ROD 26, Certification of Satisfaction, is a District of Columbia form on which a noteholder certifies, under penalties of perjury, that the note secured by a recorded Mortgage/Deed of Trust has been fully paid and that the lien is released. It is published by the DC Office of Tax and Revenue (OTR) and carries the address of the Recorder of Deeds. On FillingPDF you can fill out the form online and download or print the completed PDF; the original PDF is published by OTR at the link on this page, and the form is notarized and returned as its own lines direct.
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What is ROD 26?
ROD 26, Certification of Satisfaction, is the District of Columbia form in which a noteholder certifies and acknowledges, under penalties of perjury, that the Promissory Note or other evidence of indebtedness secured by a Mortgage/Deed of Trust has been fully paid, and that the lien of that Mortgage/Deed of Trust is released.
The form identifies the security instrument it releases. It asks for the borrower(s), the mortgagee/trustee(s), the date of the Mortgage/Deed of Trust in mm/dd/yyyy format, and its recording details among the Land Records of the District of Columbia: Liber, Instrument No., Folio, Square, Suffix and Lot. It also states that the noteholder was the holder of the note at the time of satisfaction.
The printed text then provides an "In Witness Whereof" clause with a date, signature lines for the noteholder/trustee(s)/substitute trustee(s), a "Return to:" block, and a notary section ("Subscribed and sworn to before me") with the notary's commission expiration.
The header carries the Government of the District of Columbia, Office of Tax and Revenue, and the Recorder of Deeds address and phone number. ROD 26 is a land-records document that releases a lien; it does not report or pay tax.
Who needs to file ROD 26?
The person who completes ROD 26 is the noteholder, or someone representing the noteholder, such as a trustee or substitute trustee. The form opens with the name(s) and title(s) of the person representing the noteholder, then names the noteholder itself, and it provides signature lines for the noteholder/trustee(s)/substitute trustee(s).
Use the form when the Promissory Note or other evidence of indebtedness secured by a Mortgage/Deed of Trust recorded among the Land Records of the District of Columbia has been fully paid and the lien should be released. The form certifies that the noteholder held the note at the time of satisfaction, so it should be completed by the party that held it then.
Borrowers appear on the form only as the makers of the Mortgage/Deed of Trust being released. The form does not call for a borrower's signature. A notary public must complete the "Subscribed and sworn" section printed at the bottom of the form.
Do not use ROD 26 if the note has not been fully paid: the certification states full payment as its basis.
When to file ROD 26
Complete ROD 26 after the note secured by the Mortgage/Deed of Trust has been fully paid, because the form certifies full payment and the release of the lien. The form prints no due date, filing window or expiration period, and it is not tied to a tax year. Because the signature must be sworn before a notary public, plan the signing and notarization together, and have the borrower names, the mm/dd/yyyy date of the Mortgage/Deed of Trust and the recording references at hand before you begin.
How to fill out ROD 26
Enter the representative's name and title
After "THAT" at the top, write the name(s) and title(s) of the person representing the noteholder. On the next line, write the name of the noteholder.
Identify the borrower(s)
In the line for the Mortgage/Deed of Trust "made by," enter the borrower(s) who made it.
Name the mortgagee or trustee and the date
Enter the mortgagee/trustee(s) the instrument was made to, and the date of the Mortgage/Deed of Trust in mm/dd/yyyy format.
Enter the recording information
Fill in the Liber and/or Instrument No., then the Folio, Square, Suffix and Lot, so the instrument recorded among the Land Records of the District of Columbia is identified.
Repeat the noteholder in the certification
In the statement that the note has been fully paid, enter the noteholder who was the holder of the note at the time of satisfaction.
Complete the witness clause
In "In Witness Whereof," type or print the noteholder/trustee(s)/substitute trustee(s), then enter the day, month and year (20__) of signing.
Sign on the signature lines
The noteholder/trustee(s)/substitute trustee(s) sign on the lines provided; the form has two signature lines.
Add the return address
In the "Return to:" block, enter where the completed document should be returned.
Have the notary complete the jurat
The notary public fills in the "Subscribed and sworn to before me" date, signs, and enters the date the notary's commission expires.
Review and download the completed PDF
Check names, the mm/dd/yyyy date and the recording details, then download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF and sign before the notary.
How to submit ROD 26
The form names no filing channel. It prints the Recorder of Deeds contact details in its header and leaves a Return to: block for the address where the recorded document should be sent back.
- Recorder of Deeds: 1101 4th Street, SW, Washington, DC 20024. Phone: (202) 727-5374. Call this number to confirm how the office accepts the form.
- Return address: enter in the Return to: block the name and address to which the document should come back.
Before delivering, make sure the signature lines are signed and the notary section is completed, including the date and the notary's commission expiration. The form does not mention a fee, and the agency page for ROD 26 lists none; ask the Recorder of Deeds at the number above whether any charge applies to recording. FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the agency's channels.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Leaving the noteholder blank in the certification text, which names the noteholder again as the holder of the note at the time of satisfaction.
- Writing the date of the Mortgage/Deed of Trust in a format other than mm/dd/yyyy.
- Omitting recording details such as Liber, Instrument No., Folio, Square, Suffix or Lot, so the instrument being released cannot be identified.
- Using the form before the note has been fully paid; it certifies full payment and release of the lien.
- Leaving the "Return to:" block empty, so the office has no address to send the document back to.
- Skipping the notary section: the form is sworn to before a notary public, with the notary's signature and commission expiration.
- Signing before the notary is present, when the form says it is subscribed and sworn before the notary.
- Leaving out the day, month or year in the "In Witness Whereof" date line.
Frequently asked questions
What is ROD 26, Certification of Satisfaction?
ROD 26 is a District of Columbia form on which a noteholder certifies, under penalties of perjury, that the note secured by a Mortgage/Deed of Trust has been fully paid and that the lien is released. It identifies the instrument by borrower, date and Land Records recording details.
Is ROD 26 a DC property tax form?
No. ROD 26 releases the lien of a recorded Mortgage/Deed of Trust and asks nothing about tax assessments or payments. It is published by the DC Office of Tax and Revenue and carries the Recorder of Deeds address, but its content is a mortgage satisfaction.
Who signs the Certification of Satisfaction?
The noteholder, trustee(s) or substitute trustee(s) sign on the lines provided under the witness clause, and the form opens with the person representing the noteholder. A notary public then completes the sworn section at the bottom of the form.
Does ROD 26 have to be notarized?
The form includes a notary section reading "Subscribed and sworn to before me," with lines for the notary public and the commission expiration date. Complete it with the notary, who should witness the signing, before you deliver the form.
Where do I send ROD 26?
The form prints the Recorder of Deeds address, 1101 4th Street, SW, Washington, DC 20024, and phone (202) 727-5374, and names no other channel. Call the office to confirm how it accepts the form and whether any recording charge applies.
Can I fill out ROD 26 online?
You can fill out the PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF is an independent service: it does not notarize, file or record the document, so you still need the notary and the delivery to the Recorder of Deeds.
What information do I need to complete ROD 26?
Have the noteholder's name, the borrower(s), the mortgagee/trustee(s), the date of the Mortgage/Deed of Trust in mm/dd/yyyy format, and its recording details: Liber, Instrument No., Folio, Square, Suffix and Lot, plus a return address.
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