In 2025, the Registry Division of the Bergen County Clerk processed 87,707 documents: deeds, mortgages, e-recordings and other land records1. Recorded papers go into a public index you can search from home. This guide covers that index, a filing that New Jersey closings use, and what to do if a paper on your home isn't yours.
What does the Bergen County Clerk record about your home?
The Clerk records the papers that change who owns your home or who holds a loan on it. Once recorded, each paper is open to the public4.
John S. Hogan is the Bergen County Clerk, elected by voters to a five-year term. The Clerk, the Sheriff and the Surrogate are the county's three elected constitutional offices1.
The office records for all 70 towns, from Allendale to Wyckoff6. Some of its records are more than 300 years old1.
- Deed
- The signed paper that passes ownership of a home to someone else. Clerks record deeds, but the law does not ask them to check whether a deed is genuine11.
- Mortgage
- A loan agreement recorded against a home. When the loan is paid off, a discharge of the mortgage is recorded too3.
- Notice of settlement
- A New Jersey filing recorded before a closing. It names the people in the deal and holds the buyer's or lender's place in line for 60 days12.
- Block and lot
- The tax map numbers for your parcel in your town. The Clerk's search and its fraud alert both use them6,7.
Why is there no Bergen County recorder of deeds?
In most New Jersey counties, the County Clerk is the recording office, so a search for the "Bergen County recorder of deeds" should end at the Clerk's office in Hackensack. Only Hudson and Essex counties have a separate Register of Deeds and Mortgages11.
The same goes for the "Bergen County assessor." There is no county assessor: each town has its own, and the county Board of Taxation lists them and runs a property record search15. Your town handles values and tax bills, and the Clerk keeps the deed.
What is a notice of settlement on a New Jersey home?
A notice of settlement is a short paper recorded before a New Jersey closing. It names the seller or borrower, the buyer or lender, and the property, and it stays in effect for 60 days12.
Section 46:26A-11 of New Jersey's recording law lets a party to the deal, someone acting for them, or a licensed title agent record one. Its job is to hold the new owner's or lender's place in line.
A lien or claim that arises while the notice is in effect falls behind the new deed or mortgage. That holds as long as the deed or mortgage is recorded while the notice is still in effect12.
In Bergen, a notice of settlement costs $20 to record, or $40 when it covers both a contract and a mortgage commitment3.
- Before closingA party, someone acting for them or a title agent records the notice with the Clerk.
- Closing dayThe deed and any new mortgage are signed.
- Within 60 daysThe deed and mortgage are recorded and keep the place the notice held.
- Day 60The notice ends, unless it was discharged sooner or extended once for 60 more days12.
A notice you did not expect is worth a call. If one names you as the seller or borrower and you have no deal in the works, someone may be planning a closing on your home. Call a real estate lawyer and the Prosecutor's Office.
In 2026, New Jersey's State Commission of Investigation suggested using this filing to warn owners early11. That is an idea for lawmakers, not a rule today.
How do you run a Bergen County deed search online?
Use the Clerk's public search, which holds deeds and mortgages recorded from January 1, 1970 to today. You don't need an account to search by name, by town and block and lot, by book and page, or by instrument number5,6.
- Open the Clerk's Land Records Public Search. The advanced search runs in Edge, or in Chrome or Firefox with a small ClickOnce add-on. Other browsers should use the basic search5.
- Type the name last name first, with no comma. The page's own example is "Smith Al"6.
- Narrow the list with the Town menu, a date range, or a document type such as DEEDS, MORTGAGES or SETTLEMENTS6.
- Repeat with every spelling of the name. The Clerk's disclaimer tells you to try "all possible spelling variations"5.
- Open a result to see the document details and image.
Look for the verified date above the search tabs. On October 25, 2026, it read "Verified as of 09/09/2026" and "Search results include verified documents only"6. So a deed recorded in the past few weeks may not show up yet.
Older papers are in Room 150. The online document types also include grantor and grantee index groups that start in 17146. Staff there can't run a search for you by law, but they will help you look4.
Copies cost 7 cents a page4. A certified copy is "$10 first page + $2 for each page of the document"3.
What will the Clerk's free Property Alert email tell you?
