The Short Answer

In Pennsylvania, property records are generally retrieved from (and filings are made with) the county Recorder of Deeds. Fees are set by state law and can also be increased by county ordinance in some situations, so the exact cost and accepted filing requirements can vary by county and by document type.

What Pennsylvania Law Says

Pennsylvania law places responsibility for recording and maintaining land record information with the county Recorder of Deeds, and it ties the Recorder’s charges to a statewide fee law. In practice, that means you should expect standardized “base” recording fees, plus potential add-on fees authorized by law, and separate charges for copies/certifications depending on what you need for probate or title purposes.

The Statute

The primary law governing this issue is 53 Pa.C.S. § 8862.

This statute requires the Recorder of Deeds to maintain specified information for recorded conveyances and provides that the Recorder’s fees must be charged in accordance with the Recorder of Deeds Fee Law.

Also, counties may be permitted to increase certain recording fees by ordinance for affordable housing programs, within statutory limits. See 53 Pa.C.S. § 6011.

Why You Should Speak with an Attorney

Even when the fee schedule is straightforward, probate-related land record work often isn’t. The cost and outcome can turn on details that are easy to miss and hard to fix later, including:

• County-by-county requirements: Each Recorder’s office may have specific formatting, indexing, and submission requirements that can affect whether a document is accepted for recording.
• Burden of proof: In probate, you may need the “right” version of a record (plain copy vs. certified copy) to satisfy a title company, a lender, or an Orphans’ Court filing requirement.
• Exceptions and add-on fees: Some counties can impose additional recording fee increases by ordinance under Pennsylvania law, which can change the expected total cost for recording deeds and mortgages.

If your goal is to clear title after a death, confirm ownership, or prepare for a sale, a mistake in what you request or what you record can create delays, rejected recordings, or future title problems. A Pennsylvania probate attorney can coordinate the probate and land-records pieces so the property is handled correctly.

If you want more background on common probate-and-deed issues, you may also find these helpful: How unrecorded or unsigned deeds can affect probate administration and paperwork to update a deed after inheriting property.

Get Connected with a Pennsylvania Attorney

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Disclaimer: This article provides general information under Pennsylvania law and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Laws change frequently. For legal advice specific to your situation, please consult with a licensed attorney.