Philadelphia County Recorder of Deeds: Search Records, Get Copies and Find the Correct Office
If you landed here trying to find a Philadelphia deed, confirm who owns a property, obtain a recorded document, record a new deed, or locate the Recorder of Deeds office, the most important thing to know is that Philadelphia does not route these tasks through a separately branded county recorder website.
The Philadelphia Department of Records performs the Recorder of Deeds function. Its public systems hold deeds, mortgages, mortgage satisfactions, releases, easements and other recorded real-estate documents.
Go directly to your Philadelphia deed task
Use these links to skip to the exact process you need.
Who is the Philadelphia County Recorder of Deeds?
For practical purposes, your Recorder of Deeds office is the City of Philadelphia Department of Records. The department records real-estate documents and provides public access to Philadelphia land records. The Commissioner of Records also serves as Philadelphia’s Recorder of Deeds.
This matters because a search for “Philadelphia County Recorder of Deeds” can otherwise send you toward unrelated property databases. The correct office depends on what you are trying to prove or accomplish.
Use the Department of Records and Philadox.
Open PhiladoxUse the Office of Property Assessment property search.
Search propertyUse Philadelphia’s Department of Revenue property-tax tools.
Check tax balanceUse Philadelphia Atlas for location, zoning and development context.
Open AtlasHow to search Philadelphia County deed records online
Philadelphia’s official recorded-document search is commonly called Philadox. The Department of Records describes it as the online system for searching deeds and other property records from 1974 to the present.
Philadelphia property search vs. Recorder of Deeds search
A common source of confusion is that Philadelphia provides several property databases, but they do not all answer the same question.
| What you need | Correct system | What it is best for | Official link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recorded deed | Philadox | Deeds, mortgages, releases, satisfactions and recorded land documents | Search records |
| Assessment / basic owner display | Property Search | Assessment, physical property details, sales information and OPA account lookup | Search property |
| Map, zoning or permits | Atlas | Maps, zoning, permits, licenses, inspections and nearby activity | Open Atlas |
| Tax amount due | Department of Revenue | Real Estate Tax balances, payment options and tax account information | Check tax balance |
What to check when you find a Philadelphia deed
Finding a document with a familiar address or surname is not enough. Use several matching details before deciding that you have the correct deed.
Can’t find the Philadelphia deed? Try these fixes
Confirm the official property address in Property Search. Then search by the grantor or grantee name instead of relying only on the address.
Try spelling variations, former names, initials and fewer words. The public-access system specifically advises searching possible name variations.
Allow for the City’s stated indexing delay. Recently recorded documents may not appear online for two to four weeks.
Philadox is intended for records from 1974 forward. Use the Reading Room, mail request or City Archives for earlier material.
Use the legal description, older owner names, prior deed references and Philadelphia Atlas to reconstruct the property history.
Start in Property Search, note the sales history and owner display, then use those names and approximate dates in Philadox.
How to find Philadelphia deeds recorded before 1974
Philadelphia’s recorded land history stretches back centuries, but its modern online deed system does not contain every historical record in an equally searchable form.
The Department of Records says Philadox can be used for property records from 1974 to the present. For earlier deeds, use the Department of Records Reading Room or request the record by mail. Some older material may require assistance from the City Archives.
Prepare these details before contacting the office
- Street address, including any older address you know.
- Grantor or former owner’s name.
- Grantee or buyer’s name.
- Approximate year of the transfer.
- Any book, page, registry, document or prior-deed reference already found.
- Legal description, lot number or other historic parcel information if available.
How to get a copy of a Philadelphia deed
Philadelphia offers three practical routes: online access, an in-person Reading Room visit, or a request by mail.
Use Philadox for records from 1974 forward. You can view document information and available watermarked copies. Printing enhanced records or indexed information may require a subscription.
Open PhiladoxGo to the Department of Records Reading Room, City Hall Room 154. This is the practical office for deed research and copies.
Mail the request and payment to City Hall, Room 154, 1400 John F. Kennedy Blvd., Philadelphia, PA 19107. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope and property address.
If you need a document for a legal, financial or governmental purpose, ask whether a certified copy is required instead of relying on a printout or watermarked online image.
Current land-record copy fees
| Service | Published fee | Practical use |
|---|---|---|
| Recorded legal document copy | $2 per page | Deed, mortgage and similar land-record copies |
| Certification | $2 per document | When an authenticated/certified copy is required |
| Plot plan copy | $10 | Copy of an available plot plan |
| Land-record search assistance | $20 per hour minimum | Staff research for deeds, mortgages and other land records |
Fees can change. Always check the Department of Records current fee page before mailing payment or completing a transaction.
Check current official feesPhiladelphia Recorder of Deeds office address, rooms, hours and phone numbers
There is not one single counter for every Department of Records task. Going to the correct room can save a wasted trip.
Reading Room — Room 154
City Hall
1400 John F. Kennedy Blvd.
Philadelphia, PA 19107
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m.
Phone: (215) 686-2292
Email: deedcopy.info@phila.gov
Recording — Room 111
City Hall
1400 John F. Kennedy Blvd.
Philadelphia, PA 19107
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–3:30 p.m.
Phone: (215) 686-2290
Email: recording.info@phila.gov
City Hall — Room 156
Philadelphia, PA 19107
Phone: (215) 686-2262
Email: records.info@phila.gov
Use the specific copy or recording contact above when your question is task-specific.
