Search Union County Deed Records
Union County deed records are filed and stored at the County Clerk's Office in Elizabeth, New Jersey. The clerk records all land transactions for the 21 municipalities in Union County. You can search deed records online by name, book and page, or instrument number. The main office and a satellite location in Westfield both serve the public. This guide covers how to find, search, and obtain deed records in Union County.
Union County Quick Facts
Union County Clerk's Office
The Union County Clerk's Office is led by Joanne Rajoppi and handles all deed and land record filings in the county. The main office sits at 2 Broad Street in Elizabeth, NJ 07207. The recording office is open Monday through Friday from 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM. You can reach them at 908-527-4966 for recording questions or 908-527-4787 for general matters.
Union County also runs a satellite office at 300 North Avenue East in Westfield, NJ 07090. This location has varied hours, including Saturday from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM. The Westfield office phone number is 908-654-9859. Both sites let you look up and request copies of deed records filed in Union County.
New Jersey statute N.J.S.A. Title 46 governs how deeds and mortgages are recorded. Each document filed at the Union County Clerk's Office is indexed by grantor name, grantee name, book, and page. This system lets you trace the full chain of title for any parcel in the county.
| Main Office |
Union County Clerk's Office 2 Broad Street Elizabeth, NJ 07207 Phone: 908-527-4787 |
|---|---|
| Recording | Mon-Fri 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM | Phone: 908-527-4966 |
| Satellite |
300 North Avenue East Westfield, NJ 07090 Phone: 908-654-9859 |
| Website | ucnj.org/county-clerk |
Search Union County Deed Records Online
You can search Union County property records online by name, book and page, instrument number, or date range. The tool covers all 21 municipalities in the county. Results show the document type, filing date, and party names. This makes it simple to find deed records from your home or office without a trip to Elizabeth.
Certified copies of deed records cost $8 for the first page and $2 for each page after that. You can order copies online or in person at the clerk's office. The online search is a good first step for any property lookup in Union County. It helps you confirm a document exists before you request a certified copy.
Note: Online results are for reference and may not replace a full title search done at the clerk's office.
Union County Property Fraud Alerts
Union County offers a free property fraud alert service for land owners. When you sign up, you get a notice by phone or email any time a document is filed against your name. This helps you catch deed fraud early. Deed fraud happens when someone files a false deed to take ownership of a property they do not own. It is a growing problem in many parts of New Jersey.
You can subscribe to property fraud alerts at www.propertyfraudalert.com/NJUnion or call 1-800-728-3858. The service is free and open to anyone who owns land in Union County. It does not stop a filing from going through, but it gives you a fast alert so you can act. The clerk's office urges all property owners in Union County to sign up for this tool.
Historical Deed Records in Union County
Union County was carved out of Essex County in 1857. The New Jersey State Archives holds early Union County land records on microfilm. Their collection includes Register of Deeds records from 1857 to 1875 and deed indexes from 1857 to 1909, stored across 61 reels. The archives also hold Coroner's Inquests from 1857 to 1914, which may tie to property matters in some cases.
These early records show how land changed hands in Union County during its first decades. Each deed lists the buyer, seller, date, price, and a legal description of the parcel. Researchers and genealogists use these records to trace property lines and family land holdings back to the mid-1800s. The State Archives in Trenton is open to the public for this type of research.
Union County Deed Record Details
A deed record filed in Union County holds key facts about a property sale or transfer. The document names the seller and buyer, gives a legal description of the land, and states the sale price. It also shows the date of the transaction and the notary who witnessed the signing.
Types of deed records filed in Union County include:
- Warranty deeds for full property transfers
- Quitclaim deeds to release a claim on land
- Mortgage deeds and assignments
- Liens, judgments, and releases
- Lis pendens filings
All of these documents are public under the New Jersey Open Public Records Act, N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1. Any person can ask to view deed records at the Union County Clerk's Office. You do not need to be a party to the deed or own the land in question. This open access makes deed records a useful tool for buyers, sellers, title firms, and attorneys across Union County.
Deed Records for Elizabeth and Other Cities
Elizabeth is the county seat and the largest city in Union County. You can search Elizabeth property records through the same online tools that cover the rest of the county. All deed records for Elizabeth, Union Township, Plainfield, and every other town in Union County are filed at the clerk's office in Elizabeth.
The median home value in Union County sits at $406,550, and the county tax rate is 2.29%. These figures vary by town. Property tax records tie back to deed records because a sale often triggers a new assessment. Local tax assessors in each of the 21 municipalities can provide current and past values for any parcel.
Recording Deeds in Union County
When you buy or sell property in Union County, the deed must be filed with the clerk's office. New Jersey law under N.J.S.A. 46:16 requires that all deeds be recorded in the county where the land sits. Recording your deed protects your ownership rights and puts the transfer on the public record.
The recording office at 2 Broad Street in Elizabeth accepts filings Monday through Friday from 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM. Each document must meet state format rules for margins, font size, and notarization. Staff will check the deed, stamp it with a book and page number, and add it to the index. Once filed, the deed becomes part of the permanent record in Union County.
Note: The recording office closes at 4:00 PM sharp, so plan to arrive well before that time.
Cities in Union County
All 21 municipalities in Union County file deed records at the County Clerk's Office in Elizabeth. Property transfers in any town in the county are recorded at this one office.
Other towns in Union County include Westfield, Cranford, Summit, Rahway, Linden, and Scotch Plains. All of these record deed transfers at the Union County Clerk's Office in Elizabeth.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Union County. If you are not sure which county holds the deed records for a property, check the land's address. Each county records deeds only for property within its own borders.