Dauphin County Deed Records and Property Search
Dauphin County deed records are maintained by the Register and Recorder office in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania's state capital and Dauphin County seat. The office holds land records and property documents for one of Pennsylvania's most historically significant counties. Searching Dauphin County deed records gives you access to deeds, mortgages, and related instruments that document property ownership in the county. Records date back to the county's founding in 1785 and are available online and in person.
Dauphin County Quick Facts
About Dauphin County Deed Records
Dauphin County is one of the oldest and most influential counties in Pennsylvania. Located in south-central Pennsylvania, the county covers 557.7 square miles and sits approximately 100 miles west of Philadelphia and 200 miles east of Pittsburgh. The county was created in 1782 when John Harris, Jr. presented an appeal to the General Assembly to establish a separate county, and it became official in 1785. Since then, the Recorder has maintained land records for the county without interruption.
The county seat, Harrisburg, is also Pennsylvania's state capital. This dual role as both county seat and state capital gives Dauphin County deed records unique historical importance. Many early land grants and property transactions involving state government lands are recorded here. The Dauphin County Register and Recorder office handles both deed recording and will registration, combining two functions that some other counties separate into distinct offices.
Pennsylvania law at 21 P.S. § 351 requires that all deeds for Dauphin County property be recorded with the Register and Recorder. Recording makes the deed part of the public record and protects the buyer against prior unrecorded claims. The office scans every document, creates an index, and preserves microfilm copies as a permanent archive of all recorded instruments. The Dauphin County Commissioners, who act as the county's chief executive body, oversee budgets and county operations while elected row offices like the Register and Recorder operate independently.
Dauphin County's record volume is high given the county's population and its central location along major transportation routes. The office records deeds, mortgages, mortgage satisfactions, easements, oil and gas leases, UCC financing statements, subdivision plans, power of attorney documents, and notary public commissions. James M. Zugay, Dauphin County Recorder, served as President of the Pennsylvania Association of Recorders of Deeds (PRODA), reflecting the county's leadership role in Pennsylvania recorder services.
Dauphin County Register and Recorder
The Dauphin County Register and Recorder office is located in Harrisburg. The county's department directory at dauphincounty.gov/government lists the Register and Recorder office alongside other county departments. Office hours are Monday through Friday during regular business hours. Call ahead to confirm hours and submission deadlines for same-day recording.
Staff at the Register and Recorder can search records by grantor and grantee name, book and page number, instrument number, or date range. They can provide copies of recorded documents and assist with locating older records. Staff cannot provide legal advice, prepare deeds, or determine whether a property has existing liens. A title company or real estate attorney is the right resource for those needs.
| Office | Dauphin County Register and Recorder |
|---|---|
| Address | 2 South Second Street, Harrisburg, PA 17101 |
| Phone | 717-780-6520 |
| Online Search | dauphincounty.gov |
Searching Dauphin County Deed Records Online
The Pennsylvania statewide land records portal at pa.uslandrecords.com provides online access to Dauphin County deed records. This portal was built to serve all 67 Pennsylvania recorder districts and lets users search from home without visiting the courthouse in Harrisburg. Document images are available for viewing and printing.
The image below is from the Dauphin County official website, the primary hub for county government information including the Register and Recorder office.
The image below shows the Dauphin County government page, which organizes all county departments and elected officials including the Register and Recorder.
PRODA at padeeds.com provides a fee calculator at padeeds.com/fee-calculator and a complete listing of Pennsylvania recorder contacts. Since Dauphin County has been central to PRODA's leadership, the association's standards closely reflect the practices used in Harrisburg.
Dauphin County Recording Requirements
Deeds submitted for recording in Dauphin County must meet all Pennsylvania requirements. Each deed needs a complete legal description, the names of all parties, a notary acknowledgment, and a Uniform Parcel Identifier (UPI). The UPI requirement under 16 P.S. § 9781 links each recorded deed to the county's tax parcel system. Documents missing a valid UPI will not be accepted.
Pennsylvania's 1% state realty transfer tax applies to most property transfers in Dauphin County. Local municipalities in the county impose additional transfer taxes. All deeds must be accompanied by Form REV-183, the Realty Transfer Tax Statement of Value, at the time of recording. The Recorder cross-references the Statement of Value with the deed book volume and page number as required by Pennsylvania Code Chapter 91. Certain transfers qualify for exemptions under state law, including direct family line transfers, charitable transfers, and corrective deeds made to fix errors where no new consideration is exchanged.
Historic Dauphin County Land Records
Because Dauphin County was carved from Chester County in 1785, its earliest land history connects directly to Chester County records. Researchers tracing property ownership back before 1785 may need to consult both Dauphin County deed records and older Chester County records. The Pennsylvania State Archives holds land warrant registers and survey records for Dauphin County going back to the original grants. These records predate the county's own recorder system and are accessible through the Archives' research guides at pa.gov/agencies/phmc.
The State Archives are located at 1681 N. Sixth Street in Harrisburg, the same city as the Dauphin County courthouse. This proximity makes it convenient for researchers to visit both the Recorder's office and the State Archives in the same trip. Together, these two resources cover the full sweep of land ownership in Dauphin County from the earliest colonial surveys to the present day.