COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Information

Friday, April 10, 2020

Congress has recently passed three emergency relief packages to help address the massive health care and economic disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. In response, Congressman Jim McGovern of Massachusetts 2nd District has created an information webpage with updates and helpful resources for constituents. Note: Clicking the image below takes you to an external website.

Jim McGovern Resource Page

Monday, March 23, 2020

On March 23, Governor Baker issued an emergency order ordering nonessential businesses and organizations to close their physical workspaces and facilities to customers, workers and the public.

Effective March 24, 2020, 12:00pm, the Mercantile Center, which houses the Registry of Deeds, will be closed to the public. The building is tentatively scheduled to reopen on April 7, 2020. 

If you have a walk-in recording, before arrival please first contact the Registry at 508-368-7000 to let us know you’re dropping off documents. We will meet you at the entrance to the building at 100 Front Street, Worcester, to take the documents for recording. The originals will be returned via USPS. 

There are no changes to the process for mailed or electronically recorded documents.

Wednesday, March 18, 2020

As of today, the Worcester Registry of Deeds is open and is continuing to record documents. Our recording hours remain 9am until 4pm. Please review the following information and call the Registry at 508-368-7000 if you have questions about this process.

To help limit exposure to the coronavirus, we ask you observe the following guidelines:

1. For entities that are currently set up to electronically file, please use this method for all eligible documents.

2. For eligible entities that have not yet signed up to e-file, we strongly encourage you to do so. Please see below for enrollment information.

3. If you are not set up/eligible to e-file, please submit documents via US Postal Service, UPS or FedEx to:

Worcester Registry of Deeds
90 Front Street, Suite C-201
Worcester, MA  01608

4. Documents can also be recorded in person. For the safety of our staff and the community, this option should only be used when the above methods are not viable:

  • Customers will wait at the Front Desk/Foyer Worcester District Registry of Deeds
  • A Registry employee will meet a customer at the entrance of the office
  • Documents will be received by a registry employee, recorded and returned back to you
  • If the documents are not in order when they reach the recording counter, they will be handed back to you unrecorded to re-assemble
  • There are two run-down computers available to the public. We are cleaning the equipment regularly, but a Registry employee is not going to touch the public access computer or assist the public unless they maintain an appropriate distance

Tuesday, March 17, 2020

During this pandemic, we urge all eligible registry users to file electronically. If you are not already an e-file customer, below is information from two companies that provide the service:

COVID-19 Preparedness: Electronic Recording

In these unprecedented times, we want to help you limit customers coming into your county office and help your staff to effectively work from home. Electronic recording eliminates the need for document submitters to visit the Registry office and mail handling.
Receive mortgage, deed, and other documents securely online through Simplifile. Your staff can review, stamp or reject, and record documents electronically from any location.

E-recording is free for counties. We’re ready to get you set up quickly. Learn more here about e-recording with Simplifile.

Feel free to call us at 800.460.5657 with any questions or to get started. We’re here to help.

In the event that the WROD limits or suspends walk-in traffic, or implements remote working locations, CSC has provided Document Submitters with this information to set-up eRecording as an alternative solution:

CSC® eRecording

CSC provides a web-based eRecording solution that enables submitters to electronically record real estate documents.

Phone: (866) 652-0111
Email: [email protected]
Website: erecording.com

Monday, March 16, 2020

Our office is actively monitoring recommendations and guidance from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) as well as federal, state, and local agencies to help ensure the actions we are taking are in line with best practices.

Towards that end, to help avoid the potential spread of the virus, the WROD is temporarily restricting access to our Closing, Research, and Commonwealth Rooms until further notice.

The office WILL be accepting in-person recordings using a modified queuing system. Staff members will be available in the lobby area to assist you. In addition, we are regularly cleaning and sanitizing the office as appropriate, with particular focus on high-touch surfaces in common areas. For any registered land transactions, we ask that you email images of all the documents in advance to Kathleen Meehan-Sullivan so they can be reviewed. We will contact you regarding any needed changes before you bring the originals into the office.  

E-Recordings will also continue to be accepted without interruption or a change to the process.

Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work through this crisis. The Worcester ROD will continue to monitor updates as they become available and will take whatever steps are necessary to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19 to the public, while continuing to provide the level of service you deserve and expect.

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Address:

Worcester Registry of Deeds
90 Front St
Worcester, MA 01608