Susquehanna County Public Records /Susquehanna County Property Records

Susquehanna County Property Records

How To Search Property Records in Susquehanna County in 2026

SusquehannaRecords.us provides access to publicly available information related to property records in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania. Members of the public may find ownership histories, deed transfers, tax assessments, recorded liens, mortgage documents, and parcel identification data. Available record categories may include deeds, property tax records, assessment data, recorded encumbrances, plat maps, and GIS parcel information. Access and completeness of records may vary depending on the source and the age of the document.

Property records in Susquehanna County may be searched through the following official resources:

Assessment – Susquehanna County – property record cards, assessed values, and appeal information
Recorder of Deeds – Susquehanna County – recorded deeds, mortgages, and transfer documents
Property Taxes – Susquehanna County – tax rates, payment history, and historical tax records
GIS & Mapping – Susquehanna County – interactive parcel maps and spatial data
Tax Claim Bureau – Susquehanna County – delinquent tax records and upset sale listings

Multiple Access Methods:

Members of the public may access Susquehanna County property records through several channels:

Online searches – the most convenient method for current ownership, assessment, and tax data
In-person visits – required for certified copies and access to older or undigitized records
By mail – written requests submitted to the appropriate county office with applicable fees
Through professionals – title companies, real estate attorneys, and licensed appraisers conduct comprehensive searches on behalf of clients

1. Property Appraiser / Assessment Website

The Susquehanna County Assessment Office maintains the primary database for property valuation and ownership information. The Assessment Office produces property record cards in hard-copy or digital form and assists property owners in understanding real estate tax assessments and the appeal process.

Search options available include:

Property address
Owner name
Parcel ID number
Map and GIS location

Information available through the Assessment Office:

Current owner name and mailing address
Legal description and parcel number
Land use and zoning classification
Property characteristics (square footage, year built, lot size, building type)
Assessed value (land and improvements)
Taxable value and exemptions applied
Sales history and property record card

How to search:

Visit the Assessment Office portal
Select the preferred search type (address, owner name, or parcel ID)
Enter the search criteria in the appropriate field
Review the results list returned
Select the property to view the full property record card
Print or save the information as needed

Assessment Office – In-Person Access:

Susquehanna County Assessment Office
31 Lake Avenue
Montrose, PA 18801
Phone: (570) 278-4600
Assessment – Susquehanna County

2. Recorder of Deeds – Official Records Search

The Susquehanna County Recorder of Deeds maintains all recorded instruments affecting real property, including deeds, mortgages, liens, and easements. Under Pennsylvania's Recording Act, 21 P.S. § 351, documents affecting title to real property must be recorded to provide constructive notice to subsequent purchasers and encumbrancers.

Documents available through the Recorder of Deeds:

Warranty deeds and quitclaim deeds
Mortgages and deeds of trust
Satisfactions and releases of mortgage
Mechanic's liens, judgment liens, and tax liens
Easements and declarations of restrictions
Plats and surveys
Powers of attorney affecting property
Lis pendens notices

How to search recorded documents:

Visit the Recorder of Deeds office
Search by grantor name (seller), grantee name (buyer), document type, or recording date range
Review the index results
Request document images or certified copies as needed
Note the book and page number or instrument number for reference

Recorder of Deeds – In-Person Access:

Susquehanna County Recorder of Deeds
31 Lake Avenue
Montrose, PA 18801
Phone: (570) 278-4600
Recorder of Deeds – Susquehanna County

3. Tax Claim Bureau

The Tax Claim Bureau administers delinquent real estate tax collections and conducts upset sales and judicial sales of tax-delinquent properties. Members of the public may search for delinquent tax status, outstanding balances, and upcoming sale listings through this office.

Information available:

Delinquent tax balances by parcel
Upset sale and judicial sale listings
Tax payment status
Repository list properties

Tax Claim Bureau – In-Person Access:

Susquehanna County Tax Claim Bureau
31 Lake Avenue
Montrose, PA 18801
Phone: (570) 278-4600
Tax Claim Bureau – Susquehanna County

4. GIS / Mapping System

The Susquehanna County GIS & Mapping system provides interactive spatial tools that allow users to create queries, analyze parcel data, and view property boundaries overlaid on aerial photography. The system supports visual property identification and links to associated assessment records.

