Lancaster Pennsylvania Property Records
Lancaster property records are maintained through Lancaster County, which has one of the most accessible property record systems in Pennsylvania. Lancaster is the county seat of Lancaster County and a historic city in south-central Pennsylvania. The Lancaster County Recorder of Deeds at lancasterdeeds.com provides online deed and mortgage searches, and the city offers a property tax search tool by parcel ID. Records date back to the county's formation in 1729. This page covers the offices, tools, and steps needed to access Lancaster property records.
Lancaster Quick Facts
Where to Find Lancaster Property Records
The Lancaster County Recorder of Deeds is the primary office for Lancaster property records. The office is at 50 North Queen Street, Suite 310, 3rd Floor, Lancaster, PA 17608. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Recording closes at 3:45 p.m. The Recorder records all real estate instruments for Lancaster City and County, including deeds, mortgages, easements, powers of attorney, leases, and UCC filings. The Recorder's website at lancasterdeeds.com is a well-developed online portal for deed searches.
The City of Lancaster provides an online property tax search at cityoflancasterpa.com that allows residents to look up property tax records by property ID. The city also provides online property tax payment capabilities, zoning information, and building permit records for Lancaster City properties. The county provides GIS maps and a free Grantor/Grantee index online, though an account is required to access the full index.
| Office | Lancaster County Recorder of Deeds |
|---|---|
| Address | 50 North Queen Street, Suite 310, Lancaster, PA 17608 |
| Phone | (717) 299-8238 |
| Hours | Monday-Friday, 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM |
| Recording Closes | 3:45 PM |
| Deed Search Portal | lancasterdeeds.com |
| Online Property Search | lancasterpa.devnetwedge.com |
Note: Lancaster County maintains records dating back to 1729, the year of the county's formation. The online index covers records from 1997 to the present. Older records require an in-person visit or microfilm research at the courthouse.
How to Search Lancaster Property Records
Lancaster County provides multiple tools for searching Lancaster City property records. The Recorder's online property search at lancasterpa.devnetwedge.com allows searches by property ID (parcel number), address, owner name, book and page, and instrument number. Search results include current ownership information, parcel numbers, assessment values, tax information, deed references, mortgage information, and document images where available. This comprehensive system makes Lancaster County one of the more research-friendly counties in Pennsylvania.
The Lancaster County Recorder also provides a free "Official" Grantor/Grantee Index that requires free registration to access. This index allows deed and mortgage searches by party name. Lancaster County also provides a GIS mapping and parcel viewer that shows property boundaries, assessment data, and basic ownership information. The GIS system offers a sales search function that lets users filter by use code, district, street name, sale year, or sale price.
The statewide portal at pa.uslandrecords.com provides an additional access point for Lancaster County recorded documents. The Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System at pacourts.us/public-records covers court records including foreclosure filings and judgment liens that may affect Lancaster properties. UCC filings tied to Lancaster real property are searchable through the Pennsylvania Department of State at dos.pa.gov.
Property Documents in Lancaster
The Lancaster County Recorder of Deeds holds an extensive set of recorded real estate documents for Lancaster City properties. The office records deeds, mortgages, mortgage satisfactions, mortgage assignments, powers of attorney, leases, UCC filings, real estate agreements, charters of non-profit corporations, notary commissions, elected official commissions, and veterans' discharge documents. This is one of the broadest document type sets among Pennsylvania county recorder offices.
Lancaster County has 195,283 total parcels, including 179,307 residential parcels. The median home value is $265,500, and the median property tax rate is 1.53%. These figures reflect Lancaster City and the surrounding county. Property characteristic data maintained by the Recorder and the county assessor includes lot dimensions, building square footage, year built, construction type, and number of rooms.
Lancaster County's online index covers 1997 to the present. Records from the county's formation in 1729 through 1996 are available through in-person research, microfilm records, and FamilySearch digitized records. Historical deed research for Lancaster City can draw on a rich archive. The Pennsylvania State Archives also maintains colonial-era land patents for Lancaster County-area properties. Consult the PA State Archives land records overview for guidance.
Pennsylvania Property Records and Open Access Law
Lancaster property records are public under the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law (RTKL) at 65 P.S. § 67.301. The RTKL presumes all government-held records are accessible to any person. Lancaster County and the City of Lancaster must prove an exemption applies before withholding property records. No reason is required to make a request. This principle makes property deed and assessment records broadly accessible in Lancaster.
The Pennsylvania Office of Open Records at openrecords.pa.gov handles RTKL appeals for denied requests. If Lancaster County or the City of Lancaster denies a records request, the requester has 15 business days to appeal. The OOR maintains a directory of agency open records officers for Lancaster County and city offices. The OOR provides the standard RTK Request Form required statewide.
The Pennsylvania Land Title Association at plta.org provides resources on professional title search practices across Pennsylvania, including Lancaster County. The Pennsylvania Department of Revenue at revenue.pa.gov administers state-level property tax programs that may affect Lancaster property owners, including the Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program.
Note: For RTKL requests involving City of Lancaster records, submit requests to the City's open records officer. Requests for county recorder and assessor records go to the Lancaster County open records officer.
Lancaster Property Assessment Records
Lancaster County assesses all Lancaster City properties for tax purposes. The county's online property search system at lancasterpa.devnetwedge.com provides access to assessment records including land value, building value, total assessed value, and property class. Physical characteristics such as lot size, building square footage, and year built are also searchable. The system provides comprehensive results for Lancaster City parcels and can be searched by address, owner name, parcel number, or book and page reference.
The City of Lancaster also levies its own real estate taxes separate from county and school district taxes. Lancaster City property owners can access city property tax records and make online payments at cityoflancasterpa.com. The city tax search is available by property ID number and shows current tax amounts and payment status for Lancaster City parcels.
Lancaster City property owners who disagree with their county assessment may appeal to the Lancaster County Board of Assessment. The appeal requires a formal application and supporting market value evidence. Contact the Lancaster County Recorder at (717) 299-8238 for information on the assessment appeal process and current deadlines.
Getting Copies of Lancaster Property Records
Copies of Lancaster property records are available through the online search portal, in person at 50 North Queen Street in Lancaster, or by mail. The online system at lancasterpa.devnetwedge.com provides document images where available. Copy fees are $0.25 per page, $5.00 for certifications, and $5.00 for a service charge. These are among the lowest per-page copy fees in Pennsylvania. In-person visits during business hours allow same-day access to most documents.
Mail requests should be sent to the Lancaster County Recorder of Deeds at 50 North Queen Street, Suite 310, Lancaster, PA 17608. Include the property address, party names, the document type, and payment for estimated copy fees. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope. Call (717) 299-8238 to confirm the page count and current fees before mailing your request.
For Lancaster City tax records specifically, contact the City of Lancaster at cityoflancasterpa.com or in person at City Hall. City tax records are maintained separately from county deed records. Researchers who need both deed history and tax status should plan to access both the county Recorder's system and the city's tax search portal when building a complete property record profile for Lancaster City properties.
Lancaster County Property Records
Lancaster property records are maintained through Lancaster County. For full county recorder details, deed search tools, and additional resources, visit the Lancaster County property records page.
Nearby Pennsylvania Cities
These nearby cities also have property records available through their respective county recorder offices.