Liens on New York City properties
In New York City, liens can come from a lender, the courts, the state, the IRS and the city itself.
Your Homeowner Research Document shows every one recorded or filed against your property, connected, dated and counted, with alerts when anything changes.
Questions? Call 516-499-1731.
Where New York City records these liens
- ACRIS, the city register. Mortgages, deeds and other recorded documents for Manhattan, the Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens are in ACRIS. Staten Island records go to the Richmond County Clerk.
- State tax warrants. Filed with the county clerk and the Department of State. A filed warrant creates a lien on the taxpayer's property.
- Federal tax liens. Filed in the county where the property sits.
- City penalty judgments. The Department of Finance collects unpaid OATH penalties, and eligible Department of Buildings judgments can become property tax liens.
New York City’s tax lien sale
The city can sell unpaid property taxes, water and sewer charges, and some other charges to an authorized buyer. That does not sell the property, but the Department of Finance says a lien sale can be a first step toward foreclosure.
A sold lien adds a 5% surcharge, interest and fees. A one-family home that owes only water and sewer charges cannot have a lien sold, though the Department of Environmental Protection can shut off water service to a seriously delinquent account.
Questions about the lien sale or a property tax payment plan: call 311.
Lien research for New York City homes
Homeowner Research Document
Research and data built around the liens on your property, from ACRIS, the Richmond County Clerk, the state, the IRS and the city:
- Every record, found and sourced. Each mortgage, judgment, tax warrant, federal tax lien and lien sale record on your property, with where it came from.
- Connected. Each lien matched to any release or satisfaction that answers it, and each mortgage to its assignments, so the history reads as one story.
- The numbers. Amounts and recording dates on each lien, and how often the same kinds of liens show up across similar New York City homes.
- Homes like yours. The public records of New York City homes with similar liens, set beside your own.
- Kept current. Alerts when a new lien or release is recorded for your property.
If you are facing foreclosure, it includes a full report on your foreclosure file.
The price is quoted for your document, based on the research it needs.
How to order your document
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You call with your property address
516-499-1731, Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
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We confirm the records and the price
We tell you which records your document will cover, and quote a price.
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We put it in writing
Nothing starts until you have our written agreement.
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You get your document
Yours to keep and share with anyone you choose.
Where this information comes from
- NYC Department of Finance: ACRIS
- NYC Department of Finance: Recording documents
- NYC Department of Finance: Property tax lien sale
- NYC Department of Finance: Property payment plans
- NYC Department of Environmental Protection: Overdue water and sewer charges
- New York State Tax Department: Tax warrants
- IRS: Understanding a federal tax lien
- NYC Department of Finance: Collections
Checked in September 2026.
Talk to a person.
Call 516-499-1731, Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Saturday appointments are available on request. If we are with another client, leave a message with your name, your phone number, and the county your property is in, and we will call you back.
Prime Real Estate Consultants
70 Sunrise Highway, Suite 500, Valley Stream, NY 11581
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| Monday to Friday | 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM |
|---|---|
| Saturday | By appointment only |
| Sunday | Closed |
Free help is also available.
You do not have to pay anyone for help with a foreclosure. HUD-approved housing counseling agencies give free counseling nationwide. Call 1-800-569-4287 or visit hud.gov. Many states and counties also run free foreclosure prevention programs. We want you to know about them, whether or not you ever hire us.
If you have a sale date or a court date coming up, call a licensed attorney today.
We are not a law firm.
Prime Real Estate Consultants is a property research and consulting business. We do not practice law or represent anyone, and nothing on this site is legal, tax or financial advice. Contacting us or buying a service does not create an attorney-client relationship.