Butler County PA Recorder of Deeds: Search Records, Fees & Office Guide
Use the Butler County PA Recorder of Deeds when you need the actual recorded document affecting real estate: a deed, mortgage, mortgage satisfaction, easement, right-of-way, recorded plan, power of attorney or another land record.
This guide takes you directly through the official Butler County systems, including how to find a deed when you only know the property address, how to trace an older owner, how to request a copy, what current recording fees apply, and what to check before submitting a new deed.
Butler County Recorder Public Access / PAX.
Michele Mustello.
124 W Diamond St., Government Center, Floor L.
724-284-5340.
$87.75 before applicable extras and transfer tax.
Go directly to your Butler County deed task
Choose the section that matches what you are actually trying to accomplish.
What do you actually need from Butler County?
People often land on a Recorder page while trying to solve a different property problem. Starting with the correct office can save an unnecessary trip or an unsuccessful search.
Use the Recorder of Deeds to find deeds, mortgages, releases, satisfactions, easements and other recorded real-estate instruments.
Follow the deed-search stepsStart with Butler County Property Search. It can return the owner, parcel ID, deed book, deed page and sales references.
Turn an address into a deed searchUse Butler County Assessment for assessed value, property records, appeal information and homestead/farmstead matters.
Open AssessmentUse Mapping & GIS for approximate parcel location and geographic context. Do not treat the tax map as a legal boundary survey.
Open Mapping & GISA Recorder search does not pay the annual property tax bill. Use the applicable local tax collector or Butler County tax resource.
See county search optionsCivil court filings belong with the Prothonotary rather than the Recorder. A complete title investigation may require both systems.
Open ProthonotaryHow to search Butler County PA Recorder of Deeds records online
Butler County links its Recorder search to a Document Technology Systems Public Access portal. The portal identifies itself as the Butler County Recorder’s Office and provides public access to recorded-document information.
If you only know the property address, start here
A street address is often a better starting point in Butler County’s property database than in the Recorder index. The official property-search system allows searches by parcel number, owner or address and can display fields such as owner, parcel ID, legal description, acreage, deed book, deed page and sales information.
What the Butler County deed-search information means
| Field | What it means | Why it matters | Common mistake |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grantor | Party conveying or granting an interest. | Useful when tracing who transferred the property. | Searching only the present owner’s name. |
| Grantee | Party receiving an interest. | Often identifies how the present owner acquired title. | Assuming every grantee entry is a deed purchase. |
| Instrument number | Unique Recorder reference assigned to a filing. | One of the best identifiers for retrieving the document again. | Calling the office with only a street address. |
| Book / page | Recorded-volume reference used frequently in older document chains. | Lets you follow citations from one deed or plan to another. | Confusing the book/page with a parcel number. |
| Recording date | Date the instrument entered the county recording system. | Can differ from the signing or closing date. | Searching only the exact date the parties signed. |
| Document type | Deed, mortgage, satisfaction, easement, agreement or another filing type. | Helps distinguish a transfer from a mortgage or later release. | Treating every result as proof of ownership. |
Why a recently recorded Butler County deed may not appear yet
Butler County publishes a Current Cover Date showing how far the Recorder’s recordings have been verified. As of the county’s September 29, 2026 update, recordings were verified through June 19, 2026.
How to trace an older deed or chain of ownership
When researching property history, begin with the most recent reliable deed and work backward. Later deeds often identify the prior deed or plan by instrument number or book and page.
Searching mineral, oil, gas or coal rights
Butler County Mapping specifically directs questions about ownership of gas, oil or coal rights to the Recorder of Deeds. Surface ownership does not automatically tell you who owns subsurface rights. Research may require following reservations, exceptions, mineral deeds and prior conveyances backward through the recorded chain.
How to request a Butler County deed copy
Before requesting a copy, identify the document as precisely as possible. An instrument number or book/page reference gives Recorder staff a much better starting point than a street address alone.
| Copy service | Published fee | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Mail request — record books / instrument numbers | $1 per page | Copies when the recording reference is known. |
| Certificate and seal of office | $1.50 | Certification component when needed. |
| Service fee with book and page | $2 per document | Retrieval when you supply the book/page. |
| Service fee without book and page | $4 per document | Higher retrieval fee when precise book/page is unavailable. |
| Mail request — plan books | $2 per page | Copies of recorded plan-book pages. |
Recording a deed in Butler County: practical pre-filing checklist
Recording a deed is different from searching one. The Recorder accepts qualifying instruments for the public record, but the office does not choose the correct deed for your transaction or replace legal advice about ownership, transfer taxes, estates, trusts or title.
