At best, this is a case of an outrageous pricing markup, but in the County Clerk’s eyes, it looks more like a scam.
Madison County residents are again receiving “RECORDED DEED NOTICES” from a company stating that you need a copy of your deed and offering the document for $83.
Most property owners already have their original deed tucked away in their files or in a safety deposit box. If not, most deeds are available for less than $5 at the County Clerk’s office. Certified copies are usually $10 or less.
There is a new twist to the offering— that it will give you assessment information. That is available at your local assessor’s office.
If you really need a copy of your deed, you can get it faster, cheaper and easier from the clerk’s office.
In many counties, including Madison, you can even print out a simple uncertified copy online. That’s why you have a clerk’s office—to retain all these records for you. You may contact the Madison County Clerk’s Office at 138 N. Court St., P.O. Box 668, Wampsville, N.Y. 13163; phone (315) 366-2261; website https://www.madisoncounty.ny.gov/county-clerk/madison-county-clerk.