Sullivan County, PA Property Records

Sullivan County is the second least populous county in Pennsylvania. About 5,800 people live there permanently, making it the 66th of 67 counties by population, ahead of only Cameron County. The county seat is Laporte borough, with roughly 250 residents. The median age is 56, which reflects a population that is mostly long-term residents and retirees, with very little in-migration of working-age people.

The housing market is too thin to analyze with confidence. Monthly sales typically number in the single digits, which means percentage changes from Redfin and similar sources are almost meaningless. What is clear is that median sale prices run around $189,000, well below the Pennsylvania statewide average home value of $286,351, and that most of the county's housing stock consists of owner-occupied homes and seasonal cabins spread across heavily forested terrain.

According to Federal Reserve Economic Data, an estimated 27–30% of households are cost-burdened. With a median household income of approximately $64,800 and modest housing costs of around $781 per month, the county is not acutely unaffordable. It is simply very small, very rural, and very slowly emptying out.

Property records are maintained at the county level by the Recorder of Deeds.

Who Keeps the Official Land Records

The official custodian of all land records in Sullivan County is the Sullivan County Prothonotary, who simultaneously serves as Recorder of Deeds, Clerk of Courts, Register of Wills, and Clerk of Orphans' Court (8th-class county). The elected official is Kellie Carpenter. Staff: First Deputy Karen Baumunk; Second Deputy Ashley Bender. The office is located at the Sullivan County Courthouse, 245 Muncy Street, Suite 100, Laporte, PA 18626; mailing address: P.O. Box 157, Laporte, PA 18626.

Online deed records are accessible through Landex (Remote and Webstore). E-recording is available through CSC and Simplifile. The county also offers free Landex Record Alert (name-based monitoring) and Landex Notary Alert (notary name and commission number monitoring), both unique in this county. The JCS fee increased to $41.25 from $40.25, effective December 1, 2025.

What Sullivan County Property Records Include

The Recorder of Deeds maintains all instruments affecting real property within the county. Recorded document types include deeds (warranty, quitclaim, corrective, and others), mortgages, mortgage satisfactions, releases and assignments, easements and rights-of-way, agreements, leases (under and over 30 years), lease assignments, highway right-of-way maps, declarations of taking and trust, affidavits affecting title, declarations of unitization and pooling unit, Clean & Green Act 319 enrollments and amendments, powers of attorney, revocations of power of attorney, and notary bonds and commissions.

Pennsylvania uses a recorded land title system statewide. Documents are indexed by grantor/grantee name and book and page reference. Given the county's small population and predominantly forested landscape, a significant share of recorded instruments relates to timber leases and timber rights, hunting club memberships and conveyances, natural gas leases and unitization declarations, and recreational easements along trout streams. Researchers should routinely check for these instrument types in addition to standard deed and mortgage chains.

The fee schedule uses a separate Affidavit of Value ($2.00 per instrument, with no page limit), an unusual structure where the SOV is billed as a flat $2.00 add-on rather than a separate form filed apart from recording fees. The current schedule reflects the December 1, 2025, JCS fee increase (JCS now $41.25).

How to Access Sullivan County Property Records

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

Online Access

Sullivan County uses Landex for online deed access: Landex Webstore, pay-per-document, no subscription required; and Landex Remote subscription-based for frequent users. Both the free name-based Landex Record Alert and the free Landex Notary Alert (by notary name and commission number) are available to sign up through the county website or Landex directly.

In Person

Address: Sullivan County Courthouse, 245 Muncy Street, Suite 100, Laporte, PA 18626. Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m. Copies: $0.50/page; certification of instrument: $5.00; fax: $3.00/page; mail: $3.00 for up to 12 pages + $0.25/additional page.

Note: Laporte is a very small borough in a rural county with limited local services. Plan your visit accordingly; call ahead to confirm staffing and availability.

By Phone

Call (570) 946-7351 or fax to (570) 946-7105. Email: kcarpenter@sullivancountypa.gov.

By Mail

Mail documents and payment to Sullivan County Prothonotary, P.O. Box 157, Laporte, PA 18626. A SASE is recommended for the return of documents.

E-Recording

E-recording is available through CSC (Corporation Service Company) (cscglobal.com; (866) 652-0111; erecording@cscglobal.com) and Simplifile (simplifile.com; (800) 460-5657; sales@simplifile.com). Both vendors are confirmed on the county website.

What's Not at the Recorder's Office

All five offices are consolidated under one elected official. As a result, the Register of Wills (probate, estate records, wills), Clerk of Courts (civil records, judgments, liens), and Clerk of Orphans' Court are all reachable through the same office, phone number, and address as the Recorder of Deeds. This arrangement is administratively unusual, so be sure to confirm the specific function you need when calling.

Property assessments are administered by the Sullivan County Assessment Office (Suite 105, same courthouse building; (570) 946-5061). The Tax Claim Bureau handles delinquent taxes (570) 946-5211; Suite 105. A Parcel Certification Ordinance is referenced on the Assessment page. Confirm UPI parcel certification requirements with the Assessment Office before recording. Tax certificates for delinquent property taxes cost $15.00; tax statements cost $10.00.

