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Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania public records

In Philadelphia County, deeds are recorded by the Department of Records; property values come from the Office of Property Assessment; court files are divided among the Office of Judicial Records, the Office of the Clerk of Family Court and the Register of Wills and 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 Philadelphia 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

Philadelphia County has a combined city-county government: the Census Bureau lists the City of Philadelphia as its government.1

Where to get each record

RecordOfficeSearch onlineFee
Deeds and land recordsDepartment of Records4Search deeds2$2 per page3
Property values and ownersOffice of Property Assessment5Property search6—
Property tax billsDepartment of Revenue7Tax bill search8—
Court casesOffice of Judicial Records - Civil, First Judicial District9
Office of Judicial Records - Criminal10
Office of the Clerk of Family Court11
Register of Wills and Clerk of the Orphans' Court12		—Fees: certification: $41.58 (+$4.20 each additional page); exemplification $83.1613
Marriage recordsRegister of Wills - Marriage License Department / Marriage Record Department15Search marriage records14Certified copy fee: $25 certified; $50 exemplified; $45 same-day; $15 mail research fee14
Divorce recordsOffice of the Clerk of Family Court11—Certified copy fee: $41.58 per copy16
Birth certificatesStatewide: PA Department of Health, Division of Vital Records, for births registered in Pennsylvania since 190617—Archival search fee: $10 to search three months of records; $40 to search one year (copy of certificate included if found)3
Death certificatesStatewide: PA Department of Health, Division of Vital Records, for PA deaths since 190618——
Probate and willsRegister of Wills and Clerk of the Orphans' Court12Search probate cases19—
Business names (DBA)Statewide: Fictitious names (DBAs) are registered with the PA Department of State, not the county (since early 1980s)20——

Deeds and land records

Deeds, mortgages and other land documents for property in Philadelphia County are recorded by the Department of Records (Commissioner of Records serves as Recorder of Deeds).4

Cost
Subscription: one day $15, one week $60, one month $125, one year $750 (3.5% card fee); watermarked copies viewable2
Years online
1974 to the present2
Copy fee
$2 per page3
Certified copy fee
$2 per document certification3
Recording fee
Deed $278.75; mortgage $248.75; mortgage satisfaction $231.753
How to order
Online (PhilaDox), in person at City Hall Room 154, or by mail with SASE; Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.2
Payment
Cash, money order, card (3.5% fee), business or certified check; no personal checks2
Holdings
Recorded documents from the late 17th century to the present2
Pre
Records before 1973 may need to be pulled from the City Archives2
Electronic recording
Simplifile, CSC eRecording, ePN (businesses)21
Fraud alerts
Free Fraud Guard email alert when a document is recorded with your name22
Transfer data
OpenDataPhilly real estate transfers since December 6, 199923

How deeds work in Pennsylvania

Property values, owners and tax bills

The Office of Property Assessment (OPA) sets property values5; the Department of Revenue (Real Estate Tax) bills and collects the tax7.

Property search
property.phila.gov6
Tax search: due date
Due March 31; additions of 1.5% per month from April 17
Parcel map (GIS)
atlas.phila.gov22
Appealing a value: body
Board of Revision of Taxes (BRT); OPA First Level Review is an alternative/additional option24
Appealing a value: deadline
First Monday in October (2027 market value appeals: October 5, 2026)25
Appealing a value: contact
BRT, 601 Walnut St., Suite 325 East; (215) 686-4343; [email protected]25

Full Philadelphia County deeds and property guide: searches, appeals and state rules

How property tax works in Pennsylvania

Court records: which clerk keeps which case

CourtCasesRecords kept byCase search
Court of Common Pleas, Trial Division - CivilCivil actions, judgments, liensOffice of Judicial Records - Civil (formerly Office of the Prothonotary), First Judicial District—
Court of Common Pleas, Trial Division - Criminal; Municipal Court - CriminalFelonies and misdemeanorsOffice of Judicial Records - Criminal (formerly Clerk of Courts)—
Court of Common Pleas, Family DivisionDivorce, custody, support, juvenileOffice of the Clerk of Family Court (Court of Common Pleas, Family Division)—
Court of Common Pleas, Orphans' Court DivisionEstates, guardianships, trustsRegister of Wills and Clerk of the Orphans' Court (elected)—
Philadelphia Municipal Court - CivilSmall claims, landlord-tenant, code enforcement——
Fees: certification
$41.58 (+$4.20 each additional page); exemplification $83.1613
Fees: photocopy
$0.25 per page13
Fees: name search
$58.5213
Fees: public access copies
$0.25 per page for case and financial records26
Court website
courts.phila.gov27