How to use the GIS system:

Navigate the interactive map to the property location
Click on a parcel to view associated property information
Access linked assessment and ownership records
View zoning layers, flood zones, and environmental features
Measure distances and lot dimensions

By Mail Requests:

Members of the public may submit written requests for property records by mail to the Recorder of Deeds or Assessment Office at 31 Lake Avenue, Montrose, PA 18801. Requests should specify the property address, parcel number, or document book and page reference. Payment for applicable copy fees must accompany the request.

Through Professionals:

Title companies conduct comprehensive title searches and issue title insurance commitments identifying all recorded interests in a property. Real estate attorneys provide legal title opinions and assist with complex ownership or encumbrance issues. Real estate agents may access MLS data for listed properties and comparable sales histories as part of client representation.

What Is Susquehanna County Property Records

Property records are official documents related to real property — land and buildings — maintained by Susquehanna County government offices as permanent legal records of ownership, transfers, and encumbrances. These records establish chain of title, document property transactions, record mortgages and liens, support tax assessment, and protect property rights. They are public records accessible to any member of the public without a stated purpose or special permission.

Types of property records maintained in Susquehanna County include:

Ownership Records:

Warranty deeds, quitclaim deeds, and special warranty deeds
Transfer records and ownership history
Life estate deeds and trust documents affecting property

Encumbrance Records:

Mortgages and deeds of trust
Tax liens, judgment liens, and mechanic's liens
Easements, restrictions, and covenants
Lis pendens notices

Tax and Assessment Records:

Property tax assessments and tax bills
Payment history and delinquency records
Exemption applications and millage rates
Property tax records maintained by the Assessment Office reflect current and historical assessed values

Legal Descriptions and Plats:

Plat maps and subdivision plats
Survey plats and metes and bounds descriptions
Lot and block information

Building and Permit Records:

Building permits and certificates of occupancy
Zoning classifications and land use designations
Code violation records

Who Maintains Property Records:

The Susquehanna County Recorder of Deeds records and indexes all instruments affecting title to real property. The Assessment Office maintains property valuations, ownership information, and exemption records. The Tax Claim Bureau administers delinquent tax records. The county's GIS & Mapping department maintains spatial parcel data integrated with assessment information.

Under Pennsylvania's Real Estate Tax Law, 72 P.S. § 5511.1 et seq., county assessment offices are required to maintain current records of all taxable real property, including ownership, valuation, and tax status information.

Are Property Records Public Information in Susquehanna County?

Property records in Susquehanna County are public information. Under the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law, 65 P.S. § 67.301, records in the possession of a Commonwealth agency or local agency are presumed to be public records unless a specific exemption applies. Property records maintained by county offices — including deeds, assessments, tax records, and recorded instruments — are subject to public access without a requirement to state a reason or demonstrate a qualifying interest.

Legal basis for public access includes:

Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law, 65 P.S. § 67.301
Pennsylvania Recording Act, 21 P.S. § 351
Common law tradition of public land records
Constitutional protections for property rights

Why property records are public:

The public nature of property records serves multiple essential functions. Transparency in property ownership prevents fraudulent transfers and supports accountability in property taxation. The recording system provides constructive notice — meaning that any person who records a deed, mortgage, or lien puts the world on legal notice of that interest. This principle underpins the entire real estate marketplace, enabling title searches, title insurance, mortgage lending, and property valuation.

