Pittsburgh Property Records Access
Pittsburgh property records are maintained through Allegheny County's Department of Real Estate. The county combines recorder of deeds and assessment functions under one department. Pittsburgh is the county seat of Allegheny County and the second-largest city in Pennsylvania. Property deeds, mortgage documents, ownership histories, and assessed values for Pittsburgh properties are all accessible through county offices and the Allegheny County Real Estate Portal online. This page covers the offices, tools, and steps needed to find Pittsburgh property records.
Pittsburgh Quick Facts
Where to Find Pittsburgh Property Records
The Allegheny County Department of Real Estate is the main office for Pittsburgh property records. It is located at 542 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15219. The office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. This department combines the functions of a recorder of deeds and an assessment office. It handles deed recording, provides public terminals for record searches, and manages the county's online Real Estate Portal.
The City of Pittsburgh also operates its own offices that maintain property-related records. The Department of Permits, Licenses, and Inspections (PLI) at pittsburghpa.gov/pli keeps building permits, zoning records, code violation history, and property maintenance records for Pittsburgh properties. These records complement county deed and assessment data by showing what improvements were made to a property and whether code issues were ever cited.
| Office | Allegheny County Department of Real Estate |
|---|---|
| Address | 542 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15219 |
| Phone | (412) 350-4226 |
| Assessor Phone | (412) 350-4100 |
| Hours | Monday-Friday, 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM |
| Portal | alleghenycounty.us/real-estate |
Note: Mail requests for deed copies should be sent to the Allegheny County Recorder of Deeds, 400 Courthouse, 436 Grant Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15219. Include specific property information and allow five to seven business days for processing.
How to Search Pittsburgh Property Records
The Allegheny County Real Estate Portal is the most direct online tool for Pittsburgh property records. The portal is available at alleghenycounty.us/real-estate. Users can search by parcel number, property address, or owner name. Search results provide current owner information, assessed values, tax status, sales history, deed references, building characteristics, and lot dimensions. Basic information is free to access without registration.
The county portal provides deed access from 1986 to the present in a fully indexed format. Older records require an in-person visit or a mail request to the Department of Real Estate. Document copies cost $5 per page. Online requests process immediately for basic data, while document copies take one to two business days. The county also provides a GIS platform that shows parcel boundaries, aerial photography, and map-based property selection for Pittsburgh properties.
The statewide portal at pa.uslandrecords.com offers another option for searching recorded Pittsburgh documents using grantor and grantee indexes. This system is useful when looking up chains of title across multiple transactions. The Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System at pacourts.us/public-records covers foreclosure cases and judgment liens that may affect Pittsburgh properties.
Property Documents in Pittsburgh
Allegheny County maintains a comprehensive set of property documents for Pittsburgh. The Real Estate Portal and public terminals at the county office provide access to deeds, mortgages, mortgage releases, liens, judgments, easements, rights-of-way, and subdivision plans. Deeds from 1986 onward are fully indexed and available with images online. Earlier records are held in the county office and can be accessed in person.
The City of Pittsburgh Real Estate Division manages information about city-owned properties and tracks property tax liens and delinquencies within Pittsburgh. For properties with unpaid taxes, the Pittsburgh Land Bank at pghlandbank.org facilitates the return of tax-delinquent and blighted properties to productive use. The Land Bank maintains a map of properties owned by the city, the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), and the Land Bank itself, which is a useful tool when researching Pittsburgh properties with complicated ownership histories.
UCC filings that affect Pittsburgh real property are searchable through the Pennsylvania Department of State at dos.pa.gov. These include fixture filings and security interests that may affect property ownership and title transfer.
Pennsylvania Property Law and Public Access
Pittsburgh property records are public under the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law (RTKL), codified at 65 P.S. § 67.301. All records held by public agencies are presumed public. Agencies must prove a record is exempt; requesters do not need to state a reason for their request. The Pennsylvania Office of Open Records (OOR) at openrecords.pa.gov handles appeals when records requests are denied. Requesters have 15 business days after a denial to file an appeal with the OOR.
Allegheny County processes most records requests through its online portals and public access terminals. If a specific document is not available online, a written request to the Department of Real Estate will typically produce the record within a few business days. The county does not charge for basic information access through the portal, though document copies carry per-page fees.
The Pennsylvania State Archives maintains historical land records, including original warrants and patents dating to the colonial period. Researchers tracing the earliest history of Pittsburgh-area properties can access the State Archives land records overview at the PA State Archives website. Private citizen deed transfers are held at the county recorder, not the state archives.
Note: For guidance on how title searches work in Pennsylvania, including Pittsburgh, the Pennsylvania Land Title Association at plta.org provides educational resources and professional standards information.
Pittsburgh Property Assessment Records
Allegheny County assesses all Pittsburgh properties for tax purposes. The assessment data available through the Real Estate Portal includes land value, building value, total assessed value, property class, and year built. The portal also shows the tax information tab with current amounts due and payment status. Assessment records are updated on a regular cycle and reflect the county's valuation methodology.
Property owners who disagree with their assessed value may appeal to the Allegheny County Board of Property Assessment Appeals. The portal provides the assessed value and the deed reference needed to begin an appeal. The county assessor can be reached at (412) 350-4100 for questions about specific Pittsburgh property assessments.
The Pennsylvania Department of Revenue at revenue.pa.gov oversees state-level property tax programs that may affect Pittsburgh property owners. This includes the Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program for qualifying residents.
Getting Copies of Pittsburgh Property Records
Copies of Pittsburgh property records can be obtained online, in person, or by mail. The Allegheny County Real Estate Portal provides online access to documents with immediate delivery for indexed records. Document copies cost $5 per page. In-person visits to the Department of Real Estate at 542 Forbes Avenue allow access to public terminals and direct requests to staff. Public terminals are also available at the Department of Court Records and select public libraries throughout Allegheny County.
Mail requests should be directed to the Allegheny County Recorder of Deeds, 400 Courthouse, 436 Grant Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15219. Include the parcel number or property address, the document type, and the names of the parties involved. Allow five to seven business days for mail requests to be processed. Include payment for the estimated copy fees with your request.
For building permit history and code compliance records in Pittsburgh, contact the Department of Permits, Licenses, and Inspections at pittsburghpa.gov/pli. These records are held separately from deed records and require a different request process. PLI records cover property improvements and violations that may not appear in the county recording system.
Allegheny County Property Records
Pittsburgh property records are maintained through Allegheny County. For full county recorder details, deed search tools, and additional resources, visit the Allegheny County property records page.
Nearby Pennsylvania Cities
These nearby cities also have property records maintained through their respective county offices.