Fall River Deed Records Search
Fall River deed records are kept by the Bristol County Registry of Deeds Northern District, which records all property documents for Fall River and the surrounding communities in Bristol County's northern half. If you need to search ownership history, check for liens or mortgages, or find out what is on file for a Fall River property, you can look up records online through the state land records portal or visit the registry office in Taunton.
Fall River Overview
Where to Get Fall River Deed Records
Fall River is served by the Bristol County Registry of Deeds Northern District. This is one of two separate registries in Bristol County; the Southern District covers the New Bedford area, while the Northern District handles Fall River and the towns around it. The registry office is not in Fall River itself. It is located at 11 Court Street in Taunton, MA 02780. If you plan to visit in person, that is where you need to go.
Register Barry J. Amaral oversees the Northern District registry. The office is open Monday through Friday during regular business hours. You can reach the registry by phone at (508) 822-0500, by fax at (508) 880-3390, or by email at tauntondeeds@sec.state.ma.us. Staff can help with document lookup, recording questions, and requests for copies. If you need a certified copy of a Fall River deed, the Taunton office is where that request goes.
The Northern District serves more than just Fall River. Communities in this district include Taunton, Attleboro, Mansfield, North Attleborough, Norton, Raynham, Rehoboth, Seekonk, Somerset, Swansea, Dighton, and Berkley. So the registry handles a large area, and call volume can be high. Email or online research is often faster than calling for routine lookups.
| Registry | Bristol County Registry of Deeds, Northern District |
|---|---|
| Address | 11 Court Street, Taunton, MA 02780 |
| Phone | (508) 822-0500 |
| Fax | (508) 880-3390 |
| tauntondeeds@sec.state.ma.us | |
| Register | Barry J. Amaral |
| Registry Website | massrods.com/bristolnorth |
| Fall River Portal | fallriverdeeds.com |
Search Fall River Deed Records Online
The Northern District has a dedicated website for Fall River records at fallriverdeeds.com. This site is run by the registry and focuses specifically on the Fall River area within the Northern District. It is a useful starting point if you want information tailored to Fall River properties, including search access and registry news.
The main search portal for deed records is Massachusetts Land Records. You can access the Bristol County Northern District directly at masslandrecords.com/bristolnorth. This free site lets you search by grantor or grantee name, by address, or by document type. You can view scanned images of recorded documents right in your browser. Most images can be saved or printed from the site without any charge. The portal covers decades of recorded documents for Fall River and all other communities in the Northern District.
The fallriverdeeds.com site shown below is the Bristol County Northern District's dedicated web presence for Fall River deed records. It provides access to the same registry resources as the main massrods portal, with a focus on Fall River area properties and filers.
For certified copies of recorded documents, you need to go through the registry in Taunton, either in person or by mail. The online portal gives you free access to images, but those are not certified copies. If you need a certified copy for a legal matter or a real estate closing, request it directly from the registry office.
Document Types Recorded for Fall River Properties
The Bristol County Registry of Deeds Northern District records all documents that affect title to real property in Fall River. Deeds transferring ownership are the most common type of filing. The registry also records mortgages, mortgage discharges, homestead declarations, liens, easements, attachments, and subdivision plans. Under Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 183, any document affecting title must be recorded at the registry to be effective against third parties. That means if you want to know about any claims or transfers tied to a Fall River parcel, the registry is the right place to look.
Common documents you might find when searching Fall River records include warranty deeds, quitclaim deeds, foreclosure deeds, deeds in lieu of foreclosure, and trustee's deeds. Mortgage discharges show up often, especially when checking whether an old loan was paid off. Lis pendens filings show up when a property is in litigation. Plans and surveys filed at the registry can show lot lines and subdivision layouts. If you are doing title work on a Fall River property, a full search typically covers all document types, not just deeds.
Some records do not go to the deed registry. Probate court documents, for example, are handled by the Bristol County Probate and Family Court. If a court judgment created a lien, you may need to check both the registry and the court system to get a complete picture.
Recording Fees for Fall River Documents
Fees at the Bristol County Registry of Deeds Northern District are set at the state level and apply uniformly across all Massachusetts registries. Recording a deed costs $155. A mortgage runs $205. A discharge of mortgage is $105. A homestead declaration is $35. These are base fees and may change, so confirm current amounts with the registry before submitting documents.
When a Fall River property changes hands, the buyer must also pay the Massachusetts deed excise tax. The rate is $4.56 per $1,000 of the purchase price, rounded up to the nearest $500. On a $250,000 home sale, that works out to $1,140 in excise tax. This is paid at recording and is separate from the base recording fee. Make checks payable to the Bristol County Registry of Deeds. If you submit by mail, include a self-addressed stamped envelope so the registry can return your recorded originals.
Fall River City Assessor
The City of Fall River Assessor's Office is a useful companion resource when searching deed records. The assessor keeps property valuation data, owner of record as of the last assessment date, and parcel identification numbers. If you do not yet have the name of a grantor or grantee to search the land records portal, looking up the parcel in the assessor's database first can give you that information.
The Assessor's Office is at One Government Center, Fall River, MA 02722. You can reach them by phone at (508) 324-2600. Their online property lookup is available through the city's website at fallriverma.org/assessors. You can search by address, owner name, or parcel ID. Keep in mind that assessor records are updated annually, so a recent sale may not yet show the new owner. For current ownership, always confirm with the deed registry records.
Assessor data and deed records work together. The assessor shows you who owns a parcel and what it is worth for tax purposes. The deed registry shows you the full chain of title, all mortgages, and any other recorded claims. Both are public records and free to search.
Getting Copies of Fall River Deed Records
You can request copies of Fall River deed records in person at the Taunton office, by mail, or by printing images from the online portal. Plain copies printed from masslandrecords.com are free but are not certified. If you need a certified copy, contact the registry directly. Certified copies are needed for legal proceedings, estate matters, and some real estate transactions. Call (508) 822-0500 or email tauntondeeds@sec.state.ma.us to ask about current copy fees and how to submit a mail request.
When requesting by mail, include the book and page number or the document number if you have it. That speeds up processing. If you only have a property address or party names, you can still request a search, but it may take longer. Always include a return envelope and a check or money order for the copy fee. The registry will contact you if additional fees apply before processing your request.
Property Fraud Alerts
Massachusetts offers a free notification service for property owners through the land records system. You can sign up at cns.masslandrecords.com to receive email alerts whenever a document is recorded against your name at any Massachusetts registry of deeds, including the Bristol County Northern District. This service is useful for Fall River homeowners who want to monitor for unauthorized deed transfers or fraudulent filings. Registration is free and takes only a few minutes. You enter your name as it appears in your deed, and the system alerts you automatically when new documents are filed using that name.
Bristol County Deed Records
Fall River deed records are part of the Bristol County Northern District, one of two registry districts in Bristol County. The county page has full details on the registry, research options, fees, and how to request copies.