Title 3. Recordation — Subtitle 3. Record Books and Indexes
Statutes in effect as of October 1, 2026.
Md. Code Ann., Real Prop. § 3-301 (2026)
Title 3. Recordation
Subtitle 3. Record Books and Indexes
§ 3–301LinkCopy Citation
(a)
(1)
If the person offering a deed or other instrument affecting property for record first pays the recording fees, the clerk of the circuit court of each county shall record every deed and other instrument affecting property in land records available to the public.
(2)
The clerk shall endorse on the deed or other instrument the time of receipt of the document for recording and the endorsement shall show in the land records.
(3)
Any deed or other instrument affecting property which also affects personal property shall be recorded in the same manner in the land records only, and not in the financing statements.
(b)
If an interested party so requests, the financing statements provided for in § 9–402(9) of the Commercial Law Article shall include a notation that the instrument is recorded among the land records. The instrument also shall be indexed in the general alphabetical index provided in § 3–302 of this subtitle. The notation and indexing have the same effect as if the instrument were recorded in full among the financing statements.
(c)
(1)
The clerk may not refuse to accept any deed or other document entitled to be recorded, solely on the grounds that the deed or document contains a strike–through, interlineation, or other corrections.
(2)
The clerk may refuse to accept for re–recording, a previously recorded deed or document that has been corrected or altered by a strike–through, interlineation, or similar corrective measures, and that has not been re–executed, initialed, or otherwise ratified in writing by the party or parties affected by the correction.
Md. Code Ann., Real Prop. § 3-302 (2026)
Title 3. Recordation
Subtitle 3. Record Books and Indexes
§ 3–302LinkCopy Citation
(a)
(1)
The clerk of the circuit court of each county shall make and maintain a full and complete general alphabetical index of every deed, and other instrument.
(2)
The index shall:
(i)
Be both in the name of each grantor, donor, mortgagor, and assignor, and each grantee, donee, mortgagee, or assignee; and
(ii)
Include the book and page of the recordation of every instrument designating these names.
(3)
The clerk shall index every deed or other instrument retaining a vendor’s lien both as a deed and as a vendor’s lien, in the same manner as mortgages are indexed.
(b)
The clerk shall index every assignment of a mortgage, deed of trust, and release or partial release of a mortgage or deed of trust, whether in long or short form.
(c)
The clerk shall date each change or correction made to information in the general alphabetical index on the horizontal line on which the change or correction was made.
(d)
(1)
If a court decrees a payment of cost or makes some other decree for payment of money by a plaintiff, the clerk immediately shall index the plaintiff’s name.
(2)
Until the plaintiff’s name is indexed, no lien under the decree arises against the property of the plaintiff and no right of execution accrues on the decree.
(e)
(1)
The clerk shall include in the index each property identifier provided on an intake sheet under § 3–104(g) of this title or, if the space available in the index will not accommodate all of the identifiers, then as many as the space allows, giving priority to identifiers in the order in which they are listed in § 3–104(g)(3)(i) of this title.
(2)
The clerk shall rely on the instrument that is accompanied by the intake sheet for indexing of grantor’s and grantee’s names.
Md. Code Ann., Real Prop. § 3-303 (2026)
Title 3. Recordation
Subtitle 3. Record Books and Indexes
§ 3–303LinkCopy Citation
The clerk shall transmit recorded documents to the State Archivist.
Md. Code Ann., Real Prop. § 3-304 (2026)
Title 3. Recordation
Subtitle 3. Record Books and Indexes
§ 3–304LinkCopy Citation
(a)
Except as provided in subsection (e) of this section, the clerk shall record each plat described under § 3–108 of this title.
(b)
The clerk promptly shall send one copy of each plat to the supervisor of assessments of the county and one copy, with one half of the filing fee, to the State Archivist, who shall number and file the plat as part of the records of the State Archivist’s office.
(c)
The State Archivist shall mail or deliver, free of cost, to any supervisor of assessments of the State, a copy of the plat on request.
(d)
(1)
Nothing in this section affects any recording fee of the clerk of the court under any local legislation prescribing recording fees for subdivision plats.
(2)
The clerk and the State Archivist shall keep accurate memoranda of the filing fees.
(e)
In Montgomery County, the clerk may record or maintain the plat in electronic form in a manner approved by the State Archivist.