Criminal records and background checks

Online search
ujsportal.pacourts.us/CaseSearch28Free search
About this search
UJS Web Portal, free28
Police record check
Police record check $40; letter of good conduct $40 (Department of Records public safety reports)3

How Pennsylvania courts keep their files

Marriage records

Kept by the Register of Wills - Marriage License Department / Marriage Record Department.15

Online search
phila.gov/…14
Years online
1995 or later (index: names, license number, date)14
Holdings
Register of Wills: licenses from 1885; City Archives: July 1860-December 188514
Certified copy fee
$25 certified; $50 exemplified; $45 same-day; $15 mail research fee14
Marriage license
$90 regular; $100 Quaker/self-uniting15

Pennsylvania marriage records, statewide

Divorce records

Kept by the Office of the Clerk of Family Court (Court of Common Pleas, Family Division).11

Holdings
Decrees from 1885 onward11
Certified copy fee
$41.58 per copy16
How to order
In person or by mail at the Office of the Clerk of Family Court, 1501 Arch Street16
Archives
City Archives has Philadelphia divorce records before 191422

Birth certificates

Where Pennsylvania keeps it: PA Department of Health, Division of Vital Records, for births registered in Pennsylvania since 1906.17

Holder
PA Department of Health (state); city page links to health.pa.gov29
Archival
City Archives: births July 1860-June 191530
Archival search fee
$10 to search three months of records; $40 to search one year (copy of certificate included if found)3

Ordering a Pennsylvania birth certificate

Death certificates

Where Pennsylvania keeps it: PA Department of Health, Division of Vital Records, for PA deaths since 1906.18

Holder
PA DOH has birth and death records from 1906 to the present; PA State Archives has death certificates 1906-196830
Archival
City Archives: deaths July 1860-June 1915; cemetery returns 1803-June 186030

Ordering a Pennsylvania death certificate

Probate records and wills

Kept by the Register of Wills and Clerk of the Orphans' Court (elected).12

About this search
Orphans' Court dockets19
How to order
By mail ($20 research fee, money order to "Register of Wills") or in person at City Hall Room 18031
Fee schedule
phila.gov/…32
Copies
Copies $2.00 per page; research $20.0033

Voter records

Kept by the Philadelphia City Commissioners.27

Official page
vote.phila.gov27

Historical records

Archives
City Archives: deeds 1683-1955 and mortgages 1748-1963 copies $2 per page; naturalizations 1793-19303
Online historic
Historical land and vital records search (subscription) with images of birth, death, marriage and naturalization records30
Naturalization
Naturalizations filed in Philadelphia city and county courts 1793-1930 at City Archives22

Good to know about Philadelphia County records

  • Philadelphia has no elected Recorder of Deeds: the appointed Commissioner of the Department of Records serves as Recorder of Deeds4
  • Court clerk offices were renamed: Office of Judicial Records (formerly Prothonotary and Clerk of Courts) is run by the First Judicial District34
  • Deed archives start in 16833
  • Surviving spouses can get part of the deed recording fee waived ($43.75 deceased spouse/partner deed)3
  • Military discharges are recorded and copied free but are confidential for 85 years2
  • Historical building permits: none before 1889; 1889-1986 permits are in the City Archives, with no index for 1889 to 190522

Office addresses, phones and hours

Department of Records (Commissioner of Records serves as Recorder of Deeds)

Address
City Hall, Room 156, Philadelphia, PA 19107 (department office); recording counter Room 111; deed copies Room 1544
Mail
Recording: City Hall, Room 111, 1400 John F. Kennedy Blvd., Philadelphia, PA 1910721
Phone
(215) 686-2262 (department); recording (215) 686-2290; deed copies (215) 686-22924
Hours
Recording: Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., by appointment ([email protected])21

Office of Property Assessment (OPA)

Address
601 Walnut St., Suite 300 W., Philadelphia, PA 191065
Phone
(215) 686-4334; assessment hotline (215) 686-92005
Hours
Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.5

Department of Revenue (Real Estate Tax)

Register of Wills and Clerk of the Orphans' Court (elected)

Address
City Hall, Room 180, Philadelphia, PA 1910712
Mail
Register of Wills, Room 180, City Hall, Philadelphia, PA 1910731
Phone
(215) 686-2233 marriage licenses; (215) 686-6255 probate12
Hours
Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.31

