Land Records Frequently Asked Questions - DOF

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Land Records - Frequently Asked Questions

General E-Tax Questions ACRIS Technical Issues
Creating a Cover Page Real Property Recording Fees

General

Questions about E-Tax

1. My E-Tax session has timed out. Was my information saved?

E-Tax sessions time out when left idle for more than 20 minutes, and tax information is saved only for the tax screens that are fully completed before a session times out. The data on the page that you were working on may not have been saved. To continue working on your tax transaction, you can retrieve it from the ACRIS main menu.

2. I can’t edit my tax forms; my tax form status is “In Use.”

“In Use” means that you may have already copied the information onto a cover page. In order to make changes on the tax form, you will need to release the data from the cover page. Follow the steps below to release the data from the cover page:

Click on the “Retrieve Cover Page” transaction, then click “Show Unrecorded Transactions.”(Transaction not submitted to the City Register)

Select the transaction to be corrected and click “Edit.”

On the new window, delete the information in the “Tax Transaction ID,” “Borough/County,” “Block,” and “Lot” fields. Then, click the Retrieve/Release Data button.

To make sure that the data was removed, click on the “Property or Parties” tab and make sure that the grids are now blank.

Go to the “Print” tab and click the “Next” button. When the “Cover Page” transaction screen appears, click the “Finish and Print Payment Cover Page” button.

Close the cover page and click on “Retrieve Tax Transaction.”

Finally, enter the “Tax Transaction ID” and click edit. You should now be able to edit your tax forms.

After you make your changes, print the new final versions of the tax forms and the revised cover page.

3. Can I use a future date of transfer when I create my tax forms?

Yes, you can enter a future date of transfer when you create your tax forms. However, your future date of transfer cannot be more than 45 days in the future.

4. Why is my tax form status “Incomplete”?

If you have not completed all required tabs and fields, your tax form status will be “Incomplete.” Follow the steps below to complete your form and resolve this issue.

Click the “Edit” button in the “Tax Transaction” screen to go back into the form.

Look at the checklist for any items that are not checked off.

Complete these tabs and return to the “Tax Transaction” screen.

The status should now change to “Not Printed.”

5. What if I prepaid my taxes?

If you have already prepaid both the RPTT and TP-584, you do not need to create new E-Tax forms.

When you create your cover page, select “Pre-paid at City Register” from the pull-down menu in the “RPTT Fees & Taxes” tab.

Enter the CRFN Reference No. and the amount paid.

Select either “Pre-paid at City Register” or “Pre-paid Elsewhere” from the pull-down menu in the “RETT Fees & Taxes” tab.

Enter the CRFN Reference No. and the amount paid if prepaid at the City Register, or enter the Reference No. from your receipt and the amount paid, if prepaid elsewhere.

If you have prepaid either the RPTT or the TP-584, you will need to create an E-Tax form for the tax form that was not prepaid.

When you create your cover page, enter your Tax Transaction ID and BBL, then click the “Retrieve/Release Data” button. The information from the E-Tax form will copy over.

If the other tax form that you pre-paid is the RPTT, select “Pre-Paid at City Register” from the pull-down menu in the “RPTT Fees & Taxes” tab and enter the CRFN Reference No. and the amount paid.

If the other tax form that you prepaid is for RETT, select either “Pre-Paid at City Register” or “Pre-Paid Elsewhere” from the pull-down menu in the “RETT Fees & Taxes” tab and enter the CRFN Reference No. and the amount paid if prepaid at the City Register, or the Reference No. from your receipt and the amount paid if prepaid elsewhere.

6. How can I get multiple grantees, grantors, or properties to show up on my tax form?

When you look through your tax forms, you should see a rider listing the additional entries that were not displayed on the main pages of the tax forms. These riders should be submitted along with your tax forms to the City Register.

Multiple Parties
Multiple Properties

RPTT
Additional grantors and grantees print on Schedule 3.
Additional properties will print on a rider.

RP-5217
While all grantor and grantee information is saved, only the first two grantors and grantees will print on the form.
Additional properties will print on a rider.

TP-584/RETT
Additional grantors and grantees print on a rider.
Additional properties will print on a rider.

7. Why don’t the Social Security number and Employee Identification Number display on my tax form?

The Social Security number and Employee Identification Number do not print on the draft copy; they only print on the final copy.

8. I have a condo property, but I can’t get “Find” in the Property Information screen to return the unit number.

Enter the address of the property with a unit number of “Residential” or “Commercial” and click the “Find BBL” button in the “Property Information” screen.

After the BBL is retrieved, you can edit the “Unit Number” field so that it indicates the correct property. You can then add the property to the grid.

If the property information is not retrieved with a unit number of “Residential,” contact the ACRIS Help Desk, as further research may be required.