Sullivan County has no city government. Zoning is administered by individual municipalities; there is no county zoning. The Sullivan County Planning Commission (accessible through the county website) maintains county-level planning and development data. The Sullivan County School District operates the county's single high school and single elementary school, both in Laporte.

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

Sullivan County uses Landex for online deed access:

Go to the Landex Webstore. Select Pennsylvania, then Sullivan County.
Search by grantor/grantee name, book and page, instrument number, or date range.
For parcels with forest, hunting, or natural gas interests: search for timber leases, hunting club conveyances, natural gas leases, and Declaration of Unitization/Pooling Unit instruments in addition to standard deed and mortgage chains.
For properties along Loyalsock Creek or near Worlds End or Ricketts Glen, check for recreational easements and conservation instruments.
For certified copies: contact the office at (570) 946-7351. Certification: $5.00 per instrument.
Set up a free Landex Record Alert to monitor your name or a property owner's name for future recordings.

Cities & Towns in Sullivan County

All recorded property documents for every municipality in Sullivan County are maintained by the single Sullivan County Prothonotary Recorder of Deeds in Laporte.

County Seat Borough: Laporte Borough.
Second Borough: Dushore Borough.
Townships: Cherry, Colley; Davidson, Elkland, Forks, Fox; Hillsgrove, Laporte Township.
Notable Unincorporated Communities: Forksville, Eagles Mere, Lopez, Mildred, Shunk, Hillsgrove, Muncy Valley.

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

City/Town Resources for Assessments & Taxes

Property assessments are administered at the county level by the Sullivan County Assessment Office (Suite 105, 245 Muncy St.; (570) 946-5061). The Tax Claim Bureau (570-946-5211; same suite) handles delinquent tax matters. Zoning is administered by individual municipalities. The Sullivan County Planning & Development office (accessible through sullivancountypa.gov) maintains planning and zoning resources for the county. For statewide data, consult the Pennsylvania DCED.

Sullivan County-Specific Nuances

One elected official holds all five offices, a structural rarity. Sullivan County's 8th class status means Kellie Carpenter simultaneously serves as Prothonotary, Recorder of Deeds, Clerk of Courts, Register of Wills, and Clerk of Orphans' Court. The county's own website flags this explicitly: “In all other class counties, these offices are separate.” In practical terms, one phone call ((570) 946-7351) and one office (Suite 100) handle deed recording, probate, marriage licenses, court records, and orphans' court filings. Callers and visitors should specify which function they need. The consolidated structure also means that legal instruments filed in Orphan's Court proceedings (including estate distributions of real property) are recorded through the same office as deeds.
Landex Notary Alert is a free service not commonly highlighted. Sullivan County's office explicitly advertises Landex Notary Alert, which allows notaries to monitor recordings that include their name and commission number. This is a fraud-deterrence tool that can alert a notary if their credentials are used without authorization on a fraudulently prepared instrument. This service is free and can be set up through the county website or Landex directly.
Affidavit of Value is $2.00 as a flat add-on, with a unique fee structure. Unlike most PA counties, where a Statement of Value is a companion form with no separate recording fee, Sullivan County's fee schedule bills the Affidavit of Value at $2.00 per instrument, noted as having “no limit on number of pages.” This flat $2.00 charge is listed alongside the base deed fee ($68.75) and is a separate line item. Budget accordingly when recording deeds or other instruments that require an SOV.
Timber leases, hunting-club instruments, and natural gas unitization declarations in title chains. Sullivan County's nearly entirely forested landscape means its recording index contains a proportionally higher share of timber leases, hunting club memberships, land conveyances, and natural gas leases and Declaration of Unitization Pooling Unit instruments than virtually any other county.

Large private landholdings, including Painter Den, Inc. (Davidson, Laporte, and Colley townships), generate their own deed chains, easement instruments, and access agreements. Title researchers must systematically search for these instrument types; a deed chain search alone will not reveal all interests affecting a forested parcel.

The Parcel Certification Ordinance requires UPI certification before recording. The Sullivan County Assessment Office references a Parcel Certification Ordinance on its website (accessible through sullivancountypa.gov/offices/assessment). This ordinance may impose parcel number certification requirements before recording. Contact the Assessment Office at (570) 946-5061 to confirm current requirements before submitting documents.
100% rural, the only fully rural PA county with no MSA affiliation. Sullivan County reported zero urban residents in the 2020 Census, making it the only Pennsylvania county classified as entirely rural. It has no Metropolitan or Micropolitan Statistical Area affiliation. There are no incorporated cities. Community-level home values range from approximately $129,000 in the Shunk area to $217,000 in Dushore, reflecting wide variation across the county's dispersed hamlets and townships.
Eagles Mere and resort-community title chains: Eagles Mere, an elevated lake resort community in Laporte Township, has a distinctive real estate character among Sullivan County's communities. Originally developed as a private summer resort in the late 19th century, Eagles Mere Lake is wholly owned by the Eagles Mere Lake Association, and many property deeds and lake access agreements reflect that association governance structure. Title researchers should check for lake association easements, association membership instruments, and restrictive covenant chains when examining Eagles Mere properties.
No railroad, no urban area, minimal infrastructure implications for recording volume. With a population of under 6,000 and no commercial or industrial centers. The office processes a fraction of the transactions seen in neighboring Lycoming or Sullivan County. In-person visits to the Laporte courthouse are the surest way to access records not yet fully indexed in Landex; call ahead to confirm availability.

