Montour County, PA Property Records

Montour County occupies a mere 132 square miles, making it Pennsylvania's smallest county by land area, yet what it lacks in territory it more than compensates for in institutional weight. The county seat of Danville is home to Geisinger Health System's flagship campus, which so thoroughly dominates local employment that healthcare accounts for a remarkable 42% of jobs. The result is a county of just 18,100 people, 62nd of 67 in Pennsylvania, that nonetheless posts a median household income of approximately $77,000, comfortably above the state average.

The housing market reflects this institutional character; homes carry a typical value of $267,626, up 1.5% annually, broadly in line with the state average of $286,351. The market moves at a measured pace, with listings averaging roughly 73 days before sale. This is unsurprising in a county where demand is driven by medical professionals rather than speculative buyers.

According to Federal Reserve Economic Data, an estimated 27–29% of Montour County households are cost-burdened, a figure that, while modest by national standards, sits uneasily alongside a housing stock where more than a fifth of units predate the 1940s. Property records are maintained at the county level by the Recorder of Deeds, with assessments and tax data handled through separate county offices.

Who Keeps the Official Land Records

The official custodian of all land records in Montour County is the Montour County Register of Wills and Recorder of Deeds, a combined office serving as both Recorder of Deeds and Register of Wills (8th-class county). The elected official is Michelle Rae Hunsinger, first elected in January 2024 with a term through December 2028. The office is located at the Montour County Courthouse, 253 Mill Street, Danville, PA 17821.

Online deed records are accessible through the INFOCON County Access System, a subscription-based service covering records from January 1, 1997, to the present. E-recording is not yet available. In-person records at the courthouse date to the county's founding in 1850.

Note that the Montour County Administration Center (435 East Front Street, Danville) is currently undergoing construction. Verify current building access before visiting.

What Montour County Property Records Include

The Recorder of Deeds' function is to maintain all instruments affecting real property within the county. Recorded document types include deeds, real estate transfers and agreements, mortgages and assignments thereof, mortgage releases and satisfactions, right-of-way documents, easements, state highway plans, charters, powers of attorney, subdivision plans, commissions for elected officials and notary publics, military service discharges (DD-214), and other instruments affecting real estate.

Pennsylvania uses a recorded land title system statewide. Documents are indexed by grantor/grantee name and book and page reference. All indices since January 1, 1997, are computerized. Tract count is tracked for non-deed mortgage instruments: base fees for these documents include one tract; each additional tract carries a $1.00 additional fee.

Montour County's small size means that a large proportion of recorded instruments involve the Geisinger Health System and its affiliates as parties in institutional land purchases, easements for utility infrastructure, deed restrictions for medical campus development, and property transfers within the healthcare system's real estate portfolio are frequent in the county's recording index. Researchers should be aware of this when reviewing title chains for properties adjacent to the Geisinger Medical Center campus or within Danville Borough.

How to Access Montour County Property Records

Records can be accessed online via INFOCON (subscription), in person at the courthouse, or by phone and mail. E-recording is not yet available.

Online Access

Montour County uses the INFOCON County Access System for remote record access. INFOCON is a subscription-based service; records from January 1, 1997, are available online. For access, set up an account through the county website. Pre-1997 records are available only in person at the courthouse. The county website also links to its Recorder of Deeds and Register of Wills fee schedules for download.

In Person

Address: 253 Mill Street, Danville, PA 17821 (Courthouse); Hours: Regular courthouse business hours, Monday–Friday. Confirm current hours at (570) 271-3012. Note: Administration Center construction (435 East Front Street) is ongoing; verify building access before visiting. Copies: $0.50/page; certification: $1.50.

By Phone

Call (570) 271-3012 or direct line (570) 849-8700 x 2200 during regular courthouse hours.

By Mail

Mail documents and payment to Montour County Register of Wills and Recorder of Deeds, 253 Mill Street, Danville, PA 17821. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope; without one, the office will hold the recorded documents at the courthouse. Include a $2.00 return charge if there is any possibility of rejection.

E-Recording

E-recording is not yet available in Montour County. Call (570) 271-3012 to confirm the current status before assuming e-recording has launched.

What's Not at the Recorder's Office (But Matters for Property Research)

The Register of Wills function (probate, estate records, inheritance tax, wills) is handled by the same combined elected office, in which Michelle Rae Hunsinger serves as both Register of Wills and Recorder of Deeds. Estate records and Register of Wills records from January 1, 1997, are also available through INFOCON County Access. For estate records or wills, use the Register of Wills fee schedule.