Information freely accessible to the public includes:

Current and historical property ownership
Legal descriptions and parcel numbers
Sale prices and transfer dates
Recorded mortgage amounts and lender names
Liens and encumbrances
Tax assessments and payment history
Property characteristics (size, year built, building type)
Deeds and all recorded instruments
Plat maps and surveys

Privacy considerations:

Certain personal information within property records is subject to protection. Social Security numbers and bank account numbers are redacted from recorded documents under Pennsylvania law. Certain individuals — including law enforcement officers, judges, and domestic violence victims — may be eligible for address confidentiality protections under Pennsylvania's Address Confidentiality Program administered by the Pennsylvania Office of Victim Advocate. Homestead exemption applications may contain financial information not fully subject to public disclosure; the Assessment Office should be contacted for applicable policies.

Who may access property records:

Any member of the public may access property records regardless of residency, ownership status, or stated purpose. Common users include prospective buyers, real estate agents and brokers, title companies, lenders, appraisers, attorneys, investors, genealogists, historians, and journalists. Commercial aggregation of public property records by companies such as CoreLogic or First American is legally permissible, though anti-harassment laws and fair housing laws continue to apply to the use of such information.

How Much Does It Cost to Get Property Records in Susquehanna County?

The cost to obtain property records in Susquehanna County varies by record type and the office maintaining the record. Inspection of records at a public access terminal is available at no charge. Fees apply to copies, certified copies, and recorded document retrieval.

Current fee schedule for the Recorder of Deeds:

Service	Fee
Standard copy (per page)	$0.25 per page
Stamp-certified copy	Add $1.50 per document
Recording a deed or mortgage (first page)	$107.00
Each additional page	$3.00
Pennsylvania Realty Transfer Tax	2% of the sale price (state and local combined)

The Recorder of Deeds charges a Pennsylvania Realty Transfer Tax of 2% of the full consideration on any document subject to transfer tax at the time of recording. This tax is split between the state (1%) and the local taxing authority (1%).

Assessment Office fees:

Property record cards are available in hard-copy or digital form; copying fees apply at standard per-page rates
The Assessment Office does not charge for online viewing of property data

Tax Claim Bureau fees:

Copies of delinquent tax records and sale lists are subject to standard copying fees
The Tax Claim Bureau notes that sale lists are not available for purchase in bulk

What is available at no cost:

Online viewing of assessment records and property data through the Assessment Office portal
Online viewing of GIS parcel maps through the GIS & Mapping system
In-person inspection of records at county offices

Accepted payment methods at county offices include cash, check, and money order payable to the respective county office. Members of the public submitting mail requests should include a check or money order for the applicable fee amount.

Fee schedules are governed by the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law, 65 P.S. § 67.301, which sets limits on fees that agencies may charge for public records access. Fee waiver provisions may apply to indigent requesters or nonprofit organizations; inquiries regarding fee waivers should be directed to the relevant county office.

What's Included in a Susquehanna County Property Record?

A complete Susquehanna County property record draws from multiple county offices and may include the following categories of information:

Ownership Information:

Current owner name(s) as recorded on the deed
Ownership type (individual, joint tenants, tenants in common, tenants by entirety, trust, LLC, corporation, life estate)
Acquisition date and deed book and page reference
Mailing address for tax billing purposes
Chain of title with previous owners, transfer dates, and historical deed references

Property Identification:

Site address and mailing address
Legal description (lot and block, subdivision name, plat book and page, metes and bounds)
Parcel ID number and tax account number

Physical Characteristics:

Lot size in square feet or acres, lot dimensions, and frontage
Land use designation and zoning classification
Total living area, year built, number of stories, and building type
Construction type, exterior wall material, roof type, and foundation type
Number of bedrooms, bathrooms, and total rooms
Additional features: garage, pool, porch, fireplace, HVAC, water source, sewer system

Valuation Information:

Land value and building value (assessed)
Total assessed value and market value estimate
Historical assessed values for prior years
Agricultural classification where applicable

Tax Information:

Current tax amount, taxable value after exemptions, and millage rate
Breakdown by taxing authority (county, school district, municipality, special districts)
Tax payment history and delinquency status
Exemptions applied (homestead, senior, disability, veteran, agricultural)
Property tax records reflect rates set by all applicable taxing bodies

Sales History:

Sale dates, sale prices, and deed document numbers
Grantor (seller) and grantee (buyer) names
Sale type (warranty deed, quitclaim, foreclosure, tax deed, gift, inheritance)