The Property Alert Service emails you after a document with your name, or your town, block and lot, is recorded. It is free and works for any land in the county, occupied or vacant. Any number of people can watch the same property8.
To sign up on the Property Alert Service page7:
- Register a username and password.
- Confirm your account with the link in the email you get.
- Add your town, block and lot. The Tax Parcel Viewer on the Board of Taxation's site shows them.
- Add your name in every form it could take, such as "Smith John," "Smith John A" and "Smith John Allen."
Grown children can register a parent's home too, and the Clerk's FAQ suggests it for "elderly loved ones"8. Nineteen of New Jersey's 21 counties run a similar alert11. For other states, see our map of free county fraud alerts.
- No warning ahead of time. Each document is verified first, which "typically takes 5 to 7 business days." The email comes after that8.
- No power to say no. If a paper meets the recording rules, "New Jersey law requires the Clerk's Office to record the document"8.
- No alert without a lot or a name. A satisfaction of lien that cites only a book and page, for example, slips past8.
What happened in the 2026 Bergenfield forged deed case?
In January 2026, the Bergen County Prosecutor charged two people over an allegedly forged deed that moved a Bergenfield property out of the name of an owner who had died. Both are charged, not convicted10.
The lesson for Bergen families is about estates. If you handle a late parent's home, register its block and lot with the Property Alert Service, then check the Clerk's index for new deeds until the estate is settled. Our deed theft explainer covers how these schemes work everywhere.
How rare is deed fraud in Bergen County?
It is rare, but Bergen is one of the New Jersey counties where it shows up most. FBI data in the state's 2026 report counted about 135 reported incidents in all of New Jersey from 2020 through early March 2026. The report says they cluster in "Sussex, Bergen, Cape May, and Ocean Counties"11.
The report's town list of those FBI reports includes Saddle River, Franklin Lakes and Hasbrouck Heights (twice each), plus Paramus, Fair Lawn, River Edge and Ridgewood11. The FBI told investigators the true count is likely higher, since many cases go unreported11.
New Jersey is among the top three states for FBI-reported deed fraud
Reported deed fraud and related real estate fraud incidents, 2020 to early March 2026
Show the numbers
| Florida | 203 |
|---|---|
| New Jersey | about 135 |
| California | 121 |
Source: New Jersey State Commission of Investigation, Deed Fraud and Related Schemes, September 2026, citing FBI data. The report gives New Jersey's count as "approximately 135."
For scale, those are reports from a whole state over six years. In 2025 alone, Bergen's Registry Division processed 87,707 documents1.
What can New Jersey law do about a forged deed on record?
New Jersey law makes the Clerk record a paper that meets the rules, and a recorded deed counts as notice to later buyers and lenders. So a forged deed has to be undone in court, and that can take years11,12.
- Two business days. The Clerk must record and index a proper document "not later than two business days after its receipt"12.
- Notice to later buyers. From the moment it is recorded, a document is notice "to all subsequent purchasers, mortgagees and judgment creditors"12.
- Quiet title. To clear a fake deed, an owner can file a quiet title action, a court case that settles who owns the land11.
Next door in Jersey City, one quiet title case over an allegedly fraudulent deed ran from August 2020 to May 202611. Our guide to quiet title actions walks through the steps.
Found a fake deed on your home? Start with the first moves after a fraudulent deed is filed.
Two bills are moving, but neither is law. On October 5, 2026, the Assembly Housing Committee advanced A2072 and A528913,14.
A2072 would require an affidavit of title with each deed and a $2 fee per deed, and the county recording office would notify the person transferring the property. A5289 "establishes certain protections against deed theft."
Which Bergen County office answers which question?
