PUBLIC RECORDS

Common Issues When Requesting Documents

Be sure you are requesting from the correct location
This portal is for requests to the TOWN OF ESSEX. Note that the City of Essex Junction and the County of Essex, Vermont are not a part of the Town of Essex. 

Excess Funds Lists
The Town of Essex does not have have an "excess funds list", or monies collected when a property is sold at tax sale which are over and above the amount of property taxes/penalties and interest owed. Requests for excess funds lists will be denied.

Purchase Orders
The Town of Essex does not use a purchase order system and requests for purchase orders will be denied.

Title Searches
Town staff are unable to conduct title searches. We continuously work to expand our digital collection. As this project is is ongoing, some records may not be available through this online service. If you're unable to locate the records you're searching for, feel free to visit the Town Offices during standard business hours and our staff will be happy to assist you in accessing the files for a self-conducted search or you may consider arranging for an attorney to perform the search on your behalf.

Reasons we do not search for documents relating to title searches:

• Staff have a limited scope of responsibility. Town staff are required to maintain and provide access to records, but are not required to interpret or conduct comprehensive searches of records to determine property title status.
• Providing opinions on property title should be directed to qualified professionals like attorneys and title companies. A thorough search can be complex, requiring specialized knowledge of real estate requirements, lien periods, and the ability to navigate various records at different offices.
• For ethical considerations, providing title search services could create conflicts of interest or ethical concerns for the town or its staff. 

Zoning Compliance Certificates
When a Certificate of Occupancy is granted, there are no violations at that time. Previous zoning compliance certificates are not uploaded to the website since they are only valid for that point in time. You may request to receive past records or to request a Zoning Compliance Certificate that is current, please complete this form a minimum of 10 days before closing date. A fee is required.

Building Codes
The Town of Essex does not have building codes. Records may be found by contacting the Vermont Department of Public Service and Vermont Division of Safety.

Fire Department Documents
The Town of Essex does not conduct fire inspections. Contact the Vermont Division of Fire Safety and the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources for:

• Use/storage, release or spillage of hazardous materials (HAZMAT), or substances or petroleum products that have ever been located on a property;
• Site remediation records for a property;
• Any underground storage tanks (USTs) and aboveground storage tanks (ASTs) on a property;
• Soil investigations

Property Tax Bills
For a copy of your tax bill, please send an email to the Town Clerk's Office at clerk@essex.org and be sure to include your address or parcel ID. You may also stop by the Clerk's Office during normal business hours.

Property Tax Cards for commercial properties
Commercial property tax cards are not available online. You must submit a records request. All other property cards may be viewed online. 

What if there is a request for a record that does not already exist?
The Act does not require the creation of a public record that does not already exist. A municipality may choose to create a record upon request and may charge a fee for this service. Decisions to create documents are based on preserving the security of public records and to prevent the disruption of operations. Records are available for inspection in person for free. 

What if a request is made for a large volume of records?
To reduce the time spent responding to a request which may cost fees, please follow these suggestions:

• Narrow the scope of the request.
• Narrow the date range. 
• Be specific in the description of the records you are requesting. For example, instead of asking for "all documents related to the property at 81 Main Street last year", ask for "all electricity statements issued to 81 Main Street between October to December."
• Try to find the records using our website resource tools.