Encumbrances and Liens:

Recorded mortgages with lender names, recording dates, and original amounts
Tax liens, judgment liens, mechanic's liens, HOA liens, and code enforcement liens
Easements, restrictions, covenants, and lis pendens notices

Legal and Regulatory Information:

Zoning classification and permitted uses
Special district assignments (school, fire, water)
Deed restrictions and subdivision covenants
Flood zone designation (FEMA)
Wetlands and conservation area designations

Maps and Images:

Property exterior photograph
Aerial photograph and GIS parcel map with boundaries
Plat map and property sketch
Available through the GIS & Mapping system

What is not typically included in public property records:

Current mortgage balances (only original recorded amounts)
Interior photographs
Detailed personal financial information beyond recorded documents
Social Security numbers (redacted under Pennsylvania law)
Private agreements not submitted for recording
Actual purchase contract terms beyond the recorded sale price

How Long Does Susquehanna County Keep Property Records?

Property records in Susquehanna County are maintained permanently. Recorded instruments affecting title to real property — including deeds, mortgages, liens, plats, and easements — are never destroyed. This permanent retention is a legal requirement under Pennsylvania law and is essential to maintaining an unbroken chain of title from original land grants to present ownership.

Legal basis for permanent retention:

Pennsylvania's Municipal Records Manual, published by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, establishes retention schedules for county records. Recorded instruments affecting real property are classified as permanent records. The Pennsylvania State Archives and the county Recorder of Deeds are jointly responsible for ensuring the preservation of these records.

Records kept permanently include:

All recorded deeds (warranty, quitclaim, trustee's, and all conveyance types)
All recorded mortgages, satisfactions, and releases
All recorded liens and lien releases
All plats, subdivision plats, and survey plats
Easements, restrictions, covenants, and declarations
Court documents and powers of attorney affecting property

Format and storage:

Historical records in Susquehanna County exist in multiple formats depending on the era of recording. Very old records are maintained in handwritten ledger books. Mid-twentieth century records may be available on microfilm. Recent records are maintained as digital scans in electronic document management systems with off-site backup. The Recorder of Deeds office maintains climate-controlled storage for original books and microfilm archives.

Online availability by time period:

Time Period	Availability
Recent (last 20 years)	Fully online in most cases
Moderate age (20–50 years)	May be online; microfilm available
Historical (50+ years)	In-person access; staff retrieval required
Very old (100+ years)	Archive storage; advance notice may be needed

Assessment records maintained by the Assessment Office are also permanent. Property record cards, assessment rolls, and ownership records are retained indefinitely. Online access to historical assessment data is available for recent years; older records require an in-person visit.

Tax Collector and Tax Claim Bureau records are retained according to the Pennsylvania Municipal Records Manual. Tax payment records are retained for a minimum of seven years. Tax deed records are permanent. Delinquency records are maintained for several years following resolution.

Accessing historical records:

Members of the public seeking historical property records should contact the Recorder of Deeds office directly. Staff can retrieve records from vault storage, microfilm archives, or digital systems. Requests for very old records may require advance notice. Standard copying fees apply to all historical records regardless of age.

Susquehanna County Recorder of Deeds
31 Lake Avenue
Montrose, PA 18801
Phone: (570) 278-4600
Recorder of Deeds – Susquehanna County

Susquehanna County Assessment Office
31 Lake Avenue
Montrose, PA 18801
Phone: (570) 278-4600
Assessment – Susquehanna County

How To Find Liens on Property in Susquehanna County?

Liens on property in Susquehanna County are recorded instruments and may be located through the Recorder of Deeds, the Tax Claim Bureau, and the Court of Common Pleas. A lien is a legal claim against real property that must be satisfied before clear title can be conveyed.

