By MEGHAN V. MALLOY

Staff Writer

Kennebec County is starting to go paperless.

The Registry of Deeds has begun the process of moving all its records, deeds and other documents from paper to an online database -- a system that is expected to save time and money for insurance companies and county officials and residents, said Beverly Bustin-Hatheway, register of deeds.

"This is something that will benefit the mortgage companies and banks, definitely," Bustin-Hatheway said. "They can just electronically send us their paperwork for filing from their office, and if it's incorrect, or needs work, we're able to just send it back."

The agency, be it a bank or mortgage company, after closing on a house, can scan the documents into an online database. The county has access to the records on their end through the database, which was developed by Landata Technologies Inc.

Bustin-Hatheway said before the e-record software was installed, insurance and mortgage companies and banks would have to drop off paperwork, then drive back to pick it up if an error was found, then turn back around to deliver it again once the error was fixed.

"This changes everything," Bustin-Hatheway said.

Kennebec County is the first -- and currently only -- county in Maine to use this system, she said.

Atlantic Title Company, a South Portland-based mortgage-closing agency, has been making use of the new electronic system with the county for a little over two months.

"In the old days, we'd have to take the packet to the registrar and go through the process that way," Atlantic Title President Janice Guimont said. "With e-recording, there is no need to physically leave the office."

Not only will all closing mortgage documents be digitized -- most of Bustin-Hatheway's office will be, too.

No printed indexes have been used in the Registry of Deeds in three years. Bustin-Hatheway is currently in the process of indexing the earliest of 711 books in the Kennebec County registry, she said. Those documents will then be viewed electronically, eventually. Printed indexes of deeds and records will only be used as a back-up.

"The great thing about this process with (the county and the insurance companies) is that it only takes a matter of minutes," Bustin-Hatheway said. "And for some companies, this really cut down on the travel since it can be done right from their office."

The cost for the agencies to send the registry their paperwork is $3 per document, which is paid to Landata, the software company. Kennebec County was hooked into the base for free, Bustin-Hatheway said.

Guimont said she would like see all 16 of Maine's counties get online with the technology through their Registry of Deeds office in the near future.

"We're stepping into another era," Guimont said.

Meghan V. Malloy -- 623-3811 Ext. 431

mmalloy@centralmaine.com