Susquehanna County, PA Property Records

Susquehanna County is a rural county in northeastern Pennsylvania, running along the New York border. About 38,000 people live there, ranking it 54th of 67 Pennsylvania counties by population. The number is falling slowly. There is no city, no university, and the largest employers are in healthcare, retail, and manufacturing. The county had a brief economic lift from Marcellus Shale gas drilling in the 2010s, but that activity has tapered, and the underlying picture is one of gradual, quiet decline.

Houses are affordable by most measures. The median sale price runs around $218,000, up about 11% year-on-year, and still well below the Pennsylvania statewide average home value of $286,351. Homes sell after roughly 19 days on the market, a reasonable pace for a county of this size.

According to Federal Reserve Economic Data, an estimated 27–30% of households are cost-burdened, spending 30% or more of their income on housing. With a median household income of approximately $66,900, the county is not deeply unaffordable. It is simply rural, aging, and without an obvious reason for growth. 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 Susquehanna County is the combined Register of Wills and Recorder of Deeds office (also serving as Clerk of Orphans' Court), a 6th-class county combined office.

The elected official is Wendy Zapolski, a lifelong Susquehanna County resident who brings nearly 30 years of experience in mortgage banking, title insurance, and real estate settlement services to the office. The office is located at the Susquehanna County Courthouse, 31 Lake Avenue, Montrose, PA 18801; mailing address: P.O. Box 218, Montrose, PA 18801.

Online deed records are accessible through Landex (Remote and Webstore). E-recording is available through CSC and Simplifile. The current fee schedule is effective January 1, 2026. Credit cards (MC, VISA, Discover) are accepted with a 2.5% or $2.00 service fee (whichever is greater). Overages of $5.00 or less are retained as a convenience fee; overages greater than $5.00 result in document rejection.

What Susquehanna County Property Records Include

The Recorder of Deeds maintains all instruments affecting real property within the county. Document types recorded include deeds, mortgages, power of attorneys, clean and green filings, landowner consents, highway permits, easements, military discharges, agricultural security areas, mortgage satisfactions, releases, modifications, subordinations, leases, land contracts, notary bonds and oaths, survey and subdivision maps, UCC filings, and Act 287 (underground utility) filings.

The county's Marcellus Shale history means its recording index also contains a substantial volume of oil and gas leases, pipeline rights-of-way, declaration of unitization/pooling unit instruments, and related assignments.

Under Pennsylvania transfer tax rules, oil and gas leases, leases with terms of 30 years or more, assignments of such leases, and easements with terms of 30 years or more (except those for public utilities) are subject to the 2% Realty Transfer Tax and therefore also require a Statement of Value if not paying the full tax. Researchers reviewing title chains in this county should systematically search for these instrument types.

Pennsylvania uses a recorded land title system statewide. Documents are indexed by grantor/grantee name and book and page reference. The county has more than 29,000 parcels. The fee schedule is effective January 1, 2026, under Acts 87 of 1982, 32 of 2002, 40 of 2017, 22 of 2023, and 45 of 2025.

How to Access Susquehanna 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

Susquehanna County uses Landex for online deed access: Landex Webstore (pay-per-document, no subscription required) and Landex Remote (subscription-based for frequent users). Search criteria include name, recorded date, book and page number, and instrument number.

In Person

Address: Susquehanna County Courthouse, 31 Lake Avenue, Montrose, PA 18801. Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Copies: $0.50/page; certified copies: +$1.50 stamp.

Note: The office can provide a fee calculation before submission. Contact the office to request one.

By Phone

Call (570) 278-4600 Ext. 4065, 4066, or 4067 during regular office hours.

By Mail

Mail documents and payment to Susquehanna County Register and Recorder, P.O. Box 218, Montrose, PA 18801. A SASE is required for the return of original recorded documents; if not provided, a $1.00 postage fee per 5 pages (or fraction) will be added. Fees must be exact; overages of $5.00 or less are retained; overages of $5.00 or more are rejected.

E-Recording

E-recording is available through CSC (cscglobal.com; (866) 652-0111; erecording@cscglobal.com) and Simplifile (simplifile.com; (800) 460-5657; sales@simplifile.com).

Note that subdivision and highway maps cannot be electronically recorded; maps must be submitted in person or by mail.

What's Not at the Recorder's Office

The Register of Wills and Clerk of Orphans' Court functions are combined with the Recorder of Deeds under the same elected office; probate, estate matters, inheritance tax, adoptions, marriage licenses, and guardianship appointments are all handled through the same office by appointment for probate and marriage licenses. The Prothonotary (a separate office) maintains civil court records and judgments.

