Search York County, PA Property Records

In York County, Pennsylvania, the Recorder of Deeds Office and the Assessment and Tax Claim Office serve as the authorities for property records that establish ownership and financial liability. Beyond these centralized files, the 72 municipalities oversee the physical aspects of the land through site-specific regulatory documentation.

Recent data on the county’s real estate market show a median home value of $216,200.00 and a median monthly rent of $1,068.00. Local economic indicators also substantiate a median household income of $82,674.00, with residents paying an average annual real estate tax of 1.8%.

Researchers can access property records in York County, PA, through digital platforms, in-person visits, or formal Right-to-Know Law (RTKL) requests.

Users can navigate to the York County Recorder of Deeds’ “Additional Resources” page and utilize third-party public research websites to confirm legal ownership. When focusing on property characteristics and valuations, researchers can turn to the York County Assessment Property Records database.

These online tools enable rapid verification using specific identifiers such as the tax parcel number or book and page number.

For in-depth title investigation or complex historical research, in-person visits to the York County Administrative Center provide access to physical plat books or high-resolution public terminals.

Note that since 2008, the Recorder of Deeds has strictly prohibited the use of cameras, cell phones, or any image-capturing equipment to photograph record books or computer screens in the office.

To address this limitation, PropertyChecker aggregates data from authorized government and private databases into a single, downloadable report. When available, users can access high-quality document images and property data remotely, which eliminates the need to navigate restrictive on-site imaging policies or equipment bans.

Meanwhile, submitting Right-to-Know Law (RTKL) requests is often necessary to obtain municipal-level construction records.

Property Ownership and Title Information

To research ownership and title information for York County properties, individuals can use the public research websites implemented by the County Recorder of Deeds Office. These platforms use a grantor/grantee index.

By searching the grantee/grantee index, users can locate the current deed and its specific book and page number. In the deed, the “recital” section identifies the previous owner and allows individuals to trace the chain of title back through history.

Property Sales and Transaction History

For a high-level overview of a property’s sales history, researchers may access the York County Assessment Property Records database. The database can display recent transactions associated with a property, including the sale date and sale price.

To find the actual deed that finalized the transaction, researchers should turn to the York County Recorder of Deeds’ public research tools. Additionally, PropertyChecker provides a platform that compiles and organizes property sales and transactions data from various York County offices, which may assist users during preliminary research.

Property Tax Assessment and Payment Records

The York County Assessment and Tax Claim Office is responsible for determining the assessed value of properties in the county. To support this legal mandate, local tax collectors collect property taxes for each municipality and school district. The York County Treasurer’s Office, however, handles collections for specific areas.

Individuals can access the York County Assessment Property Records database to view land, building, and total assessed values. For tax bills and payments, residents can consult their local municipality tax collector or the York County Tax Claim Bureau for delinquent accounts.

If a property owner believes their assessment is incorrect, they may file an appeal with the Board of Assessment Appeals.

Property Characteristics and Parcel Details

The most specific tool for accessing property characteristics in York County is the County Assessment Property Records database.

Maintained by the York County Assessment and Tax Claim Office, the database enables individuals to perform parcel searches by owner name, property location, or 18-digit tax parcel number. A search may show that a property is a 1.5-story residential home with 1,500 square feet, situated on a 0.25-acre lot.

Zoning, Land Use, and Planning Records

The York County Planning Commission (YCPC) serves as the central hub for regional planning and geographic data. While the YCPC does not enforce zoning, which is a power reserved to local municipalities, it maintains the York County GIS Portal, a critical tool for identifying zoning districts.

Legal Documents Affecting Property

The York County Recorder of Deeds Office provides two distinct public research sites for remotely locating legal documents impacting properties across the county. Typical examples of such instruments are deeds, mortgages, easements, and subdivision plans.

One website covers deeds from 1944 and mortgages from 1974, while the other provides index data and document images for records from 1749 to 1980. To retrieve records, researchers can search using name, date range, instrument number, book and page number, or tax parcel number.

Building Permits, Inspections, and Construction Records

In York County, individual municipalities maintain building permits, inspections, and construction records. Under the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law (RTKL), documents such as approved permits, inspection histories, and certificates of occupancy are considered public records. Individuals may request these documents by sending a formal Right-to-Know Law Request Form to the municipality’s open records officer or bureau of permits and inspections.

Maps and Visual Property Data

To view, analyze, or research over 175,000 parcels across York County’s entire 904‑square‑mile expanse, individuals can utilize the County Property Viewer 2.0. This GIS application overlays property parcels on maps, including aerial, street, and topographic views.

