Caroline County Deed Records
Caroline County deed records are held at the Circuit Court Clerk's office in Denton. The county was formed in 1773, and the first deed was recorded here in 1774, giving it over 250 years of continuous land records. You can search Caroline County deed records through MDLandRec.net, the county's remote access site, or by visiting the Denton courthouse. This page covers your search options, how to request copies, and what you need to know about recording a deed in Caroline County.
Caroline County Overview
Caroline County Circuit Court Clerk
The Clerk of the Circuit Court for Caroline County is at 109 Market Street in Denton. This is a small Eastern Shore county with a tight-knit courthouse operation. The clerk's office handles deed recording, land record storage, and copy requests for all Caroline County properties. Office hours for the land records function run 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM on weekdays. Probate matters are handled by appointment only.
For deed-related questions, call the main office at (410) 479-1811. Treasurer matters, including tax collection tied to deed recording, go to a separate line at (410) 479-0410. The mailing address uses a P.O. Box: P.O. Box 416, Denton, MD 21629. If you are sending documents by mail, use the full street address at 109 Market Street to ensure proper delivery. Staff at the clerk's office can assist with searches and copy requests but do not perform title searches.
| Office | Clerk of the Circuit Court |
|---|---|
| Address | 109 Market Street, P.O. Box 416, Denton, MD 21629 |
| Phone | (410) 479-1811 |
| Treasurer | (410) 479-0410 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM |
Caroline County Deed Records Online
Caroline County deed records from 1774 to the present are available through MDLandRec.net. This free Maryland State Archives system requires a free account. Once logged in, search by grantor or grantee name or by liber (book) and folio (page) number to pull up deed images. Historical indices cover the older records that predate digital imaging.
Caroline County also has its own remote access site at carolinevacocc.org. This secure portal provides access to land records and related documents for the county. As of January 1, 2023, land records, judgment records, and financing statement records are no longer indexed by book and page in this system. You can still view index information for free by clicking through the site. A subscription of $50 per month unlocks full image access and additional search features. This is useful for title professionals and researchers who need frequent access to Caroline County deed records without visiting the courthouse.
Historical plat maps for Caroline County are available through the Maryland Genealogy Web project. These hand-drawn historical maps can help with older land research. Standard plat records are at Plats.net using username plato and password plato#.
Note: The remote access site's shift away from book and page indexing as of 2023 means search strategies may differ from other counties. Use MDLandRec.net if book and page is your preferred search method.
Getting Caroline County Deed Copies
In-person visits to the Denton courthouse let you use the research room to search and request copies. Standard copies are $0.50 per page. Certified copies cost $5.00 per document plus the page rate. Bring a check or money order payable to the Clerk of Court. Staff can assist with searches and pull deed books if needed.
For mail requests, send your written request to the Clerk's office at 109 Market Street, P.O. Box 416, Denton, MD 21629. Include the property address or the liber and folio number, a description of what you need, your return address, and payment. Processing times vary. If you have a time-sensitive need, call the office first to ask about current turnaround times.
After a deed is recorded, the original is returned to the grantee by mail at no charge, usually within four to six weeks. Electronic recording through Simplifile is an option for title professionals who regularly record in Caroline County. Under Real Property Article § 3-104, recorded deeds give constructive notice to all later purchasers and creditors of the property.
Caroline County Recording Fees and Taxes
Caroline County follows Maryland's statewide recording fee schedule. All documents carry a $40 surcharge. Base recording fees: $10 for releases of nine pages or less; $20 for other instruments of nine pages or less; $20 for principal residence deeds; $75 for instruments of ten or more pages. Add $40 to each for the surcharge total.
Taxes collected at recording include the recordation tax at $5.00 per $500 of consideration, and transfer taxes. State transfer tax is 0.5% (0.25% for first-time homebuyers). Caroline County also collects a county transfer tax of 0.5%. The first $25,000 of consideration is exempt from the county transfer tax for owner-occupied principal residences if the buyer submits an affidavit confirming owner occupancy. Confirm current rates with the Treasurer at (410) 479-0410 before your recording date.
Agricultural property gets special treatment. If a property in Caroline County is agriculturally assessed, you must contact the Transfer Office at least five days before presenting the deed for recording. The agricultural transfer tax applies, and you will need a Letter of Intent executed by the purchaser. Skipping this step can cause delays at recording.
Caroline County Deed Research Tips
Caroline County's deed records go back to 1774, giving researchers access to a long run of Eastern Shore property history. For genealogy or historical research, MDLandRec.net has images of the early deed books. The Maryland State Archives at msa.maryland.gov also has guides and finding aids for early Maryland land records that can help with older Caroline County research.
The county's remote access site at carolinevacocc.org is worth noting for its property notification feature. You can register for free email alerts when a document is filed in Caroline County with your name attached. This is a useful fraud monitoring tool for property owners who want to track any activity on their deed records without checking manually.
Under Real Property Article § 3-201, Maryland has specific formatting requirements for recorded documents. Minimum 8-point black type, a 3-inch top margin on the first page, and 1-inch side margins on all pages are required. Non-compliant documents face a penalty of three times the normal recording fee. The maximum page size is 8.5 by 14 inches. The Maryland Courts land records FAQ covers these and other common questions for the whole state.
Note: If you have questions about the agricultural transfer tax or whether a property qualifies for the county transfer tax exemption, call the Treasurer's office at (410) 479-0410 before recording day.
Caroline County Deed Records Resources
The Caroline County Clerk Remote Access Site provides secure online access to Caroline County land records, including a free index search and a paid subscription option for full image access.
The remote access site is especially useful for title professionals and researchers who need regular access to Caroline County deed records without making the trip to Denton.
The MDLandRec.net portal covers Caroline County deed books from 1774 forward, giving researchers free online access to over 250 years of local land records.
MDLandRec.net is the most complete online source for Caroline County deed images and is available at no charge with a free account registration.
For historical plat research, the Maryland Genealogy Web project hosts historical plat maps specific to Caroline County that are not available in the standard digital databases.
These historical maps are a valuable resource for genealogy and historical deed research in Caroline County, particularly for tracing land grants and early farm boundaries.
Cities in Caroline County
Caroline County is an Eastern Shore county that includes Denton, Federalsburg, Greensboro, Goldsboro, and Ridgely, among other communities. All deed records for properties in Caroline County are filed with the Circuit Court Clerk in Denton. None of these communities currently qualify for a dedicated city page, but deed records for every Caroline County property are searchable through the clerk's office and MDLandRec.net.
Nearby Counties
Caroline County is surrounded by several Eastern Shore counties. If a property is near a county boundary, confirm the correct jurisdiction before searching deed records.