Types of liens recorded in Susquehanna County:

Tax liens – filed by federal, state, or local taxing authorities for unpaid taxes
Judgment liens – arising from court judgments entered against a property owner
Mechanic's liens – filed by contractors or suppliers for unpaid construction work
Mortgage liens – recorded at the time of loan origination
HOA liens – filed by homeowner associations for unpaid assessments
Code enforcement liens – filed by municipal authorities for unresolved code violations

Step-by-step search process:

Search the Recorder of Deeds index – Visit the Recorder of Deeds and search by the property owner's name (as grantor or grantee) and by parcel number. Mechanic's liens, mortgage liens, and easements are indexed here.
Search the Tax Claim Bureau – The Tax Claim Bureau maintains records of delinquent real estate taxes. Properties with outstanding tax balances are listed for upset sale or judicial sale. Members of the public may contact the bureau to inquire about a specific parcel's delinquency status.
Search the Court of Common Pleas – Judgment liens arising from civil court proceedings are docketed with the Susquehanna County Court of Common Pleas. A judgment against a property owner becomes a lien on all real property owned in the county upon docketing. The Prothonotary's office maintains the civil docket.

Susquehanna County Court of Common Pleas – Prothonotary
31 Lake Avenue
Montrose, PA 18801
Phone: (570) 278-4600
Susquehanna County Government

Search federal tax liens – Federal tax liens filed by the Internal Revenue Service are recorded with the Recorder of Deeds under the property owner's name. The IRS Centralized Lien Operation provides information on federal lien procedures.
Review the GIS parcel record – The GIS & Mapping system may link to associated assessment and recorded document data, providing a starting point for identifying encumbrances on a specific parcel.

Important note: The Tax Claim Bureau advises that persons wishing to purchase property from any of its sales strongly consult an attorney for a title search prior to purchase. A title search conducted by a licensed title company or real estate attorney provides the most comprehensive identification of all recorded liens and encumbrances affecting a property.

What Is Property Owner Rule in Susquehanna County?

The property owner rule in Susquehanna County refers to the legal principle that the owner of real property has the right to testify as to the value of that property in legal proceedings, including assessment appeals, condemnation actions, and tax disputes. Under Pennsylvania law, a property owner is considered competent to offer an opinion of value regarding their own real estate without being qualified as an expert witness.

Assessment appeals and the property owner's role:

Property owners in Susquehanna County who believe their assessed value is incorrect may file an appeal with the Susquehanna County Board of Assessment Appeals. The Assessment Office assists property owners in understanding the assessment appeal process. Under the Pennsylvania Consolidated County Assessment Law, 72 P.S. § 5453.101 et seq., property owners have the right to appeal their assessed value annually within the prescribed appeal period.

Key rights of property owners under Pennsylvania law:

The right to receive notice of assessment changes
The right to appeal assessed values to the Board of Assessment Appeals
The right to further appeal to the Court of Common Pleas if the board's decision is unsatisfactory
The right to present evidence of market value, including the owner's own opinion of value
The right to inspect property record cards and assessment data maintained by the county

Ownership and recording requirements:

Under Pennsylvania's Recording Act, 21 P.S. § 351, a deed or other instrument affecting title to real property must be recorded with the Recorder of Deeds to be effective against subsequent purchasers or encumbrancers who have no actual notice of the prior conveyance. An unrecorded deed is valid between the parties but does not provide constructive notice to third parties. Property owners are therefore advised to record all instruments affecting their title promptly upon execution.

Property tax obligations of owners:

As the Property Taxes page of the Susquehanna County Assessment Office notes, property owners and taxpayers must consider the tax rates set by all applicable taxing bodies — including the county, school district, and municipality — when evaluating their total real estate tax obligation. Property owners are responsible for timely payment of all real estate taxes to avoid delinquency proceedings administered by the Tax Claim Bureau.

Adverse possession:

Pennsylvania law recognizes adverse possession as a means by which a person may acquire title to real property through open, notorious, continuous, exclusive, and hostile possession for a period of 21 years under Pennsylvania's adverse possession statute. Claims of adverse possession must be adjudicated through the Court of Common Pleas, and a court order quieting title must be recorded with the Recorder of Deeds to establish a clear record of ownership.