Luzerne County, Pennsylvania • Land records guide • Updated October 24, 2026
Luzerne County Recorder of Deeds: Search Records, Fees, Office & Deed Filing
The Luzerne County Recorder of Deeds maintains recorded deeds, mortgages, property liens, mortgage satisfactions and other land records for properties in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania.
You can search recent records using Landex, find historical deeds through IQS, or visit the Recorder’s Office in Wilkes-Barre.
If you need to record a deed, obtain the required parcel identification number (PIN) certification first. Recording fees and Pennsylvania realty transfer taxes are separate expenses.
Starting July 1, 2026, Luzerne County added a $15 demolition-fund charge to deeds, exempt deeds and mortgages. The county warns that the external fee calculator may not include this charge.
Start here
Luzerne County Recorder of Deeds Quick Facts
For a recent recorded deed, use Landex Webstore. For a detailed paid search, use Landex Remote. For historical deeds before 1968, start with IQS Infodex/E-Film Reader.
Find recorded documents
How to Search Luzerne County Deeds and Land Records Online
Luzerne County offers three online search options. They have different historical coverage and different costs.
Step-by-step: Find a Luzerne County deed
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Choose the correct database.
Use Landex for a modern record or IQS for an older deed.
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Search the grantor or grantee.
Grantor usually means the transferring owner. Grantee usually means the receiving owner.
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Narrow the approximate recording year.
County guidance recommends having a party name and approximate transaction year before searching.
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Review the document index.
Check the document type, parties, recording date, instrument reference and legal description.
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Order the image if necessary.
Save the document reference. Use the Recorder’s Office for a certified copy.
Select Luzerne County if prompted. Search by the relevant party names, check the year and review the indexed result before purchasing an image.
What if you only have a street address?
Start with the county Assessment Office or parcel mapping resources to identify the owner and parcel PIN.
Then search that owner’s name in Landex. A street address alone may not identify every recorded deed or mortgage.
Open Luzerne County Assessment Office ↗Locate property information, assessments or parcel lookup resources. Copy the owner name and PIN, then return to the Recorder’s search.
Visit or contact
Luzerne County Recorder Office: Address, Hours & Google Map
Luzerne County Recorder of Deeds
Physical address: Courthouse Annex, 153 N River Street, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18711
Mailing address: 200 N River Street, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18711
Telephone: 570-825-1641
Fax: 570-970-4580
Office hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM–4:30 PM
Document filing cutoff: 4:20 PM
Department manager: Mary Dysleski
Manager email: Mary.Dysleski@luzernecounty.org
Judicial Services & Records division head: Paula L. Radick, Esquire
Parking and arrival tips
The Courthouse Annex has visitor parking, including accessible spaces and one-hour and two-hour parking.
From River Street, turn onto West Jackson Street, take the first left, then bear left into the lower visitor lot. Numbered permit spaces are reserved.
Bring the original notarized document, PIN certification, applicable recording fees and transfer-tax paperwork. Aim to arrive well before 4:20 PM.
Hazleton Annex: Additional recording location
Address: Hazleton City Hall, 40 N Church Street, Hazleton, PA 18201
Days: Tuesday and Thursday
Hours: 10:00 AM–3:00 PM
Payment: No cash. Checks, money orders, cashier’s checks and eligible card payments are accepted.
The county requires customers to remain while filing is completed. Documents cannot simply be dropped off with staff.
View Hazleton Annex instructions ↗Check the Recorder’s service listing, current office days, accepted payments and closure announcements before traveling to Hazleton.
Document recording
How to Record a Deed in Luzerne County
You may record in person, by mail or through an eRecording provider. Deeds must meet Pennsylvania law and Luzerne County’s local document standards.
Required document details
Original document: signed, dated and properly acknowledged before a notary.
Property PIN: certified by the Assessment Office with its stamp and signature.
Names: parties’ names should match signatures and acknowledgments, including suffixes.
Residence certificate: deeds and mortgages need a signed certificate showing the grantee’s or mortgagee’s precise address and ZIP code.
Consideration: written and numerical amounts must agree.
Language: documents in another language need a written English translation.
Corrections: white-out is not accepted.
Margin: the county fee sheet requests a 2½-inch bottom margin on at least two pages for recording stamps.
PIN certification before recording
Luzerne County’s Recorder fee page lists a $20 charge per PIN. Payment is made separately to the Luzerne County Treasurer.
Contact the Assessment Office if a parcel PIN needs correction or verification before the deed is presented.
Assessment Office: 570-825-1540
PIN certification questions: 570-825-1525
Read official deed requirements ↗Check the sections for PIN certification, notary requirements, deeds and transfer-tax Statements of Value. Fix missing details before recording.
What happens after acceptance?
The Recorder assigns an instrument number and recording reference, timestamps the document, scans it and issues a receipt.
If a title company or attorney submitted the deed, ask that firm for your returned original and recording reference.
The Recorder records properly submitted instruments but does not guarantee their contents, confirm clear title or determine whether a conveyance is legally valid.
Current charges
Luzerne County Recorder Fees Effective July 1, 2026
The county’s July 2026 fee schedule includes the new $15 demolition-fund charge for deeds, exempt deeds and mortgages.
