acris-faq-processing-errors

Department of Finance


Property Tax BillsBenefitsAssessmentsTax Maps


Frequently asked questions and common cover page processing errors

General frequently asked questions

1. Why can’t I find any documents recorded or filed prior to January 1, 1966?

Documents filed before January 1, 1966, are not available online. To search and review documents filed prior to January 1, 1966, visit the Land Records Research Library, located in the Queens City Register location. The addresses for the City Register Offices can be found on the contact page on the Department of Finance website at www.nyc.gov/finance.

2. What do I do if the document I retrieved is not the correct document?

Contact the ACRIS Help Desk via telephone at (212) 487-6300 or via email at acrishelp@finance.nyc.gov.

3. What does “user name is not unique enough” mean?

You can only enter an email address one time. If you try to enter the same email address more than once, the “not unique enough” message pops up. The email address may have been previously used or may not be a valid email address. Check your email for a verification link. If that does not work, try using the “forgot my password” option to reset your password.

4. I am locked out of the system. What do I do?

You have entered the wrong email or password more than three times. Please wait 20 minutes for the system to unlock itself.

5. How can I print a copy of my recorded document?

Go to www.NYC.gov/ACRIS.

Click on “Begin using ACRIS.”

Click on” “Search Property Records” to search for documents by party name, parcel identifier (BBL), document type, document ID or City Register file number, transaction number, reel and page, or UCC/federal lien file number. You can also click on “Find Addresses and Parcels” to search by property address or borough-block-lot number.

For Example, on Search by Parcel Identifier screen, enter the Borough, Block, and Lot.

Select Document Class.

Click Search.

Click on “IMG” for the document you would like to print. Make sure you view the image then add it to the cart. Use the Print Document icon on the top right side of the screen to print a copy.

If you would like it certified, check off the small box under ending page and add to cart.

Fill out the Name and Address portion and click Submit Order.

6. How can I obtain a certified copy?

Certified copies can be mailed to you, or you can pick it up from any of the Office of City Register.

Certified copies of documents for properties located in the Bronx, Queens, or Manhattan and recorded prior to January 1, 1966, may be obtained in the borough where the document was recorded. Certified copies of documents recorded prior to January 1, 1966, for properties located in Brooklyn may be obtained at the Queens location. However, if you know the reel and page number for Brooklyn documents, you can retrieve a certified copy from the Brooklyn office where the microfilm is housed.

7. What do I do if the BBL or address is not the BBL or address that is on my recorded document?

Contact the ACRIS Help Desk via telephone at (212) 487-6300 or via email at acrishelp@finance.nyc.gov.

Creating cover pages frequently asked questions

8. What is a cover page?

A cover page summarizes the content of the document that follows it. There are different types of cover pages. There is a recording and endorsement cover page, a continuation cover page (if the recording and endorsement cover page continues onto additional pages), supporting documents cover page, tax return cover pages, and a payment cover page.

9. What information should I have on hand before I create my cover page?

A cover page summarizes the content of the document that follows it. There are different types of cover pages. There is a recording and endorsement cover page, a continuation cover page (if the recording and endorsement cover page continues onto additional pages), supporting documents cover page, tax return cover pages, and a payment cover page.

10. Where do I start?

Start by clicking on New Cover Page from the ACRIS main menu, and then select your document class and type from the drop-down list.

11. How do I determine the correct document type?

Determine the document type from the original document. It is usually in the form of a title at the top of the first or second page of the document, or the first paragraph of the document. Document types are defined by the City Register.

12. The cover page application is asking me for information that I do not have on my document. What do I do?

Contact the ACRIS Help Desk via telephone at (212) 487 6300 or via email at acrishelp@finance.nyc.gov.

13. What’s the difference between a document ID and a transaction number?

A document ID represents a single document to be recorded (such as a mortgage, deed, or power of attorney). A transaction may consist of one or more documents that share a transaction number. For example, a deed and a mortgage might be submitted together in a single transaction. Each document in a transaction requires a cover page. The fees and taxes are calculated individually for each document within the transaction; however, charges are combined into one total payment for the transaction.

14. I forgot my transaction number. What do I do?

Click on the “show unrecorded transaction” Option. If the transaction was purged, users will need to create new tax forms and cover pages. However, all work in progress will be lost. Incomplete cover page transactions are purged from the system every 30 days.

15. What do I do if I forgot my user ID or password?

If you forgot your password, type in your user ID and click “forgot password.” Answer the security questions, or have a link sent to your email address and follow the instructions to reset your user ID and password.

If you forgot your user ID, a new user ID and password can be created. If you choose to do this, any work in progress will be lost.

16. Who is the Presenter?

The Presenter is the individual or business organization that is submitting the documents to the City Register.

17. Who or what is the Return To entity?

The Return To entity is the individual or business organization to which the City Register will return the recorded document.

18. Can I copy names and addresses from one cover page to the next?

You can copy names and addresses from one cover page to the next. ACRIS provides three ways to copy names and addresses, including:

Within a transaction, names and addresses can be copied from a prior document to the current document by using the copy buttons on the Document and Parties tabs.

The Presenter name and address will automatically be copied from the customer account profile of a registered user. The name and address will be retrieved immediately after the user logs in to ACRIS and begins a cover page session.

Names and addresses can also be copied via a shortcut. Users can create and maintain shortcuts by clicking the Edit account profile section on the cover page main menu. To use a shortcut, the user enters a slash (/) immediately followed by the short cut code in a Name field. The data associated with the short cut code is copied to the screen. Shortcut codes can be used in the name and address fields of the Document and Parties tabs.

