Homestead Act

The Homestead Act is designed to allow homeowners in Massachusetts to protect their primary residence against sebsequent attachment, levy or sale to satifsy debts up to $500,000. The Homestead Law does not protect against: taxes or mortgages used to purchase the residence. Homeowners must file for the Homestead Act with The Registry of Deeds office in the county in which the residence is located.

Massachusetts charges a one time Filing Fee of $35 for a Declaration of Homestead.

Click for:  Declaration of Homestead Form (pdf)

Registry of Deeds Links:

Registry of Deeds Offices: District/County: Located in: Barnstable Barnstable Northern Berkshire Adams Middle Berkshire Pittsfield Southern Berkshire Great Barrington Northern Bristol Taunton Southern Bristol New Bedford Fall River Bristol Fall River Dukes Edgartown Northern Essex Lawrence Southern Essex Salem Franklin Greenfield The Homestead Act Questions & Answers La Ley de Protección de Hogar Seguro Preguntas y Respuestas City/Town to Registry Guide

District/County: Located in: Hampden Springfield Hampshire Northampton Northern Middlesex Lowell Southern Middlesex Cambridge Nantucket Nantucket Norfolk Dedham Plymouth Plymouth Suffolk Boston Northern Worcester Fitchburg Worcester Worcester Massachusetts Deed Indexing Standards (PDF, 276 kb) Massachusetts Document Formatting Standards, Effective January 1, 2008 (PDF, 12 kb)