Philadelphia County Property Records in Pennsylvania
Title Search · Lien Search · Deed Copies · Preliminary Title Reports · Chain of Title
U.S. Title Records is the professional source for Philadelphia property records and title examination, covering Center City, South Philadelphia, Fishtown and Northern Liberties, West Philadelphia and University City, North Philadelphia, the Northeast, Germantown, Chestnut Hill, Manayunk, and every neighborhood in the city. We perform full title searches, comprehensive lien searches, certified deed retrieval, and preliminary title reports for buyers, sellers, investors, attorneys, and lenders, covering the Philadelphia Department of Records, the OPA parcel numbers from the Office of Property Assessment, the Office of Judicial Records judgment index, recorded mortgages and tax liens, and the realty transfer tax that reveals consideration. Reports from $29, delivered by email.
Philadelphia County Property Records Search and Title Examination
Philadelphia is both a city and a county, and its property records are maintained by city departments rather than by a county recorder, with the Philadelphia Department of Records serving as the official repository for every recorded deed, mortgage, and lien. Philadelphia consolidated its city and county governments, so it has no separate county Recorder of Deeds, and recording instead runs through the Department of Records, which maintains deeds, mortgages, liens, and satisfactions dating back to the city’s founding. The Office of Property Assessment, or OPA, maintains the parcel, the owner, and the assessed value, and assigns each property a nine-digit OPA account number that stays constant through changes of ownership, while the Office of Judicial Records, historically the Prothonotary, maintains the civil court records and the judgment index, and the Register of Wills holds probate records. A thorough Philadelphia property records search reads the Department of Records documents, the OPA data, and the judgment index together. U.S. Title Records examines the recorded chain, the mortgages and liens, the docketed judgments, and the OPA data, and delivers the result as a clear report by email.
Pennsylvania differs from many states in two ways that shape every Philadelphia transaction: it is a lien-theory state, and it forecloses through the courts. A Philadelphia loan is secured by a mortgage, not a deed of trust or security deed, so the borrower keeps title and the lender holds a recorded lien, and Pennsylvania is a race-notice state in which a later purchaser who records first without notice can prevail over an earlier unrecorded interest. If a loan defaults, Pennsylvania uses judicial foreclosure, a court action that ends in a sheriff’s sale, so a pending foreclosure appears as litigation and a docketed judgment. Our reports address each of these.
Whether you need a title search, a lien search, a deed copy or deed search, or a preliminary title report, every Philadelphia order starts the same way: give us the property address or OPA number, and we identify the parcel and the recorded chain. Pricing is the same in Philadelphia as across all 67 Pennsylvania counties, from $29. For statewide context, see our Pennsylvania property records page.
Department of Records & the OPA Number
Philadelphia records deeds, mortgages, and liens at the Department of Records, while the Office of Property Assessment keeps the parcel, owner, and value and assigns the nine-digit OPA number used to identify the property. A complete search covers both. We cover Philadelphia and all 67 Pennsylvania counties at the same price.
One City, One County
Philadelphia consolidated its city and county, so there is no separate county Recorder of Deeds, and the Department of Records handles recording for the entire city. The city and the county are the same jurisdiction, which keeps recording in one office for every Philadelphia neighborhood. Our $29 report confirms the owner and parcel.
Judgments at the Office of Judicial Records
A Philadelphia money judgment becomes a lien when it is docketed with the Office of Judicial Records, historically the Prothonotary, in the judgment index that is separate from the recorded deeds. Our $195 report searches the judgment index and the recorded liens.
Mortgages & Judicial Foreclosure
Pennsylvania is a lien-theory state, so a Philadelphia loan is a recorded mortgage rather than a security deed, and foreclosure is judicial, a court action ending in a sheriff’s sale. A satisfied mortgage is cleared only when a satisfaction is recorded. Our $275 Chain of Title traces the mortgages and satisfactions.
Philadelphia Title Search
A Philadelphia title search examines the recorded history of a property to establish who owns it and what claims are attached to it. A complete property title search reads the chain of recorded deeds at the Philadelphia Department of Records to confirm current ownership, identifies every open mortgage and lien, confirms that paid mortgages have been satisfied of record, searches the Office of Judicial Records judgment index for judgments against the parties, and surfaces tax liens, mechanic’s liens, easements, and other recorded exceptions that affect the title. Because Pennsylvania is a lien-theory, race-notice state where an unrecorded deed can be defeated, and because Philadelphia identifies parcels by the OPA number rather than by address alone, a reliable Philadelphia title search confirms the vesting by parcel, verifies what is recorded, and combines the Department of Records documents with the OPA and judgment data.