How to record a deed in Philadelphia
Recording a deed is different from searching for a deed. If ownership is changing, a new deed generally must be prepared correctly and then accepted for recording by the Department of Records.
Common document requirements to check before submission
Philadelphia deed recording fees and Realty Transfer Tax
The recording fee and the Realty Transfer Tax are separate costs. A deed can therefore cost substantially more to complete than the Recorder of Deeds filing fee alone.
| Item | Current published amount | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Standard deed recording | $278.75 | Current Department of Records fee-page amount for a standard deed |
| Deceased spouse / partner deed | $43.75 | Special reduced recording amount currently listed by the department |
| Miscellaneous deed | $263.75 | Published miscellaneous-deed recording amount |
| Philadelphia City transfer tax | 3.578% | Philadelphia portion of Realty Transfer Tax |
| Pennsylvania transfer tax | 1% | Commonwealth portion |
| Combined transfer-tax rate | 4.578% | Current combined Philadelphia + Pennsylvania rate for taxable transfers |
The City’s transfer-tax page explains that the tax generally applies when real estate is sold or transferred and becomes payable when the ownership document is filed. Some transfers may receive different treatment or qualify for exemptions, so do not assume every deed owes the full rate.
Adding or removing a person from a Philadelphia deed
You generally do not edit an already recorded deed. Instead, the ownership change is documented through a properly prepared new deed or another legally appropriate instrument and then recorded.
This is especially important for transfers between spouses, adding a child, removing a former owner, estate transfers, trusts, business entities and gifts. Each can create legal, tax, creditor, estate-planning or title consequences.
If the record owner has died, do not assume presenting a death certificate alone automatically rewrites the deed. Estate administration, survivorship language and the way title was held can determine what must happen next.
Sign up for Philadelphia Deed Fraud Guard
Philadelphia offers a free monitoring service called Deed Fraud Guard. Property owners can register their name and receive an email notification when a document is recorded using that name.
What a Recorder of Deeds search can—and cannot—prove
Recorded documents are essential for researching ownership, but a simple public-record search is not the same as a professional title examination.
- Locate recorded transfers.
- Identify grantors and grantees.
- Find mortgages and recorded satisfactions.
- Trace prior deed references.
- Obtain copies for research or legal use.
- That title is free of every lien or defect.
- That every indexed name is error-free.
- That an online owner display is legally conclusive.
- That parcel-map lines are a boundary survey.
- That a transfer was legally valid merely because it was recorded.
For a purchase, refinance, ownership dispute, estate, quiet-title case or other high-stakes matter, use the public record as the starting evidence and obtain appropriate legal or title assistance when needed.
Philadelphia County Recorder of Deeds FAQs
Who is the Recorder of Deeds for Philadelphia County?
The City of Philadelphia Department of Records performs the recorder-of-deeds function. Its Commissioner serves as Philadelphia’s Recorder of Deeds, and the department records deeds, mortgages and other land documents.
Where can I search Philadelphia deeds online?
Use the official Philadox / Records Public Access Web system. The Department of Records says the online system covers deeds and other property records from 1974 to the present.
Can I search Philadelphia property records by street address?
Yes. A good first step is Philadelphia Property Search, which can be searched by address and provides property and assessment information. Then use Philadox when you need the actual recorded deed or mortgage document.
How much is a Philadelphia deed copy?
The current Department of Records fee page lists copies of recorded legal documents at $2 per page and certification at $2 per document. Verify the fee page before ordering because fees can change.
How much does it cost to record a deed in Philadelphia?
The Department of Records currently lists the standard deed recording fee at $278.75. Transfer tax, additional documents or special circumstances can add substantially to the total transaction cost.
What is Philadelphia’s Realty Transfer Tax rate?
The current combined rate is 4.578% for taxable transactions: 3.578% Philadelphia City tax plus 1% Pennsylvania tax. Exemptions and special rules can apply to particular transfers.
Where do I go to get a deed copy in person?
Visit the Department of Records Reading Room in City Hall, Room 154, 1400 John F. Kennedy Blvd., Philadelphia, PA 19107. Current published Reading Room hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Where do I take a deed to be recorded?
Document recording is handled through City Hall, Room 111. Current City instructions say in-person recording requires an appointment; email appointments.records@phila.gov.
How do I find a Philadelphia deed from before 1974?
Use the Department of Records Reading Room or submit a request by mail. Older records can require special handling or City Archives research because Philadox is primarily the online system for records from 1974 forward.
How can I protect my Philadelphia property from deed fraud?
Register for Philadelphia’s free Deed Fraud Guard. It can email you when a document is recorded using your registered name.
Use the right Philadelphia record for the question you are trying to answer
For an actual deed, mortgage, satisfaction, release or recorded ownership document, use the Philadelphia Department of Records and its Philadox search. For property characteristics, assessments and basic sales information, use Philadelphia Property Search. For zoning and mapping context, use Atlas. For property-tax balances, use the Department of Revenue.
If the online deed is missing, very old, difficult to identify or needed as a certified copy, contact the Department of Records Reading Room in City Hall Room 154. If you are filing a new deed, follow the City’s recording requirements and use Room 111 rather than the copy counter.