The legal description matters more than many property owners realize
Butler County Mapping states that properties are transferred by property description, not simply by parcel number. It warns that when a recorded deed lacks an accurate property description, the deed can be carried as “reference only” in assessment records until a correction is made.
The county also says its GIS maps are intended for tax-assessment and general informational purposes and are not certified surveys. A parcel outline on the webmap should not be substituted for a deed description or licensed boundary survey.
Butler County PA Recorder of Deeds recording fees
Butler County changed several Recorder fees effective November 19, 2025. The current deed-and-mortgage page lists a $87.75 base fee for deeds, mortgages and re-recordings of deeds.
| Document | Base fee | Included / important detail |
|---|---|---|
| Deed | $87.75 | Includes 4 names, 4 pages and 1 parcel. |
| Mortgage | $87.75 | Includes 4 names, 4 pages and 1 parcel. |
| Re-recording of deed | $87.75 | Additional charges can apply. |
| Re-recording of mortgage | $89.75 | Includes 4 names, 4 pages, 1 parcel and 1 notation. |
| Mortgage amendment / assignment / modification / release | $61.75 | Includes 4 names, 4 pages and 1 notation. |
| Mortgage satisfaction / termination of rents | $61.75 | Includes 4 names, 4 pages and 1 notation. |
| Mortgage postponement / subordination | $20.50 | Includes 4 names, 4 pages and 1 notation. |
| Article of Agreement / Installment Land Contract | $59.75 | Includes 4 names and 4 pages; county states a Certificate of Residence is required. |
| Right-of-way / easement | $87.75 | Other fees may apply. |
| Lease of 30 years or more | $59.75 | Other fees may apply. |
| Maps / plans | $45 first page | $40 for each additional page. |
| UCC financing statement | $100 | County lists $100 for filing; amendments and similar UCC filings are also listed at $100. |
Extra charges to count before recording
REV-183, transfer tax and Butler County’s common level ratio
Pennsylvania imposes a 1% state realty transfer tax on the value of real estate transferred by deed, instrument, long-term lease or certain other writings. County Recorders commonly collect the state tax together with applicable local realty transfer tax.
When REV-183 Statement of Value is commonly required
Pennsylvania’s REV-183 instructions state that the form is filed in duplicate with the Recorder when:
- the full value or consideration is not stated in the deed;
- the deed is without consideration or is a gift; or
- a realty-transfer-tax exemption is being claimed.
The form asks for transfer information, the real-estate location, tax parcel number where applicable, consideration, assessed value, common level ratio information, exemption details and correspondent information.
Butler County common level ratio for 2026–2027
Butler County currently lists a Common Level Ratio Factor of 16.67 for the period from July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027. Because the factor is period-specific, verify it again before using it for a future recording.
Finding Butler County subdivision plans and plan books
The Recorder’s land records are not limited to deeds. Butler County also publishes an official Plans / Subdivisions archive with many recorded Plan Book Volumes available online.
Butler County Recorder of Deeds address, phone and hours
Michele Mustello
Butler County Government Center124 W Diamond Street
Floor L
Butler, PA 16001
P.O. Box 1208
Butler, PA 16003
Phone: 724-284-5340
Fax: 724-285-9099
Monday through Friday
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Why you cannot find a Butler County deed — and what to try next
| Problem | What to try | Why it helps |
|---|---|---|
| You only know the address | Use Butler County Property Search first. | It can provide owner, parcel, deed book and deed page. |
| Current owner returns no deed | Search prior owner, spouse, trust, estate or company name. | The acquisition deed may be indexed differently from the name you expect. |
| Too many matching names | Add a recording-date range or use a known book/page or instrument. | It removes unrelated transactions involving similar names. |
| Recent deed is missing | Check the Recorder’s Current Cover Date. | The verified public index can trail very recent recordings. |
| Assessment owner did not update as expected | Review the recorded deed’s legal property description. | Butler County warns an inadequate description can cause the deed to remain “reference only” in assessment records. |
| You need exact boundary lines | Use deed/plan research plus a licensed surveyor. | The county GIS is not a certified survey. |
| You need a judgment search | Search the Prothonotary/court system as well. | Not every title-related record is filed with the Recorder. |
| You need proof a mortgage was paid | Find the original mortgage and a later satisfaction/release. | The original mortgage remains in the historical record even after payoff. |
Official Butler County Recorder links and exactly what to do on each page
Best for searching recorded deeds and related instruments.
