Massachusetts

Note: Massachusetts does not have county-level government. All public records are maintained at the town or city level. Use the links below to locate the appropriate office for your municipality.

Birth/Marriage Certificates & Other Vital Docs

Vital records in Massachusetts are maintained by the Registry of Vital Records and Statistics (RVRS), a division of the Department of Public Health. RVRS holds records from 1936 to the present. Certified copies of birth, death, and marriage certificates may also be obtained from the town or city clerk in the municipality where the event occurred.

ⓘ Fee required for certified copies. Records prior to 1936 are held by the Massachusetts State Archives; pre-1936 marriage records may also be available at the town where intentions were filed.

Deeds & Land Records

Land records in Massachusetts are maintained at one of 21 county Registry of Deeds districts. The Massachusetts Land Records website, operated by the Secretary of the Commonwealth, provides unified online access to recorded deeds, mortgages, plans, and other instruments from all 21 registries.

ⓘ Select your registry district from the map or dropdown on the home page. Full document images are available online for most registries. Registered land (Land Court certificates) is also searchable through the same portal.

Property Assessments

Property assessments in Massachusetts are set by each city or town's Board of Assessors. Most municipalities provide online access to property record cards, assessment values, and the annual tax list. Use the Secretary of the Commonwealth's City & Town directory to locate your municipality, then navigate to its Assessors' Department.

ⓘ Select your community from the alphabetical directory, then look for the Assessors' Office or Assessors' Department link. Some towns use shared platforms (such as Vision Government Solutions or Patriot Properties) for online property lookup.

Tax Records & Payment History

Property tax collection in Massachusetts is handled by each city or town's Tax Collector or Treasurer-Collector. Most municipalities provide online access to current tax bills and payment history, and many accept online payments. Use the Secretary of the Commonwealth's City & Town directory to locate your municipality, then navigate to its Tax Collector's office.

ⓘ Select your community from the alphabetical directory, then look for the Tax Collector or Treasurer-Collector link. Real estate taxes are billed quarterly. Online payment options vary by municipality.

GIS Maps & Parcel Boundaries

Due to the huge variation of GIS data sites, please visit the county's main website for any GIS or map/parcel lookup.

ⓘ GIS portals vary widely by county — most are accessible directly from the county's official homepage.