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Berkshire Middle District Registry of Deeds

Recording a deed in Berkshire Middle District, Massachusetts

Everything you need to get a deed on file in Berkshire Middle District. The office that records it, the formatting it checks, what it costs, and the three ways to submit.

Reviewed July 28, 2026
Create a deed for Berkshire Middle District
Recording office
Registry of Deeds
Witnesses
Notary only
Transfer tax
$4.56 per $1,000 of consideration
First-page margin
3″ top
Recording fee
$155 per document
E-recording
Approved submitters

Recording a deed in Berkshire Middle District

Deeds affecting property in Berkshire Middle District, Massachusetts are recorded with the Berkshire Middle District Registry of Deeds. Recording is what puts the world on notice of your ownership and fixes the priority date. An unrecorded deed can still transfer title between the parties, but it leaves you exposed to anyone who records first.

The recording rules the office applies come from Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 36, §§ 12 and 12A; ch. 183, §§ 6, 6A and 29. Deeds themselves are governed by Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 183, § 1.

Worth knowing

Berkshire County has three registry districts. Pittsfield, Becket, Dalton, Hinsdale, Lee, Lenox, Otis, Peru, Richmond, Stockbridge, Tyringham and Washington record at the Berkshire Middle District Registry in Pittsfield. North Adams, Adams, Cheshire, Clarksburg, Florida, Hancock, Lanesborough, New Ashford, Savoy, Williamstown and Windsor, north of them, record at the Berkshire North Registry in Adams. Alford, Egremont, Great Barrington, Monterey, Mount Washington, New Marlborough, Sandisfield, Sheffield and West Stockbridge, south of them, record at the Berkshire South Registry in Great Barrington (Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 36, § 1).

Worth knowing

The Berkshire Middle District Registry of Deeds is at 44 Bank Row, Pittsfield, MA 01201, (413) 443-7438.

What to bring

  • The original signed and notarized deed. Recorders do not record photocopies handed over the counter.
  • A completed notarial acknowledgment, with the date, the place where you signed, and the commission expiry all filled in.
  • Any transfer tax payment or exemption statement the office asks for.
  • Payment for the recording fee, $155 per document. Many offices do not take personal checks.

Formatting

  • Deedly's layout, which suits this office: 8.5 × 11 inch paper, a 3-inch clear space at the top of page one for the recording stamp, 1-inch margins on the other edges, and type no smaller than 10 point. Deedly formats every document this way automatically.
  • A legal description. A street address alone is not enough.
  • A 'when recorded, return to' block so the stamped original comes back to you.

How to file

  1. In personTake the original to the Berkshire Middle District Registry of Deeds in Pittsfield. This is the fastest route. You usually walk out with the recording information the same day.
  2. By mailSend the original with a check or money order for the fee and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Allow one to three weeks for the stamped original to come back.
  3. E-recordingE-recording in Massachusetts is limited to eligible submitters, such as attorneys, title insurance companies, banks and credit unions, government agencies and licensed surveyors, and a deed exempt from the deeds excise can be e-recorded only with the registry's approval (Massachusetts Deed Indexing Standards 20-2, 20-5). Homeowners record in person or by mail.

Confirm the address before you post anything

Offices move and hours change. Search for "Berkshire Middle District Massachusetts Berkshire Middle District Registry of Deeds" and use the official county website, not a directory listing, which is often years out of date.

Create a deed for Berkshire Middle District

Formatted to Massachusetts requirements, with Berkshire Middle District filing instructions included.

Common questions

With the Berkshire Middle District Registry of Deeds, located in Pittsfield. Deeds are always recorded in the county where the property sits, not where the owner lives.

$155 per document. Massachusetts also charges deeds excise tax at $4.56 per $1,000 of consideration ($2.28 per $500), or $6.48 per $1,000 in Barnstable County, where a county excise is added, though a deed for $100 or less, including a bona fide gift, owes none, and a family member who pays is taxed on the price. Confirm current fees with the office before you mail anything; they change.

E-recording in Massachusetts is limited to eligible submitters, such as attorneys, title insurance companies, banks and credit unions, government agencies and licensed surveyors, and a deed exempt from the deeds excise can be e-recorded only with the registry's approval (Massachusetts Deed Indexing Standards 20-2, 20-5). Homeowners record in person or by mail.

Keep reading

Deedly is not a law firm

Its software and documents are not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. We provide self-help software and state-specific deed forms; you make your own decisions about your property. Using Deedly does not create an attorney-client relationship, and nothing here is legal advice. If your situation is complex or contested, talk to a licensed attorney in your state.