How to Search Philadelphia County and City Records (Start Here)
Government records in Philadelphia County and City are decentralized across 4 offices.
- All court filings go through the Clerk of Courts.
- For property ownership and values, check the County Assessment Office.
- For marriage records, contact the Register of Wills.
Important: Marriage licenses come from Register of Wills in PA.
Part of the SearchSystems.net directory since 1997.
The official sources are listed below. Each one returns different data.
Criminal & Court Records
Criminal & Court Records
Courts | Common Pleas Civil Hearings
Visit →Criminal & Court Records
Official Free
Search by type of hearing and scheduled date for Philadelphia Common Pleas Court civil hearings.
Courts | Common Pleas Civil Trial Division
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Official Free
Search by name for Philadelphia Courts First Judicial District Common Pleas Court Civil Trial Division dockets.
Courts | Common Pleas Criminal Records
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Official Free
Search Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas dockets for criminal, miscellaneous, and summary appeals cases.
Courts | Common Pleas Orphans' Court Hearings
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Official Free
Search Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Orphans' Court hearings by type of listing, scheduled date, or presiding judge.
Courts | Common Pleas Orphans' Court Records
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Official Free
Search Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Orphans' Court dockets by name or case ID.
Courts | Judgments
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Official Free
Search for Philadelphia Common Pleas Court civil judgements.
Courts | Municipal Civil Cases
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Official Free
Search Philadelphia Courts First Judicial District records for Municipal Court civil records by case number, plaintiff name, or defendant name.
Courts | Municipal Criminal New Filings
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Official Free
Search Philadelphia Courts for new municipal criminal court filings by date or defendant name.
Courts | Traffic Hearings
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Official Free
Search for Philadelphia County Traffic Court Case hearings by last name, driver's license, citation number, hearing date or room.
Property & Tax Records
Delinquent Business Tax Accounts
Visit →Property & Tax Records
Official Free
Search by business name for Philadelphia delinquent business tax accounts.
Property | Tax Records
Visit →Property & Tax Records
Official Free
Philadelphia City and County valuation records and property details.
Voter Registration
Visit →Property & Tax Records
Official Free
Search for your Philadelphia voter registration status by county, name, and birth date.
Vital Records
Jewish Genealogy
Visit →Vital Records
Official Free
JewishGen Jewish Genealogy records from Philadelphia, including obituaries, passage orders.
Marriages
Visit →Vital Records
Official Free
Search the City of Philadelphia Register of Wills for Philadelphia marriages by name or license date.
Business, Voter & Other
Accident & Incident Reports
Visit →Business, Voter & Other
Official Free
Philadelphia Police Department records of accident, burglary, stolen auto, and theft reports with option to purchase a report copy online.
African American Census 1847
Visit →Business, Voter & Other
Official Free
Search the Friends Historical Library for 1847 African-American census information by keyword.
Architects and Buildings
Visit →Business, Voter & Other
Official Free
Search the Philadelphia Architects and Buildings database for authoritative information on three centuries of Philadelphia buildings and designers.
Debt Collection
Visit →Business, Voter & Other
Official Free
Search by defendant name for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania debt collection records.
Historical Photographs
Visit →Business, Voter & Other
Official Free
City of Philadelphia searchable index of historical photographs.
Minority Vendors
Visit →Business, Voter & Other
Official Free
Use this City of Philadelphia service to search for minority firms (certified as MBE's, WBE's, or DSBE's) by company name, commodity, NAICS code.
Philadelphia Government Phone Listings
Visit →Business, Voter & Other
Official Free
City (and County) of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania government phone listings. Search by name, department, or unit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who handles court records in Philadelphia County and City? ▼
Go to the Prothonotary / Clerk of Courts for court records in Philadelphia County and City. For online case lookups, use UJS Portal — it covers Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas cases statewide.
Who handles property records in Philadelphia County and City? ▼
For deeds, mortgages, and liens, go to the Recorder of Deeds. For property values and assessment data, go to the County Assessment Office. For tax bills and payments, go to the County Treasurer.
How do I get birth, death, or marriage records in Philadelphia County and City? ▼
Pennsylvania handles vital records at the state level through Pennsylvania Department of Health Division of Vital Records. Marriage licenses are issued locally by the Register of Wills / Orphans' Court Clerk in Philadelphia County and City.
Are Philadelphia County and City records available online? ▼
Yes — Philadelphia County and City has good online coverage. This page lists 21 searchable databases covering court records, property records, vital records, and business filings. Each links directly to an official government portal.
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