What is ACRIS and how does it affect NYC land records indexing?

ACRIS (Automated City Register Information System) is the New York City Department of Finance's online land records system covering Manhattan (New York County), the Bronx, Brooklyn (Kings County), and Queens. It provides online access to recorded documents and index data, and is the e-recording and document submission portal for those four boroughs. For backfile or indexing projects involving NYC properties, the ACRIS data structure and field requirements apply — these differ from upstate County Clerk systems. Staten Island (Richmond County) uses a separate County Clerk system and is not part of ACRIS.

What is the RP-5217 form and why is it important for indexing?

The RP-5217 (Real Property Transfer Report) is a form required by the New York State Office of Real Property Tax Services to be filed with every deed recording. It captures transfer details including the names of grantor and grantee, sale price, property classification, and tax parcel identifier. The RP-5217 is filed alongside the deed and contains structured data that can supplement or cross-check index fields extracted from the deed itself. For backfile projects, companion documents like the RP-5217 may or may not be included in the document scope — confirm this upfront.

What transfer taxes apply to New York real property and how do they affect deed indexing?

New York imposes a state Real Estate Transfer Tax of $2 per $500 of consideration (0.4%) under Tax Law § 1402. NYC imposes an additional Real Property Transfer Tax (RPTT) ranging from $2 to $3.25 per $500 depending on the transaction type and value. Residential sales of $1 million or more are subject to the 'Mansion Tax' of 1% under Tax Law § 1402-a. The transfer tax amount and any exemption code are indexable fields on deed instruments. Tax payment is evidenced by stamps or endorsements on recorded documents.

What grants are available for New York county clerk digitization projects?

The primary source is the Local Government Records Management Improvement Fund (LGRMIF), administered by the New York State Archives (archives.nysed.gov). LGRMIF provides grants specifically for local government records management, digitization, and access improvement — county clerks are eligible. Additional sources include NHPRC grants through the New York State Archives Historical Records program and IMLS/LSTA funds through the New York State Library. LGRMIF is the most direct and county-specific funding pathway in New York.

Public Records Indexing in New York: A Guide for County Clerks

Q: Who manages land records in New York — county recorders or another office?

New York land records are managed by County Clerks (not County Recorders) for all 62 counties outside New York City. In New York City, the Department of Finance's City Register office manages land records for Manhattan, the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Queens through the ACRIS system (acris.nyc.gov). Staten Island (Richmond County) uses the Richmond County Clerk. County Clerks in New York are multi-function offices handling both court records and real property recording.

Quick Reference

Item	Detail
Recording Office	County Clerk — 62 counties; NYC uses City Register (ACRIS) for 4 boroughs
Key Recording Statute	N.Y. Real Prop. Law § 290 et seq. (race-notice recording)
Open Records Law	NY FOIL — Public Officers Law § 84 et seq.
Required Companion Doc	RP-5217 (Real Property Transfer Report) — required with every deed
NYS Transfer Tax	$2 per $500 of consideration (0.4%) — Tax Law § 1402
Mansion Tax	1% on residential sales ≥ $1M — Tax Law § 1402-a
NYC System	ACRIS — acris.nyc.gov — Manhattan, Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens
Primary Grant Program	LGRMIF — Local Government Records Management Improvement Fund (NY State Archives)

Who manages land records in New York

New York land records are managed by County Clerks across 62 counties. Unlike most states where recording is a county executive function, New York's County Clerk is a multi-function office that handles court records, passports, and real property recording simultaneously. There is no statewide unified land records portal for New York outside of NYC.

New York City operates a separate system entirely. The Department of Finance's City Register manages land records for Manhattan, the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Queens through ACRIS. Staten Island (Richmond County) uses the Richmond County Clerk, not ACRIS. This means that a single city has five distinct land records systems across its five boroughs.

