Lancaster County, Pennsylvania • Recorder of Deeds guide • Updated September 2026
Lancaster County PA Recorder of Deeds: Search Records, Office, Fees, Deeds & Recording Steps
The Lancaster County Recorder of Deeds records and maintains public real-estate documents for Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.
Use this office to search deeds, mortgages, satisfactions, assignments, easements, UCC filings, plans, powers of attorney, notary records and recorded land documents.
The Recorder does not set property assessments, collect property taxes, decide title disputes or write deeds for you. Those tasks belong to other offices or a qualified legal professional.
Fast answer
What the Lancaster County Recorder of Deeds Does
Records and indexes real-estate documents, UCC filings, commissions, DD-214 records and related public documents.
The Recorder website lists Ann M. Hess as Lancaster County Recorder of Deeds.
Suite 315, Lancaster, PA 17603.
Use this number for recording, copies, fees, search questions and office access.
Monday through Friday. Document recording concludes at 4:30 PM.
The county links to the Tyler public search and also lists Online IQS Infodex.
Search records online first. If you plan to record a document, review the recording requirements and live fee schedule before mailing, e-recording or visiting.
Office details
Lancaster County Recorder of Deeds Office, Address, Hours, Email and Map
Recorder of Deeds Office
Office: County of Lancaster, Office of Recorder of Deeds
Recorder: Ann M. Hess
Chief Deputy: Jami Rhynes
Solicitor: John M. Smith, Esq.
Address: 150 North Queen Street, Suite 315, Lancaster, PA 17603
Phone: 717-299-8238
Fax: 717-299-8393
Office hours and contact
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 AM–5:00 PM.
Recording cutoff: document recording concludes at 4:30 PM.
Recorder email: ahess@lancastercountypa.gov
Chief Deputy email: jrhynes@lancastercountypa.gov
Open Recorder contact pageMap to the Recorder of Deeds
The office is listed at Lancaster County Government Center, 150 N. Queen Street, Suite 315, Lancaster, PA 17603.
For recording, arrive before the 4:30 PM recording cutoff and bring the final signed document, payment, required attachments and return information.
Record search
How to Search Lancaster County Recorder of Deeds Records Online
Lancaster County links its current Recorder public access search through a Tyler self-service page.
The disclaimer says the index is like a library card catalogue. It guides you to documents, but you should review the underlying document before relying on the result.
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Open the official Recorder search.
Start from Lancaster County’s Recorder website or the Tyler public access disclaimer page.
Open Recorder public searchAfter opening: read the disclaimer, accept it if you agree, then choose the record-search option or continue as the system allows. -
Try all spelling variations.
The county search disclaimer tells users to search possible spelling variations and other criteria to maximize results.
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Search by person, business or reference.
Use a grantor, grantee, owner name, organization name, instrument reference, book/page or deed reference when available.
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Open the document image.
Do not rely only on the index row. Review the scanned document for names, legal description, date, acknowledgments and recording information.
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Save the recording reference.
Keep the instrument number, book/page, recording date and document type. You may need them for copies, title review or later recordings.
Search fewer words, remove punctuation, try maiden or prior names, search only the last name, use organization-name variations, check older deed references, and verify the parcel through assessment or LanCo View when you need property clues.
Search-result decoder
What a Lancaster County Recorder Search Result Means
Grantor: the person or entity giving, selling, mortgaging, assigning or releasing an interest.
Grantee: the person or entity receiving the recorded interest, release or assignment.
Instrument number: a modern recorded-document reference used to identify a document.
Book and page: an older or alternate deed-reference format still useful for historical research and title chains.
Document type: deed, mortgage, satisfaction, release, assignment, easement, agreement, power of attorney, UCC or plan.
Recording date: the date the Recorder accepted and recorded the document.
Legal description: the property description inside the document. Use it to confirm that the record matches the correct property.
Image: the actual scanned document. This is more important than the index when checking signatures, notary details or legal description.
A recorded document is not the same as a title opinion. For ownership disputes, inheritance transfers, deed drafting or chain-of-title questions, use a Pennsylvania real-estate attorney or qualified title professional.
Recording checklist
How to Prepare a Deed or Document for Recording in Lancaster County
Lancaster County no longer requires cover pages, but the Recorder clearly says NO STAPLES.
Documents should be on white 8.5 x 11 paper and typed in at least 10-point font.