U.S. Title Records performs Philadelphia title searches for buyers, sellers, investors, attorneys, and lenders without an in-person visit to City Hall, in Center City, South Philadelphia, Fishtown, and across the city. A Title Search by Name ($75) locates every property tied to a person or entity in Philadelphia, while the Full Owner Lien Report ($195) and the Expanded Title Search ($375) deliver a comprehensive examination of the property and its owner. Learn more about our real estate title search service.
Philadelphia Lien Search
A Philadelphia lien search identifies every recorded claim against a property or an owner, from mortgages to judgments to the city tax liens that are common in Philadelphia. Liens attach to Philadelphia real estate from many directions: a mortgage securing a loan, a money judgment docketed with the Office of Judicial Records that becomes a lien on the debtor’s property in the county, a city or school district real estate tax lien, a federal or state tax lien, a mechanic’s lien filed by a contractor or supplier, a homeowners association assessment lien, a water or gas municipal lien, or a UCC financing statement. Because Pennsylvania dockets judgments in the judgment index rather than the deed records, and Philadelphia pursues delinquent real estate taxes aggressively through tax liens and sheriff’s sales, the index searched and the recording date both matter, and a complete search covers the Department of Records, the judgment index, the municipal and tax records, and UCC together.
Our lien search options scale to the need. The Lien Report ($95) covers recorded property liens, the Full Owner Lien Report ($195) adds judgment, tax, UCC, and bankruptcy searches against the owner, and a UCC lien search covers business filings. To check whether there is a lien on your own Philadelphia property, start with the address or OPA number.
Liens We Search
Mortgages and assignments, docketed judgments from the Office of Judicial Records, city and school district real estate tax liens, state and federal (IRS) tax liens, mechanic’s liens, water and gas municipal liens, HOA assessment liens, and UCC financing statements.
Philadelphia Tax Liens
Philadelphia pursues delinquent real estate taxes through recorded tax liens and tax sales, and these can sit against a property separate from the mortgage. Our $195 report searches the tax liens, the judgment index, and the recorded liens.
Philadelphia Deed Copies and Deed Search
A deed is the recorded instrument that conveys Philadelphia real estate, and a deed copy from the Department of Records is often needed to confirm ownership, prepare a transfer, or resolve a title question. Pennsylvania transfers run through several deed types, including the general warranty deed (offering the strongest covenants), the special warranty deed, and the quitclaim deed (transferring whatever interest the grantor has without warranties). A Philadelphia deed must be in writing, signed by the grantor, and acknowledged before a notary, and a deed transferring ownership is recorded with the Department of Records and accompanied by a realty transfer tax statement of value that discloses the consideration, with the city and state realty transfer tax paid at recording unless an exemption applies. Each recorded document is indexed to the property’s OPA number and assigned recording information by the Department of Records.
U.S. Title Records retrieves recorded Philadelphia deeds and supporting documents. A Deed Copy ($45) delivers the recorded vesting deed, and the Property Detail Report ($29) confirms the current owner, the parcel, and how title is held. For the full conveyance history, the Chain of Title ($275) assembles every deed in order.
Philadelphia Preliminary Title Reports
A preliminary title report, sometimes called a title commitment, sets out the condition of title before a transaction closes, so a buyer, lender, or investor knows the ownership, the liens, and the exceptions in advance. A preliminary report identifies the current owner, the open mortgages and other monetary liens, the docketed judgments, the city and federal tax liens, the recorded easements and restrictions, and any other matters of record that affect the title, the same items a party needs to evaluate or clear before a purchase, refinance, or loan. In Philadelphia it is where an unsatisfied mortgage, a docketed judgment, a city tax lien, or a pending judicial foreclosure first comes to light. It is the standard due-diligence document at the front of a Philadelphia transaction.
