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DEEDS
How do I change ownership of a property?
To make changes to an existing deed, a new deed must be
prepared and recorded. If your spouse dies, and your name is on the
deed, you do not have to change it. If you elect to change it, a
new deed must be prepared and recorded.
How do I prepare a deed?
A certified professional should prepare a Deed. Contact a
Real Estate Lawyer or a Realtor.
How can title be obtained if the owners are deceased?
Go to the Register of Wills Office located in Room 180 City
Hall. The closest relative must become the administrator/administratrix
of the decedent’s estate.
Do I have to pay transfer tax?
Yes, unless you are transferring to a spouse, sibling, parent,
grandparent, mother-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law,
father-in-law, step children or step parents. Proof of
relationship is required such as birth, death or marriage certificate.
How can I obtain information about
liens and judgments?
Prothonotary Department 2nd floor City Hall, room 262.
215-686-6656
Where can I obtain property tax information?
You can obtain tax information from the Office of Property
Assessment (OPA) 601 Walnut Street
www.phila.gov/OPA
or the Department of Revenue located in the Municipal Services
Building., 1401 JFK Blvd, concourse level.
What is the recording fee and what form of payment is
accepted?
Recording fees visit our website at
https://www.phila.gov/records/DocumentRecording. Acceptable forms of
payment are cash, business checks and money order. No personal
checks or credit/debit cards.
How can I obtain information on a property/copy of my
deed?
You may research or request a copy of a property in our public
Reference Room located in City Hall, Room 154. Copies of deeds are $2.00
per page.
Once I pay my mortgage off, when can I expect to
receive a new deed?
Once recorded, you should receive your satisfaction or release
of mortgage from your financial institution.
How can I obtain a list of City owned properties?
The Sheriff’s Department, LandBank or Philadelphia
Redevelopment Authority is where you can obtain these lists. You
can dial 311 for additional information.
The name on my water and tax bills is not mine.
What should I do to have this corrected?
Provide the Water Department and Tax Revenue Department with
your recorded deed information and ask them to update their records.
For additional information, dial 311.
ARCHIVES
How do I obtain a copy of a birth certificate?
The City Archives has Philadelphia birth records for the period
from July 1860 to June 1915. For Philadelphia birth records after
June 1915, contact the Division of Vital Records of the Pennsylvania
Department of Health at 844-228-3516. The division’s Philadelphia
office is located at 110 N. 8th Street. To apply for a certificate
online, visit the following website:
http://www.health.pay.gov/myrecords/certificates.pages/philadelphia.aspx
How do I obtain a copy of a death certificate?
The City Archives has Philadelphia death records for the period
from 1803 to June 1915. The records from 1803 to June 1960 however are
only unofficial cemetery reports of burials and death certificates are
not issued for them.
How can I find out if a relative is still alive?
You can perform a search on the worldwide web or contact the
Free Library of Philadelphia 215-686-5396. The main branch of the
Free Library, located at 1901 Vine Street, has past and present
Philadelphia obituaries and telephone books. Hiring a private
detective is another alternative.
How do I obtain a copy of a deed? Find out who owned my
home before I did?
The City Archives has Philadelphia deed records for the years
1683 to 1955.
If the home was purchased after 1955, contact the Records
Department Reference Room 154 City Hall, 215-686-2292
How can I find out when my house was built?
Building permits before 1889 no longer exist. The building
permit index covering the years 1889 to 1905 cannot be located.
The City Archives has Philadelphia building permits for the years from
1889 to 1986. For Philadelphia building permits after 1986,
dial 311.
How can I obtain a copy of a marriage certificate?
The City Archives has original Philadelphia marriage records
for the period from July 1860 to December 1885. For walk-in
patrons of the City Archives, microfilmed copies of Philadelphia
marriage records from October 1885 to December 1915 can be printed and
purchased. To request copies of original Philadelphia marriage
records for the period October 1885 to present, contact the Marriage
License Bureau of the Philadelphia Orphans’ Court located in Room 415 of
City Hall, 215-686-2234. Two types of Philadelphia marriage record
forms existed in the final quarter of 1885. The older forms are
kept by the City Archives and the newer forms are kept by the Orphans’
court.
How do I receive a copy of a divorce record?
The City Archives has Philadelphia divorce records prior to
1914 in its Court of Common Pleas docket books. For certified
copies of divorce decrees filed in Philadelphia from 1885 to the
present, contact the Office of Judicial Records Civil Filing Unit at
215-686-4252. The office is in Room 296 City Hall.
How can I obtain a copy of my ancestor’s naturalization
record?
Naturalization records are filed in city, county, state and
federal courts.
The City Archives has naturalization records filed in
Philadelphia’s city and county courts for the period from 1793 to 1930.
Among the Philadelphia City and County courts where naturalizations were
filed were the Court of Common Pleas, the Court of Quarter Sessions, the
County District Court and the Mayor’s Court. After 1930,
naturalizations were filed only in federal courts. Also, women
were not naturalized until after September 22, 1922.
For Philadelphia naturalization records filed at the state
level in the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, contact the Pennsylvania
State Archives at 717-783-3281.
For Philadelphia naturalization records filed at the federal
level in either the United States Circuit Court or the United States
District Court, contact the Philadelphia branch of the National Archives
at 215-305-2044. The email address of the Philadelphia branch is
Philadelphia.archives@nara.gov
MAPPING UNIT
How can I see a map of my property lines?
Plats can be obtained in City Hall, Room 170. The fee is
.50 for 8 ½ x 11, $1.00 for 11x17, $10.00 for the entire plat.
Alleys, driveways and retaining walls – Your rights and
Obligations
Alleys, driveways, and/or retaining walls are private property.
They belong to you, the property owner. The City does not own or
maintain them. It is the responsibility of the owners to maintain
them in a safe and sanitary condition.
The owners of all abutting properties, generally, have the
right to use the entire length of an alley way or driveway (this is
written in your deed)
All costs for repairs, reconstruction to an alleyway or
driveway are shared by those property owners having deeds rights and
otherwise for the use of alleyways, driveways and retaining walls.
Even if only parts of an alley, driveway or retaining wall need repair,
all responsible property owners must share the cost of the repair.
POLICE REPORTS UNIT
What is a district control number?
The number that assigned to your police report.
How much is a traffic accident or incident report?
$25.00
How much is a Fire/EMS report?
Fire report is a $20.00. This fee is non-refundable.
A copy of the application is forwarded to the Fire Department for
processing. Your report will be prepared and mailed directly to
you by the Fire Department. Please allow 6 to 8 weeks to receive a
copy of report or notice of report not found.
EMS report is $6.50. This is a non-refundable fee.
All inquiries after submission of the application please contact EMS at
215-686-4222 and refer to the application number on the form.
How much is a background check/letter of good conduct?
$40.00
What methods of payment are acceptable?
Cash, business check or money order.
What are the office hours?
Monday through Friday, 8am to 2pm