FAQ regarding the new version of MDLandRec.net (MDLR)

Prepared by the Maryland State Archives

5/14/2025

Since the announcement that the new version of MDLR will contain a paywall, the Archives has received many questions and concerns about the system. In responding to this feedback, we have created this Frequently Asked Questions Page to further communicate with our stakeholders (or users).

Please direct any questions to msa.helpdesk@maryland.gov.

What is MDLandRec.net (MDLR)?

The MDLandRec website provides online access to land record instruments and related indices recorded and verified by the Clerk of the Circuit Court in each of Maryland's 24 jurisdictions. Developed in 2004 by the Maryland State Archives in partnership with the Maryland Judiciary and County Clerks, MDLandRec.net offers a comprehensive digital repository of land records.

The system consists of two primary components: an electronic index and a collection of digital images. These digital images include both current land recordation instruments and historic land record indices, all maintained as part of the Archives' Electronic Archives. By integrating the searchable index with corresponding digital images, MDLandRec enables users to efficiently locate and view specific land records online.

Maryland is the only state that provides centralized access to land records across all of its counties.

What is the scope of information available on MDLR?

Currently there are over 269,835,165 images accessible on MDLR. The repository grows daily, adding an average of 446,510 per month last fiscal year and an annual average of 4,604,725 per year over the last 3 fiscal years.

How can the public access MDLR?

Access to MDLandRec requires an active user account. To create an account on MDLandRec.net, you need to go to the website, click on "Create Account," fill out the required information including your name, address, phone number, and email, and then click "Submit." You'll then receive a verification email to activate your account.

Why is a paywall being implemented?

When the platform was created in 2004, the Archives received funding sufficient to support the MDLR electronic platform. Over time, the funding has been decreased to one tenth of the original appropriation, which is insufficient to support the platform's maintenance, security, operations and general function.

The site's infrastructure requires ongoing maintenance and hardware replacement due to typical equipment lifecycles of three to five years. The site serves approximately 70,000 active users, and the repository's images and data occupy over 300 TB of storage, including backup systems. Thousands of images added monthly and daily staff intervention is required to ensure stability and functionality.

Protection against cybersecurity incidents is also a priority across the state's digital infrastructure. As cyber threats continue to evolve, regular system updates, coupled with professional training for staff and additional security monitoring, are necessary to ensure site security.

Don't taxpayers already pay for access when they file land record documents?

Recordation fees collected from the filing of land record legal documents—such as deeds, mortgages, liens, and leases— are deposited into the Circuit Court Real Property Records Improvement Fund (also known as the Land Records Improvement Fund), which is administered by the Judiciary. The Archives receives an annual allocation of $500,000 from this fund to support MDLR and the archival program that manages it. However, this funding is insufficient to fully cover the program's ongoing operational costs, which include personnel expenses and scheduled equipment replacements on a three- to five-year cycle. MDLR is not a static system—it is continually expanding, adding thousands of images each month and millions each year.The Archives has no role or authority to access, direct, or disperse the Land Records Improvement Fund.

Who authorized this new fee?

Maryland State Government Code permits the State Archivist to establish reasonable fees for the care and preservation of records and other services provided by the Archives.

The Archives consulted with the Department of Budget and Management upon the development of the new paywall plan.

Are there discounts available?

The Archives has created a discount subscription available to businesses that are registered in the state's Small Business Reserve Program that provides a 70% discount to certified small businesses and provides three tiered subscriptions that can be selected depending on usage.

What are the terms of the fee?

The new fees will grant access to view or download certain land records at $0.20 per page.

As the direct result of user feedback, Archives implemented a tiered subscription model providing a 70% per-page discount specifically for Maryland small businesses. Maryland small businesses may purchase a monthly tiered credit subscription. There are three options for the monthly subscription:

• 7,500 credits to view/download per monthly cycle for $500;
• 15,000 credits to view/download per monthly cycle for $1,000; and
• 22,500 credits to view/download per monthly cycle for $1,500;

The Archives implemented this new fee for remote access to online access to records that are less than 100 years old.