U.S. Title Records prepares preliminary title search reports as a records-based examination of the recorded chain, the judgment index, and the tax records. This is a property records and title search product, not title insurance or a commitment to insure, and it gives buyers, investors, attorneys, and lenders a clear pre-closing picture at a fraction of the cost and delay of a full underwriting file. The Chain of Title ($275) and the Expanded Title Search ($375) serve this preliminary-report purpose. See the full schedule of fees.
What a Preliminary Report Shows
Current owner and how title is held, open mortgages and monetary liens, docketed judgments, city and federal tax liens, easements, and restrictions. It is the pre-closing due-diligence picture for a Philadelphia property.
Records-Based, Not Insurance
Our preliminary title report is a comprehensive search of the public record, not a policy of title insurance or a commitment to insure. It gives buyers, lenders, and investors a fast, professional read on title before they commit. Reports from $275.
Philadelphia Title Search and Records Reports
One pricing schedule in Philadelphia and across all 67 Pennsylvania counties, from a quick ownership check to a full title examination
Property Detail Report ($29)
Ownership, parcel, and tax data for any Philadelphia property.
- Current owner
- OPA account number and legal description
- OPA assessed value
- Open mortgages
- Realty transfer tax and recorded consideration
- Most recent recorded sale
Full Owner Lien Report ($195)
Comprehensive property AND owner lien and title search.
- Everything in the $29 report
- All recorded liens and mortgages
- Docketed judgments at the Office of Judicial Records
- City, school district, and IRS tax liens
- Mechanic’s liens and HOA liens
- UCC financing statements and bankruptcy
Expanded Title Search ($375)
The most comprehensive Philadelphia examination and preliminary report.
- Everything in the $195 report
- Complete chain of conveyance with vesting deeds
- Mortgage satisfaction review
- Easement and restriction research
- Preliminary title report scope
Full ladder: Property Detail $29 | Deed Copy $45 | Title Search by Name $75 | Lien Report $95 | Full Owner Lien $195 | Chain of Title $275 | Expanded $375 | Schedule of fees
Philadelphia Property Records by Neighborhood
Title, lien, and deed searches in every Philadelphia neighborhood at the same statewide pricing
Center City
Rittenhouse, Washington Square, Logan Square, and Old City, with condos, brownstones, and commercial property. Full title and lien search at statewide pricing.
South Philadelphia
Passyunk, Point Breeze, Pennsport, and Girard Estate, with dense rowhome stock and active turnover. Department of Records deeds. Title, lien, and deed retrieval.
Fishtown & Northern Liberties
The fast-redeveloping river wards north of Center City, with high transaction volume and new construction. Mortgage and title search with judgment review.
West Philadelphia
University City, Spruce Hill, and Cedar Park, with Victorian stock and institutional ownership. Deed and title search with lien review. Same pricing statewide.
North Philadelphia
Brewerytown, Fairmount, Temple-area, and Kensington, with mixed residential and investor activity. Full title and lien search with tax lien review.
Northeast Philadelphia
From Frankford and Mayfair to Somerton, the city’s largest residential expanse with high owner-occupancy. Department of Records deeds. Title, lien, and deed retrieval.
Northwest Philadelphia
Germantown, Mount Airy, Chestnut Hill, Manayunk, and Roxborough, with historic homes and HOA stock. Deed and title search with restriction research. Same pricing statewide.
All of Philadelphia
Every Philadelphia neighborhood, recorded through the same Department of Records and indexed to the OPA number. Search by address or OPA number to begin. BBB A+ since 2009.
Property Records Across Pennsylvania
U.S. Title Records covers Philadelphia and all 67 Pennsylvania counties at the same statewide pricing
Pennsylvania Property Records
Recorder of Deeds and Prothonotary records across all 67 counties, with mortgage, judgment, and tax lien coverage. Title search, lien search, deed copies, and preliminary reports from $29.
All 50 States
Nationwide property records, title searches, lien searches, deed copies, and preliminary title reports, one schedule of fees in every state. BBB A+ since 2009.
Start a Search
Enter any Philadelphia or U.S. property address and choose a report from $29 to $375. Delivered as a PDF by email, with no account or subscription required.
Title Search Services
Full title examination, lien searches, deed retrieval, and chain of title nationwide. Professional reports for buyers, investors, attorneys, and lenders.
Property Owner Search
Find the current owner of any Philadelphia property by address or OPA number, with the recorded vesting deed and how title is held. From $29.
