To fix property record issues in Maryland, check your details in the SDAT Real Property Data Search and compare them with your deed or assessment notice. Contact your local SDAT office for incorrect assessment details, your county finance office for tax billing errors, or the Circuit Court Clerk’s Land Records office for deed issues. Provide supporting documents and follow the relevant correction or appeal process.
Steps to Fix Property Records
1. Find your property record
Open the SDAT Real Property Data Search and select your county. Search using your property address, street name, account identifier, or map reference. If you cannot find the property by address, try the account identifier on your assessment notice.
2. Identify the error
Compare the online record with your deed, assessment notice, or tax bill. Note the incorrect information and gather a document showing the correct details. Keep your property account number handy when contacting the responsible office.
3. Contact the correct office
| Property Record Issue | Where to Contact |
| Assessment details or property information | Contact your local SDAT assessment office. |
| Mailing address error | Use SDAT’s Address Change Request Form. |
| Property tax bill or payment error | Contact the county or municipal finance office responsible for your bill. |
| Recorded deed or ownership name error | Contact the Circuit Court Clerk’s Land Records office for the county where the property is located. |
4. Submit your request
Explain what is incorrect and provide the supporting documents requested by the office. Ask whether you need a specific form and how to submit it. Keep a copy of your request and any confirmation number for follow-up.
5. Check the updated record
After the office processes your request, search the relevant record again to confirm the correction. If you have not received an update, follow up with the office using your confirmation number. If the same error affects more than one record, check each one separately because correcting one record does not necessarily update the others.
Common Property Record Errors
Maryland property records can contain different types of errors, and each may require a different correction process.
- Owner name errors: The owner’s name is misspelled or does not match the recorded deed.
- Mailing address errors: Assessment notices or tax bills are sent to an outdated address.
- Property detail errors: The recorded property size, number of bathrooms, or other characteristics are incorrect.
- Deed errors: A recorded deed contains incorrect ownership details or a legal description that needs review.
- Tax billing errors: The tax bill shows an incorrect amount, payment, or billing information.
Identifying the type of error helps you contact the right office. An incorrect mailing address may require an SDAT address change request, while a deed error may need attention from the Land Records office. An incorrect assessed value requires a different process from correcting a factual error in the record.
Correct an Assessment Record
If your assessment record contains incorrect property details, contact your local SDAT assessment office and explain the error. Provide evidence supporting the correct information, such as your deed or assessment notice.
For a wrong mailing address, complete SDAT’s Address Change Request Form and send it to your local assessment office by mail, scanned email, or fax.
If the property is in Baltimore City, also contact the Property Location Department at 410-396-3800. You may need to contact the local finance office separately if the incorrect address also affects tax bills or other local notices.
If the problem is an incorrect assessed value rather than a factual error, follow the appeal process below.
Fix a Property Tax Record
If your tax bill shows an incorrect amount, payment, or billing detail, contact the county or municipal finance office that issued it. Have your tax bill, property account information, and payment records ready.
SDAT maintains property assessment information, but local governments handle property tax billing. Contact the office responsible for the bill and ask what evidence or correction request it needs. If the mailing address is also wrong, submit a separate address change request to SDAT.
Correct a Deed or Ownership Record
If a recorded deed contains incorrect information, contact the Department of Land Records in the Circuit Court Clerk’s Office for your county or Baltimore City.
You can view recorded deeds through MDLandRec. You must create an account with the Maryland State Archives to access deeds online.
If the recorded document contains a clerical indexing error, explain the issue to the Land Records office and ask how it can be corrected. If the deed itself has incorrect ownership or property details, a new deed or another legal document may be required.
SDAT cannot change the ownership name on an assessment account without a recorded deed. If you need to change or remove an owner’s name, consult a Maryland real estate attorney or title company before preparing a new deed. Land Records clerks cannot provide legal advice or prepare documents for you.
Appeal an Incorrect Assessment
If you believe your property’s assessed market value is incorrect, you can challenge it through SDAT’s assessment appeal process. This is different from correcting a factual error in the record.
- Assessment notice: File an appeal within 45 days of the notice date.
- Between reassessments: A Petition for Review may be available under SDAT’s filing rules.
- After purchasing a property: If the property is transferred between January 1 and June 30, you may be eligible to appeal within 60 days of the transfer.
Start with the official SDAT Assessment Appeal Process and follow the instructions for your situation.
Support your appeal with evidence that affects the property’s value. This may include incorrect details about the property’s size or features, errors in the assessment worksheet, or comparable property sales. SDAT does not charge a fee to file an assessment appeal.
Check the Updated Record
After the office processes your request, search the relevant record again to confirm the correction. If you have not received an update, follow up with the office using your confirmation number.
If the same error affects more than one record, such as the assessment notice and tax bill, check both. Correcting one record does not necessarily update the others.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I fix Maryland property records online?
You can search property information online through SDAT. Some requests require a form or contact with the relevant office. For mailing address changes, SDAT provides a form that can be submitted by mail, scanned email, or fax.
What if the wrong owner appears on my property record?
Compare the SDAT record with the recorded deed. If the deed shows the correct owner, contact SDAT about the assessment record. If the deed itself has incorrect ownership information, contact the Land Records office and consider getting legal advice.
How much does it cost to correct a property record?
The cost depends on the type of correction. SDAT assessment appeals are free, but deed recording and document services may involve fees. Confirm any charges with the responsible office.
How long does a correction take?
Processing times depend on the office and type of error. Ask the responsible office for an estimated timeframe and check whether it needs additional documents.
