N.Y. Real Property Law Section 275
Certificate of discharge of mortgage required

1.

Whenever a mortgage upon real property is due and payable, and the full amount of principal and interest due on the mortgage is paid, a certificate of discharge of mortgage shall be given to the mortgagor or person designated by him or her, signed by the person or persons specified in § 321 (Recording discharge of mortgage)section three hundred twenty-one of this chapter. The person signing the certificate shall, within thirty days thereafter, arrange to have the certificate presented for recording to the recording officer of the county where the mortgage is recorded. Failure by a mortgagee to present a certificate of discharge for recording shall result in the mortgagee being liable to the mortgagor in the amount of five hundred dollars if he or she fails to present such certificate within thirty days, shall result in the mortgagee being liable to the mortgagor in the amount of one thousand dollars if he or she fails to present a certificate of discharge for recording within sixty days and shall result in the mortgagee being liable to the mortgagor in the amount of one thousand five hundred dollars if he or she fails to present a certificate of discharge for recording within ninety days. For the purposes of such liability under this subdivision, the term “mortgagee” shall not include a person, partnership, association, corporation or other entity which makes less than five mortgage loans in any calendar year. The provisions of this section shall not apply to any mortgage granted to or made by the state of New York, or any agency or instrumentality thereof or any political subdivision of the state or any agency or instrumentality thereof.

2.

For purposes of this section, the full amount of principal and interest due on a mortgage shall not be considered to be paid whenever such mortgage continues to secure a bona fide debt and an enforceable lien continues to exist, such as may occur in the following situations:

(a)

the commercial practice of lenders trading or selling mortgages on the secondary market;

(b)

the replacement of a construction loan with permanent financing;

(c)

the refinancing of an existing loan with a new lender, such as where the original lender assigns a note and the mortgage securing its payment to another lender in return for consideration and such mortgage is consolidated with another mortgage which secures any funds advanced by the new lender to the mortgagor;

(d)

the modification of the terms of a loan by a mortgagor and mortgagee in order to avoid foreclosure; and

(e)

a refinancing that occurs in conjunction with the sale of property such that the seller conveys property to the purchaser subject to the lien of the mortgage and the original lender assigns its note and mortgage on the property to the purchaser’s lender.

3.

Except with respect to the assignment of a mortgage in connection with a transaction described in paragraph (a) of subdivision two of this section, in order to record an assignment of a mortgage there must be set forth in the assignment document or attached thereto and recorded as part thereof a statement under oath signed by the mortgagor or any other party to the transaction having knowledge of the facts (provided such other party asserts such knowledge), that the assignee is not acting as a nominee of the mortgagor and that the mortgage continues to secure a bona fide obligation. With respect to the assignment of a mortgage in connection with a transaction described in paragraph (a) of subdivision two of this section, such assignment shall contain the following statement: “This assignment is not subject to the requirements of section two hundred seventy-five of the Real Property Law because it is an assignment within the secondary mortgage market.”

Source: Section 275 — Certificate of discharge of mortgage required, https://www.­nysenate.­gov/legislation/laws/RPP/275 (updated Sep. 22, 2014; accessed Apr. 13, 2024).

240
Definitions and use of terms 240–B
Certain conveyances authorized 240–C
Joint tenancy severance 241
Ancient conveyances abolished 242
Disclosure prior to the sale of real property 243
Grant of fee or freehold 244
When grant takes effect 245
Estate which passes by grant or devise 246
Certain deeds declared grants 247
Conveyance by tenant for life or years of greater estate than possessed 248
Effect of conveyance where property is leased 249
Covenants in mortgages 251
Covenants not implied 252
Lineal and collateral warranties abolished 253
Construction of covenants in grants of freehold interests 254
Construction of clauses and covenants in mortgages and bonds or notes 254–A
Right of election of mortgagee in certain cases 254–B
Limitation on late charges 254–C
Right to a copy of real property appraisals and consumer reports in certain cases 254–D
Fees by mortgagee for direct payment of real property taxes by mortgagor prohibited 255
Construction of grant of appurtenances and of all the rights and estate of grantor 256
Construction of grant in executor’s or trustee’s deed of appurtenances, and of the estate of testator and grantor 257
Covenants bind representatives of grantor and mortgagor and inure to the benefit of whom 258
Short forms of deeds and mortgages 259–C
Provision in lease of real property for waiver of trial by jury in actions for personal injury or property damage 260
Lands adversely held may be conveyed or mortgaged 261
Maintenance of telegraph or other electric wires raises no presumption of grant 265
Fraudulent intent, question of fact 265–A
Home equity theft prevention 265–B
Distressed property consulting contracts 266
Rights of purchaser or incumbrancer for valuable consideration protected 267
Conveyances with power to revoke, determine or alter 268
Disaffirmance of fraudulent act by executor and others 269
When remainderman may pay interest owed by life tenant 270
Powers of courts of equity not abridged 271
Construction of covenants in mortgages on leases of real property and bonds or notes 272
Construction of grant of appurtenances, and all of the rights and estate of the mortgagor 273
What form of mortgage on lease of real property 274
Transfers and mortgages of interest in decedents’ estates 274–A
Certificate of principal amount unpaid on mortgages of real property 275
Certificate of discharge of mortgage required 276
Effect of certain easements on the right to invest in mortgages 277
Modification and extension of mortgage investment 277–A
Powers of fiduciaries and others holding guaranteed mortgages or mortgage investments 278
Exchange of mortgage investment 278–A
Sale or exchange of certain real property or mortgage investments therein authorized 279
Graduated payment mortgage 280
Reverse mortgage loans for persons sixty years of age or older 280–A
Reverse mortgage loans for persons seventy years of age or older 280–B
Federal home equity conversion mortgage regulation 280–D
Federal home equity conversion mortgage default and foreclosure regulation 281
Credit line mortgage 282
Mortgagor’s right to recover attorneys’ fees in actions or proceedings arising out of foreclosures of residential property
Green check means up to date. Up to date

Accessed:
Apr. 13, 2024

Last modified:
Sep. 22, 2014

§ 275’s source at nysenate​.gov

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