Allegheny County Property Records
The Pittsburgh metro, with Department of Real Estate deeds, lot-and-block parcels, and Department of Court Records judgments. Title, lien, deed, and preliminary reports from $29.
Three Philadelphia Title Risks That Require Professional Examination
1. Philadelphia is a city-county with no separate Recorder of Deeds, and records are identified by the OPA number, not the address. Because Philadelphia consolidated its city and county governments, there is no county Recorder of Deeds, and every deed, mortgage, and lien is recorded with the Philadelphia Department of Records, while the Office of Property Assessment assigns each parcel a nine-digit OPA account number that stays constant through changes of ownership. An address alone can be ambiguous in a city of rowhomes, subdivided parcels, and condominium units, so the reliable way to pull the correct chain of title is by the OPA number. A search that relies on the address, or that looks for a county recorder that does not exist, can return the wrong parcel or an incomplete record. A reliable Philadelphia search identifies the OPA number first, then examines the Department of Records documents tied to that parcel. Our $29 Property Detail Report confirms the OPA number, the owner, and the parcel before any deeper search.
2. Pennsylvania dockets judgments separately from deeds, and Philadelphia forecloses through the courts. A Pennsylvania money judgment becomes a lien on real estate when it is entered in the judgment index maintained by the Office of Judicial Records, historically the Prothonotary, which is a separate record from the deeds and mortgages held by the Department of Records. Because Pennsylvania is a lien-theory state, a loan is a recorded mortgage rather than a security deed, and on default the lender must file a judicial foreclosure, a court action that ends in a sheriff’s sale, so a distressed property can carry a pending foreclosure case and a docketed judgment at the same time. A title search that reads only the recorded deeds can show clear title while a judgment or a foreclosure sits on the court docket against the owner. A reliable Philadelphia search reads the judgment index and the court record alongside the recorded chain. Our $195 report searches the judgment index, the liens, and the recorded chain against the property and the owner.
3. Philadelphia tax liens and a high realty transfer tax shape the record and the closing. Philadelphia pursues delinquent real estate taxes aggressively, and city and school district tax claims can be reduced to recorded liens and tax sales that sit against a property apart from the mortgage. A conveyance is also subject to a combined city and state realty transfer tax, among the highest in the country, reported on a statement of value that discloses the consideration, so the recorded transfer tax is where the true sale price often appears. A deed recorded without the proper transfer tax treatment, or a property carrying unresolved municipal, water, or gas liens, can complicate a sale or refinance. Confirming the tax-lien status and the recorded consideration is part of a complete search. Our $375 Expanded Title Search reviews the recorded chain, the tax liens, and the consideration.
Philadelphia Property Records: The Essentials
Philadelphia property records are the deeds, mortgages, and liens recorded with the Philadelphia Department of Records, with ownership and parcel data kept by the Office of Property Assessment under a nine-digit OPA number, and judgments docketed with the Office of Judicial Records, together establishing who owns a property and what claims are attached to it. Because Philadelphia is a consolidated city-county with no separate Recorder of Deeds, and Pennsylvania is a lien-theory, judicial-foreclosure state, a complete property records search combines the Department of Records documents, the OPA data, and the judgment index.
The five things people search for most in Philadelphia are: a title search to establish ownership and encumbrances, a lien search to find claims against a property or owner, deed copies and deed records to confirm ownership, a preliminary title report for pre-closing due diligence, and the chain of title for the full conveyance history. U.S. Title Records delivers all five for Philadelphia and all 67 Pennsylvania counties, from $29.
How a Philadelphia Property Records Search Works
The same simple process for a title search, lien search, deed copy, or preliminary report
Enter the Address or OPA Number
Provide the Philadelphia property address or the nine-digit OPA number through the order portal. We identify the parcel and the recorded chain.
Choose Your Report
From a $29 ownership check to a $375 preliminary title examination. $195 is the recommended due-diligence report; $375 for full chain and mortgage review.
Multi-Source Search
Department of Records documents, the Office of Judicial Records judgment index, OPA assessment data, city and IRS tax liens, UCC filings, and federal bankruptcy.
Report Compiled
Ownership and chain, mortgage satisfactions, docketed judgments, lien priority, deed copies, mechanic’s and tax liens, easements, with recording references.
