Search Lackawanna County Property Records

Lackawanna County property records are maintained by the county's assessor and Recorder of Deeds offices, both located in Scranton, Pennsylvania. The assessor offers a free property search by address, PIN number, or owner name for tax and assessment data. The Recorder of Deeds holds recorded land documents including deeds, mortgages, maps, and UCC filings. You can search some records online at no cost, while recorded document images may require a paid service. Whether you are a buyer, owner, or researcher, Lackawanna County offices provide the property information you need.

Lackawanna County Assessor and Recorder of Deeds

Lackawanna County operates two offices that together hold the full range of property records. The Assessor is located at The Scranton Electric Building, 135 Jefferson Avenue, Scranton, PA 18503. This office maintains property tax and assessment records for all parcels in the county. You can reach the Assessor by phone at (570) 963-6728.

The Recorder of Deeds is located at the same building, Suite 800, 135 Jefferson Street, Scranton, PA 18503. This office is the official repository for recorded land documents in Lackawanna County. It holds deeds, mortgages, land maps, military discharge records, notary records, and UCC filings. The Recorder can be reached at (570) 963-6775.

Note: Confirm office locations before visiting, as some county services may have shifted to other floors or locations within the Scranton Electric Building.

Searching Lackawanna County Property Records

The Lackawanna County Assessor offers a free property search that lets you find tax and assessment records by address, PIN number, or owner name. This tool is a fast way to check who owns a property, what it is assessed at, and what taxes are owed. No registration is required to use the basic assessment search. Results show current ownership, parcel number, assessed value, and property details.

For recorded land documents, the county provides a paid search service. This system covers deeds, mortgages, maps, military discharge records, notary records, and UCC filings. Users can search by grantor, grantee, document type, and date range. Document images are available for download through the paid service. The Pennsylvania statewide portal at pa.uslandrecords.com also provides access to Lackawanna County recorded instruments and is a useful alternative or supplement to the county's own system.

For historical research in Lackawanna County, the Pennsylvania State Archives land records guide explains how to find older land records and warrants. Lackawanna County was formed from Luzerne County in 1878, so records from before that date may be found in Luzerne County archives.

Note: The paid recorded document search system may require setting up an account with prepaid credits or a subscription. Contact the Recorder of Deeds at (570) 963-6775 for details on how to register.

Property Documents in Lackawanna County

The Lackawanna County Recorder of Deeds holds a broad set of land and legal documents. Deeds are the most requested records. They document the transfer of real property between parties and serve as the primary evidence of ownership in Lackawanna County. Mortgage records show liens placed on property by lenders, and mortgage satisfactions confirm that those liens have been cleared.

Beyond deeds and mortgages, the Lackawanna County recorder maintains land maps and survey plans, military discharge documents (DD-214 filings), notary public commissions, and UCC financing statements. These records serve different legal and administrative purposes, but all relate to ownership, rights, or claims affecting property in the county.

Judgment liens from civil cases appear in the Unified Judicial System public records portal. UCC filings at the state level can be searched through the Pennsylvania Department of State. Property tax records at the state level are managed by the PA Department of Revenue.

Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law and Property Access

The Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law, codified at 65 P.S. § 67.301, gives all residents the right to access public records held by government agencies. Lackawanna County property records, including deed indexes and assessment data, fall under this law and are presumed public. Most records can be reviewed during regular office hours without filing a formal request.

If a county office refuses to provide a record, you may file an appeal with the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records. The OOR reviews appeals and issues decisions that are binding on county offices. The process is straightforward for most property record requests. The Pennsylvania Local Government Commission provides resources for understanding local government public record obligations throughout Pennsylvania.

Lackawanna County Online Records and GIS

Lackawanna County provides online access to property assessment data through its official website at lackawannacounty.org. The free assessment search allows anyone to look up parcel data by address, PIN, or owner name. This is useful for checking ownership, assessed value, and tax status of any property in Lackawanna County without visiting the courthouse.

GIS mapping tools for Lackawanna County allow users to view parcel boundaries on an interactive map. These tools often link directly to assessment records, so you can click a parcel on the map and pull up its ownership and valuation data. GIS maps are especially useful for identifying property boundaries and adjacent parcels. The PA Land Records portal adds recorded instrument access on top of the local assessment tools, giving a complete picture of any Lackawanna County property.

Note: GIS data is updated periodically and may not reflect the most recent sales or recording activity. Always verify with the recorder or assessor for the latest information on a specific parcel.

Getting Copies of Lackawanna County Property Records

Copies of Lackawanna County property records can be obtained in person at the Scranton Electric Building, through the online paid document system, or by mail. In-person visits give you the fastest access to both assessment records and recorded instruments. Bring the parcel PIN, owner name, or document details to help staff locate the record.

Online copies of recorded documents are available through the county's paid search service. Users must set up an account and pay fees to download document images. The PA Land Records statewide portal is another online option for viewing Lackawanna County recorded instruments. Some documents can be downloaded directly from this platform.

The Pennsylvania Land Title Association can connect you with licensed title professionals who perform full property searches in Lackawanna County. Mail requests to the Recorder of Deeds should include the document details, your return address, and payment for applicable copy fees. Call (570) 963-6775 to confirm current fees before mailing your request.

Nearby Counties

Lackawanna County borders several other Pennsylvania counties, each maintaining their own property records offices.

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