Norfolk County Public Records

Norfolk County public records include property deeds, land court documents, court case filings, and government records for 28 cities and towns south and west of Boston. The Norfolk Registry of Deeds in Dedham holds land records going back to 1793, with the entire collection digitized and searchable online. This page explains how to find and request Norfolk County public records from the Registry, the courts, and other county agencies.

Norfolk Registry of Deeds

The Norfolk Registry of Deeds is at 649 High Street in Dedham. Register William P. O'Donnell is both the Register and the Records Access Officer for the office. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. The recording counter closes at 3:30 PM. E-recording through Simplifile, CSC, or ePN must also be submitted by 3:30 PM for same-day recording. Mailing address: P.O. Box 265, Dedham, MA 02027-0265. Main phone: (781) 461-6107. Plan counter: (781) 461-6126. Land Court: (781) 461-6124. Fax: (781) 461-6123. Email: Norfolk.Deeds@sec.state.ma.us.

The entire Norfolk County property record collection, from 1793 to the present, is digitized and searchable online at masslandrecords.com/Norfolk. This is a free resource. You do not need an account to search or view document images. For records before 1793, the Registry holds index information on microfilm available for in-person research.

Norfolk County covers 28 municipalities: the cities of Braintree, Franklin, Quincy, Randolph, and Weymouth, plus the towns of Avon, Bellingham, Brookline, Canton, Cohasset, Dedham, Dover, Foxborough, Holbrook, Medfield, Medway, Millis, Milton, Needham, Norfolk, Norwood, Plainville, Sharon, Stoughton, Walpole, Wellesley, Westwood, and Wrentham.

How to Search Norfolk County Public Records Online

The MassLandRecords portal for Norfolk County is one of the most complete in Massachusetts. All records from 1793 forward are online. You can search by grantor or grantee name, book and page, document number, property address, and recorded date. The interface is the same used across all Massachusetts Registry districts, so if you have used another county's system, the Norfolk search works the same way.

The MassLandRecords portal for Norfolk County is shown in the image below, from masslandrecords.com.

All document images are free to view. If you need a certified copy, you must request it from the Registry either in person, by mail, or by phone. Certified copies cost $1 per page.

For court case records across Norfolk County, the free online lookup is at MassCourts.org. This covers the Norfolk Superior Court, Probate and Family Court, and the District Courts serving the county. You can search by name or case number at no cost.

Norfolk County Historical Records and Boston Connections

Several Boston neighborhoods have historical deed records at the Norfolk Registry that most people do not know about. Dorchester was in Norfolk County from 1793 until it was annexed by Boston in 1870. Roxbury was in Norfolk County from 1793 until 1868. Hyde Park was in Norfolk County until 1912. West Roxbury was in Norfolk County until 1874. If you are researching the title history of property in any of these neighborhoods before those annexation dates, you need to search at the Norfolk Registry, not at the Suffolk Registry in Boston.

This is a common issue for title attorneys and property researchers working on old Boston properties. The cutoff dates vary by neighborhood. Knowing the right date tells you exactly when to switch from one registry to the other in your title chain. The Norfolk Registry staff are familiar with these requests and can help you navigate the historical records.

Norfolk County Recording Fees

The Norfolk Registry uses the same statewide fee schedule as all Massachusetts Registry of Deeds offices. Standard fees: Deed $155, Mortgage $205, Discharge of Mortgage $105, Homestead Declaration $35, Declaration of Trust $255, UCC Filing $75, Federal Tax Lien $5, Plans $105 per sheet, Municipal Lien Certificate $80, Certified Copies $1 per page. Excise tax on deeds is $4.56 per $1,000 of the sale price. The excise tax must be paid at the time of recording and applies to all property transfers.

Norfolk County includes some high-value real estate markets, particularly in Brookline, Needham, and Wellesley. Excise tax on a $1 million sale comes to $4,560 in addition to the $155 recording fee. Title companies and closing attorneys factor this into their closing cost estimates.

Note: The recording cut-off time of 3:30 PM at the Norfolk Registry is earlier than at some other Massachusetts counties. Plan ahead if you have a time-sensitive recording on a closing day.

Other Norfolk County Public Records Sources

Norfolk County public records go well beyond deed documents. The Norfolk County Sheriff's Department, District Attorney's Office, and local municipalities all hold records accessible under the public records law. Each agency has its own Records Access Officer. For city and town government records, contact the city clerk or RAO directly in each municipality. For Quincy, Braintree, Weymouth, and other larger cities, their offices handle requests for local government documents separate from what the Registry of Deeds holds.

For vital records, births, deaths, and marriages in Norfolk County are on file at the local clerk's office for the municipality where the event occurred. Copies of state-level vital records are available through the Registry of Vital Records and Statistics. Criminal history checks run through the Department of Criminal Justice Information Services. Sex offender registry searches are available at mass.gov/sorb.

Making a Public Records Request

Under MGL Chapter 66, Section 10, any person may request public records from a Norfolk County government agency. The RAO at the Norfolk Registry of Deeds is Register William P. O'Donnell. Agencies must respond within 10 business days. The first two hours of search time are free for municipalities with populations over 20,000. After that, the charge is up to $25 per hour. Copies cost $0.05 per page, and electronic records can often be sent at no charge.

If your request is denied or not answered on time, you can appeal to the Supervisor of Records at One Ashburton Place, Room 1719, Boston, MA 02108. Phone: (617) 727-2832. Email: pre@sec.state.ma.us. Appeals must be filed within 90 days. The Secretary of the Commonwealth provides oversight for public records law compliance across all Norfolk County agencies.

Cities in Norfolk County

Several cities in Norfolk County have their own public records pages with details on local offices and courthouse locations.

Other cities and towns in Norfolk County include Braintree, Franklin, Randolph, Dedham, Norwood, Walpole, Wellesley, Needham, and Canton. All of these access land records through the Norfolk Registry of Deeds in Dedham.

Nearby Counties

Norfolk County is surrounded by other Massachusetts counties. Some properties and court cases may involve neighboring jurisdictions. Use the links below to find records in adjacent counties.