Burlington County, NJ Property Records: Search Deeds, Owners, Tax Records, and Maps

Burlington County is in southern New Jersey. From the rural landscapes of the state’s Pinelands, the county has 40 municipalities. Property records in this county cover about 234,000 individual land parcels across nearly 800 square miles of land. Burlington County maintains property records through the Burlington County Clerk, Board of Taxation, tax collectors, and tax assessors. These offices handle them and provide public access under the Open Public Records Act.

An average home in Burlington County goes pending in about 15 days. Strong commuter access to Philadelphia, housing construction, and employment growth are key economic drivers affecting the local housing market. In addition, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst supports local housing demand. The housing market is concentrated in Medford, Moorestown, Evesham, Mount Laurel, Lumberton, and Chesterfield. Most of these properties are single-family detached homes.

Recent housing records reveal the underlying factors influencing the local real estate market, with a median home value of $305,750 and a median rent of $1,458, alongside a median household income of $102,548, and a median real estate tax of 2.44, serving as a percentage of the property’s assessed value.

How to Look Up Burlington County Property Records

Several public portals allow individuals to search Burlington County Property records.

Who Keeps Burlington County Property Records

Several county and municipal agencies manage and provide access to property records under the Open Public Records Act (OPRA). Here is how these agencies share the responsibility for property records in Burlington County:

• The Burlington County Clerk’s Office is the public registry for land documents. It handles and provides access to documents affecting real property, such as deeds, mortgages, and other recorded instruments. The clerk also maintains an index of public land records that can be searched online and at the clerk's office. Pursuant to the New Jersey Recording Act, the office records all land documents in the county. However, the clerk does not provide legal advice affecting property matters.

• Municipal Tax Assessors: Each local tax assessor identifies taxable property and determines its assessed value. Burlington County provides a directory of the municipal assessors serving its 40 municipalities. Contact the local assessor in the municipality where the property is located.

• Municipal Tax Collectors: Each municipality has a tax collector responsible for billing and collecting property taxes. They issue quarterly tax bills, process payments, manage delinquent accounts, and conduct tax sales when property taxes remain unpaid under New Jersey law. Burlington County provides links to online tax-payment and taxpayer-information systems for its municipalities.

• The Burlington County Board of Taxation works with the municipal assessors and certifies the property records submitted by the local municipalities. The office records cover properties in all 40 municipalities and are based on assessments recorded as of October 1. The Board also hears property-tax assessment appeals under New Jersey law, and a taxpayer may appeal a Board decision to the New Jersey Tax Court.

How to Search Burlington County Property Records Online

You can conduct a complete search through designated official portals in Burlington County:

1. Start with the Assessment Records Search webpage. Through the portal, you can search for records using instrument number, document type, block and lot, or the owner's name. The search result will reveal information such as assessed value, property class, and other assessment details.
2. Next, use the Public Records Electronic Search System (PRESS) to review recorded documents. Individuals can access these documents using the current owner's name, instrument number, document type, or block and lot number. The available records may include deeds, mortgages, liens, easements, and other recorded instruments. Keep in mind that reviewing records under both the grantor’s name and the grantee’s name helps establish a complete chain of title.
3. You can confirm the current owner on the most recent deed by working backward through earlier deeds. This includes checking that the grantee’s name on one deed matches the grantor’s name on the previous deed. Any missing link in the chain of title is a red flag that may require additional title research.
4. Anyone can use the Public Records Electronic Search System to search for mortgages, assignments, liens, tax liens, judgments, or notices of lis pendens that could affect the property. Keep in mind that the Realty Transfer Fee information recorded with many deeds may estimate the property's most recent sale price.
5. In conclusion, you can contact the municipal tax collector to verify the property's current tax status. Because each municipality administers property taxes, the local tax collector can confirm outstanding balances and payment history. They can also determine whether unpaid taxes have resulted in a tax sale certificate.

County Clerk: Deeds, Mortgages, and Liens

The Burlington County Clerk serves as the official custodian of recorded land documents. The office maintains documents that affect ownership interests in real property. Available records include deeds, mortgages, liens, lis pendens, and easements. In Burlington County, mortgages are used to secure real estate loans rather than deeds of trust.

Historical records in Burlington County date back to 1730. However, the online search system has different search options based on the recording date. Records from 2012 onward can be searched by block and lot or property owner's name. Also, records from 1965 through February 2012 can be searched only by the owner's name. In addition, records before 1965 are available through the county's historical records portal and can be searched by the property owner's name.

Assessors and the Board of Taxation: Ownership, Values, and Parcel Data

The municipal tax assessors and the Burlington County Board of Taxation work together to maintain property assessment information. Each municipal assessor assesses taxable property within the municipality. The Board of Taxation receives and certifies the property records submitted by the municipal assessors for all 40 municipalities in the county.