19. Are cover pages included in the page count in calculating fees?

There is a separate $5 fee for submitting the recording and endorsement and continuation cover page(s). There is no additional charge for other cover pages (supporting document cover page, tax return form cover page, and payment cover page) a detailed description of City Register taxes and fees can be found on the ACRIS home page under the Fees and Requirements tab. As part of the ACRIS process, recording fees are calculated and a total fee page generated at the end of the cover page session.

20. How do I calculate my fees and taxes?

Transfer taxes are calculated using ACRIS E-Tax based on what you enter. Follow the step-by-step instructions on the ACRIS main menu, under the calculate Fees & Taxes tab.

21. How do I complete a cover page with a tax exemption affidavit?

Enter a tax exemption affidavit for a document by completing the Fees & Taxes and Supporting Docs tabs. Select the exemption type being submitted using the Fees & Taxes tab. Check off the appropriate affidavit being submitted and enter the page count of the affidavit.

22. How do I save my work?

The correct way to save your work is to complete all required entries on a cover page tab, such as the Document tab, and click on the Next button. This should display a checkmark in front of the completed tab on the checklist on the left side of the screen. The checkmark indicates all required entries for that tab have been made. You can return to the tab any time before the transaction is finished and change your entries.

23. Can I stop in the middle of creating a cover page?

As you complete each portion of the cover page process by clicking the Next button to progress to the next tab, the information is saved. It can be retrieved later by signing in to the system and retrieving the transaction. Once the transaction is retrieved, select the Document ID and continue working.

24. How do I re-start a cover page to complete it?

The transaction screen is displayed when you select “Retrieve Cover Page Transaction.” You must enter a transaction number and click the Search button to retrieve the data. If you do not have a transaction number, you can click on “Show Unrecorded Transaction” at the bottom of the screen. Click on the transaction number and proceed to edit, delete, add, or re-sequence the document.

25. How do I print my cover pages?

If you are at a City Register public access terminal, all pages will be printed to a printer located in the public access area. In this case, must go to the printer to pick up the printouts. If you are printing elsewhere, the pages will be printed to your default printer. Cover pages can be printed at any time after they have been successfully completed and up until the documents have been physically received by the City Register and completed the intake process. You can also print cover pages that have been rejected by the City Register. This process is for walk-in submissions only. Cover pages cannot be printed for documents that were submitted electronically.

26. Can I make changes to my cover page after it has been submitted?

You can only make changes to a cover page if the transaction has not been submitted for recording.

27. What do I need to bring into the City Register’s office if I submit my documents in person?

You will need to bring in a complete transaction which should be assembled as follows:

Document #1:

The most recent version of your recording and endorsement cover page

The document to be recorded

The supporting documents cover page, if any

The supporting documents

Real property transfer tax return cover page, if any

Real property transfer tax return

Real estate transfer tax return cover page, if any

Real estate transfer tax return

Document #2:

The recording and endorsement cover page

The payment cover page:

If the payment was not made online, the check or money order in the amount indicated on the payment cover page

Make all cash payments at one of our five business centers

28. What do I need to include if I submit my documents by mail?

The contents for submitting a package are the same whether mailed or delivered in person. However, cash cannot be accepted via mail.

29. Where do I mail or bring my documents and cover pages?

The documents can be submitted to any of the City Register’s locations. The address of City Register offices can be found on the Department of Finance website.

30. How can I check the status of a submitted document?

You can check the status of a document by selecting Retrieve Cover Page Transaction. Click on Show Unrecorded Transactions. The status of each document will be displayed in the status field. You can also enter the document ID number in the transaction field, then click Search.

31. To whom do I make my check payable?

Checks for recording fees, filing fees, mortgage tax, NYC real property transfer tax, and NYS real estate transfer tax should be made payable to “NYC Department of Finance.” The City Register reserves the right to require payment by certified check.

Common cover page processing errors

Document Tab

Error
Description / Impact of Error

Wrong Property Type
The document type determines the requirements for recording. If the document type is incorrect, the document will be returned to the customer for correction. Contact rejecteddocuments@finance.nyc.gov

Property Tab

Wrong Property Type
If the wrong property type is selected, ACRIS may not be able to find the Borough, Block, and Lot (BBL). For example, if the property is classified as an apartment building but the user selects “multiple condominium unit,” the BBL will not be located.

Number of Properties (or BBLs)

The incorrect number of properties listed on the NYC Real Property Transfer Tax or NYS RealEstate Transfer Tax forms or on Cover Page will cause the total fees due to be incorrect.

Parties Tab

Omitted a sub-tab: Two parties entered on the Party 1 (or Party 2) tab instead of one party on each tab
There are three sub-tabs on the Parties Tab, one for Party 1, one for Party 2, and one for life estate. If all required fields of the Parties Tab have not been successfully completed, the Cover Page transaction cannot be completed.

Supporting Documents Tab

Omitted page count for required supporting document
Required supporting documents are automatically checked off; however, the user must enter the number of pages of each supporting document. If the page count of the supporting documents tab has not been entered, the Cover Page cannot be completed.

Print Tab

Closed Adobe print window without clicking print icon
The Adobe print window will open when the user clicks Print Cover Pages or Print Both. However, the user must click the print icon on the Adobe print window in order to complete the printing process. After printing, click Close the Window to continue.

Transaction Screen

Did not print Payment Cover Page
The Payment Cover Page is required in order for payment to be accepted. If the Payment Cover Page is not printed, customers will be asked to print a copy before payment is accepted. However, this does not apply to e-payment.

Transaction Screen

Why are my filing fees for my NYC Real Property Transfer Tax form higher than expected?
Your filing fees are higher because two or more NYC Real Property Transfer Tax forms were created and attached to the Payment Cover Page. The additional forms will need to be deleted.