RPTT/RETT

1. I need to complete a NYC HPD In Lieu of Registration Form. Where is this in E-Tax?

Currently, the NYC HPD “In Lieu of Registration” form is included in ACRIS E-Tax if it pertains to one of the following:

A commercial building

A one- or two-family dwelling whose owner or family member resides in the dwelling

A condominium unit in a multiple dwelling

Cooperative corporation shares relating to a single residential unit in a multiple dwelling.

Mineral, gas, water, air, or other similar rights not affecting a multiple dwelling

Lease of commercial space in a multiple dwelling

Vacant land

2. Why won’t my alpha schedules check off?

If your alpha schedules won’t check off, then you have not completed all of the supplemental schedules that are required based upon your “Condition of Transfer” selections.

If you believe that you are not required to complete the unchecked alpha schedule, review your selections in the “Condition and Transfer” screen. Go to the alpha schedule that will not check off and make sure that you did not enter any information, then click the “Clear” button at the bottom of the alpha schedule.

3. Why don’t the dates and the names of the grantor and grantee print out on page 5 of the RPTT?

This information is in the signature section of the RPTT and should be written in when the forms are signed and dated.

TP-584 (RETT)

4. How can I get to Part III of Schedule B of the TP-584?

First, check off the “Exemption Claimed” box in Parts I & II of Schedule B, (or select “Condition P” as condition of conveyance).

RP-5217

5. Why can’t I create an RP-5217?

In order to create RP-5217 forms, you must select “Yes” from the “Do you intend to record a deed related to this transfer” in the “Condition of Transfer” screen in the RPTT.

6. Why doesn’t the attorney information print out on the RP-5217?

The attorney information is in the signature section of the RP-5217 and should be written in when the forms are signed.

E-Tax Cover Page

1. How do I copy my tax information into Cover Page?

In order for the tax forms to have a “Completed” status, you must print out final copies of all your tax forms. Then, you can copy the tax information into Cover Page. To link the tax forms to your cover page, follow the steps below:

Click on “New Cover Page” and on the new screen, select the document class and type.

Click on “Document Page” and enter your Tax Transaction ID. (This number should be on the bottom right corner the tax forms.)

Enter the first BBL listed in your tax forms and click the “Retrieve/Release” button.

To make sure that the tax data has been copied into the cover page, click on the “Property, Parties,” and “Fees & Taxes” tabs. The tax information should be listed in the grids. Make sure that no one else is editing the same tax form.

2. Why can’t I delete my cover page?

Make sure that you have released all tax data from the cover page before you delete it.

In your cover page, delete the information in the “Tax Transaction ID” and “Borough, Block, and Lot” fields and click the “Retrieve/Release Data” button. This step should remove the tax form data from the cover page.

To make sure that the data was removed, click on the “Property or Parties” tab and make sure that the grids are now blank.

You should now be able to delete your cover page.

3. When I try to put my E-Tax information into Cover Page, I get “Tax numbers do not agree.”

Make sure that you are entering the Tax Transaction ID number generated in E-Tax and the BBL of the first property listed in your tax forms.

4. When I try to put my E-Tax information into Cover Page, I get “Tax Transaction is not complete.”

In order to pull tax information into a cover page, you must first complete and print a final copy of all of your tax forms. To print a final copy, all of your E-Tax forms should have a status of “Complete.” If any of your tax forms have a status of “Not Printed,” printing out a final copy of these forms will then allow you to enter your tax information into Cover Page.

5. Do I have to complete a tax form for an Agreement Cover Page? Why do I have Tax Transaction ID and BBL fields for an Agreement Cover Page?

The “Fees & Taxes” information is optional for agreements. Therefore, if you are not submitting a TP-584, RPTT, or RP-5217 with your agreement, you may ignore these fields. However, if you are submitting tax forms with your agreement, then you must create online tax forms in E-Tax before creating your cover page. Then you will be able to pull all of the tax information directly into your cover page.

ACRIS Technical Questions

1. What do I do if I am having software problems with ACRIS?

If the E-Tax software is freezing or you are getting error messages, check your Internet browser, then clear the temporary Internet files and cookies on your computer following the instructions below. Please note that you should have Internet Explorer 8 and up or Firefox 15 and up. (For completed forms to display correctly, please ensure that Firefox is configured to utilize Adobe Reader.) Chrome users should go to System Requirements on the ACRIS page and click where indicated.

Step 1: Check your Internet browser

To get the latest version of Microsoft Internet Explorer, visit www.microsoft.com. Make sure that session cookies and JavaScript are enabled, and pop-up blockers are disabled.

Step 2: Clear temporary Internet files and cookies

In the Internet window:

Go to “Tools” and select “Options”

Select “Delete Cookies,” click OK, then select “Delete Files”

Check off “Delete All Offline Content” and click OK

After you have deleted these files, click OK at the bottom of the “Internet Options” screen

Close out of all Internet windows, open a new browser, and try again.