PDF Delivered
Report emailed. Email office@ustitlerecords.com with questions. Asset investigation through U.S. Asset Records.
No City Hall Visit
No trip to the Department of Records at City Hall. Full examination without in-person access. One property, one fee. BBB A+ since 2009.
Philadelphia Property Records Questions
Title searches, lien searches, deed copies, and preliminary reports
How Do I Search Philadelphia Property Records Online?
Start with the city’s ATLAS tool and the Office of Property Assessment for ownership, the OPA number, and assessed value, and the Department of Records for recorded deeds, mortgages, and liens. Free tools rarely combine the Office of Judicial Records judgment index, UCC filings, and bankruptcy. For a complete Philadelphia property records search, submit the address or OPA number to U.S. Title Records. From $29.
How Do I Run a Philadelphia Title Search?
A Philadelphia title search reads the recorded chain of deeds at the Department of Records to confirm ownership, finds every mortgage and lien, searches the Office of Judicial Records judgment index for judgments, and confirms satisfactions. Because Pennsylvania is a lien-theory, race-notice state and Philadelphia identifies parcels by OPA number, confirming the parcel and vesting matters. We perform the full examination, in Center City, South Philadelphia, and across the city. The Expanded Title Search ($375) is the most comprehensive.
How Do I Find Liens on a Philadelphia Property?
A Philadelphia lien search must cover the Department of Records for mortgages and mechanic’s liens, the Office of Judicial Records for judgments, the city and school district for real estate tax liens, and UCC for business filings, because Philadelphia liens come from all of these. A judgment liens property when docketed in the judgment index, separate from the deeds. Our Full Owner Lien Report ($195) covers all of it against the property and the owner.
How Do I Get a Copy of a Deed in Philadelphia?
Recorded deeds are public, held by the Philadelphia Department of Records and indexed to the OPA number. Pennsylvania uses general warranty deeds, special warranty deeds, and quitclaim deeds, while a mortgage secures a loan as a lien. A deed must be acknowledged before a notary and recorded with a realty transfer tax statement of value. A copy with the recording information confirms ownership. We retrieve it by address or OPA number. A Deed Copy is $45.
What Does a Philadelphia Preliminary Title Report Show?
It shows the condition of title before closing, much like a title commitment: the current owner, open mortgages and monetary liens, docketed judgments, city and federal tax liens, easements, and restrictions. Our preliminary title report is a records-based examination, not title insurance, giving buyers, lenders, and investors a fast pre-closing read. The Chain of Title ($275) and Expanded ($375) serve this purpose.
How Much Does a Philadelphia Title Search Cost?
Property Detail $29, Deed Copy $45, Name Search $75, Lien Report $95, Full Owner Lien $195, Chain of Title $275, Expanded $375. Same pricing in Philadelphia and all 67 Pennsylvania counties. Schedule of fees.
Philadelphia Property Records FAQ
How do I do a title search in Philadelphia?
A Philadelphia title search examines the recorded chain of deeds at the Philadelphia Department of Records to confirm who owns the property, identifies every open mortgage and lien, searches the Office of Judicial Records judgment index for judgments against the parties, confirms that paid mortgages have been satisfied of record, and surfaces city tax liens, mechanic’s liens, easements, and restrictions. Because Pennsylvania is a lien-theory, race-notice state where an unrecorded deed can be defeated, and because Philadelphia identifies parcels by the nine-digit OPA number rather than by address alone, a reliable title search confirms the vesting by parcel and verifies what is recorded, combining the Department of Records documents with the OPA and judgment data. You can search the city’s ATLAS tool and the Department of Records yourself for basic documents, but a complete examination across the recorded documents, the judgment index, and the tax records is what catches an unsatisfied mortgage or a docketed judgment. U.S. Title Records performs the full search and delivers it by email, with the Expanded Title Search ($375) as the most comprehensive option.
What is an OPA number, and why does it matter in Philadelphia?