Tax Collectors: Taxes, Bills, and Payments

In Burlington County, the municipality where the property is located bills and collects property taxes. Each municipality has its own tax collector, which collects property taxes and maintains local tax-payment information.

Property Tax in Burlington County: Values, Exemptions, and Appeals

In Burlington County, property tax bills are based on a property's assessed value, established on October 1 of every pre-tax year. A tax bill combines the municipal, county, special district rates, and school district rates that apply to the property. Although tax rates vary by municipality, Burlington County has no single countywide property tax. Across Burlington County, municipal general tax rates ranged from about 2.1% to 5.0% of assessed value, while effective tax rates ranged from about 1.6% to 3.2%.

Assessed Value and the Equalization Ratio

Each municipality assesses property within its jurisdiction, although municipalities may have different assessment schedules. The Board also publishes annual equalization tables that help compare assessed values with estimated market values among the county's municipalities.

Exemptions and Tax Relief Programs

New Jersey offers several state and local property tax relief programs for eligible homeowners and renters.

Appealing Your Assessment

If you believe your property's assessed value is incorrect, you may file an appeal with the Burlington County Board of Taxation. You can provide supporting evidence, which may include recent comparable sales, appraisals, photographs, and other information to strengthen your claim. If you disagree with the Board's decision, or if your property’s assessed value exceeds $1 million, you may appeal the matter to the New Jersey Tax Court.

GIS Maps and Parcel Viewer

Burlington County hosts its Geographic Information System (GIS) on the Esri webpage. The county's online map viewer is currently listed as offline. However, Burlington County provides tax maps and GIS data downloads for municipalities throughout the county. These mapping tools can help you view parcel boundaries and identify properties by location. If you need additional statewide mapping information, you can use the New Jersey Geographic Information Network (NJGIN).

Tax Sales and Foreclosure

In Burlington County, the foreclosure process follows either mortgage foreclosures or tax-sale certificate foreclosure.

Tax-Sale Certificates

If property taxes remain unpaid, the municipality may sell a tax-sale certificate to recover the delinquent taxes and other eligible charges. The certificate creates a lien against the property rather than giving the purchaser immediate ownership. Burlington County's County Clerk records tax-sale certificates as property liens. At a tax sale, bidders generally compete by offering the lowest interest rate they are willing to accept on the certificate. If the property owner later redeems the certificate, the certificate holder may receive interest and a redemption penalty of 2%, 4%, or 6%, depending on the original certificate amount.

After two years, a tax-sale certificate holder may begin foreclosure proceedings in the New Jersey Superior Court under the provisions of state law. If the foreclosure is completed successfully, the certificate holder may obtain ownership of the property. Municipal tax foreclosures may also result in a tax foreclosure deed transferring ownership to the certificate holder or municipality.

Mortgage Foreclosure

Mortgage foreclosures in Burlington County are handled through the New Jersey Superior Court. Due to changes in the state’s foreclosure laws, a former property owner may be entitled to any surplus equity remaining after a tax foreclosure. This helps the former owner to seek the property’s excess value after the amount owed has been satisfied.

Costs to Access Property Records

Anyone can record or obtain copies of Burlington County property records under state law. Nonetheless, you may be charged a nominal fee for certain documents:

How to Record a Document

If you want to record instruments in Burlington County, prepare and submit it according to the New Jersey recording requirements:

• Prepare the document: Ensure it complies with the state’s recording laws. The document should include the appropriate signatures, notarization, a legal description of the property, the block and lot information, and any required supporting documents. Keep in mind that an additional $20 fee may apply if the required cover sheet or electronic synopsis is not included.

• Calculate the recording fees: You should pay the applicable recording fee and any other charges required for the transaction. The current fee for recording a standard deed is $45 for the first page and $10 for each additional page. During transfers of ownership, the RTF-1 Affidavit of Consideration for Use by Seller must accompany the deed. If the transaction qualifies under state law, the buyer may also be responsible for the 1% Mansion Tax on purchases exceeding $1 million.

• Submit the document: Once the document is complete, submit it to the Burlington County Clerk's Office for recording. You can submit these documents in person or by mail to the clerk's office. You can also file these documents electronically through approved eRecording vendors such as Simplifile, CSC, and ePN. Once the document is accepted, the clerk records and indexes it in the county's land records system.

• Obtain the recorded document: After the document has been recorded, you can obtain a copy through the Burlington County Clerk's PRESS webpage or request a copy from the clerk's office. The availability and format of document images may depend on the document type and recording date.

FAQs

Quick Reference: Your Burlington County Property Records Checklist

Key Contacts and Official Portals