Verified against official sources
Public records
Every record has exactly one custodian, and half the battle is knowing which office that is. Start with the lookup table — it routes deeds, marriage licenses, court files, and vital records to the right desk, with fees and deadlines that are actually current.
Records Desk Official
Recorder of Deeds215-348-6209
Register of Wills215-348-6265
Prothonotary (civil)215-348-6191
Clerk of Courts215-348-6389
Birth & death certificates are state records — order only via mycertificates.health.pa.gov.
Start here
Which office has my record?
County records are split across independently elected row offices — and two of the most-requested records aren't county records at all.
| You need | Custodian | Level | How to get it | Contact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deed or mortgage | Recorder of Deeds | County | Request a free copy of your own deed by email, search LANDEX online (fee), or use the public research room. | Recorder of Deeds ↗ 215-348-6209 |
| Property assessment | Board of Assessment | County | Assessment values and appeals run through the Board of Assessment, not the Recorder. | Board of Assessment ↗ 215-348-6219 |
| Divorce, custody, or PFA file | Prothonotary — Family Division | County | The Prothonotary's Family Division holds divorce, custody, and protection-from-abuse filings. | Prothonotary ↗ 215-348-6822 |
| Civil case, judgment, or lien | Prothonotary — Civil Division | County | Civil dockets and documents are viewable through the Prothonotary's 24/7 e-filing web viewer. | Prothonotary ↗ 215-348-6191 |
| Criminal case record | Clerk of Courts | County | The Clerk of Courts is the custodian of criminal and juvenile court records for the Court of Common Pleas. | Clerk of Courts ↗ 215-348-6389 |
| Court docket (any PA court) | PA Unified Judicial System | State | Docket sheets for magisterial district and Common Pleas cases are free on the state UJS portal. | UJS portal ↗ |
| Will, estate, or probate file | Register of Wills | County | The Register of Wills probates wills and keeps estate files; Orphans' Court records cover adoptions, guardianships, and estate litigation. | Register of Wills ↗ 215-348-6265 |
| Marriage certificate copy | Register of Wills | County | Certified copies of Bucks County marriage licenses are $25 from the Register of Wills (no charge for first responders with ID). | Marriage licenses ↗ 215-348-6265 |
| Birth or death certificate | PA Department of Health — Vital Records | State | The county cannot issue these. Order online via myCertificates (VitalChek is the only authorized vendor), by mail, or at a state public office. | PA Vital Records ↗ |
| Military discharge (DD-214) | Recorder of Deeds | County | Recorded free with three certified copies returned. Not public — only the veteran, family, or a veterans' organization official may view them. | Military discharge papers ↗ 215-348-6209 |
Verified against official county and state pages July 26, 2026. Fees and office schedules change — confirm with the office before making a trip.
Land records since 1684
Deeds & property records
Everything recorded at the Recorder of Deeds is public — anyone can read any deed or mortgage. The one exception is military discharge papers.
Free
A copy of your own deed
Online search (fee)
LANDEX
Recorded documents from 1684 to the present
Also free to search in the office's public research room
Protection
Free fraud alert
Get notified if anything is recorded against your property
Veterans
DD-214 recording
Recorded free; three certified copies returned to you
Not public — viewable only by the veteran, family, or a veterans' organization official
Recording fees Official fee schedule ↗
Assessment values & appeals Board of Assessment ↗ · Appeals guide →
Title research help Staff can't run title searches — book a LANDEX tutorial at 215-348-6209
Register of Wills
Marriage licenses
Every Bucks County marriage license is issued by the Register of Wills & Clerk of Orphans' Court. Total cost $85, a 3-day waiting period, valid for 60 calendar days — and only in Pennsylvania.
The process
Four steps
1. Complete the online application through the Register of Wills online services portal ("Login as Guest" → "e-file Marriage Application"), or apply in person at one of the three offices
2. Both applicants appear together — a virtual meeting for online applications — to show ID and sign the license
3. The license is issued after Pennsylvania's 3-day waiting period
4. Marry within 60 calendar days, anywhere in Pennsylvania — the license is not valid in other states
Bring with you
Requirements
Both applicants must be at least 18 years of age
Government-issued photo ID for each applicant
Proof of dissolution of the most recent previous marriage — divorce decree or civil annulment (photocopies accepted) or an original death certificate
Applicants who do not speak English must bring their own adult interpreter with photo ID (free court interpreters can be scheduled through Court Administration)
Where to apply
Three offices
Doylestown (main) — 55 E Court St, 6th Floor, Doylestown, PA 18901 · 215-348-6264 · Mon–Fri 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Levittown satellite — 7321 New Falls Rd, Levittown, PA 19055 · 215-348-6266 · Limited schedule — call ahead; appointments prioritized
Quakertown satellite — 261 California Rd, Quakertown, PA 18951 · 215-348-6266 · Thursdays only — call ahead
| Item | Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Marriage license application (incl. ACP fee + one certified certificate) | $85 | |
| Certified copy of marriage license | $25 | No charge for first responders with ID |
| Duplicate / reissued marriage license | $25 | |
| Affidavit of name verification | $25 | |
| Emergency waiver of 3-day waiting period (petition) | $95 | No charge for active military |
| Outside office appearance | $175 |
Fee schedule effective February 1, 2021 per the county fee page ↗. Full requirements: Requirements & Restrictions ↗
The most common wrong turn
Birth & death certificates
These are Pennsylvania state records — no Bucks County office can issue them.
