Snyder County, PA Property Records

Snyder County is, by most measures, a place that does not invite urgency. Situated in central Pennsylvania's Ridge-and-Valley region with roughly 40,000 residents, it records neither meaningful growth nor precipitous decline, drifting at a modest -0.2% annually. Manufacturing and healthcare anchor the local economy, supplemented by Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, whose student population pulls the borough's median age down to a striking 24; this is an artifact of demography rather than dynamism.

The housing market obliges with a similarly unhurried character. The typical home value stands at $188,220, up 8.4% over the past year but still roughly 34% below the Pennsylvania statewide average of $286,351. Listings linger for around 73 days before sale, and nearly 60% close below the asking price; these conditions favor the patient buyer rather than the anxious one.

According to Federal Reserve Economic Data, an estimated 26–28% of households are cost-burdened, spending 30% or more of their income on housing. A relatively contained figure, aided by a median household income of approximately $68,400 and a homeownership rate of 75.6% that reflects the county's predominantly owner-occupied, small-town character.

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 Snyder County is the Snyder County Register and Recorder, a combined office serving as Register of Wills and Recorder of Deeds (7th-class county). The elected official is Stacey L. Zerbe, who also serves as the Chairperson of a PRODA (Pennsylvania Recorders of Deeds Association) committee. The office is located at the Snyder County Courthouse, 9 West Market Street, Middleburg, PA 17842 (physical); mailing address: P.O. Box 217, Middleburg, PA 17842.

Online deed records are accessible through Landex (Remote and Webstore). E-recording is available through CSC; confirm the current vendor list with the office. A free Landex Webstore index search is available. The office serves as the transfer tax collection agent for the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue, the Midd-West and Selinsgrove School Districts, and 21 municipalities.

What Snyder 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 (warranty, quitclaim, corrective, and others), mortgages, satisfaction pieces, mortgage assignments, modification and postponement of mortgage, subordination of mortgage, agreements of sale, purchase options, leases (under and over 30 years), assignment of leases, rights of way, easements, assignment of rents, awards of realty, declarations of taking or trust, articles of incorporation, powers of attorney, oaths and commissions of county officers, notary bonds and commissions, District Magistrate commissions, and military discharge papers.

Pennsylvania uses a recorded land title system statewide. Documents are indexed by grantor/grantee name and book and page reference. Snyder County records date from 1819, predating the county's formation in 1855, as the territory was then part of Union County. For instruments before 1855, search Union County records for the chain of title.

A Statement of Value is required for all deeds, leases, assignments of leases, rights of way, and easements that do not pay the full transfer tax. The only exceptions are:

The full transfer taxes are paid on a bona fide sale;
The transfer is an allowable family member exemption and is stated in the body of the deed; and
The transfer is to a registered public utility for the purpose of providing service to an end user, stated within the body of the right-of-way or easement.

The SOV must be filed in duplicate, fully completed, signed, and dated, per the PA Department of Revenue's requirements.

How to Access Snyder County Property Records

Records can be accessed online via Landex, in person at the courthouse, by phone, by mail, or via e-recording.

Online Access

Snyder County uses Landex for online deed access. Two options: Landex Webstore, pay-per-document, no subscription required; and Landex Remote subscription-based for frequent users. Index searching is available online; only certain records are accessible online; for records not available digitally, in-person research is required.

In Person

Address: 9 West Market Street, Middleburg, PA 17842 (Snyder County Courthouse); Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Recording accepted until 3:45 p.m. only. Copies: $0.35 page (self-serve, 8½” × 11” or 8½” × 14”), emailed copies $1.00 page; certified copies: an additional $1.50 per seal.

By Phone

Call (570) 837-4224 during regular office hours.

By Mail

Mail documents and payment to Snyder County Register and Recorder, P.O. Box 217, Middleburg, PA 17842. Include a stamped, self-addressed envelope for the return of documents. Separate checks are required for each recorded document. Correct amount only, no refunds. Unacceptable documents mailed to the office will be returned.

E-Recording

E-recording is available for some Recorder of Deeds documents through CSC (Corporation Service Company) (cscglobal.com). Contact the office at (570) 837-4224 to confirm current vendors and eligible document types.

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

The Register of Wills (probate, estate records, inheritance tax, wills) is handled by the same combined elected office under Stacey L. Zerbe. All estate records from 1855 to 1977 have been placed on microfilm for easier access.

