the clerk's office before you record to confirm the full amount due. Under Real Property Article § 3-201, documents not meeting format standards are subject to a penalty of three times the normal recording fee.

Baltimore County vs. Baltimore City Deed Records

This distinction matters for every deed record search. Baltimore County is a suburban county surrounding Baltimore City. The city is independent and has its own land records system, its own clerk, and its own deed books. A deed recorded in Baltimore City will not appear in Baltimore County's records, and vice versa. If you search the wrong system, you will not find the record you need.

Use SDAT to confirm the correct jurisdiction. Go to sdat.dat.maryland.gov/RealProperty and search by property address. The result will tell you whether the property is in Baltimore County or Baltimore City. Once you have that, you can go to the right deed records office or database. For Baltimore City deed records, the Land Records Division operates separately from this office.

The Maryland Courts land records FAQ has more detail on how the state's land records system works. For legal help with deed questions, Baltimore County's official site has links to court resources and public services. Under Real Property Article § 3-101, all conveyances of real property must be in writing and executed by the grantor to be valid in Maryland.

Note: The PIA process for written document requests in Baltimore County has a 30-day response window, so plan ahead if you need records for a closing or legal deadline.

Baltimore County Deed Records Resources

The Baltimore County official website provides access to county services including information on the Circuit Court Clerk's office and public records access in Towson.

The county site includes links to the PIA request process, court services, and general property information for Baltimore County residents and researchers.

The Baltimore County records portal is a dedicated resource for searching Baltimore County land records and related court documents online.

This portal provides a focused search experience for Baltimore County deed records and is a useful complement to the statewide MDLandRec.net system.

The MDLandRec.net statewide system covers Baltimore County deed images from the Maryland State Archives, available through a free account login.

MDLandRec.net lets you search all Maryland counties including Baltimore County and view full deed images at no charge after creating a free account.

Cities in Baltimore County

Baltimore County has numerous communities. All deed records for properties in Baltimore County are filed with the Circuit Court Clerk in Towson, whether the property is in a smaller town or a larger community like Dundalk or Towson. The cities below have dedicated pages with more local deed record information.

Other Baltimore County communities include Catonsville, Essex, Parkville, Rosedale, Pikesville, Owings Mills, and Reisterstown. All deed records for these areas are at the Towson courthouse.

Nearby Counties

Baltimore County borders several jurisdictions. Check the right county before you search for deed records if a property is near a county line.