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Lehigh County, Pennsylvania public records

In Lehigh County, deeds are recorded by the Clerk of Judicial Records - Recorder of Deeds Division; property values come from the Office of Assessment; court files are split between the Clerk of Judicial Records and the Clerk of the Orphans' Court.

Last checked against official sources on .

On this page
  1. Where to get each record
  2. Deeds and land records
  3. Property values, owners and tax bills
  4. Court records: which clerk keeps which case
  5. Marriage records
  6. Divorce records
  7. Birth certificates
  8. Death certificates
  9. Probate records and wills
  10. Voter records
  11. Historical records
  12. Good to know about Lehigh County records
  13. Office addresses, phones and hours
  14. Records that are not online: public records requests
  15. Questions people ask
  16. Official copies vs look-alike sites
  17. Sources

Where to get each record

RecordOfficeSearch onlineFee
Deeds and land recordsClerk of Judicial Records - Recorder of Deeds Division4Search deeds2Free search, fee for copies$0.50 per page in person; $1.00 per page by mail/email3
Property values and ownersOffice of Assessment4Property search5—
Property tax billsFiscal Department / Tax Claims Bureau4——
Court casesClerk of Judicial Records - Criminal Division4
Clerk of Judicial Records - Civil Division4
Clerk of the Orphans' Court6		Court of Common Pleas of Lehigh County (31st Judicial District) - criminal7
Magisterial District Courts8		Criminal: certification $12.75; photocopies $0.50/page; by mail $1.00/page plus $3.00 mailing fee; microfilm $1.00/page (effective January 1, 2026)9
Marriage recordsClerk of the Orphans' Court6——
Divorce recordsClerk of Judicial Records - Civil Division4—general certification $7.0010
Birth certificatesPennsylvania Department of Health, Division of Vital Records (Orphans' Court holds only some 1893-1905 records)11——
Death certificatesPennsylvania Department of Health, Division of Vital Records11——
Probate and willsClerk of Judicial Records - Register of Wills Division4—Orphans' Court: certified copy of order/guardian certificate $10.00; will inspection $25.00 (effective November 1, 2022)12
Business names (DBA)Statewide: Fictitious names (DBAs) are registered with the PA Department of State, not the county (since early 1980s)13——

Deeds and land records

Deeds, mortgages and other land documents for property in Lehigh County are recorded by the Clerk of Judicial Records - Recorder of Deeds Division.4

Online search
landex.com/webstore2Free search, fee for copies
Cost
Fee (index search free on LANDEX Webstore; images paid). LANDEX Remote $.15 per minute / $.10 per page loaded; county ORA requires an account and yearly fee2
Who runs it
LANDEX (linked by the Recorder of Deeds Division)2
Years online
1812 to present (index and images; index books 1812-1983)2
Copy fee
$0.50 per page in person; $1.00 per page by mail/email3
Certified copy fee
+$1.50 per document (on top of copy fee); certified copies not available online3
How to order
Search yourself (staff will not search); copy in person in the courthouse Public Review area or request by mail ($1.00/page, include document details)2
Recording fee
Deeds (all types) $81.25 (includes up to 4 pages, 4 names, 1 PIN certification); each additional page $2.003
Transfer tax
1% state + 1% local realty transfer tax (1.5% local for City of Allentown), due at recording3
Fraud alerts
Record Alert via LANDEX (landex.com/recordalert/lehigh), linked by the Recorder of Deeds14

How deeds work in Pennsylvania

Property values, owners and tax bills

The Office of Assessment sets property values4; the Fiscal Department / Tax Claims Bureau (county real estate tax) bills and collects the tax4.

Property search
home.lehighcounty.org/… (public assessment record search)5
Tax bill search
County real estate tax: pay online via Collector Solutions (2.25% card fee, $1.00 eCheck) using Bill # from the property search; delinquent taxes via Elite Revenue Solutions for the Tax Claim Bureau (610-782-3119)15
Local tax collectors
home.lehighcounty.org/… (municipal/school tax collector list)16
Parcel map (GIS)
lehighgis.maps.arcgis.com/… (Parcel Viewer)4
Appealing a value
Board of Assessment Appeals: original signed appeal with filing fee on or before August 1 each year (interim appeals by date on Change of Assessment Notice); base year 2013, ratio 100%5