Property assessments are administered by the Snyder County Assessment Office. County GIS parcel viewer and mapping are available. The Prothonotary and Clerk of Courts (570-837-4202) maintains civil court records and judgments. Zoning is administered at the municipal level; there is no county zoning ordinance. For statewide data, consult the Pennsylvania DCED.

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

Snyder County uses Landex for online deed access:

Go to the Landex Webstore. Select Pennsylvania, then Snyder County.
Search by grantor/grantee name, book and page, instrument number, document type, or date range.
Note all book and page references for deeds, mortgages, satisfactions, easements, and other instruments in the chain.
For records not available online, visit the courthouse in person at 9 West Market Street, Mon–Fri 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
For parcel identification, use the GIS viewer or contact the Assessment Office.
For records before 1855, search Union County records, as Snyder County territory was part of Union County before 1855.

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

All recorded property documents for every municipality in Snyder County are maintained by the single Snyder County Register and Recorder in Middleburg.

County Seat: Middleburg Borough.
Largest Borough: Selinsgrove Borough.
Other Key Boroughs: Shamokin Dam Borough, Beavertown, Freeburg, McClure.
Selected Townships: Penn, Monroe, Center, Franklin, Adams, Beaver, Chapman, Jackson, Jefferson, Middlecreek, Spring, Union, Washington, West Beaver, West Perry, and others.

Full list at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snyder_County,_Pennsylvania.

City/Town Resources for Assessments & Taxes

Property assessments are administered at the county level by the Snyder County Assessment Office. County GIS mapping and parcel viewer. Tax delinquency is administered by the Tax Claim Bureau (accessible through the county website). Zoning is administered by individual municipalities, with no county zoning ordinance.

Snyder County-Specific Nuances

Recording cutoff is 3: 45 p.m., 45 minutes before the 4:30 p.m. office close. Although the Register and Recorder's office is open until 4:30 p.m., documents presented for recording after 3:45 p.m. will not be recorded that day. Anyone submitting documents in person must arrive before 3:45 p.m. to secure same-day recording. The cutoff applies to in-person submissions; e-recording and mail are subject to processing schedules.
Separate checks are required for each recorded document. Unlike counties that allow a single check covering multiple documents and taxes, Snyder County requires a separate check for each recorded document. A closing with a deed, mortgage, and assignment of mortgage requires at least three separate checks (plus any transfer tax checks).

All checks payable to ‘Snyder County Recorder of Deeds.' Correct amount required for each check; no refunds. Confirm the number of checks required before mailing or appearing in person.

SOV is required for most non-full-consideration instruments, with narrow exceptions. Snyder County requires a Statement of Value for all deeds, leases, assignment of leases, rights of way, and easements not paying a full transfer tax. The three narrow exceptions (bona fide sale, family exemption stated in deed body, or registered public utility transfer for end-user service stated in the instrument) are more restrictive than the county's own phrasing suggests. In practice, prepare an SOV for any instrument where there is any question about full consideration, and file it in duplicate, fully completed and signed.
Records from 1819 predating the county's 1855 formation. Snyder County's records begin in 1819, 36 years before the county was carved out of Union County in 1855. Records from 1819 to 1854 reflect the area as part of Union County, and researchers conducting deep chain-of-title work on pre-1855 transfers should cross-reference the Union County Recorder of Deeds in Lewisburg for instruments recorded when the territory was still Union County. The county archives reflect this split history.
E-recording through CSC; confirm additional vendors. The county website lists CSC as an e-recording vendor, noting that “two submitting vendors work with the office.” Only CSC's URL was specified on the county's page. Call (570) 837-4224 to confirm the second vendor and which document types are eligible for e-recording.
Copy fees: $0.35, page self-serve; $1.00, page emailed. Snyder County's self-service copy fee is $0.35 per page. Emailed copies are $1.00/page. Certified copies carry an additional $1.50 per seal charge. Index to public utility filings: $2.00/page.
Penns Creek and recreational land in title chains. Penns Creek, flowing through the western part of the county, is one of Pennsylvania's premier limestone trout streams and draws significant recreational attention. Properties along Penns Creek or its tributaries may carry access easements, streamside use restrictions, and conservation easement instruments recorded with the Recorder.

Similarly, properties in the county's agricultural townships may carry farmland preservation easements through the county's agricultural preservation program.

