Berks County, Pennsylvania • Recorder of Deeds search and office guide • reviewed September 2026
Berks County PA Recorder of Deeds: Search Records, Get Copies, Record Documents and Visit the Office
The Berks County Recorder of Deeds records and maintains deeds, mortgages, releases, plans, highway maps, UCC real-estate filings, notary commissions and other real-estate documents.
Use the Recorder when you need a deed image, certified copy, recording fee, document recording, e-recording, property-alert tool or older land-record index.
Use the Assessment Office first when you only know an address and need the Property ID / UPI, parcel record, owner display, assessment details or map record.
Fast answer
What the Berks County Recorder of Deeds Does
3rd Floor, 633 Court Street, Reading, PA 19601.
Call for recording, fee, copy and public-record search questions.
8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, excluding county holidays.
Berks County’s elected Recorder of Deeds.
Search real-property documents, images, index books and older records.
Berks requires the Property ID / UPI on documents that reference real estate.
Recorder = recorded documents. Assessment = parcel, UPI and assessed value. Tax Claim / Treasurer = real-estate tax questions. Register of Wills = marriage and estate records.
Local office details
Berks County Recorder of Deeds Office, Address and Contacts
Recorder of Deeds Office
Office: Berks County Recorder of Deeds
Recorder: Fred Sheeler
Chief Deputy: Rebecca Bloomer
Office Manager: Suzanne Miller
Address: Berks County Services Center, 3rd Floor, 633 Court Street, Reading, PA 19601
Phone: 610-478-3380
Email: recorder@berkspa.gov
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–4:00 PM
Which Berks County office should you use?
Recorder: deeds, mortgages, releases, plans, UCC real-estate filings, notary commissions and DD-214 recording.
Assessment: Property ID / UPI, owner display, assessment records, parcel search, parcel map and property characteristics.
Tax Claim / tax payment: current or delinquent real-estate tax questions.
Attorney / title company: deed preparation, ownership transfer, legal description, trust, estate, divorce or title questions.
Map and arrival
Map to the Berks County Recorder of Deeds
633 Court Street, Reading, PA 19601
The Recorder is located in the Berks County Services Center, 3rd Floor.
For recording, bring the completed document, payment, return information and a self-addressed stamped envelope when mailing or when return by mail is needed.
For copy help, bring the owner name, property address, Property ID / UPI, document number, book/page or approximate recording date.
Search records
How to Search Berks County Deeds and Recorded Documents
The Recorder’s online record search covers Berks County deeds dating back to the county’s formation in 1752, mortgages, miscellaneous documents, plans, charters and selected older index books.
The public search portal supports quick search, advanced search, real-property searching, date ranges, index-only searching and full-text OCR searching.
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Start with the parcel if you only know the address.
Use Berks Property Records Search to find the Property ID / UPI, owner display, municipality and deed references.
Open Berks Property Records SearchAfter opening: choose basic search, then search by owner, parcel or address. Save the Property ID / UPI because Berks requires it on documents that reference real estate. -
Open the official Recorder search portal.
Use this when you need the actual recorded deed, mortgage, release, plan or index result.
Open Official Record SearchAfter opening: select Real Property, then enter a grantor/grantee name, subdivision, document type or document number. Use the date range when you know the approximate recording date. -
Choose index-only or full-text search carefully.
Index-only searches recorded index fields. Full-text OCR searches document text and may return broader results.
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Use index books for older records.
For older deeds and mortgages, choose index books under the search type. Older names may appear under variant spellings.
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Verify before buying copies.
Check document type, parties, recording date, instrument number, book/page and legal description before paying for copies or certification.
Search troubleshooting tips
No result by owner? Try last name only, remove middle initials, remove punctuation, and search business names without LLC punctuation.
No result by address? Search the parcel system first and use the Property ID / UPI or deed reference.
Older deed missing? Use index books and try similar spellings. Berks notes older spellings may vary.
Need rights-of-way or easements? Check pre-1910 miscellaneous index books when older property interests may matter.
Record decoder
How to Read a Berks County Deed Search Result
Instrument number: the recorded document reference used for copies, title work and follow-up searches.
Book and page: an older or alternate document reference that may appear in Assessment or Recorder records.
