Philadelphia County Property Records and Deeds

Philadelphia County property records date back to 1683, making this one of the oldest continuously maintained land record systems in the United States. The Department of Records at City Hall maintains all recorded deeds, mortgages, easements, and property instruments for this consolidated city-county. The PhilaDox online system provides access to records from 1974 to the present, while a separate historical records portal covers over 18 million digitized images going back to the 17th century. Whether you are researching ownership, clearing title, or verifying a recent transaction, Philadelphia's Department of Records provides multiple paths to find the property records you need.

Philadelphia Department of Records

The Philadelphia Department of Records is located at City Hall, Room 154, 1400 John F. Kennedy Blvd., Philadelphia, PA 19107. This office records real estate documents, manages city records, provides public access to property records, and oversees the City Archives. The public rooms are open from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Monday through Friday. The main office hours for recording and staff assistance run from 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM. Payment at the counter accepts cash, money orders, credit cards, and business or certified checks. Personal checks are not accepted.

Philadelphia is a consolidated city-county, meaning the city and county are the same government entity. There is no separate county recorder of deeds here. All property records for the entire city of Philadelphia are maintained by this single Department of Records. The Department has maintained records continuously from 1683 to the present, covering over three centuries of property history for one of America's oldest and largest cities.

The Philadelphia Department of Records official page provides information about services, recording requirements, fees, and how to contact the office. The department also manages the City Archives, financial disclosure forms, public safety reports, and printing services for city agencies.

Searching Philadelphia Property Records via PhilaDox

PhilaDox is Philadelphia's official online document search system. It provides access to deeds, mortgages, and other recorded property documents from 1974 to the present. You can access it at epay.phila-records.com. The free public search allows you to look up records by name (grantor or grantee) and property address. Search results show document details including names, property address, and recording information. You can click on any document to see a watermarked unofficial copy.

Printing full-quality documents without watermarks requires a paid subscription. Four subscription tiers are available. A one-day pass costs $15. A one-week pass costs $60. A one-month subscription costs $125. An annual subscription costs $750. Online payment accepts Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express. A 3.5% convenience fee applies to all online credit card payments. With a subscription, you can print documents or indexed information and access full document images without watermarks.

Note: Documents recorded in Philadelphia do not appear as searchable in PhilaDox until two to four weeks after recording. If you are searching for a very recent document, allow additional time before expecting it to appear in the system.

Philadelphia Historical Land and Vital Records

For records predating 1974, Philadelphia maintains a separate historical records system at phila-records.com. This system holds over 18 million digitized images. Coverage includes microfilm of deed books from 1683 to 1974 and recorded documents from 1952 to 1974. This archive is available by subscription and provides researchers with access to one of the oldest urban land record collections in North America.

For records that predate the online systems or cannot be found digitally, you can also request copies by mail. Send your request to City Hall, Room 154, 1400 John F. Kennedy Blvd., Philadelphia, PA 19107. Include the property address, grantor and grantee names if known, the deed date if known, and the Document ID number for records from 1973 to the present. Include payment by check or money order made payable to "City of Philadelphia" and a self-addressed stamped envelope. To find out the exact number of pages in advance of paying, call (215) 686-2292 or email deedcopy.info@phila.gov.

The statewide pa.uslandrecords.com portal also provides access to Philadelphia property records as part of its coverage of all 67 Pennsylvania counties.

Types of Property Records in Philadelphia County

The Philadelphia Department of Records maintains a comprehensive archive of property instruments spanning more than three centuries. Deeds from 1683 to the present document every property transfer in the city. The office also holds mortgages and mortgage satisfactions, mortgage releases, easements and rights-of-way, notary commissions, financial disclosure forms, public safety reports, land records, and city regulation public notices.

Military discharge records are recorded and copied at no cost. Access to military records less than 85 years old is restricted to the person named, authorized agents, immediate family members with proof of relationship, requesters with a subpoena or court order, and county directors of veterans affairs. Records more than 85 years old are open to the public without restriction.

Philadelphia also manages deed name match requirements under City Council Bill No. 080424-A, effective November 3, 2008. The seller's name on a new deed must match the buyer's name on the prior deed transaction. Additional documentation is required if the grantor is a decedent's estate representative, trustee, corporation, or person acting under a power of attorney. Attorneys and title companies can submit an affidavit form to streamline some of these requirements.

Philadelphia Property Fraud Protection

The Philadelphia Department of Records provides specific resources for victims of property fraud. If you suspect your property has been fraudulently transferred or encumbered, the Department recommends a series of steps. First, obtain a free certified copy of your deed or mortgage from Room 154. Search records by property address to check for other fraudulent documents. File a police report with the Philadelphia Police Department.

Additional steps include notifying the Philadelphia Office of District Attorney, Economic and Cyber Crime Unit at 215-686-9902, and contacting the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office of Consumer Protection at 1-800-441-2555. File a Deed/Mortgage Fraud Report with the Department of Records in person at Room 154. Consult with an experienced real estate lawyer immediately. Victims who file a fraud report receive a free certified paper copy of their deed or mortgage at the time they file the report.

Note: The tangled title issue also affects many Philadelphia properties. A tangled title occurs when the recorded owner has died but the property has not gone through proper estate administration. Resolving a tangled title generally requires filing a quiet title action in civil court.

Pennsylvania Property Records Law

Pennsylvania's Right-to-Know Law (RTKL), codified at 65 P.S. § 67.301, presumes that all records held by public agencies are public. The agency bears the burden of demonstrating a record should be withheld. Philadelphia property records at the Department of Records are public documents available to any person. No reason is required for a request.

The Pennsylvania Office of Open Records enforces the RTKL and serves as an appeals body when requests are denied. If the Department of Records denies your request, you have 15 business days to appeal to the OOR. The OOR issues binding decisions and can compel agencies to release public records. Its address is 555 Walnut Street, Suite 605, Harrisburg, PA 17101.

Section 708 of the RTKL contains limited exemptions for personal data. These do not affect access to core property record content, including parties' names, legal descriptions, and recorded consideration. There is no Pennsylvania residency requirement to request records.

Philadelphia City Property Records

Philadelphia is a consolidated city-county, meaning the city and county are the same entity. All property records for Philadelphia residents are maintained by the Department of Records. For more details about city-level resources and access points, see the Philadelphia city property records page.

View Philadelphia City Property Records

Nearby Counties

Properties just outside Philadelphia County may have records in neighboring county offices.

View All 67 Counties