Northampton County Property Records Search

Northampton County property records are maintained at the Recorder of Deeds office at the Northampton County Courthouse in Easton, Pennsylvania. This Lehigh Valley county has a long history of land activity, and its property records reflect decades of residential and commercial development along the Delaware River border with New Jersey. The Recorder's office holds all recorded deeds, mortgages, easements, and subdivision plans for every parcel in the county. Online access through the statewide portal and in-person courthouse visits both provide reliable paths to the Northampton County property records you need.

Northampton County Recorder of Deeds

The Northampton County Recorder of Deeds office is located at the Northampton County Courthouse in Easton, PA. Northampton is one of Pennsylvania's original three counties, established in 1752, giving this office one of the longest-running land record histories in the Commonwealth. Every deed, mortgage, lien, easement, and subdivision plan recorded in the county is part of the permanent public record maintained here.

Documents are indexed by grantor and grantee. Grantor is the party conveying property, typically the seller. Grantee is the receiving party, typically the buyer. The office uses both a historical index system for older records and a computerized system for more recent documents. Staff at the Easton courthouse can assist with both older and current records during regular business hours.

The Northampton County government website provides information about the Recorder of Deeds office and links to online services. The county's website is the primary source for office news, recording requirements, and fee schedules.

The statewide portal at pa.uslandrecords.com provides online access to Northampton County deed records. You can search by name, address, or parcel identifier and view document images remotely.

Searching Northampton County Property Records

Online access to Northampton County property records is available through the Pennsylvania State Real Property Official Records Search. This statewide system covers all 67 Pennsylvania counties. Search by grantor or grantee name, address, or parcel ID. The index is free to browse. Viewing full document images requires purchasing access. The system is available at all hours from any internet connection.

In-person searches at the Easton courthouse give you access to the complete historical record. Northampton County's records date to 1752, making this one of the most extensive county archives in Pennsylvania. Older records before digitization are available only in person. Bring the property address or the names of the parties. Staff can help you navigate the index books for older documents and the computer system for recent records.

Northampton County may offer GIS mapping and assessment data online through county resources. Parcel data shows owner names, property addresses, and parcel identification numbers. This information is useful for confirming the correct property before pulling deed images from the recorder system.

Note: Because Northampton County records date back to 1752, historical research may require working with both the county recorder's historical books and the Pennsylvania State Archives for the earliest land documents.

Types of Property Records in Northampton County

Northampton County property records span over 270 years and include a wide range of instruments. Deeds are the foundation of any title search here. The office holds warranty deeds, quit claim deeds, sheriff's deeds, and correction deeds. Mortgages and mortgage satisfactions document the full history of liens and payoffs on each parcel.

Easements and rights-of-way affecting Northampton County properties are recorded here. These documents define access rights, utility corridors, and use restrictions that run with the land and bind future owners. Subdivision and land development plans are filed with the Recorder and contain the legal descriptions for individual lots created from larger tracts.

• Warranty deeds and quit claim deeds
• Mortgages and mortgage satisfactions
• Easements and rights-of-way
• Subdivision and development plans
• Liens and judgment records
• UCC filings related to real property fixtures

Court records affecting property, including foreclosures, civil judgments, and tax sales, are accessible through the Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System online portal.

Pennsylvania Property Records Law

Pennsylvania's Right-to-Know Law (RTKL), codified at 65 P.S. § 67.301, presumes that all public agency records are open to the public. Property records at the Northampton County Recorder of Deeds are public documents. Any person may request access without giving a reason. The agency bears the burden of demonstrating that a record should be withheld.

The Pennsylvania Office of Open Records enforces the RTKL. If your records request is denied, you have 15 business days to appeal to the OOR. The OOR issues binding decisions. Agencies that withhold public records without sufficient legal basis can be ordered to release them. The OOR is at 555 Walnut Street, Suite 605, Harrisburg, PA 17101.

Pennsylvania imposes no residency requirement for accessing public records. The core content of deeds and mortgages, including parties' names, legal descriptions, and consideration, is public. Limited personal data may be redacted under Section 708 exemptions, but these do not affect the usability of property records for research purposes.

Northampton County GIS and Online Systems

Northampton County provides online tools for property research beyond the recorder's deed index. GIS mapping systems display parcel boundaries and link parcels to assessment and ownership data. These tools help researchers identify the correct parcel and its current owner before pulling deed images. The county's assessment office maintains parcel-level data that may be accessible online through the county website.

The statewide pa.uslandrecords.com portal is the main online platform for Northampton County deed records. It provides access to the recorder's digital index and document images. Documents recorded since computerization are searchable here. Older documents indexed by hand may require an in-person courthouse visit.

For research reaching back to the colonial period, the Pennsylvania State Archives holds land warrant records and original patents from the Penn family and early Commonwealth land office. Northampton County's 1752 origin means that some of the earliest land transactions in the area were handled directly by the colonial land office.

Requesting Copies in Northampton County

Northampton County property record copies are available online, by mail, and in person. The statewide portal at pa.uslandrecords.com is the fastest option for digitized records. After purchasing access, you can view and print document images directly from the portal. This approach works well for most records from the modern era.

Mail requests should be sent to the Northampton County Recorder of Deeds at the Northampton County Courthouse, Easton, PA 18042. Include the names of the grantor and grantee, the approximate recording date, or the property address. Include payment and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Standard per-page copy fees apply. Certified copies carry an additional fee and the office's official seal.

In-person visits to the Easton courthouse give you access to the full historical record. The Pennsylvania Department of State maintains a statewide UCC database for fixture-related filings. The Pennsylvania Department of Revenue oversees tax lien information. The Pennsylvania Land Title Association can help you find a qualified title professional when a full search is needed.

Nearby Counties

Properties along Northampton County's borders may have records in adjacent county offices as well.

View All 67 Counties