Start with Land Records for search and alert questions, and call the Prosecutor's Office if you think a paper on your home is fake. The Clerk's office is at One Bergen County Plaza in Hackensack2.
| Office | Call about | Phone | Where and when |
|---|---|---|---|
| County Clerk | General questions | (201) 336-7000 | Room 122 |
| Registry counter | Recording a deed, fees | (201) 336-7007 | Room 110, weekdays 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. |
| Land Records | Searches, copies, Property Alert | (201) 336-7036 | Room 150, weekdays until 4:30 p.m. |
| Prosecutor's Office | Suspected deed fraud | (201) 646-2300 | Two Bergen County Plaza, Hackensack |
| NJ Attorney General | Suspected deed fraud | (609) 292-4925 | Statewide |
| Board of Taxation | Values, assessors, tax records | (201) 336-6300 | Two Bergen County Plaza, 1st floor |
| Legal Services of New Jersey | Free legal help, if you qualify | 1-888-576-5529 | Statewide hotline |
Clerk's Office staff are "not permitted to provide recording information over the phone," so bring filing questions to the counter16. Your town's police take fraud reports too; in Bergenfield, the borough's police brought in the Prosecutor10.
Visitor parking is off Hudson Street, between One Bergen County Plaza and the courthouse. The office is closed November 3, November 11, November 26 and 27, and December 25, 20262.
Phone numbers, fees, hours and links on this page were checked on October 25, 20262,9,17,18.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the Bergen County Clerk?
John S. Hogan is the Bergen County Clerk, elected by voters to a five-year term. His office is at One Bergen County Plaza in Hackensack, and the main number is (201) 336-7000.
How can I access property records in Bergen County, NJ?
Search deeds and mortgages recorded since 1970 on the Clerk's public search, with no account needed. For older papers, visit Land Records in Room 150 or call (201) 336-7036. For values and tax records, use the Board of Taxation's property record search or ask your town's tax assessor.
Are deeds public record in NJ?
Yes. Recorded deeds are public, and the Bergen County Clerk's land records are open for anyone to view. You can copy them in Room 150 for 7 cents a page or look them up online.
How can I get a copy of my house deed in NJ?
Ask the recording office in the county where the home is: the County Clerk, or the Register of Deeds and Mortgages in Hudson or Essex. In Bergen, find the deed in the public search, or order a certified copy at "$10 first page + $2 for each page of the document."
How can I get a property fraud alert in Bergen County, NJ?
Sign up for the Clerk's free Property Alert Service online. Register, confirm your email, then add your town, block and lot and each version of your name.
What does the Bergen County Clerk charge to record a deed?
A deed costs $45 for the first page and $10 for each added page, including a $10 tax abstract fee. A mortgage costs $35 for the first page and $10 for each added page. Realty transfer fees must be paid by attorney trust account, certified or bank check.
Sources
- Bergen County Clerk's Office home page (2025 office figures and the Clerk's role), Bergen County Clerk, checked October 25, 2026
- Contact (rooms, phones, hours, parking and 2026 closings), Bergen County Clerk, checked October 25, 2026
- Document Directory and Recording Fees, Bergen County Clerk, checked October 25, 2026
- Land Records Management Division, Bergen County Clerk, checked October 25, 2026
- Land Records Public Search, Office of the Bergen County Clerk, checked October 25, 2026
- Bergen County Clerk's Office Public Search (search form, town list and "Verified as of" date), viewed October 25, 2026
- Property Alert Service (sign-up steps), Bergen County Clerk, checked October 25, 2026
- Property Alert Service FAQ, Bergen County Clerk, checked October 25, 2026
- Property Alert Service contact page (numbers for reporting suspected fraud), Bergen County Clerk, checked October 25, 2026
- Two charged in connection with deed fraud investigation, Bergen County Prosecutor's Office, January 22, 2026
- Deed Fraud and Related Schemes, New Jersey State Commission of Investigation, September 2026
- P.L.2011, c.217 (N.J.S.A. 46:26A, including 46:26A-6, 46:26A-11 and 46:26A-12), New Jersey Legislature, approved January 17, 2012
- A2072, "Enhances protections against fraudulent deed recordings", New Jersey Legislature, status checked October 25, 2026
- A5289, "Establishes certain protections against deed theft", New Jersey Legislature, status checked October 25, 2026
- About Board of Taxation, County of Bergen, checked October 25, 2026
- Payment Requirements, Bergen County Clerk, checked October 25, 2026
- Contact (Prosecutor's Office and County Clerk numbers), County of Bergen, checked October 25, 2026
- Legal Services of New Jersey (statewide legal assistance hotline), checked October 25, 2026
- N.Y. man stole N.J. property from a dead person and took out over $300K in loans against it, cops say, Matthew Enuco, NJ.com, January 22, 2026