Property assessments are administered by the Montour County Assessment Office. The Tax Claim Bureau (also at 435 East Front Street, Danville; phone: accessible through the county website) handles delinquent tax proceedings.

Zoning is administered at both the county and municipal levels. The Montour County Zoning Office (phone: 570-271-3021) issues zoning permits for Anthony Township, Liberty Township, Mayberry Township, and Washingtonville Borough. For all other municipalities in the county, including Danville Borough, contact the relevant municipal zoning authority. For statewide financial data, consult the Pennsylvania DCED.

Step-by-Step: How to Pull a Deed Online

Montour County uses INFOCON for online deed access (from January 1997):

Subscribe to INFOCON County Access through the Montour County Recorder of Deeds website.
Search by grantor or grantee name or book and page reference. The index begins January 1, 1997.
For pre-1997 records, visit in person at 253 Mill Street (Courthouse) during regular courthouse hours. Records at the office date to 1850.
Notebook and page references for all related instruments in the chain: deeds, mortgages, satisfactions, assignments, and easements.
For parcel identification and assessment information, contact the Assessment Office through the county website.
For certified copies, contact the office at (570) 271-3012 or visit in person.

Cities & Towns in Montour County (and Their Record Custodians)

All recorded property documents for every municipality in Montour County are maintained by the single Montour County Register of Wills and Recorder of Deeds in Danville. The county has 11 incorporated municipalities, 2 boroughs, and 9 townships.

County Seat or Largest Borough: Danville Borough
Other Borough: Washingtonville Borough
Selected Townships: Anthony, Cooper, Derry, Liberty, Limestone, Mahoning, Mayberry, Valley, and West Hemlock.

Full municipality list at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montour_County,_Pennsylvania.

City/Town Resources for Assessments & Taxes

Property assessments are administered at the county level by the Montour County Assessment Office. The Tax Claim Bureau handles delinquent tax proceedings. Current-year tax collection is administered at the municipal level.

The Montour County Zoning Office issues zoning permits for Anthony Township, Liberty Township, Mayberry Township, and Washingtonville Borough. For all other municipalities, including Danville Borough, the respective municipal zoning authority handles permits and zoning determinations.

Contact the county website for the county zoning ordinance and contact information.

Montour County-Specific Nuances

Smallest county in Pennsylvania by area, 132 square miles, Montour County's 132 square miles (130 land) make it the smallest county by area in Pennsylvania. This small footprint means that most recorded land activity is concentrated in and around Danville Borough and its immediate surrounding townships. The compact geographic scope also makes in-office research quicker than in larger rural counties, as the volume of recorded instruments is proportionally lower.
8th class county combined Register of Wills and Recorder of Deeds, Montour County's small population qualifies it as an 8th class county, Pennsylvania's smallest class designation. As a result, the Recorder of Deeds and Register of Wills functions are combined under a single elected official (Michelle Rae Hunsinger). This is the same structure seen in Cameron County, Forest County, and Fulton.
Geisinger Health System dominates county land activity. Geisinger's headquarters and flagship hospital are in Danville. Title searches for properties in and around Danville Borough will frequently encounter Geisinger Medical Center, Inc., Geisinger Health, or affiliated Geisinger entities as grantors, grantees, mortgagors, or holders of recorded easements and covenants. Researchers should be familiar with the Geisinger entity structure when interpreting title chain parties.
E-recording is not yet available. Montour County does not yet accept e-recorded documents. All recordings must be submitted in person or by mail. Deeds.com lists this as “coming soon,” consistent with the county's small office resources. Call (570) 271-3012 to confirm current status.
INFOCON online access records from January 1997 only. The INFOCON County Access System begins with records indexed on January 1, 1997. Records before that date require in-person research at the courthouse. Montour County has been recording land instruments since 1850; in-office pre-1997 records span 147 years of county history.
SASE required or documents held at the courthouse. Unlike some counties that simply return documents unsealed or by courier, Montour County will hold recorded documents at the courthouse if no self-addressed stamped envelope is included with the submission. Prepare and include a SASE of sufficient size with every recording.
$2.00 returned document charge. If any document is returned for any reason, a $2.00 service charge is added. Verify all requirements and fees carefully before submitting to avoid this penalty.
Deed fee for the first four pages, but per additional page. The deed recording fee is $71.75 for a document of up to four pages and four names. Unlike most PA counties, where the overage page fee is $2.00, Montour County charges $4.00 per additional page. Each additional name over four is $1.00; each additional described tract is $1.00. This overrun rate is identical to McKean County and significantly affects recording cost for longer instruments.
SOV required for easements and rights-of-way. Montour County explicitly requires a Statement of Value for easements and rights-of-way beyond the standard PA SOV triggers for deeds without full consideration. For family transfers, the relationship must be stated on the deed, and the SOV filed in duplicate.
No original mortgage required for Satisfaction Piece. Montour County does not require the original mortgage or a certified copy to be submitted along with a Satisfaction Piece. The Satisfaction Piece alone is sufficient to record a mortgage release.
Administration Center construction ongoing. The Montour County Administration Center (435 East Front Street, Danville) is currently undergoing construction. Visitors should be aware of potential hazards, including barricades, temporary coverings, ladders, construction equipment, and construction personnel.