Notary date: the notary acknowledgment date cannot predate the document date.
Notary elements: the acknowledgment must include state, county, date, appearing persons or officers, notary signature and notary expiration date.
Legible stamp: the notary stamp must be clear and readable.
Property location: documents must state the municipality, county and state where the property is located.
Mortgage references: documents referring to a mortgage must include book/page or instrument numbers of the original mortgage.
Correct order: multiple documents in one transaction must be prepared in proper recording order.
No blanket assignments/releases: the Recorder says the office does not accept blanket assignments or blanket releases for recording.
Return envelope: mailed or couriered documents require a self-addressed stamped envelope with sufficient postage.
No blank checks: the Recorder says blank checks are not accepted.
Privacy check: the submitter is responsible for keeping Social Security numbers, bank account numbers, loan numbers and other personal information off recorded documents.
Recording costs
Lancaster County Recorder of Deeds Fees
The Recorder’s fee page is the live source to verify costs. The page also notes that the office does not issue refunds.
A current bulletin also notes a JCP fee increase under Act 45 of 2025, so do not rely on older PDFs or third-party fee summaries.
Maximum of 4 pages, according to the Recorder’s current fee page.
Listed for several document types that include the JCP fee.
Listed for agreements, terminations, modifications and subordinations / postponements.
Listed for powers of attorney and deputations.
Each page after 4 is listed at $2.00.
Veterans service discharge recording is listed as free.
Realty transfer tax
Statement of Value, CLR Factors and Transfer-Tax Checks
Pennsylvania realty transfer tax rules can affect deed recording. Lancaster County links to the Realty Transfer Tax Statement of Value and Common Level Ratio resources.
Use these resources when the full value is not plainly shown, a transfer-tax exemption is claimed, or a transaction needs supporting valuation information.
REV-183 Statement of Value: used for Pennsylvania Realty Transfer Tax valuation and exemption details.
CLR factor: a state-published factor used in transfer-tax valuation work.
Municipality and school district: the deed must identify the correct local property location.
Incorrect location risk: the Recorder warns that correcting wrong location information and related transfer-tax refund issues are the customer’s responsibility.
E-recording
Lancaster County E-Recording: Simplifile, CSC and EPN
Lancaster County encourages electronic recording when possible. The Recorder says the office has offered e-recording since 2002 and now records over 90% of documents electronically.
E-recording is mainly useful for title agencies, banks, law firms and repeat submitters that regularly do business in Lancaster County.
1-800-460-5657
1-866-652-0111
1-888-325-3365
Barring scheduled office closings or unusual circumstances, the Recorder says documents submitted by 4:30 PM are recorded the day they are received.
Open e-recording informationFraud awareness
Lancaster County Fraud Notify Alerts
Lancaster County provides a Fraud Notify route through the Recorder public access system. It can help users monitor names for matching recorded documents.
Fraud Notify is an alert tool. It does not block recording, prove fraud, replace title insurance or substitute for legal advice.
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Open the Recorder public access portal.
Accept the disclaimer if you agree with the terms.
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Select Fraud Notify.
Choose the Fraud Notify option inside the public access system.
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Create an account.
Sign up, create a user ID and password, and verify your email address.
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Add monitored names.
Add individual or business names. Use spelling variations when appropriate.
Veteran services
DD-214 Recording and Lancaster County Thank A Vet ID
The Recorder’s veterans page says Lancaster County veterans can receive a free Thank A Vet photo ID card when honorable discharge papers are filed on record in the office.
The same page says discharged or retired military personnel should record their military separation papers or DD-214 with the Recorder for safekeeping.
Lancaster County says both recording and certification of the DD-214 are free, and discharge papers are held in strict confidence.
Open Vet ID and DD-214 pageProperty clues
When to Use LanCo View or Property Assessment Instead of the Recorder
The Recorder search is for recorded documents. If you need parcel facts, acreage, dimensions, aerial imagery or assessment information, start with Lancaster County’s property and GIS resources.
LanCo View / GIS
Use this when you need parcel location, acreage, dimensions, aerial imagery or deed-reference clues.
Open Lancaster GIS resourcesProperty Assessment
Use this when you need assessment value, property characteristics or tax-assessment record details.
Open property assessment searchIf you cannot find a deed by name, use GIS or assessment records to identify a parcel, deed reference, prior owner or other clue, then return to the Recorder search.
