Mortgage Discharge

When your mortgage is paid off, a mortgage discharge should be recorded with the Registry of Deeds to clear your property’s title.

A discharge is a document (usually one page) issued by the lender, typically called “Discharge of Mortgage” or “Satisfaction of Mortgage.”

Discharges are often filed directly by the banks or settlement attorneys, for example, as part of a sale or refinancing transaction.

In some instances, such as making your final mortgage payment, the discharge may be sent directly to you and needs to be recorded.

If you have received a discharge of mortgage directly from the lender, you should bring the original discharge and a check for $106.00 payable to the Dukes County Registry of Deeds.  Personal checks are accepted.  Your mortgage discharge will go on record that day.  The original document, if it is Recorded Land will be mailed back to you in the mail via USPS. Registered Land (Land Court) originals are not returned, but remain in the Land Court records.

If you choose to mail in your discharge, please send the original discharge to the Dukes County Registry of Deeds, PO Box 5231, Edgartown, MA 02539 with the $106.00 recording fee check. We process mail the day it arrives at the Registry.

Discharges cannot be faxed; the recorded document must be the original.

My bank went out of business, how do I find out who has my mortgage so that I may record my discharge?  You can use this informational sheet, “Where-has-my-bank-gone.pdf” as a guide.

If you have an old mortgage that has not been discharged, and/or you’re having difficulty obtaining a mortgage discharge for an old mortgage, the Obsolete Mortgage statute (MGL Chapter 260, section 33) may be of assistance to you.  We urge you to consult with an attorney regarding any questions you may have pertaining to the Obsolete Mortgage statute.