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State guides / Maryland / Baltimore city

Baltimore city property data

Where Baltimore city's property records live, how its tax and foreclosure sales work, and what Deedplat puts on one map.

    Where the records are

    The county offices an investor deals with in Baltimore city, and what each one puts online.

    Deeds and mortgages

    Circuit Court for Baltimore City, Land Records and Licenses Division. Deeds are recorded at the Clarence M. Mitchell Jr. Courthouse and can be viewed free online through MDLandRec after creating a Maryland State Archives account.

    Owners and values

    Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT), Baltimore City office. SDAT's free Real Property Data Search shows owner, value and sale data by address, account number or map reference, but not by owner name.

    Tax sales

    Baltimore City Department of Finance, Tax Sale. Tax sale process, timeline, excess funds list and redemption file are posted online, and the sale itself is a public online auction.

    Foreclosure sales

    Circuit Court for Baltimore City, Civil Division. Foreclosure cases are filed and sales are ratified here; sale notices are published by the trustees in newspapers.

    Parcel maps

    Baltimore City CityView (Department of Planning). Free city GIS map of property, zoning, districts and city program boundaries, plus the CodeMap housing data viewer.

    How property is sold here

    Baltimore city follows Maryland's rules, with its own calendar and offices. Read the Maryland guide for how the state works.

    Tax sales

    Maryland sells tax sale certificates (liens), not the property; the buyer must later go to court to foreclose the owner's right of redemption. Baltimore City publishes the list in two newspapers in March, April 30 is the last day to pay, and the annual online auction is normally held the third week of May. Bidders can file to foreclose six months after the sale on non-owner-occupied homes and nine months after on owner-occupied homes, and leftover liens go into a sealed-bid Bulk Tax Sale each October.

    Foreclosure sales

    Maryland mortgage foreclosures go through the Circuit Court, but the sale is a public auction run by court-appointed substitute trustees, not the sheriff. In Baltimore City the trustees advertise the auction in newspapers, and the Circuit Court must ratify the sale before it is final.

    Assessed values

    SDAT reassesses Baltimore City property every three years in three groups, with increases phased in over three years; current groups were reassessed January 1, 2024, 2025 and 2026.

    Transfer tax

    Baltimore City charges a 1.5% city transfer tax plus the 0.5% state transfer tax, for 2% of the price, plus a recordation tax of $5 per $500 (1%).

    Land bank

    Baltimore City's Department of Housing and Community Development sells city-owned vacant houses and lots to developers, groups and buyers through its BuyIntoBmore map and application programs.

    Worth knowing

    Baltimore City is independent of Baltimore County and acts as its own county, so city offices and the Circuit Court for Baltimore City handle everything here.

    Worth knowing

    Transfer and recordation taxes together come to about 3% of the price in the city, so budget for them at closing.

    Worth knowing

    Deeds must clear the city's Property Transfer Office at the Abel Wolman Municipal Building, with a lien certificate, before they can be recorded.

    Every town in Baltimore city

    The cities, towns and townships inside the county line.

    • Baltimore city

    Questions

    Where are deeds recorded in Baltimore city?

    Deeds are recorded at the Land Records Division of the Circuit Court for Baltimore City, Clarence M. Mitchell Jr. Courthouse, 100 N. Calvert Street. They can be viewed free online through MDLandRec with a free account.

    When is the Baltimore city tax sale?

    Baltimore City holds its annual online tax sale, normally in the third week of May. The list is published in March and April 30 is the last day for owners to pay, with a sealed-bid Bulk Tax Sale for leftover liens each October.

    How do I find who owns a property in Baltimore city?

    Search the address or account number in SDAT's free Real Property Data Search and choose Baltimore City. SDAT does not allow searching by owner name.

    Are Baltimore city property records online?

    Yes. Deeds are on MDLandRec, assessments on SDAT's Real Property search, tax sale files on the city's tax sale site, and maps on CityView, all free.

    Sources for this guide

    Office hours, fees and sale dates change. We checked these sources in October 2026; confirm with the county before you act.

    Every parcel in Baltimore city, on one map

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