Right office
Recorder of Deeds vs. Assessment, Tax Office, Prothonotary and Attorney
Recorder of Deeds
Use for recorded deeds, mortgages, satisfactions, assignments, easements, UCCs, plans, notary records, DD-214 filings and recording fees.
Property Assessment
Use for assessed value, property characteristics, assessment appeals, property assessment website and parcel records.
Treasurer / tax offices
Use for tax payments, tax accounts, tax collectors or tax-bill questions. The Recorder does not collect property taxes.
Prothonotary or court offices
Use for civil court records, judgments and court filings. Recorder land records are separate from court dockets.
Title company or attorney
Use for title searches, title insurance, deed drafting, inheritance questions, ownership disputes and legal advice.
Planning / municipalities
Use for subdivision, zoning, planning approvals and municipal questions that are outside the Recorder’s recording role.
Avoid rejection
Common Lancaster County Recorder Mistakes
Using old fees: JCP and other fees can change. Always verify the live fee page.
Stapling documents: the Recorder specifically says no staples.
Missing notary details: defective acknowledgments can stop recording.
Wrong municipality: property location must identify municipality, county and state correctly.
No return envelope: mailed or couriered documents need a self-addressed stamped envelope.
Blank check: the Recorder says blank checks are not accepted.
Personal information: submitters are responsible for keeping Social Security, bank account and loan numbers off recorded documents.
Relying on the index only: the public search index is a guide. Read the underlying recorded document.
Expecting title advice: the Recorder records documents but does not provide legal title opinions.
Decision path
What Should You Do Next?
I need a deed copy: search public records first, open the document image, then save the instrument or book/page reference.
I need to record a deed: check recording requirements, confirm Statement of Value needs, calculate fees and submit before the 4:30 PM cutoff.
I need e-recording: contact Simplifile, CSC or EPN and confirm your document type and attachments are acceptable.
I need fraud monitoring: use Fraud Notify, but still read any matching document and seek professional help when needed.
I need assessment or parcel facts: use Property Assessment or LanCo View first, then use the Recorder for the recorded deed.
I need legal ownership help: contact a title company or Pennsylvania real-estate attorney.
Important notice
Independent Information, Legal Caution and Property-Records Notice
This page is independent informational content. It is not the official website of Lancaster County, the Lancaster County Recorder of Deeds, Tyler Technologies, SearchIQS, the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue, a title company or a law firm.
It is not legal advice, title advice, tax advice, a title report or an official recording decision. Verify fees, forms, hours and document requirements directly with the official Recorder before submitting.
Public property and land-record information should be used for deed, recording, title-reference, historical or property-research purposes only. Do not use property-record data for employment, tenant screening, credit, insurance or other FCRA-regulated decisions.
FAQs
Lancaster County Recorder of Deeds FAQs
Where is the Lancaster County Recorder of Deeds office?
The office is listed at 150 North Queen Street, Suite 315, Lancaster, PA 17603. The main phone number is 717-299-8238.
What are the Recorder of Deeds hours?
The office lists hours as Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. Document recording concludes at 4:30 PM.
Who is the Lancaster County Recorder of Deeds?
The Recorder website lists Ann M. Hess as Lancaster County Recorder of Deeds. The Chief Deputy is listed as Jami Rhynes.
How do I search Lancaster County deeds online?
Open the Recorder public access search, accept the disclaimer if you agree, then search by party name, organization name, reference number, book/page or other available criteria.
What does the Recorder search disclaimer mean?
It means the index is a guide, similar to a library card catalogue. You should review the underlying recorded document before making decisions.
How much does it cost to record a deed in Lancaster County?
The current fee page lists the base fee for deeds and mortgages at $71.25 for a maximum of four pages. Extra pages and other items can add fees, so verify the live fee schedule.
Are cover pages required?
The Recorder’s fee page says cover pages are no longer required. It also says no staples.
Does Lancaster County allow e-recording?
Yes. Lancaster County offers e-recording through Simplifile, CSC and EPN. The Recorder says more than 90% of documents are recorded electronically.
What is Fraud Notify?
Fraud Notify is a monitoring option through the Recorder public access system. It can alert users about matching recorded names, but it does not stop recordings or prove fraud.
Can veterans record DD-214 papers?
Yes. The Recorder’s Vet ID page says DD-214 recording and certification are free, and discharge papers are held in strict confidence.
Official resources