The York County Property Viewer 2.0, maintained by the County Assessment Office in Pennsylvania, serves as the official parcel viewer for the county.

Upon loading, a Disclaimer page appears, noting that property boundaries are for display purposes only and are not survey accurate. Read the disclaimer, check "I agree to the above terms and conditions," and click "OK" to proceed.

The interactive aerial map displays York County's townships, including Springettsbury, Manchester, Dover, Windsor, and Conewago. Properties can be searched using the Address/LastName/PIDN search bar at the top left.

Parcel data is updated approximately once per month, and property tax face values are refreshed twice yearly following millage rate approvals.

Displayed here are charts summarizing the county's tax rates, accompanied by insights into median home values, income figures, and rent rates.

Median Rent

$1,068.00

Pennsylvania	$839.00
National	$840.25

• +27.3 %
  vs Pennsylvania
• +27.1 %
  vs National

Median Home Value

$216,200.00

Pennsylvania	$168,550.00
National	$173,750.00

• +28.3 %
  vs Pennsylvania
• +24.4 %
  vs National

Median Household Income

$82,674.00

Pennsylvania	$63,611.00
National	$65,108.00

• +30.0 %
  vs Pennsylvania
• +27.0 %
  vs National

Median Property Tax Rate

1.8%

Pennsylvania	1.3%
National	0.74%

• +38.5%
  vs Pennsylvania
• +143.2 %
  vs National

Unemployment Rate

2.69%

Pennsylvania	2.84%
National	2.87%

• -5.3 %
  vs Pennsylvania
• -6.3 %
  vs National

Renter Occupied Housing

19.64%

Pennsylvania	19.64%
National	21.81%

• +0.0 %
  vs Pennsylvania
• -9.9 %
  vs National

As the county’s registrar of deeds, the York County Recorder of Deeds Office maintains various land records, including deeds, subdivision plans, mortgages, easements, rights-of-way agreements, and releases.

Other county offices rely on these documents to perform their statutory duties. The York County Planning Commission (YCPC) specifically reviews recorded rights-of-way agreements when evaluating subdivision and land development plans to confirm compliance with the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code.

Individuals can search and retrieve documents online using the two public research websites on the Recorder of Deeds’ “Additional Resources” page. They can find records dating back to 1974 or 1944. For those who need to conduct in-person research, public computers are available in the office during operating hours.

The fee for printing or ordering copies of documents online is $0.20 or $0.80 per page and may include transaction charges. Meanwhile, copies printed at the office cost $0.50 per page.

York County consists of 72 incorporated municipalities. While county offices manage ownership and tax valuation, municipalities oversee the physical development and regulated use of land.

These local jurisdictions typically operate through their bureau of permits and inspections, zoning office, or code enforcement department. Such offices maintain building permits, inspection logs, zoning permits, and stormwater management agreements.

Each municipality also utilizes an elected local tax collector to manage current-year tax records and payment receipts for county, municipal, and school levies.

• Carroll Township
• Chanceford Township
• Codorus Township
• Conewago Township
• Cross Roads Borough
• Dallastown Borough
• Delta Borough
• Dillsburg Borough
• Dover Borough
• Dover Township
• East Hopewell Township
• East Manchester Township
• East Prospect Borough
• Fairview Township
• Fawn Grove Borough
• Fawn Township
• Felton Borough
• Franklin Township
• Franklintown Borough
• Glen Rock Borough
• Goldsboro Borough
• Hallam Borough
• Hanover Borough
• Heidelberg Township
• Hellam Township
• Hopewell Township
• Jackson Township
• Jacobus Borough
• Jefferson Borough
• Lewisberry Borough
• Loganville Borough
• Lower Chanceford Township
• Lower Windsor Township
• Manchester Borough
• Manchester Township
• Manheim Township
• Monaghan Township
• Mount Wolf Borough
• New Freedom Borough
• New Salem Borough
• Newberry Township
• North Codorus Township
• North Hopewell Township
• North York Borough
• Paradise Township
• Peach Bottom Township
• Penn Township
• Railroad Borough
• Red Lion Borough
• Seven Valleys Borough
• Shrewsbury Borough
• Shrewsbury Township
• Spring Garden Township
• Spring Grove Borough
• Springettsbury Township
• Springfield Township
• Stewartstown Borough
• Warrington Township
• Washington Township
• Wellsville Borough
• West Manchester Township
• West Manheim Township
• West York Borough
• Windsor Borough
• Windsor Township
• Winterstown Borough
• Wrightsville Borough
• Yoe Borough
• York City
• York Haven Borough
• York Township
• Yorkana Borough