Stacey L. Zerbe serves as PRODA Committee Chairperson. Recorder Zerbe holds a leadership position in the Pennsylvania Recorders of Deeds Association, suggesting an engaged and professionally active office. The county's combined 7th class structure means Zerbe handles both Recorder of Deeds and Register of Wills functions from the same office.

Typical Contents of a Snyder County Property Record

When reviewing recorded instruments at the Snyder County Register and Recorder, you will typically find:

Deeds:
- Grantor and grantee names.
- Complete legal description, including municipality and county.
- Consideration amount, or Statement of Value (in duplicate) for non-full-consideration transfers.
- Certificate of Residence with grantee's name and mailing address.
- Uniform Parcel Identifier number.
- Notarial acknowledgment (county, state, date, names/titles, notary signature, seal, expiration date).
- For family member exemptions: relationship stated in the body of the deed.
Mortgages and Related:
- Lender/borrower names, property description, loan terms.
- Satisfaction pieces ($63.75); assignments ($60.75); modifications and postponements ($20.50).
Other Common Instruments:
- Easements and rights of way ($58.75; SOV required unless exception applies).
- Leases under 30 years ($18.50); leases 30+ years ($58.75).
- Assignment of leases (SOV may be required).
- Agreements of sale ($58.75).
- Powers of attorney ($18.50).
- Notary bonds and commissions.
- Military service discharges (DD-214).

Recording Changes to Property Titles

All new deeds, mortgages, easements, and other instruments affecting real property in Snyder County must be recorded with the Register and Recorder. Submissions may be made in person (before 3:45 p.m., Mon–Fri), by mail, or via e-recording (CSC; confirm vendors with the office).

Prepare a separate check for each document recorded, payable to ‘Snyder County Recorder of Deeds.' Correct amount only; no refunds. Include a SASE for mail submissions. Include a Statement of Value in duplicate for instruments not paying full transfer tax (unless a narrow exception applies). Pennsylvania's 2% Realty Transfer Tax (1% state + 1% local) applies to most deed transactions. Include re-recorded documents with a new acknowledgment and explanation.

Base deed, mortgage, easement, and ROW fee is approximately $58.75–$59.75 (4 pages, 4 names; verify the current rate against the most recent fee schedule at (570) 837-4224, the Dec 2025 JCS increase raised most PA base fees by $1.00). Satisfaction Piece: ~$63.75–$64.75. Assignment of Mortgage: ~$60.75–$61.75.

Additional pages: $2.00. Additional names: $0.50. Additional parcels (deeds and mortgages): $0.50. Power of Attorney: ~$18.50–$19.50. Self-serve copies: $0.35 page; emailed copies: $1.00/page; certified copies: +$1.50 seal.

Practical Research Flow (Checklist)

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

Search online via Landex Webstore. Go to landex.com/webstore. Select Pennsylvania, then Snyder County.
For pre-1855 instruments, check Union County. Snyder County territory was part of Union County before 1855. Contact the Union County Recorder of Deeds in Lewisburg for pre-1855 chain-of-title instruments.
Note all book and page references. Collect deed, mortgage, satisfaction, easement, and other instrument references.
Check for recreational and conservation easements. For properties along Penns Creek or in agricultural preservation areas, search for streamside easements and farmland preservation instruments.
Verify parcel data. Use GIS or contact the Assessment Office.
Verify zoning. Contact the specific municipality. No county zoning.
Check delinquent taxes. Contact the Tax Claim Bureau through the county website.
Prepare recording documents. Separate check per document; correct amount, no refunds; arrive before 3:45 p.m. for in-person same-day recording (office closes at 4:30 p.m.); SASE required; SOV in duplicate for non-full-consideration instruments (narrow exceptions); e-record via CSC (confirm vendors); verify current fees at (570) 837-4224.

Appendix A: Municipalities in Snyder County

Snyder County has approximately 21 municipalities: no cities; 6 boroughs, and multiple townships.

County Seat: Middleburg Borough.
Largest Borough: Selinsgrove Borough.
Other Key Boroughs: Shamokin Dam Borough, Beavertown, Freeburg, McClure.
Selected Townships: Penn, Monroe, Center, Franklin, Adams, Beaver, Chapman, Jackson, Jefferson, Middlecreek, Spring, Union, Washington, West Beaver, West Perry, and others.