Order from the PA Department of Health, not the county
Birth and death certificates for events in Pennsylvania since 1906 are held by the state's Bureau of Health Statistics and Registries. VitalChek (mycertificates.health.pa.gov) is the state's only authorized online vendor — other "order your birth certificate" websites charge extra fees and slow you down. The standard certificate carries the raised seal PennDOT requires for REAL ID.
Order online mycertificates.health.pa.gov ↗
Mail & in-person options PA Vital Records ↗
Marriage certificates County record — Register of Wills, above
Four custodians
The record offices
Court records generally aren't Right-to-Know requests — each division's elected office provides access directly, and statewide dockets are free online.
Land & property records
Recorder of Deeds
📍 55 E Court St, 6th Floor, Doylestown, PA 18901
📞 Office: 215-348-6209
🕒 Mon–Fri 7:45 am – 4:15 pm (documents accepted for recording until 4 pm)
Deeds, mortgages, and subdivision plans from 1684 to the present, plus notary commissions and veterans' discharges. All recorded papers are public except military discharge records.
Civil & family filings
Prothonotary
📍 55 E Court St, Doylestown, PA 18901
📞 Civil & passports: 215-348-6191
📞 Family division: 215-348-6822
🕒 Mon–Fri 8:00 am – 4:15 pm
Clerk of the Civil Division of the Court of Common Pleas: divorce, custody, PFA, name changes, liens, judgments, and appeals. Its e-filing web viewer gives 24/7 public access to civil dockets, and the office is a US passport acceptance agent.
Criminal court records
Clerk of Courts
📍 100 N Main St, Doylestown, PA 18901
📞 Office: 215-348-6389
Custodian of criminal, juvenile delinquency, and dependency records for the Court of Common Pleas, on the statewide CPCMS system shared by all 67 counties.
Wills, estates & marriage
Register of Wills & Clerk of Orphans' Court
📍 55 E Court St, 6th Floor, Doylestown, PA 18901
📞 Main office: 215-348-6264
📞 Satellite offices: 215-348-6266
🕒 Doylestown: Mon–Fri 8:00 am – 5:00 pm; satellite offices in Levittown & Quakertown keep limited schedules
Probates wills, appoints estate administrators, collects PA inheritance tax, and issues every Bucks County marriage license. Orphans' Court files cover adoptions, guardianships, and estate litigation.
Docket search — every PA court, free ujsportal.pacourts.us ↗
Which district court? Courts guide →
Pennsylvania's open records law
Right-to-Know requests
For county records that aren't already published, the RTK Law presumes government records are public — the agency has to justify withholding, not you.
Step 1
Check whether it's a RTK record at all
Court records are generally not obtained through Right-to-Know — civil files come from the Prothonotary, criminal from the Clerk of Courts, estates from the Register of Wills, and dockets from the state UJS portal. Deeds, assessment data, and election results are already published.
Step 2
Submit a written request to the county
Use the county's Right-to-Know submission portal, or send the statewide standard request form to the agency's Open Records Officer. Requests must be written — agencies aren't required to answer verbal ones, and only written requests can be appealed.
Step 3
The agency has 5 business days to respond
You'll get the records, a notice that more time is needed, or a denial. No written response within 5 business days means the request is "deemed denied" — which you can appeal just like an explicit denial.
Step 4
Appeal within 15 business days — it's free
Appeals go to the PA Office of Open Records within 15 business days of the mailing date of the response (or the deemed-denial date). There is no fee and no attorney is required; the online OOR appeal form walks through the required attachments.
County records request hub Records Requests ↗
Statewide standard request form RTK request form (PDF) ↗
PA Office of Open Records openrecords.pa.gov ↗
Common questions
Bucks County records answers
How do I get a copy of my deed in Bucks County? The Recorder of Deeds provides a free copy of the deed to your own property on request — call 215-348-6209 or email the office. For research beyond your own deed, search LANDEX online (fee-based, records from 1684) or use the free public research room at 55 E Court St, Doylestown.
How do I get a birth or death certificate in Bucks County? Not from the county — birth and death certificates are Pennsylvania state records held by the Department of Health's Bureau of Health Statistics and Registries. Order online at mycertificates.health.pa.gov (VitalChek is the state's only authorized online vendor), by mail, or at a state Vital Records public office. Avoid third-party ordering sites: they add fees and delay.
How much does a marriage license cost in Bucks County? A Bucks County marriage license costs $85 total, which includes one certified Certificate of Marriage. Both applicants must be 18+, show photo ID, and appear together. The license is issued after a 3-day waiting period and is valid for 60 calendar days, only in Pennsylvania.
How do I look up a Bucks County court case? Docket sheets for every Pennsylvania court are free on the state UJS portal at ujsportal.pacourts.us. For the case file itself: civil and family cases are at the Prothonotary (with a 24/7 online web viewer), criminal cases at the Clerk of Courts, and estates at the Register of Wills.
How long does a Right-to-Know request take? The agency must respond in writing within 5 business days — with the records, a notice that more time is needed, or a denial. No response within 5 business days counts as a denial. You then have 15 business days to appeal to the PA Office of Open Records; appeals are free and don't require an attorney.
This page is a routing layer and is not legal advice. Fees and procedures are set by the offices themselves — confirm with the office named on this page before relying on a figure.
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Related guides
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