Forest County Deed Records Access

Forest County deed records are kept by the Recorder of Deeds office in Tionesta, the county seat in northwestern Pennsylvania. Forest County is one of the smallest and least populous counties in Pennsylvania, known for its vast public lands and forested terrain. The Recorder of Deeds maintains all land records and property documents for the county. Searching Forest County deed records provides access to deeds, mortgages, and other recorded instruments. Records are available at the courthouse and through online access portals.

About Forest County Deed Records

Forest County was created in 1848 from Jefferson County and is the second least populous county in Pennsylvania. Much of the county is covered by the Allegheny National Forest and state game lands. The county seat, Tionesta, sits along the Allegheny River and serves as the center of county government. Despite its small size, the Recorder of Deeds has maintained land records for Forest County continuously since the county's founding.

Pennsylvania law at 21 P.S. § 351 requires that all deeds for Forest County property be recorded with the Recorder of Deeds in Tionesta. Recording creates the public notice that protects property owners and establishes the legal chain of title for every parcel in the county. All recorded instruments receive a book and page number, are scanned into the county's system, and are preserved on microfilm as a permanent archive.

Because much of Forest County is publicly owned by the federal government and the Commonwealth, private land records in the county can be especially complex. Understanding which parcels are private and which are subject to government ownership or easements is important for anyone researching Forest County property. The county website at forestcounty.com provides basic information about county services and government. Forest County deed records include deeds, mortgages, oil and gas leases, easements, power of attorney documents, and notary commissions.

Forest County Recorder of Deeds

The Forest County Recorder of Deeds is located at the Forest County Courthouse in Tionesta. As one of Pennsylvania's smallest counties, the Recorder's office has a small staff. It is strongly recommended that you call ahead before visiting to confirm hours and any requirements for in-person searches or document submissions. Forest County's courthouse is the center of all county government functions, and the Recorder's office is accessible during regular business hours Monday through Friday.

In-person searches at the Tionesta courthouse can be done by grantor and grantee name, book and page number, or recording date range. Staff can locate documents and provide copies for a fee. Certified copies of recorded deeds and mortgages are available upon request. Staff cannot provide legal advice, conduct title searches, or advise on specific title questions. For those services, contact a licensed Pennsylvania title company or real estate attorney familiar with Forest County land records.

Searching Forest County Deed Records Online

The Pennsylvania statewide land records portal at pa.uslandrecords.com provides online access to Forest County deed records. This portal covers all 67 Pennsylvania recorder districts, including Forest County. Because the county is small and remote, using the online portal is often more practical than traveling to Tionesta for a single search.

The image below is from the Forest County government website, which provides basic information about county services including the Recorder of Deeds.

The image below shows a property records resource for Forest County, illustrating the type of land information available through online search tools.

The Pennsylvania Association of Recorders of Deeds at padeeds.com maintains a directory of all 67 Pennsylvania county recorders and a fee calculator at padeeds.com/fee-calculator. Third-party portals such as NETROnline also link to Forest County assessment and recorder resources.

Forest County Recording Requirements

Documents submitted for recording in Forest County must meet Pennsylvania's standard requirements. Each deed needs a complete legal description of the property, the names of all parties, a notary acknowledgment, and a Uniform Parcel Identifier (UPI). The UPI requirement under 16 P.S. § 9781 links each deed to the county's tax parcel map. Documents without a valid UPI will not be accepted for recording in Forest County.

Pennsylvania's state realty transfer tax of 1% applies to most property transfers in Forest County. Local municipalities impose additional transfer taxes. Form REV-183, the Realty Transfer Tax Statement of Value, must accompany every deed at the time of recording. Exemptions apply to certain family transfers, charitable conveyances, and corrective deeds. The Pennsylvania Department of Revenue at pa.gov maintains current rate and exemption information. You can verify a notary's commission through the Department of State at notaries.pa.gov.

Forest County Land History and Public Lands

Forest County has a unique land history shaped by its vast public land holdings. The Allegheny National Forest covers much of the county, and the federal government holds title to large tracts that appear in older deed records as private conveyances before the forest was established. Oil and gas exploration has also been a part of the region's history, and many Forest County deed records include oil and gas lease agreements and mineral rights conveyances that reflect the region's energy production past.

For historical Forest County land records, the Pennsylvania State Archives holds warrant registers and land records going back to the earliest settlements in the region. The Archives research guides at pa.gov/agencies/phmc explain how to trace property back through the original warrant system that predates Forest County's 1848 founding. Because the county was created from Jefferson County, some early property records may be found in Jefferson County's deed books before Forest County's Recorder began keeping its own records.