Typical Contents of a Sullivan County Property Record

When reviewing recorded instruments at the Sullivan County Prothonotary / Recorder of Deeds, you will typically find:

Deeds:
- Grantor and grantee names.
- Complete legal description, including municipality and county.
- Consideration amount, or Affidavit of Value ($2.00 flat fee; no page limit) for exemption claims.
- Certificate of Residence for the grantee.
- Uniform Parcel Identifier number (confirm parcel certification requirements with Assessment Office).
- Notarial acknowledgment (county, state, date, names, notary signature, seal, expiration date).
Mortgages and Related:
- Lender/borrower names, property description, and loan terms.
- Mortgage Satisfaction: $63.75; Release: $60.75; Assignment: $60.75 (+$2.00 per additional mortgage on same instrument); Modification: $58.75; Extension: $20.50.
Other Common Instruments:
- Easements and rights of way ($68.75; includes recreational stream easements and access agreements).
- Timber leases and timber rights instruments.
- Hunting club membership conveyances and access easements.
- Natural gas leases and Declaration of Unitization/Pooling Unit ($58.75).
- Lease (30-year): $68.75; Lease/Assignment of Lease: $38.50.
- Highway Right of Way Map: $28.50.
- Clean & Green Act 319 enrollment and amendment: $28.50.
- Declaration of Taking or Trust: $28.50.
- Agreements ($68.75); Affidavits Affecting Title ($68.75); Right of First Refusal ($68.75).
- Powers of attorney ($18.50); Revocation ($20.50).
- Military service discharges (DD-214).

Recording Changes to Property Titles

All new deeds, mortgages, easements, and other instruments affecting real property in Sullivan County must be recorded with the Prothonotary Recorder of Deeds. Submissions may be made in person (Mon–Fri 8:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m.), by mail, or via e-recording (CSC or Simplifile).

Pennsylvania's 2% Realty Transfer Tax (1% state + 1% local) applies to most deed transactions. Include a Certificate of Residence for the grantee. Include an Affidavit of Value ($2.00 flat add-on; no page limit) for instruments claiming a transfer tax exemption or where consideration is not stated. Confirm parcel certification requirements with the Assessment Office (570) 946-5061 before recording. Re-recorded documents must include a new acknowledgment and explanation.

Current base fees (JCS $41.25 effective 12/1/2025): Deed: $68.75 + $2.00 Affidavit of Value if needed. Mortgage: $58.75. Easement: $68.75. Right of Way: $68.75. Agreements: $68.75. Lease (30-year), $68.75. Lease, Assignment: $38.50. Mortgage Satisfaction: $63.75. Assignment of Mortgage: $60.75 (+$2.00 additional mortgage on the same instrument). Modification of Mortgage: $58.75. Extension: $20.50. Declaration of Unitization Pooling Unit: $58.75. Highway ROW Map: $28.50. Clean & Green Amendment: $28.50. Power of Attorney: $18.50. Revocation of POA: $20.50. Copies: $0.50/page; certification: $5.00; fax: $3.00/page; mail: $3.00 for up to 12 pages + $0.25/additional page.

Practical Research Flow (Checklist)

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

Search online via Landex Webstore. Go to landex.com/webstore. Select Pennsylvania, then Sullivan County.
Search beyond standard deed/mortgage chains. Check for timber leases, hunting club instruments, natural gas leases, Declaration of Unitization/Pooling Unit, and recreational easements for forested or rural parcels.
For Eagles Mere properties, check the lake association instruments. Search for Eagles Mere Lake Association easements, membership instruments, and restrictive covenant chains.
For Loyalsock Creek Worlds End Ricketts Glen parcels, check for recreational and conservation easements.
Verify parcel data and UPI parcel certification requirements. Contact the Assessment Office at (570) 946-5061.
Verify delinquent taxes. Contact the Tax Claim Bureau at (570) 946-5211.
Verify zoning. Contact the specific municipality. No county zoning.
Set up Landex Record Alert and/or Notary Alert. Both are free through the county website or Landex.
Prepare recording documents. Base deed fee $68.75 + $2.00 Affidavit of Value if needed; e-record via CSC or Simplifile; in-person Mon–Fri 8:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m. Call ahead (570) 946-7351 to confirm.

Appendix A: Municipalities in Sullivan County

Sullivan County has 10 incorporated municipalities: 2 boroughs and 8 townships. No cities.

County Seat Borough: Laporte Borough.
Second Borough: Dushore Borough.
Townships: Cherry, Colley, Davidson, Elkland, Forks, Fox, Hillsgrove, and Laporte Townships.
Notable Unincorporated Communities: Forksville, Eagles Mere, Lopez, Mildred, Shunk, Hillsgrove, and Muncy Valley.