If you do not have the “Tools” option in your Internet browser:

Go to the “Start” menu and elect “Settings”

Select “Control Panel,” then select “Internet Options” and do the following:

Select “Delete Cookies” and click OK

Select “Delete Files,” check “Delete All Offline Content,” and click OK

Select “Clear History” and click OK

After you have deleted these files, click OK at the bottom of the “Internet Options” screen

Close all Internet windows, open a new browser and try again.

Step 3: Update Adobe Reader Properties

Go to the “Start” menu at the bottom of the screen and select “Programs"

Select Adobe Acrobat Reader. You should have Adobe 6.0 or higher.

If you need to upgrade, you can get the latest version of the Adobe Reader at www.adobe.com. (This is a free software download).

Once you have opened Adobe Acrobat Reader, select “Edit” from the pulldown menu.

Select “Preferences” then select “Internet” from the side menu in the “Preferences” screen.

Ensure all 4 boxes are checked, then click OK in the “Preferences” screen.

Close out of the Adobe Reader, then close all open Internet windows. 7. Open a new browser and try again.

3.Why did I receive an error message saying “username is not unique enough”?

You can only enter an email address one time. If you try to enter it more than once, the “not unique enough” message pops up. The email address may have been previously used or is not a valid email address. Try checking your email account to see if a verification link was sent to you. If that does not work, try using “forgot my password” to reset your password.

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

If you have entered the wrong email or password more than three times, you will be locked out of the system. Wait 15 to 20 minutes for the system to unlock itself.

Locating and Printing a Document

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, for the Bronx and Manhattan, visit the City Register business office in the borough where the document was recorded or filed. Records for documents filed before 1966 in the boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens can be found at the Queens City Register location. 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 should I do if the document I retrieved is not the correct document?

Contact the ACRIS Help Desk by telephone at (212) 487-6300 or online using our customer service portal.

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

Go to www.nyc.gov/acris and click on “Begin Using ACRIS.”

Click “Search Property Records” or “Find Addresses and Parcels.”

Under “Search Property Records” you can search documents by party name, parcel identifier (BBL), document type, DOC ID/CRFN, transaction ID, or reel and page.

Alternatively, under “Find Addresses and Parcels,” use the borough, street number (building number), and street name, and click “Find BBL.”

On the “Search by Parcel Identifier” screen, enter the borough, block, and lot.

Select document class and click on “Search.”

Click on “IMG” to print an image of your document. 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 the document to be certified, check the small box under “Ending Page” and add it to the cart.

Fill in the “Name and Address” portion and click “Submit Order.”

4. How can I obtain a certified copy?

Certified copies can be mailed to you, or you can pick them up from any City Register office, depending on what you select. Certified copies of documents recorded prior to January 1, 1966, for properties located in the Bronx, Queens, or Manhattan 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 City Register’s Brooklyn office, where microfilm is housed.

5. What should I do if the BBL (or address) is not the BBL (or address) that is on my recorded document?

Contact the ACRIS Help Desk by telephone at (212) 487-6300 or online using our customer service portal.

Creating a Cover Page

Getting Started in ACRIS

1. What is a cover page?

A cover page summarizes the content of the document that follows it. There are different types of cover pages: 1. Recording and Endorsement Cover Page; 2. Continuation Cover Page (if the Recording and Endorsement Cover Page continues onto additional pages); 3. Supporting Documents Cover Page; 4. Tax Return Cover Pages; and 5. Payment Cover Page.

2. What information should I have before I create my cover page?

It depends on the document that you are trying to record. Transactions that require tax forms, you must start with creating the tax forms first in order to get the tax transaction ID number. Once you have the tax transaction number and the tax forms are complete, then you can create the cover page for those transactions. Documents that don’t require tax forms , you can start creating the cover page.

3. 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.

4. 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 in the first paragraph of the document. Document types are defined by the City Register.

Troubleshooting

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

Contact the ACRIS Help Desk by telephone at (212) 487-6300 or online using our customer service portal.

2. 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.

3. I didn’t print my transaction number and I’ve forgotten it. What should I do?

Click on the “Show Unrecorded Transaction” option. If the transaction has been purged, you will need to create new tax forms and cover pages. All work in progress will be lost. Incomplete cover page transactions are purged from the system every 30 days.

4. What should I do if I’ve forgotten my user ID and/or password?

If you forget your user ID and/or password, click “Forgot Password.” Answer security questions or have a link sent to your email address and follow the instructions to reset the user ID/password. Alternatively, you can create a new user ID and password. However, any work in progress will be lost.

