What is the filing fee?

The cost of filing the Declaration of Homestead is thirty five dollars ($35.00). Checks should be made payable to the Registry of Deeds in which it is filed. Please check with your Registry to see if a $1 postage fee applies to your filing. Each owner, whether or not they qualify for an elderly or disabled exemption, must sign and acknowledge the document under the penalties of perjury before a notary public. If the home is owned by two spouses, the declaration must be executed by both spouses. If the home is owned by one spouse independently, only that spouse needs to sign the declaration, however, they must declare their spouse and state the spouse’s name. If there is more than one owner, given that the tenancy may change, it may be advisable to file a separate declaration for each tenant. You may wish to consult an attorney if you have numerous owners.