Title search in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
HeritageDeed runs title searches in Philadelphia (Philadelphia County), Pennsylvania, against the Philadelphia Department of Records and the Office of Property Assessment (property.phila.gov). A report lists the deeds, open mortgages, liens and court records found, with the source of each, usually within minutes. Prices start at $49.
Covers Philadelphia County, including Philadelphia.
What the public record shows
Measured from official open data for Oct 3, 2025 to Aug 11, 2026, refreshed nightly.
Source: City of Philadelphia, Real Estate Transfers (Department of Records).
Where Philadelphia land records are kept
| Office | What it holds |
|---|---|
| Philadelphia Department of Records | Records deeds, mortgages and other real estate documents |
| Office of Property Assessment (property.phila.gov) | Owner, parcel and assessment data |
How recording works here
Philadelphia's real estate documents are recorded by the city's Department of Records, which also publishes a real estate transfer dataset covering deeds, mortgages, satisfactions and sheriff's deeds.
A sheriff's deed records a property sold at a sheriff's sale, usually after a mortgage foreclosure or for unpaid taxes.
What a HeritageDeed report searches in Philadelphia
- Deeds, mortgages, satisfactions and sheriff's deeds recorded with the Department of Records
- Owner and assessment from the Office of Property Assessment
- Federal court records matched to the owner
- FEMA flood zone and EPA-listed sites near the parcel
What it does not cover
Satisfactions in Philadelphia are not cross-referenced to the mortgage they release, so the report pairs them by party and date and says when a pairing is uncertain.
The report is a public-records search, not title insurance or an attorney's opinion of title.
How to search Philadelphia records yourself
- Find the parcel and the current owner at the Office of Property Assessment (property.phila.gov). Note the parcel number and the owner's exact name.
- Search the Philadelphia Department of Records by parcel or by name for every deed, so you can see how the current owner took title and from whom.
- List every mortgage or deed of trust recorded against the parcel, then look for a matching satisfaction or release for each one. Anything without a release may still be open.
- Search the same names for liens, judgments and lis pendens, including state and federal court indexes, and check property tax status with the tax office.
- Write down document numbers and dates so a title company or attorney can pull the originals.
A HeritageDeed report runs those steps automatically and shows the source of every finding.
Pricing
Current deed, open mortgages, active liens, tax status, court judgments, UCC liens
Everything in Current Owner + previous owner's deed and encumbrances
Full 30-year chain of title, all mortgages and releases, and recorded liens
Questions about Philadelphia title searches
What is a sheriff's deed in Philadelphia?
A sheriff's deed transfers a property sold at a sheriff's sale, usually after a mortgage foreclosure or for unpaid real estate taxes. It is recorded with the Department of Records like any other deed, and it is a strong signal to check how earlier liens were handled.
Where are property records kept in Philadelphia, PA?
Recorded documents such as deeds, mortgages and liens are kept by the Philadelphia Department of Records. Owner and parcel data come from the Office of Property Assessment (property.phila.gov).
How much does a title search cost in Philadelphia, PA?
A HeritageDeed Current Owner Search is $49, a Two Owner Search is $79 and a 30-Year Search is $129, plus sales tax where it applies. There is no subscription, and you get a full refund if we cannot deliver the report.
How long does a title search take in Philadelphia, PA?
Most reports are generated within minutes, because the sources are searched automatically and in parallel. A slow or temporarily unavailable government source can make it take longer, and the order page shows live progress.
Can I search Philadelphia, PA property records for free?
Yes. The Philadelphia Department of Records lets anyone search recorded documents, usually by name or parcel. A report saves you from reading each office separately and matching every mortgage to its release yourself.
Order a Philadelphia title search
From $49. Usually ready in minutes. Full refund if we can't deliver.