How property tax works in Pennsylvania

Court records: which clerk keeps which case

CourtCasesRecords kept byCase search
Court of Common Pleas of Lehigh County (31st Judicial District) - criminalFelony and misdemeanor criminal, summary appealsClerk of Judicial Records - Criminal Division (Court of Common Pleas, 31st Judicial District)ujsportal.pacourts.us Statewide UJS Web Portal dockets, linked by the Criminal Division7
Court of Common Pleas - civil and Family CourtCivil, divorce/custody/PFA dockets, judgments and liensClerk of Judicial Records - Civil Division (Prothonotary) Lehigh County Online Records Access (ORA / Odyssey Public Access) - account and yearly fee via Fiscal Office; public terminals in Room 12217Fee charged
Court of Common Pleas - Orphans' Court DivisionEstates disputes/audits, adoptions, guardianships, marriage licensesClerk of the Orphans' Court (Court of Common Pleas, Orphans' Court Division)—
Magisterial District CourtsSummary offenses, preliminary hearings, civil claims up to $12,000, landlord/tenant, emergency protection orders18Clerk of Judicial Records - Criminal Division (Court of Common Pleas, 31st Judicial District)lccpa.org/division/mdj/lookup Find your MDJ by address; dockets on the UJS portal8
Courts site
lccpa.org (Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas, 31st Judicial District; main phone 610-782-3000)18
Fees
Criminal: certification $12.75; photocopies $0.50/page; by mail $1.00/page plus $3.00 mailing fee; microfilm $1.00/page (effective January 1, 2026)9
Civil fees
General certification $7.00; photocopy $0.50 per page; lien search (name change) $23.2510

Criminal records and background checks

Where
Criminal Division certifies criminal court records and provides copies; dockets on UJS portal7

How Pennsylvania courts keep their files

Marriage records

Kept by the Clerk of the Orphans' Court (Court of Common Pleas, Orphans' Court Division).6

Marriage license
$100.00 (includes two certified copies); apply by email to [email protected] at least 20 business days before the wedding, then in-person interview by appointment; valid 60 days19
Copies
$10.00 per certified copy (+$10.10 if sent priority mail); order form by email, mail (money order) or in person, Room 123.519
Years held
Marriage license applications from October 188520
Public access
Marriage records are public20
Hours
By appointment only, Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.; phone (610) 782-317321

Pennsylvania marriage records, statewide

Divorce records

Divorce decrees are kept by the Civil Division (Prothonotary function) of the Clerk of Judicial Records22

Fee
No-fault divorce filing $275.75; general certification $7.0010

Birth certificates

Pennsylvania Department of Health, Division of Vital Records (Orphans' Court holds only some 1893-1905 records)11

Ordering a Pennsylvania birth certificate

Death certificates

Pennsylvania Department of Health, Division of Vital Records; county Orphans' Court holds some 1893-1905 records11

Ordering a Pennsylvania death certificate

Probate records and wills

Register of Wills Division of the Clerk of Judicial Records: probate and inheritance tax; records from 18126

Fees
Orphans' Court: certified copy of order/guardian certificate $10.00; will inspection $25.00 (effective November 1, 2022)12

Voter records

Historical records

Clerk of Judicial Records holds civil, criminal and register of wills records from the County's inception in 1812; Recorder of Deeds holds non-profit charters 1866-199317

Good to know about Lehigh County records

  • Since January 7, 2008 a single elected Clerk of Judicial Records replaced the Clerk of Courts, Register of Wills and Recorder of Deeds; all four divisions sit together in Room 122 of the Courthouse17
  • Lehigh County was formed on March 6, 1812 from part of Northampton County; deed index and images are online from 18122
  • Marriage licenses are issued by the Clerk of the Orphans' Court (a court office), not the county clerk; applications on file from October 1885; walk-ins and virtual interviews are not offered19
  • Pennsylvania has no central marriage registry: records stay in the county that issued the license19
  • City of Allentown properties pay 1.5% local realty transfer tax instead of 1%3
  • Military discharges (DD-214) are recorded free and are the only confidential Recorder of Deeds records23

Office addresses, phones and hours

Clerk of Judicial Records - Recorder of Deeds Division

Address
Lehigh County Courthouse, 455 W. Hamilton Street, Room 122, Allentown PA 18101-161414
Hours
8:00 AM to 4:30 PM Monday-Friday (public review area 8:00am-4:00pm)14

Office of Assessment

Address
Government Center, Room 517, 17 South Seventh Street, Allentown, PA 18101-24015

Fiscal Department / Tax Claims Bureau (county real estate tax)

Address
Government Center, Room 119, 17 South Seventh Street, Allentown, PA 18101-240015
Hours
8:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M15

Clerk of Judicial Records (consolidated Civil, Criminal, Register of Wills and Recorder of Deeds divisions)

Address
Room 122, first floor, Lehigh County Courthouse, 455 W. Hamilton Street, Allentown17

Clerk of Judicial Records - Criminal Division (Court of Common Pleas, 31st Judicial District)

Address
Lehigh County Courthouse, Room 122, 455 W. Hamilton Street, Allentown, PA 18101-16147

Clerk of Judicial Records - Civil Division (Prothonotary)

