Recording Deadline
While the specific deadlines vary from state to state, lenders will generally have to record the mortgage release within 30 to 90 days after the loan is paid off. Recording will take place at the office of the county clerk, register of deeds, or other government agency responsible for maintaining property records. Lenders should contact the office to determine the applicable filing deadline.
Note: If the mortgage has been sold by the lender, whichever entity owns the mortgage at the time of the final payment will be responsible for recording the release.
Formatting Requirements
Mortgage releases need to be formatted according to the guidelines set by the local land records office, including the page margins and document title. In some jurisdictions, a mortgage release may be referred to as a:
- Satisfaction of Mortgage
- Mortgage Lien Release
- Deed of Reconveyance
- Certificate of Satisfaction
Sample
Download: PDF, MS Word, OpenDocument
SATISFACTION OF MORTGAGE
I, the undersigned owner of a mortgage, and of the indebtedness secured by it, made by [MORTGAGEE’S NAME] to [MORTGAGOR’S NAME] for [AMOUNT (WRITTEN)] Dollars ($[AMOUNT (NUMBERS)]) on [MONTH AND DAY], [YEAR], and recorded in Book [BOOK NUMBER], Page [PAGE NUMBER] in the office of the [OFFICE NAME] in [COUNTY] County, [STATE], do acknowledge that the above-described indebtedness has been paid, and by this instrument do cancel the above-described mortgage.
Dated: [MONTH AND DAY], [YEAR]
Signature: _______________
Print Name: [MORTGAGE OWNER’S NAME]
STATE OF [STATE]
COUNTY OF [COUNTY]
I hereby certify that on this day, before me, an officer duly authorized in the aforesaid county and state to take acknowledgments, personally appeared [MORTGAGE OWNER’S NAME], to me known to be the person(s) described or who identified himself/herself/themselves to be the person(s) described by means of [TYPE OF IDENTIFICATION] and who executed the foregoing instrument and acknowledged before me that he/she/they executed the same for the purpose expressed.
Witness my hand and official seal in the county and state aforesaid this [DAY] day of [MONTH], [YEAR].
Signature: _______________
Print Name: [MORTGAGE OWNER’S NAME]
My Commission Expires: [DATE]