An OPA number is the nine-digit account number that the Philadelphia Office of Property Assessment assigns to every parcel in the city, and it matters because it, not the street address, is the reliable key to a property’s records. The OPA number, which grew out of the older Board of Revision of Taxes account system, stays constant through changes of ownership, so it ties together the assessment history, the tax record, and the documents recorded with the Department of Records for that specific parcel. This is important in a city built largely of rowhomes, subdivided lots, and condominium units, where a single address can be ambiguous, recently divided, or shared among units. Searching by address alone can pull the wrong parcel, miss a unit, or return an incomplete chain, while searching by OPA number isolates the exact property. A reliable Philadelphia title or lien search starts by confirming the OPA number, then examines the deeds, mortgages, judgments, and liens tied to that parcel. U.S. Title Records identifies the OPA number and the owner in the Property Detail Report ($29), then runs the full examination by parcel in the Full Owner Lien Report ($195).
Where are Philadelphia deeds recorded if there is no Recorder of Deeds?
Philadelphia deeds are recorded with the Philadelphia Department of Records. Because Philadelphia consolidated its city and county governments, it does not have a separate elected county Recorder of Deeds the way the other 66 Pennsylvania counties do; recording is instead handled by the Department of Records, a city department, which serves as the official repository for deeds, mortgages, liens, satisfactions, and other instruments affecting real estate, with records dating back to the city’s founding. The Office of Property Assessment maintains the assessment and the OPA number, the Office of Judicial Records keeps the judgment index, and the Register of Wills holds probate records. So a Philadelphia title search reads the Department of Records for the recorded chain, then the judgment index and the tax records for encumbrances. Knowing that recording is centralized in one city department, and that parcels are keyed to the OPA number, is what keeps a Philadelphia search accurate. U.S. Title Records retrieves recorded deeds from the Department of Records by address or OPA number, starting with a Deed Copy ($45).
How do I search for liens on a Philadelphia property?
A complete Philadelphia lien search covers several sources: the Department of Records for mortgages and mechanic’s liens, the Office of Judicial Records for money judgments docketed in the judgment index, the city and school district for delinquent real estate tax liens, the state and federal tax authorities for tax liens, and UCC filings for business debts. A Pennsylvania money judgment becomes a lien on real property when it is entered in the judgment index, which is separate from the recorded deeds, and Philadelphia pursues delinquent real estate taxes through recorded tax liens and tax sales, so both the index searched and the recording date affect priority. Reading the record correctly means covering all of these, not just the OPA assessment record, which does not show recorded liens. Our Lien Report ($95) covers recorded property liens, and the Full Owner Lien Report ($195) adds the judgment, tax, UCC, and bankruptcy searches against the owner.
Does a Philadelphia mortgage work differently from a security deed?
Yes. Pennsylvania is a lien-theory state, so a Philadelphia home loan is secured by a mortgage, an instrument under which the borrower keeps legal title and the lender holds a recorded lien against the property, rather than by a security deed or deed of trust that conveys title to a lender or trustee as in some other states. This affects how default is handled. Pennsylvania uses judicial foreclosure, meaning the lender must file a mortgage foreclosure action in court, obtain a judgment, and proceed to a sheriff’s sale, rather than selling under a power of sale without a court. For a title search, the practical points are that an open mortgage is a recorded lien that must be satisfied of record when the loan is paid, an unsatisfied or improperly satisfied mortgage can cloud the title, and a property in default can carry both a pending foreclosure case and a docketed judgment. A complete Philadelphia search reads the recorded mortgages and their satisfactions and checks the court docket and judgment index. U.S. Title Records reviews the mortgages and satisfactions in the Chain of Title ($275) and the Expanded Title Search ($375).
How much does a Philadelphia title search or report cost?
Pricing is the same in Philadelphia and across all 67 Pennsylvania counties: Property Detail Report $29, Deed Copy $45, Title Search by Name $75, Lien Report $95, Full Owner Lien Report $195, Chain of Title $275, and Expanded Title Search $375. The $29 report is the quick ownership, OPA number, and value check, the $195 report is the recommended due-diligence search that includes the Office of Judicial Records judgment index, and the $375 Expanded is the full title examination with mortgage satisfaction review. There is no account, subscription, or commitment, one fee per property, delivered as a PDF by email. See the full schedule of fees. BBB A+ since 2009.
Search Philadelphia Property Records
Professional title searches, lien searches, deed copies, and preliminary title reports for any property in Philadelphia, from Center City and South Philadelphia to Fishtown, West Philadelphia, the Northeast, and Chestnut Hill. Department of Records deeds, OPA parcel data, Office of Judicial Records judgments, mortgage and tax lien review, and full chain of title. Reports from $29, delivered by email.