Civil, family/divorce, judgments and liens

Address
Lehigh County Courthouse, Room 122, 455 W. Hamilton Street, Allentown, PA 18101-161422

Clerk of Judicial Records - Register of Wills Division (probate, inheritance tax)

Address
Courthouse, Room 122, 455 West Hamilton Street, Allentown, PA 18101-161424

Clerk of the Orphans' Court (Court of Common Pleas, Orphans' Court Division)

Marriage licenses, adoptions, guardianships, some 1893-1905 births/deaths

Address
Lehigh County Courthouse, 455 West Hamilton Street, Room 123, Allentown, PA 18101-161425
Mail
Clerk of Orphans' Court, Lehigh County Courthouse, 455 West Hamilton Street, Room 123, Allentown, PA 18101-161425
Hours
Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.25

Voter Registration

GIS

Sheriff's Office

Records that are not online: public records requests

Where to send it
Open Records Officer, County of Lehigh Government Center, Department of Law, 17 S. 7th St., Allentown, PA 18101; [email protected]; fax 610-871-279626
Fees
Copies 25 cents per page; prepayment required over $100; 5 business days to respond (30-day extension possible)26

How to write a public records request

Questions people ask

How do I get a copy of a deed in Lehigh County?

The Clerk of Judicial Records - Recorder of Deeds Division keeps deed records. To order copies: Search yourself (staff will not search); copy in person in the courthouse Public Review area or request by mail ($1.00/page, include document details). Plain copies: $0.50 per page in person; $1.00 per page by mail/email. Certified copies: +$1.50 per document (on top of copy fee); certified copies not available online.423

Can I search Lehigh County land records online for free?

Yes, searching is free; copies cost extra. Fee (index search free on LANDEX Webstore; images paid). LANDEX Remote $.15 per minute / $.10 per page loaded; county ORA requires an account and yearly fee. The official search: landex.com/webstore2

Where do I get a divorce decree in Lehigh County?

Divorce decrees are kept by the Civil Division (Prothonotary function) of the Clerk of Judicial Records.22

How do I look up who owns a property in Lehigh County?

Use the property search of the Office of Assessment: home.lehighcounty.org/…5

Official copies vs look-alike sites

A certified copy comes only from the office that holds the record; reports and "research copies" sold by commercial sites are not issued by any Lehigh County office. How to tell an official record source from a paid look-alike.

Other counties in Pennsylvania with a full guide: Adams County, Allegheny County, Beaver County, Berks County, Blair County, Bucks County, Butler County, Cambria County, Centre County, Chester County, Clearfield County, Crawford County, Cumberland County, Dauphin County, Delaware County, Erie County, Fayette County, Franklin County, Lackawanna County, Lancaster County, Lawrence County, Lebanon County, Luzerne County, Lycoming County, Mercer County, Monroe County, Montgomery County, Northampton County, Northumberland County, Philadelphia County, Washington County, Westmoreland County, York County. Every county in the state: Pennsylvania county list.

Sources

Every fact above links to the official page it comes from; all 27 sources were checked on November 4, 2026. Fees and rules change, so check the office's own page before you pay or travel.

  1. Government Units List 2026US Census Bureau
  2. Lehigh County Clerk of Judicial Records
  3. Lehigh County Clerk of Judicial Records
  4. County of Lehigh
  5. Lehigh County Office of Assessment
  6. Orphans' Court DivisionLehigh County Court of Common Pleas
  7. Lehigh County Clerk of Judicial Records
  8. Magisterial District CourtsLehigh County Court of Common Pleas
  9. Criminal fee schedule (PDF)Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas / Clerk of Judicial Records
  10. Civil fee schedule (PDF)Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas / Clerk of Judicial Records
  11. Orphans' Court - Birth & Death InformationLehigh County Court of Common Pleas
  12. Orphans' Court Fee Schedule (PDF)Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas
  13. Fictitious NamesPennsylvania Department of State, Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations
  14. Lehigh County Clerk of Judicial Records
  15. County of Lehigh
  16. County of Lehigh
  17. Lehigh County Clerk of Judicial Records
  18. Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas homeLehigh County Court of Common Pleas
  19. Marriage Licenses - FAQsLehigh County Court of Common Pleas
  20. Marriage Licenses - OverviewLehigh County Court of Common Pleas
  21. Marriage Licenses - Hours & ContactsLehigh County Court of Common Pleas
  22. Lehigh County Clerk of Judicial Records
  23. Lehigh County Clerk of Judicial Records
  24. Lehigh County Clerk of Judicial Records
  25. Orphans' Court - Hours & ContactsLehigh County Court of Common Pleas
  26. County of Lehigh Department of Law
  27. County population totals: Vintage 2025 (July 1, 2025)US Census Bureau