Grantor: the person or entity giving, selling, signing, mortgaging or releasing an interest.
Grantee: the person or entity receiving the interest or benefit.
Document type: tells you whether the record is a deed, mortgage, satisfaction, release, easement, plan, UCC or other instrument.
Municipality: important in Berks because documents must identify the borough, city or township.
Property ID / UPI: the parcel identifier required on real-estate documents in Berks County.
Legal description: the deed description. Do not replace it with a short tax record description when preparing a new deed.
A recorded document is a public record. It is not a title opinion, legal advice, guarantee of ownership or proof that the document was the correct legal instrument.
Copies and certification
How to Get a Berks County Deed Copy or Certified Copy
If you lost your deed, you usually do not need a company charging a high fee. Berks County states deed information remains a permanent public record.
The Recorder says regular online copies are available for 50 cents per page, and certified online copies are $10 per document. Credit-card processor fees can apply.
Useful for ordinary research when certification is not required.
Use when a bank, agency, court or title company requests certification.
The Recorder lists this for office copies other than your own home’s deed.
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Search first.
Find the correct document number, book/page, owner names and recording date.
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Decide whether certification is needed.
Do not buy a certified copy unless the receiving party specifically requires it.
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Order through the website or contact the office.
For mail requests, include the correct fee and a self-addressed stamped envelope.
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Check with the title company after a closing.
If you did not receive your deed after purchase, the closing company may have received it first.
Recording documents
How to Record a Deed or Real-Estate Document in Berks County
The Recorder accepts completed documents for recording. The office does not prepare deeds, choose deed types, fix title defects or give legal advice.
Berks accepts documents by e-recording, in person or by mail. Mailed filings should include a self-addressed stamped envelope for the return of recorded documents.
Document standards to check
Use white 8.5-by-11-inch paper, dark clear print, one-inch margins and a font size no smaller than 10 point.
Top of first page
Include Prepared By, Return To, submitter address and phone, property address and the Property ID / UPI.
Property location
State the full property address, municipality, county and state. Berks requires municipality detail.
Grantee address
The grantee’s address must be legible and certified on deeds.
Statement of Value
Attach Pennsylvania REV-183 in duplicate when the deed does not state full value or when a tax exemption is claimed.
Personal information
Remove Social Security numbers, bank account numbers and other sensitive personal data before submitting.
Adding or removing a person, transferring to a trust, correcting a deed, handling an estate, divorce, mortgage satisfaction dispute or title defect can affect legal rights.
Fees and calculator
Berks County Recording Fees, Transfer Tax and Common Level Ratio
Berks County’s current Recorder fee page states that the fee schedule is effective November 14, 2025. It also states that personal checks are not accepted for transfer tax.
The Recorder’s announcement says documents conveying an interest in real estate have an $88 base fee. The county fee materials also identify extra-page and extra-parcel charges.
For documents conveying an interest in real estate, before transfer tax and special extras.
After the base document page allowance. A Statement of Value counts as an additional page.
Added for additional tax parcels beyond the first parcel.
Effective July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027, according to the Recorder notice.
Regular online copies; certified online copies are listed at $10 per document.
Checks should be made payable to “Berks County Recorder of Deeds.”
Open simple recording fee estimator
Base fee: $88.00
Extra-page estimate: $0.00
Extra-parcel estimate: $0.00
Estimated recording fee before transfer tax: $88.00
Fraud protection
Berks County Property Alert / FraudSleuth
Berks County offers a property-alert tool so property owners can monitor names and parcel identifiers for newly recorded activity.
An alert does not block a recording. It helps you notice a suspicious deed, mortgage, lien, release or other recorded document sooner.
Open FraudSleuth Property AlertOpen the recorded document, save the details, contact the Recorder, and speak with a title professional or attorney if the document appears unauthorized.
Other Recorder services
Notary Commissions, DD-214 Recording and Services Not Handled by the Recorder
Notary commission recording
The Recorder records notary commissions, bonds, renewals and changes.
The Recorder’s notary page lists a $50 fee to record a notary bond and commission.
Open notary informationVeterans DD-214 recording
The Recorder announces free recording of military discharge papers and a Veterans Identification Card service.
Bring the original discharge papers if you have not previously recorded them with the office.
