The offices with similar duties (varying by
jurisdiction) include
registrar general, register of deeds, registrar of deeds, registrar of
titles. The office of such an official may be referred to as the deeds registry or deeds office. In the United States, the recorder of deeds is often an elected county office and is called the county recorder. In some U.S. states, the functions of a recorder of deeds are a responsibility of the
county clerk (or the county's
clerk of court), and the official may be called a clerk-recorder or recorder-clerk. The recorder of deeds provides a single location in which records of real property rights are recorded and may be researched by interested parties. The record of deeds often maintains documents regularly recorded by the recorder of deeds, including deeds,
mortgages,
mechanic's liens,
releases and
plats, among others. To allow full access to deeds recorded throughout the office history, several indexes may be maintained, which include
grantor–grantee indexes,
tract indexes, and
plat maps. Storage methods to record registry entries include paper,
microform, and computer. The principles of statutory, case, and
common law are given effect by the recorder of deeds, insofar as it relates to vested ownership in land and other real rights. Because
estate in land can be held in so many complex ways, a single deeds registry provides some clarity, even though it cannot "guarantee" those real property rights. The legal certainty provided by a title deed issued under the registration of the recorder of deeds is of great significance to all parties who hold, or wish to acquire rights in real property. Certainty of title is the basis for the investment of massive amounts of money in real estate development for residential, commercial, industrial and agricultural use each year. This is why the meticulous recording of registration information by the recorder of deeds is so important. Each document recorded against title to real estate can be examined and the portion of the
bundle of rights that it includes can be determined. These records can assist interested parties in researching the history of land and the
chain of title for any property and purpose. ==Philippines: Registry of Deeds==