Dukes County Property Records Lookup

Dukes County property records cover all of Martha's Vineyard and the Elizabeth Islands. The Dukes County Registry of Deeds in Edgartown holds deeds, mortgages, liens, and other land documents for seven communities. You can search Dukes County property records online for free through MassLandRecords.com or the registry's direct portal at massrods.com/dukes. As an island county with high-value real estate, Dukes County property records see steady activity from both year-round residents and seasonal owners.

Dukes County Registry of Deeds

The Dukes County Registry of Deeds is at 81 Main Street in Edgartown. The mailing address is P.O. Box 5231, Edgartown, MA 02539. Register Paulo C. DeOliveira leads the office. The phone number is (508) 627-4025 and the fax is (508) 627-7821. You can email the registry at registry@dukescounty.org. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Recording hours are split: 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM and then 1:30 PM to 4:00 PM. There is a midday break for recording, so plan your visit if you need to file documents in person.

The registry serves seven communities: Aquinnah, Chilmark, Edgartown, Gosnold (which includes the Elizabeth Islands), Oak Bluffs, Tisbury (also known as Vineyard Haven), and West Tisbury. Every property sale, mortgage, lien, and easement on Martha's Vineyard gets recorded at this one office in Edgartown. Gosnold, which covers the tiny Elizabeth Islands including Cuttyhunk, also files here even though those islands sit closer to the mainland.

Martha's Vineyard real estate is among the most expensive in Massachusetts. Property values here run well into the millions for waterfront and historic homes. That makes accurate land records and thorough title searches especially important for buyers and sellers on the island.

Search Dukes County Records Online

You can search Dukes County property records online through two portals. The MassLandRecords.com site is the state's free search tool. The registry also has its own portal at massrods.com/dukes. Both offer name searches, book and page lookups, document number searches, and address-based searches. Viewing records online is free.

Online records for Dukes County go back to 1915 for recorded land and 1958 for Land Court records. If you need documents from before 1915, those are available in the book vault at the Edgartown office. You would need to visit in person or contact the registry to get copies of those older records. For most current transactions, the online portal covers what you need.

The name search is the primary and official way to look up records under Massachusetts law. Address-based searches help you find a property, but they should not be relied on as the only way to do a complete title search. The MassGIS Interactive Property Map also covers Dukes County and can help you find parcel data, owner names, and valuations for Martha's Vineyard properties.

Dukes County Land Bank

One thing that sets Dukes County apart from most other Massachusetts counties is the Martha's Vineyard Land Bank. Before certain property transactions can be recorded at the registry, the Land Bank requirements must be met. The Land Bank charges a 2% transfer fee on most real estate sales, which funds open space conservation on the island. This fee is in addition to the state excise tax and recording fees.

If you are buying or selling property on Martha's Vineyard, your closing attorney or title company will handle the Land Bank coordination. But it is good to know about it ahead of time. The fee applies to most residential and commercial sales. Some exemptions exist for certain types of transfers. The Land Bank has been active since 1986 and has preserved thousands of acres across the Vineyard.

Note: Land Bank clearance is typically required before the registry will accept a deed for recording.

Dukes County Property Recording Fees

Recording fees at the Dukes County Registry follow the statewide schedule. Deeds cost $155. Mortgages are $205. Discharges run $105. A Declaration of Homestead is $35 and protects your home from most creditors under M.G.L. Chapter 188. The state excise tax on deeds is $4.56 per $1,000 of the sale price. On a $2 million Martha's Vineyard home, that excise alone comes to $9,120.

Keep in mind the Land Bank transfer fee is separate from these state fees. Certified copies are $1.00 per page, same as every other Massachusetts registry.

Property Laws in Dukes County

All Dukes County property records fall under M.G.L. Chapter 183, which governs real property transfers in Massachusetts. Deeds must be properly executed and recorded to protect the buyer. Registered Land properties follow M.G.L. Chapter 185, where the Land Court issues a Certificate of Title and the state guarantees ownership. Public access to all recorded documents is protected by M.G.L. Chapter 66.

The island also has unique aspects when it comes to timeshare properties. Dukes County has specific expertise in timeshare documentation given the number of vacation properties on Martha's Vineyard. These records are handled at the same registry and follow the same state laws, but the documents themselves tend to be more complex than a standard home sale.

Dukes County Fraud Protection

The Consumer Notification Service is available through the Dukes County Registry. This free program emails you when a document is recorded against your property. Given how many Dukes County property owners live off-island for part of the year, this service is especially useful. You may not check your records for months at a time, and the alert system fills that gap. Sign up for free to cover up to three properties.

The Massachusetts Land Records portal provides free access to Dukes County property records alongside all other registry districts in the state.

Select Dukes County from the portal to search recorded land and Land Court documents for all seven island communities.

Towns in Dukes County

Dukes County has seven communities, all on Martha's Vineyard or the nearby Elizabeth Islands. None have populations over 100,000. Edgartown is the county seat and one of the larger towns. Oak Bluffs and Tisbury (Vineyard Haven) are the other main population centers. Chilmark, West Tisbury, and Aquinnah (formerly Gay Head) make up the rural "up-island" area. Gosnold covers the Elizabeth Islands, including Cuttyhunk and the privately owned Naushon Island. All seven communities file property records at the Edgartown registry.

Nearby Counties

Dukes County is an island county. The closest mainland county is Barnstable (Cape Cod), accessible by ferry. Nantucket County is the other Massachusetts island county.