Records that are more than 100 years old will remain available to access online free of charge.

There is no charge to access any records in-person at the Archives Search Room in Annapolis and in the local county circuit court law libraries and clerk's offices.

Why are users being charged to view a document?

Viewing and downloading documents both impose draws on resources to make documents accessible; both require the same increase in work load to render the document and both equally impact the capacity of equipment.

When did the Archives provide public notice of the change in fees?

The Archives provided public testimony before the House Public Safety and Administration Subcommittee and the Senate Health and Government Operations Subcommittee in February 2025, speaking extensively to the implementation of the new fee.

Public notice regarding the change in fees was posted on the Maryland State Archives website and the MDLR website on March 21. The Archives will continue to collect feedback from users regarding the change in fee structure.

Do other states have similar fees?

A survey of neighboring states (Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Delaware) showed that Maryland is the only state in the Mid-Atlantic region that is providing online access to land records at no cost. All jurisdictions viewed have fees and user charges to support their operations. The individual user fees being imposed per page by the Maryland State Archives are below any of these neighboring states. Maryland is also the only state in the country where land records across all counties are centralized, therefore the amount of data that is remotely accessible in MDLR exceeds any other state's electronic platform.

Will this fee cause home purchase prices to go up?

MSA expects there would be a modest increase in the cost for land record searches which are a part of the home buying process. We have refrained from advising businesses or users on how to change their for-profit business models. All land records are accessible at no cost within the Archives Search Room, as well as at county courthouses and law libraries.

We recognize that title search services are being provided by international companies at a fraction of the cost charged by domestic and local companies, which impacts Maryland small businesses. We have prioritized those small business owners and all Marylanders by programmatically turning off access to the site to international users, and through daily monitoring of the site usage. This manual monitoring is in an attempt to detect and remove international users who have found ways to bypass these restrictions.

How can I plan for these new costs which will impact my budget?

Users may request a report of the number of pages they have viewed within the last four (4) months by contacting the Archives' Help Desk at msa.helpdesk@maryland.gov.

In practice, monthly costs vary significantly: some users pay as little as $50, while high-frequency users may incur costs of up to $1,500, depending on their individual usage patterns. We encourage users to contact our Help Desk and request a report.

What actions are being taken to improve the digital record repository?

The Archives is collaborating with Circuit Court Clerks to improve data accuracy and expand the availability of freely searchable information, aiming to reduce the number of views required during searches. By enhancing the digital record repository with accurate and standardized data, the Maryland State Archives (MSA) is committed to lowering overall user costs. These improvements are currently in progress and not yet available.

Examples of these improvements include:

• Adding key data fields such as Tax ID, property address, property description, and plat number to expand search capabilities on the website.
• Identifying and correcting misidentified documents currently available online.
• Using AI-based data extraction to expand digital indexing.
• Reviewing and correcting older volumes that contain skipped pages, which can affect proper pagination.

How will the Archives prioritize spending of fees collected through MDLR?

With the fees collected through MDLR, Archives will prioritize the following:

• Annual operating costs which include personnel working directly on MDLR, essential supplies, new and life cycle IT replacement equipment, updated software and software support renewals, bandwidth growth, computer workstations, backup replacements, replacement internet backbone switch, network security monitoring, upgraded VPN and annual fixed charges including physical plant operations and DOIT Enterprise costs all of which are consistently required by the MDLR platform and our overall online archives. These costs have been deferred in the past due to lack of funding, and result in system disruption and failure over the long term. They can no longer be delayed.
• The cost of using AI technology to mass extract data from the scans done of index books on mdlandrec.net. This will allow MSA to expand the available date range of the digital indexing to at least the mid-1930's.
• The cost of utilizing AI to extract information from the land records to create transcribed versions that users could preview before downloading. This would assist users in previewing a document to confirm that it is something they need before committing to the download and payment.
• Establishment of a sustainable funding source for the non-partisan, independent work of the Archives, and reducing the reliance on general funds.

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Additional Information about the new MDLandRec.net Website:

• Enhancements
• New Release Facts