Carroll County | Searching Records

Carroll County, NH

Lisa Scott, Register
Pamela C. Berlind, Deputy
95 Water Village Road (Rte 171)
Ossipee, NH 03864
Tel. 603-539-4872 | Fax 603-539-5239
Office Hours – Monday through Friday 8:00 am – 4:00 pm
E-Recording 8:00 am – 3:00 pm
In-Office Recording 8:00 am – 3:30 pm

General Inquiries:
deeds@carrollcountynhdeeds.gov

Carroll Registry Home

Searching Carroll County Records

Registry records are indexed by the name of the individual(s) to a transaction. You must have a name to begin the search. An approximate date of the transaction is useful in hastening the search, but is not absolutely necessary. If only the property location is known, you need to contact the town office where the property is located to determine ownership.

Carroll County adheres to the principle that if you are receiving something, you are listed as a grantee; and, if you are giving something, you are listed as a grantor.

If you are looking for a deed and know the party who purchased the property, you would search the grantee index in the time period that the transaction took place. If you know the party that sold the property, you would search the grantor index in the time period that the transaction took place. In order to find all related documents, it is recommended that you search the name(s) in both the grantor and the grantee indices.

If you are searching for liens against a property owner, you would search the grantor index, as a lien is a right to retain property for payment of some debt, obligation or duty, whether given voluntarily such as a mortgage, or involuntarily, such as an attachment. Likewise, if searching for a release or discharge, you would search the grantee index.

In order to find all related documents, it is recommended that you search the name(s) in both the grantor index and the grantee index.

Plans are indexed by owner’s name, subdivision or condominium name in the grantor index. An older alphabetical card file index and a town file card index is available for researchers in the Registry of Deeds office. Some plans can be found recorded in deed books; others are recorded with a Plan Book and Page designation.

Once the owners name has been located in the index, a reference will lead you to the location of the instruments, which you may view at the designated book and page.

We welcome you to visit the Registry of Deeds in person and/or online. The Registry staff can explain how the records are indexed, but cannot search the records for you, interpret documents or give you legal advice as to how to prepare documents. As official land record keepers, we strive to professionally serve, timely record, protect and provide access to our historical records.

Guidelines for the researcher:

Grantor and Grantee Indices – 1840 to present:
Seller/Transferor (Grantor) to Buyer/Transferee (Grantee)
Mortgage: Property Owner/Borrower (Grantor) to Bank/Lender (Grantee)
Discharge of Mortgage: Bank/Lender (Grantor) to Property Owner/Borrower (Grantee)
Property Owner (Grantor) tax sale to Town (Grantee)
Liens: Property Owner (Grantor) liens, Lien Holder/Plaintiff (Grantee)
Release of Liens: Lien Holder/Plaintiff (Grantor), Property Owner (Grantee)
Since 1965, everything is included in the general index

Searching and Indexing:

Parties on a document are indexed as they are found on the original recorded instrument. Be aware, that over the years, names were indexed differently. To find and view all documents relating to a name, search all possible word combinations in the Last name and First name fields, as well as phonetic spellings of the name.

Example: North Conway Water Precinct:

Last name: North Conway First name: Water Precinct
Last name: N Conway First name: Water Precinct
Last name: No Conway First name: Water Precinct
Last name: N First name: Conway Water Precinct
Last name: North Conway Water Precinct

A secondary Name Variation Search is available, which is a “contains” search. The contains search shows any occurrence of the last name and first name, in the order entered in the search field, wherever located in the database. When in doubt of how a name was indexed, it is recommended that you search the Name Variation Search.

Numbers: As of January 1, 2022, numbers are indexed as they appear on the document.

Prior to 2022, the land records management database did not recognize the use of numbers or punctuation. Prior to 2022, if a number is found on a recorded document, the number was be indexed as a word. Please check any combination of words, such as in these examples

Example 1: N888 MAIN STREET, LLC
Last name: N EIGHT HUNDRED EIGHTY EIGHT First name: MAIN STREET, LLC
Last name: NEIGHTEIGHTEIGHT First name: MAIN STREET, LLC
Last name: N EIGHT EIGHT EIGHT First name: MAIN STREET, LLC
Last name: N EIGHT EIGHTY EIGHT First name: MAIN STREET LLC

Example 2: 100 Main Street:
Last name: One Hundred First name: Main Street
Last name: One First name: Hundred Main Street
Last name: One Hundred Main Street

Trusts: Prior to January 2015, documents involving a trust were indexed under the name of the trust only. Beginning January 2015, the name of the trust and the name(s) of the Trustee(s) are indexed

Writs of Attachment: Writs are available for examination from 1914 to present. Prior to 1967, separate books were kept for recording of attachments and releases of these attachments. 1967 through 2006, writs were stored in file cabinets in number sequence. If released, the release document was attached to the original paper attachment. These documents are available for viewing in house or on the web under the Land Records 1840 – 1962 tab, in the Unindexed Doc’s tab. From 2007 to date, writs have been recorded in deed books

Federal Tax Liens: The liens are available for examination. Since 1967, liens are recorded in deed books.

Old Age Assistance Liens: OAA liens are available for examination from 1949, more recent liens are recorded in deed books.

Town Real Estate Tax Liens: Prior to 2006, tax information filed by Tax Collectors from the Towns in Carroll County is kept in designated Tax Books and includes detailed copies of Advertised Tax Sales, Collector’s Sales, Paid Prior to Sale reports and Redemptions. Since 2006 tax information can be found and viewed in deed books.

Daybooks: From 1866 are available for viewing at the Registry.