Governing statutes

Statute	Subject	Indexing implication
N.Y. Real Prop. Law § 290 et seq.	Recording Act — race-notice state; first to record with notice wins	Recording timestamp is legally significant for priority; grantor/grantee index accuracy is material to title
Tax Law § 1402	NYS Real Estate Transfer Tax — $2 per $500 of consideration	Transfer tax amount and exemption code are indexable fields on deed instruments
Tax Law § 1402-a	Mansion Tax — 1% additional tax on residential sales at or above $1 million	Mansion Tax payment indicates high-value residential transaction; consideration field validation
RPTL § 333	RP-5217 requirement — Real Property Transfer Report must accompany every deed	RP-5217 is a structured companion document with grantor/grantee, sale price, and parcel data
Public Officers Law § 84 (FOIL)	Freedom of Information Law — public records available upon request	Land records are public records; indexed records support timely FOIL responses

New York City vs. upstate — two distinct systems

Jurisdiction	Recording office	System	Notes
Manhattan (NY County)	City Register	ACRIS	acris.nyc.gov; e-recording through ACRIS
Bronx (Bronx County)	City Register	ACRIS	Same ACRIS system as Manhattan
Brooklyn (Kings County)	City Register	ACRIS	Same ACRIS system
Queens (Queens County)	City Register	ACRIS	Same ACRIS system
Staten Island (Richmond County)	County Clerk	Separate county system	NOT part of ACRIS; separate from other NYC boroughs
58 upstate counties	County Clerk	County-specific systems	No unified portal; systems and access vary significantly

Common instrument types

Instrument	Key index fields	Complexity
Bargain and Sale Deed	Grantor, grantee, consideration, transfer tax, RP-5217 reference, legal description	Low — most common NY deed type
Full Covenant and Warranty Deed	Same as Bargain and Sale + full warranty covenants	Low-Medium
Quitclaim Deed	Grantor, grantee, interest conveyed, nominal consideration	Low
Mortgage	Mortgagor, mortgagee, property description, loan amount, maturity date	Medium — NY uses mortgages (not DOTs); standard 2-party
Satisfaction of Mortgage	Original mortgagor/mortgagee, original recording reference, satisfaction date	Low
Assignment of Mortgage	Assignor, assignee, original mortgage reference, assignment date	Medium — cross-reference to original mortgage is key

Digitization resources for New York county clerk offices

Resource	Type	Notes
LGRMIF (Local Government Records Management Improvement Fund)	State grant (NY State Archives)	Primary funding source for county clerk digitization; archives.nysed.gov — applications annual
NY State Archives Historical Records Program	NHPRC state coordinator	Administers NHPRC sub-grants for NY; technical assistance; archives.nysed.gov
IMLS / LSTA (NY State Library)	Federal grant	Administered through NY State Library; digitization projects eligible
New York State Archives	State archives	Cultural Education Center, Albany NY 12230 \| archives.nysed.gov — LGRMIF administration; technical assistance

Practical backfile considerations for New York

Consideration	Detail
ACRIS vs. county systems	NYC's 4 ACRIS boroughs use a distinct data schema and submission format from upstate county clerk systems. Backfile or indexing projects spanning NYC and upstate counties require separate workflows for each jurisdiction type.
RP-5217 as companion document	The RP-5217 contains structured data (sale price, parcel ID, property class) that can supplement deed index fields. Confirm whether companion docs are in scope for backfile projects — if included, the RP-5217 should be linked to its corresponding deed record in the index.
Race-notice recording	New York is a race-notice state — recording order and timestamp are legally significant for priority. Index accuracy on grantor/grantee names and recording dates directly affects title chain reliability.
NY uses mortgages (not DOTs)	Unlike Virginia and North Carolina, New York uses traditional two-party mortgages. Instrument type classification must correctly identify mortgages (not Deeds of Trust) — important for models trained on DOT-state documents.
LGRMIF application timing	LGRMIF applications are submitted annually through the NY State Archives. Offices planning digitization projects should build grant application timelines into project planning — LGRMIF is often the primary or sole funding source for upstate county clerk backfile work.

Disclaimer: This page is for informational and educational purposes only. Statute citations are provided as reference points; statutes may be amended. This is not legal advice. Consult your county legal counsel or state records management agency for guidance specific to your jurisdiction.

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