Open Recorder announcementsMarriage licenses
Marriage licenses are handled by the Berks County Register of Wills, not the Recorder of Deeds.
The Register of Wills page says a license becomes valid on the third day after the virtual meeting and remains valid for 60 days from issue.
Open marriage license pageAssessment records
Assessment records are maintained by the Berks County Assessment Office.
Use the parcel search when you need owner display, UPI, assessment, tax district or property-characteristic details.
Open Assessment OfficeAvoid delays
Common Berks County Recorder Search and Recording Mistakes
Searching deeds before finding the UPI: if you only know the address, start with Assessment parcel search first.
Leaving out the municipality: Berks document standards require borough, city or township information for property location.
Forgetting the Property ID / UPI: Berks requires it on documents that reference real estate.
Sending no return envelope: the fee page says documents may be held until an appropriate self-addressed stamped envelope is provided.
Using light copies: the Recorder says documents are scanned for image retention and light copies will not be recorded.
Forgetting the Statement of Value: REV-183 may be required when full value is not stated or when a tax exemption is claimed.
Using a stale Common Level Ratio: Berks notes the CLR changes on July 1 and must be included on the Statement of Value when required.
Expecting a new deed after mortgage payoff: the lender should record a satisfaction piece; a payoff does not create a new ownership deed.
Decision path
What Should You Do Next?
I only know the address: open Berks Property Records Search, find the UPI, then go to Recorder search.
I need a copy of my deed: search the official Recorder portal and buy a regular or certified copy only if needed.
I need to record a deed: verify formatting, UPI, grantee address, Statement of Value and return-envelope rules before submitting.
I paid off a mortgage: search for the satisfaction piece. If missing, contact the lender and then check back with the Recorder.
I suspect deed fraud: register for FraudSleuth, save the suspicious document and contact the Recorder plus a title professional or attorney.
I need marriage records: use the Register of Wills, not the Recorder of Deeds.
Important notice
Independent Information, Legal Caution and Public-Records Notice
This page is independent informational content. It is not the official website of Berks County, the Recorder of Deeds, the Assessment Office, the Register of Wills or the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue.
It is not legal advice, title advice, tax advice, recording approval or an official fee quote.
Deed preparation, ownership transfers, title defects, trusts, estates, divorce transfers and legal descriptions should be reviewed by a qualified attorney or title professional.
Property and deed records are public-record references. Do not use them for employment screening, tenant screening, credit eligibility, insurance underwriting or any other FCRA-regulated consumer decision.
FAQs
Berks County Recorder of Deeds FAQs
Where is the Berks County Recorder of Deeds located?
The office is in the Berks County Services Center, 3rd Floor, 633 Court Street, Reading, PA 19601.
What is the Berks County Recorder of Deeds phone number?
The Recorder of Deeds office phone number is 610-478-3380. The public email address is recorder@berkspa.gov.
How do I search Berks County deeds online?
Use the official Berks public search portal at berks.pa.publicsearch.us. Search by grantor/grantee, subdivision, document type, document number or date range.
Should I search Assessment records or Recorder records first?
If you only know an address, search Assessment first to find the Property ID / UPI. If you already know the recorded document reference, search the Recorder portal.
How much is a Berks County deed copy?
The Recorder’s FAQ lists regular online copies at 50 cents per page and certified online copies at $10 per document, plus any credit-card processor fee.
What is the current Berks County deed recording base fee?
The Recorder announces an $88 base fee for documents that convey an interest in real estate. Confirm the current fee schedule before mailing or presenting documents.
What is the Berks County Common Level Ratio for 2026–2027?
The Recorder’s announcement states that the Common Level Ratio factor effective July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027 is 3.12.
Does the Berks Recorder prepare deeds?
No. The Recorder records completed documents. Contact an attorney or title company for deed preparation, legal descriptions, trusts, estates, divorce transfers or ownership changes.
What is FraudSleuth in Berks County?
FraudSleuth is the Recorder’s property-alert tool. It helps monitor names and parcel identifiers for newly recorded documents, but it does not block recordings.
Who handles Berks County marriage licenses?
The Berks County Register of Wills handles marriage licenses. The Recorder of Deeds handles recorded real-estate documents and related recording services.
Official resources