- Open the portal.
- Use instrument/book-page data when known.
- Otherwise search the recorded party name.
- Verify the document and save its reference.
Best when all you have is an address, owner or parcel number.
- Select Parcel Number, Owner or Address.
- Run the search.
- Open the correct parcel profile.
- Save owner, parcel, deed book/page and sales clues.
Best when a recently recorded document is not appearing.
- Open the county page.
- Read the verified-through date.
- Compare it with your recording date.
- Contact the Recorder if timing is critical.
Best before recording or mailing payment.
- Identify the exact document type.
- Confirm its base fee.
- Count pages, names, parcels and notations.
- Add transfer tax separately where applicable.
Best for approximate parcel location and geographic context.
- Open the county mapping page.
- Launch the Tax Assessment Webmap.
- Confirm parcel location and context.
- Return to Recorder records for the legal instrument.
Best when a deed needs Pennsylvania transfer-value reporting.
- Review whether REV-183 is required.
- Complete transfer and property data.
- Complete valuation/exemption sections.
- Attach supporting documentation when required.
Butler County PA Recorder of Deeds FAQs
Where is the Butler County PA Recorder of Deeds?
The office is at 124 W Diamond Street, Butler County Government Center, Floor L, Butler, PA 16001. The mailing address is P.O. Box 1208, Butler, PA 16003.
What is the Butler County Recorder of Deeds phone number?
Call 724-284-5340. Butler County also lists fax number 724-285-9099 for the Recorder’s office.
How do I search Butler County deeds online?
Use Butler County Recorder Public Access. Start with an instrument number or book/page if you have one. Otherwise search the recorded party name. If you only know an address, first use the official Butler County Property Search to identify the owner and deed references.
Do I have to create an account to search the Recorder portal?
No. The Public Access system says registration is not required. It recommends an account if you want features such as saved searches, search history and a document cart.
How much does Butler County charge to record a deed?
The current Recorder page lists a base fee of $87.75 for deeds, mortgages and re-recordings of deeds. That base includes four names, four pages and one parcel. Extra names, pages and parcels can increase the total, and realty transfer tax is separate.
Why can I not find a deed that was recorded recently?
Check the Recorder’s Current Cover Date. The public index may not yet be verified through the date of a very recent filing. As of the county’s September 29, 2026 update, recordings were verified through June 19, 2026.
Can the county GIS map prove my legal boundary?
No. Butler County states its GIS mapping is for tax-assessment and informational purposes and is not a certified survey. Use the recorded deed and plan, and hire a licensed surveyor when precise boundaries matter.
What happens if a deed has an inaccurate property description?
Butler County Mapping says a deed without an accurate property description can be shown as “reference only” in assessment records until a correction is made. Properties are transferred by description, not merely by parcel number.
Where do I find Butler County subdivision plans?
Use the official Recorder of Deeds Plans / Subdivisions page. Many Plan Book Volumes are available online, which is especially useful when a deed cites a subdivision plan by volume and page.
Does the Recorder handle property assessments or annual tax payments?
No. Use Butler County Assessment for property-record and assessed-value questions. Annual property-tax payment questions generally belong to the applicable tax collector or tax-payment system.
The fastest route to the correct Butler County land record
If you already know an instrument number, deed book/page or recorded party name, go directly to the Butler County Recorder Public Access system. If you only know a street address, begin with Butler County Property Search, capture the owner, parcel and deed-reference information, and then move to the Recorder.
For a new recording, verify the legal description, document type, Statement of Value requirements, transfer-tax treatment and current fees before submitting anything. Butler County’s own mapping guidance makes one point especially important: the legal property description controls the transfer—not the parcel number alone.