Typical Contents of a Montour County Property Record

When reviewing recorded instruments at the Montour County Register of Wills and Recorder of Deeds, you will typically find:

Deeds:
- Grantor and grantee names (consistent throughout document).
- Complete legal description, including municipality and county.
- Consideration amount or Statement of Value.
- For family transfers: relationship stated on deed; SOV in duplicate.
- Certificate of Residence for the grantee.
- Notarial acknowledgment (acknowledgment date on or after execution date).
- For multi-municipality deeds: percentage transfer tax per municipality.
Mortgages and Related:
- Lender borrower names, property description, and loan terms.
- Assignments, releases, and satisfactions.
- Satisfaction Piece (no original mortgage required for recording).
Other Common Instruments:
- Easements and rights-of-way (SOV required).
- Geisinger Health System institutional land instruments (deeds, easements, covenants).
- State highway plans.
- Subdivision plans.
- Powers of attorney.
- Notary bonds and official commissions.
- Military service discharges (DD-214).

Recording Changes to Property Titles

All new deeds, mortgages, easements, and other instruments affecting real property in Montour County must be recorded with the Register of Wills and Recorder of Deeds. Submissions may be made in person or by mail. E-recording is not yet available.

Include a signed Certificate of Residence on deeds. Pennsylvania's 2% Realty Transfer Tax applies to most deed transactions. Include a Statement of Value in duplicate when full consideration is not stated, the deed is a gift, or an exemption is claimed; also for easements and rights-of-way. Include a SASE for the return of the originals; without one, the office will hold the documents at the courthouse. The $2.00 returned-document charge applies to any rejected submission.

The base deed recording fee is $71.75 (first 4 pages, 4 names). Each additional page: $4.00. Each additional name over four: $1.00. Each additional described tract: $1.00. Mortgage: $63.75. Assignment (Mortgage, etc.): $60.75. Release: $60.75. Agreement of Sale: $58.75. Right of Way: $58.75.

Practical Research Flow (Checklist)

A practical approach for researching property records in Montour County, PA:

Search online via INFOCON. Subscribe through the county website. Records from January 1, 1997.
For 1997 records, visit in person. Courthouse at 253 Mill Street, Danville, during regular business hours. Records date to 1850.
Notebook/page references. Collect deed, mortgage, release, assignment, and easement references for the full chain.
Check for Geisinger entity instruments. For Danville Borough and nearby township parcels, search for any recorded instruments naming Geisinger entities as parties or holding easements over the property.
Verify parcel data. Contact the Assessment Office for parcel identification and the current assessed value.
Verify zoning. For Anthony, Liberty, Mayberry townships, and Washingtonville Borough: contact the Montour County Zoning Office at (570) 271-3021. For all other municipalities, contact the specific municipality.
Check delinquent taxes. Contact the Tax Claim Bureau through the county website.
Prepare recording documents. SASE required (or documents held at courthouse); $2.00 returned-document charge; deed fee $71.75 (4 pages, 4 names); $4.00 additional page for $1.00; additional name or tract SOV for easement rights-of-way; family transfer relationship on deed; no original mortgage needed for Satisfaction Piece; no e-recording; confirm current hours before visiting (Administration Center construction ongoing).

Appendix A: Municipalities in Montour County

Montour County has 11 incorporated municipalities: 2 boroughs and 9 townships.

County Seat or Largest Borough: Danville Borough.
Other Borough: Washingtonville Borough.
Townships: Anthony, Cooper, Derry, Liberty, Limestone, Mahoning, Mayberry, Valley, and West Hemlock.