5. Who is the “presenter”?

The “presenter” is the individual or business organization that is submitting the documents to the City Register.

6. 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.

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

Yes. ACRIS provides three ways to copy names and addresses.

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 “Party” 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 into ACRIS and begins a cover page session.

Names and addresses can also be copied by using a shortcut. You can create and maintain shortcuts by clicking the “Edit Account Profile” section on the “Cover Page” main menu. To use a shortcut, enter a slash (/) immediately followed by the short cut code in a “Name” field. The data associated with the short cut code will be copied to the screen. Shortcut codes can be used in the name and address fields of the “Document” and “Party” tabs.

Cover Pages and Fees

1. 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 pages. There is no additional charge for other cover pages (“Supporting Document” cover page, “Tax Return Form” cover pages, and “Payment” cover page). You can find a detailed description of City Register taxes and fees at www.nyc.gov/acris, under the “Fees and Requirements” tab. As part of the ACRIS process, recording fees are calculated and a “Total Fee” page will be generated at the end of the cover page session.

2. How do I calculate my fees and taxes?

Transfer taxes are calculated using ACRIS E-Tax based on the information you enter. Follow the step-by-step instructions on ACRIS main menu, under the “Calculate Taxes/Fees” tab.

3. 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 Documents” tabs. Select the exemption type being submitted using the “Fees & Taxes” tab. Check the appropriate affidavit being submitted and enter the page count of the affidavit.

Editing and Printing a Cover Page

1. 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.

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

Yes. The information is saved as you complete each portion of the cover page process by clicking the “Next” button to progress to the next tab.

3. How do I re-start a cover page and complete it?

Select “Retrieve Cover Page Transaction” from the transaction screen. Enter a transaction number and click the “Search” button to retrieve the data, or click the “Show Unrecorded Transaction” button at the bottom of the screen. Select the transaction number and proceed to edit, delete, add, or re-sequence the document.

4. How do I print my cover pages?

Cover pages can be printed at any time after they have been successfully completed and up until the document(s) have been physically received by the City Register and have completed the intake process. If you are using a City Register Public Access Terminal, all pages will be printed to a printer located in the Public Access area. You may pick up your printouts there. If you are printing elsewhere, the pages will be printed to your default printer. 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 electronically submitted.

5. Can I make changes to the cover page after it has been submitted?

No. You can only make changes to a cover page if the transaction has not been submitted for recording.

Submitting a Cover Page

1. What do I need to bring into the City Register’s Office if I submit my document(s) in person?

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

Document #1 and subsequent documents:

The “Recording and Endorsement” cover page (the most recent version if any corrections were made to the initial “Recording and Endorsement” cover page)

The document to be recorded

The Supporting Documents cover page, if any

The supporting documents

The Real Property Transfer Tax Return cover page, if any

Real Property Transfer Tax Return

The Real Estate Transfer Tax Return cover page, if any

Real Estate Transfer Tax Return

The Payment Cover Page:

If you did not make payment online, include the check or money order in the amount indicated on the Payment Cover Page

You must make all cash payments at one of the Department of Finance’s five business centers

2. What do I need to include if I submit my document(s) by mail?

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

3. 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 the City Register offices can be found at www.nyc.gov/finance.

4. How can I check on 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. Or, enter the document ID number in the transaction field, then click on the “Search” tab.

5. To whom do I make my check payable?

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

Real Property Recording Fees

1. What are the fees for real estate documents?

There is a standard fee of $32, plus $5 for the cover page, plus $5 per page. For example, a two-page document will cost $42: the $32 fee, plus $5 for the cover page, plus $5 for the additional page.

2. How much will I pay if the font size is less than eight points (ordinary newsprint)?

The standard fee in this scenario is $49, plus $10 per cover page, plus $5 for each additional page. For example, a two-page document will cost $64: the $49 standard fee, plus $10 for the cover page, plus $5 for the additional page.

3. How much will I pay for an additional block?

You will pay $2 for each additional block after the first one.

4. How much will I pay for an additional lot?

You will pay $3 for each additional lot after the first one.

5. What is the cost of an assignment of mortgage?

An assignment of mortgage is charged an additional $3 per mortgage recited in that assignment more than one.

6. What is the cost of a satisfaction of mortgage?

If the satisfaction involves a consolidated mortgage, the total recording charge, minus the $5 per page fee, must be multiplied by the number of mortgages in the consolidated mortgage; add the $5 per page fee to this total. (A spreader agreement is treated as a separate mortgage).

Example: If you are recording a two-page satisfaction, the recording fee, minus the $5 per page fee, is $32. If it represents a consolidation of two mortgages, the charge would be $64 + $10 for the two pages, for a total of $74.

7. What is the cost of a Mortgage Tax Affidavit?

The cost of the Mortgage Tax Affidavit is $8.