Register of Wills - Marriage License Department / Marriage Record Department

Address
City Hall, 1400 John F. Kennedy Boulevard, Room 413 (licenses); Room 415 (records), Philadelphia, PA 1910715
Mail
Marriage Record Department, City Hall, Room 415, Philadelphia, PA 1910714
Phone
Marriage License Department (215) 686-2233; Marriage Record Department (215) 686-223414
Hours
Licenses: walk-ins Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 3:15 p.m.15

Office of Judicial Records - Civil (formerly Office of the Prothonotary), First Judicial District

Address
Room 284 City Hall, Philadelphia, PA 1910734
Hours
Monday-Friday 9am to 5pm34

Office of Judicial Records - Criminal (formerly Clerk of Courts)

Address
1301 Filbert Street, Room 310, The Stout Center for Criminal Justice, Philadelphia, PA 1910734
Hours
Monday-Friday 9am to 5pm34

Office of the Clerk of Family Court (Court of Common Pleas, Family Division)

Address
1501 Arch Street, 11th Floor, Philadelphia PA 1910216
Mail
Clerk of Family Court, 11th Floor, 1501 Arch St., Philadelphia PA 1910216

Philadelphia City Archives (Department of Records)

Address
548 Spring Garden Street, Philadelphia, PA 1912330
Mail
Same as address30
Hours
Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.30

Philadelphia Sheriff's Office

Philadelphia City Commissioners

Records that are not online: public records requests

Where to send it
Department-specific Open Records Officers; Department of Records officer: City Hall Rm 156, (215) 686-226823
Response time
Five business days (one 30-day extension allowed)23
Appealing a value
Appeal within 15 business days of denial23

How to write a public records request

Questions people ask

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

The Department of Records (Commissioner of Records serves as Recorder of Deeds) keeps deed records. To order copies: Online (PhilaDox), in person at City Hall Room 154, or by mail with SASE; Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Plain copies: $2 per page. Certified copies: $2 per document certification.423

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

Use the property search of the Office of Property Assessment (OPA): property.phila.gov6

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 Philadelphia 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, Lehigh County, Luzerne County, Lycoming County, Mercer County, Monroe County, Montgomery County, Northampton County, Northumberland 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 35 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. Get a copy of a deed or other recorded documentCity of Philadelphia
  3. Document recording and service feesCity of Philadelphia
  4. Department of RecordsCity of Philadelphia
  5. Office of Property AssessmentCity of Philadelphia
  6. Find property informationCity of Philadelphia
  7. Real Estate TaxCity of Philadelphia
  8. Look up your property tax balanceCity of Philadelphia
  9. Office of Judicial Records - CivilFirst Judicial District of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia Courts)
  10. Office of Judicial Records - CriminalFirst Judicial District of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia Courts)
  11. Get a copy of a divorce decreeCity of Philadelphia
  12. Register of WillsCity of Philadelphia
  13. Office of Judicial Records Fee Schedule (PDF)First Judicial District of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia Courts)
  14. Find and request a marriage recordCity of Philadelphia
  15. Get a marriage licenseCity of Philadelphia
  16. Instructions to Obtain Certified Copies of Divorce Decrees (PDF)First Judicial District of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia Courts)
  17. GenealogyPennsylvania Department of Health, Division of Vital Records
  18. Ordering a Death CertificatePennsylvania Department of Health, Division of Vital Records
  19. The Philadelphia Courts - First Judicial District of PennsylvaniaFirst Judicial District of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia Courts)
  20. Fictitious NamesPennsylvania Department of State, Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations
  21. Record a deed or other documentCity of Philadelphia
  22. Department of Records FAQsCity of Philadelphia
  23. Open Records PolicyCity of Philadelphia
  24. Appeal a property assessmentCity of Philadelphia
  25. Board of Revision of TaxesCity of Philadelphia
  26. Public Access Fee Schedule (PDF)First Judicial District of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia Courts)
  27. Departments directoryCity of Philadelphia
  28. Public Records | Unified Judicial System of PennsylvaniaUnified Judicial System of Pennsylvaniaarchived copy
  29. Get a birth certificateCity of Philadelphia
  30. Get archival birth, death, and marriage recordsCity of Philadelphia
  31. Request probate recordsCity of Philadelphia
  32. Register of Wills fee scheduleCity of Philadelphia
  33. Register of Wills & Clerk of the Orphans' Court Fee Schedule (PDF)City of Philadelphia
  34. Office of Judicial RecordsFirst Judicial District of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia Courts)
  35. County population totals: Vintage 2025 (July 1, 2025)US Census Bureau