Standard document fees generally include up to four pages, four names and one PIN. Additional names, pages or PINs can increase the cost.
One standard deed: $87.75 recording + $20 single-PIN certification = $107.75.
This assumes no extra pages, names, parcels, penalties or other charges. Realty transfer taxes are not included.Pennsylvania realty transfer tax
A deed transfer can also create state and local realty transfer taxes. The county fee materials identify different combined rates for certain municipalities.
The applicable amount depends on the municipality, transaction consideration, valuation rules and any statutory exemption. Do not apply one countywide rate to every Luzerne County parcel.
The county says the external PADeeds fee calculator may not yet include the additional $15 demolition-fund fee.
Choose the July 1, 2026 schedule. Confirm the correct instrument type, extra pages and PIN count. Add applicable transfer taxes separately.
Obtain copies
How to Get a Copy or Certified Deed
For general research, an online image or ordinary copy may be sufficient. A lender, court or title professional may require a certified copy.
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Find the recorded instrument.
Search Landex or the historical IQS index and note the recording reference.
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Decide whether certification is needed.
Office copies are generally $0.50 per page. Certification carries an additional fee.
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Request the copy from the Recorder.
Certified copies must be obtained through the office, not merely printed from a public index.
The published fee schedule lists mailed copies at $5 for the first page and $2 for each additional page.
Call 570-825-1641 to confirm the document reference, certification and payment before mailing your request.
Free monitoring
Luzerne County Record Alert for Property Fraud
The Recorder offers a free Landex Record Alert service. Residents can monitor recorded documents matching their name or a property PIN.
You may register up to five names or PINs. Notifications begin after enrollment and apply to matching future recordings.
Register for Record Alert ↗Register your email, add the names or PINs you want monitored and follow the site’s confirmation process.
The county explains that the service only notifies you when a matching document is recorded. It cannot stop a document from being accepted.
Business recording
eRecording in Luzerne County
Title companies, law offices, lenders and other regular submitters can electronically file documents through approved vendors.
CSC: 866-652-0111 — erecording@cscglobal.com
ePN: 888-325-3365 — sales@GOePN.com
Simplifile: 800-460-5657 — erecord@simplifile.com
eRecorded documents may be submitted at any time. Acceptance and processing remain subject to county recording rules.
View approved eRecording vendors ↗Find the eRecording section, choose a vendor, then verify account requirements, PIN certification and recording-fee handling before submitting.
Problem solver
Common Luzerne County Deed Search and Recording Problems
No online search result: try both grantor and grantee, another surname or an approximate recording year.
Very old deed: use IQS for 1787–1967 or ask the county about archival records.
Address-only search: obtain the property owner and PIN from Assessment records first.
Missing PIN stamp: obtain Assessment Office certification before resubmitting.
Notary mismatch: confirm signatures, dates, names, county, state and expiration stamp.
Wrong recording payment: use the July 2026 schedule rather than an older fee sheet.
Missing mailed original: check whether the filer enclosed a properly addressed, stamped return envelope.
Need a title search: hire an attorney or qualified title professional; Recorder staff cannot perform one for you.
Find a deed → Landex or IQS. Record a new deed → Assessment PIN certification, then Recorder. Get a certified copy → Recorder’s Office. Check value or ownership details → Assessment Office.
Quick answers
Luzerne County Recorder of Deeds FAQs
Where is the Luzerne County Recorder of Deeds Office?
The physical office is at 153 N River Street, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18711. Its mailing address is 200 N River Street, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18711.
What are the Recorder’s office hours?
The Wilkes-Barre office is open Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM–4:30 PM, with a document filing cutoff of 4:20 PM. Holiday closures apply.
Can I search Luzerne County deeds online for free?
Landex Webstore permits free index searching, but viewing or downloading document images costs money. Historical IQS indexes can also be searched without an index-search fee.
How far back do Luzerne County recorded deeds go?
Historical deeds are available back to 1787 through IQS. Landex provides images from 1968 onward, with indexing coverage varying by period.
How much does it cost to record a deed in Luzerne County?
The July 1, 2026 fee schedule lists $87.75 as the standard deed recording fee. PIN certification, extra pages, names, parcels and realty transfer taxes may cost extra.
Is a certified parcel PIN required before recording?
Yes, for most real-property recordings. The Assessment Office certifies the PIN, and the county’s published fee is $20 per PIN.
Can I record documents at the Hazleton Annex?
Yes. The county lists Recorder services at Hazleton City Hall on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, excluding holidays.
Does the Recorder offer property fraud alerts?
Yes. Landex Record Alert is a free notification service for up to five monitored property PINs or names. It does not prevent fraudulent recordings.
Can the Recorder’s staff prepare a deed or perform a title search?
No. The office cannot provide legal advice, prepare deeds or conduct title searches on behalf of individuals.
Verify with government sources
Official Luzerne County Recorder Resources
Independent information: This page is not operated by Luzerne County or the Pennsylvania government.
Recording rules, fees, office availability and portal charges can change. Confirm details directly with the responsible government office.
This guide is not legal or tax advice. A recorded instrument does not by itself establish clear or marketable title.
Do not use land-record information for employment, tenant screening, credit eligibility, insurance underwriting or other FCRA-regulated decisions. This website is not a consumer reporting agency.