The Susquehanna County Assessment Office maintains parcel records and assessed values for the county's 29,000+ parcels.

The Tax Claim Bureau handles delinquent property taxes. The GIS & Mapping department maintains county parcel maps. For statewide data, consult the Pennsylvania DCED.

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

Susquehanna County uses Landex for online deed access:

Go to the Landex Webstore. Select Pennsylvania, then Susquehanna County.
Search by grantor/grantee name, book and page, instrument number, or date range.
For Marcellus Shale-era parcels (especially 2008–2018), check specifically for oil and gas leases, pipeline rights of way, unitization declarations, and landowner consent filings in addition to standard deeds and mortgages.
Note all book and page references and instrument types.
For certified copies, contact the office at (570) 278-4600 Ext. 4065/4066/4067. Copies $0.50/page + $1.50 certification stamp.
For parcel data and GIS mapping, visit susqco.com/departments/gis-mapping or contact the Assessment Office.

Cities & Towns in Susquehanna County

All recorded property documents for every municipality in Susquehanna County are maintained by the single Susquehanna County Register and Recorder in Montrose. The county has approximately 40 municipalities: multiple boroughs and numerous townships. There are no cities.

County Seat: Montrose Borough.
Largest Community: Forest City Borough.
Key Boroughs along the Susquehanna River corridor: Hallstead, Great Bend Borough, Susquehanna Depot Borough, New Milford Borough, Oakland Borough, Lanesboro Borough, and Little Meadows Borough.
Other Key Boroughs: Friendsville, Hop Bottom, Thompson Borough, Union Dale.
Selected Townships: Apolacon, Ararat, Auburn, Bridgewater, Brooklyn, Choconut, Clifford, Dimock, Forest Lake, Franklin, Gibson, Great Bend Township, Harford, Harmony, Herrick, Jackson, Jessup, Lathrop, Lenox, Liberty, Middletown, New Milford Township, Oakland Township, Rush, Silver Lake, Springville, Thompson Township, and others.

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

City/Town Resources for Assessments & Taxes

Property assessments are administered at the county level by the Susquehanna County Assessment Office. The county's last reassessment was in 1993; assessed values reflect 1993 market conditions. The Tax Claim Bureau handles delinquent taxes. The GIS & Mapping department provides parcel mapping.

Zoning is administered by individual municipalities with no county zoning ordinance. The county's Planning and Development department provides county-level planning resources.

Susquehanna County-Specific Nuances

Fee schedule effective January 1, 2026, updated separately from most PA counties. Susquehanna County's current fee schedule became effective January 1, 2026, while most PA counties applied the most recent JCS increase on December 1, 2025. The county posts both the current and prior fee schedules on its website. Verify current fees before submitting. The office will provide a fee calculation on request.
Credit cards accepted with service fee and exact-amount rules: Susquehanna County accepts cash, checks, and credit cards (Mastercard, VISA, and Discover). Credit cards carry an additional service fee of 2.5% or $2.00, whichever is greater.

All fees must be exact amounts; overages of $5.00 or less are retained as a convenience fee (effective January 1, 2026); overages greater than $5.00 are rejected. Returned check fee: $35.00. Check payable to “Recorder of Deeds.”

ALL quitclaim deeds and ALL estate deeds not paying transfer tax require a Statement of Value. Susquehanna County explicitly requires a Statement of Value (SOV) on all quitclaim deeds and all deeds from an estate not paying transfer tax, regardless of circumstances.

When an SOV is required, add $2.00 to the recording fee and do not include the SOV in the page count. The SOV must be provided in duplicate; otherwise, the office will charge $0.50 for a copy. Trust exemptions require a complete copy of the Trust Agreement with all amendments; correction or confirmatory deed exemptions require a copy of the original recorded deed.

“Acknowledgment” specifically required witness or oath affirmation not sufficient for deeds: Susquehanna County's recording requirements specify that the notarial act of “acknowledgment” is required (not merely “witness” or “oath/affirmation”) for all deeds, mortgages, leases, memoranda of lease, assignments, satisfactions, and letters of attorney.

Documents notarized with only a “witness” or “oath/affirmation” act will likely be rejected if they fall in these categories. Other documents may use the lesser notarial acts. The acknowledgment must comply with the laws of the state where the act was performed and be appropriate for the type of entity signing (individual, POA, trustee, executor, or corporate officer).

Certification of address, individual signature required, not law firm name. All deeds, mortgages, and mortgage assignments must include a certification of address signed by the Grantee Mortgagee or their representative. The county explicitly states: “Typing the attorney firm or settlement company name instead of an individual's signature is not acceptable.” This is a specific formatting requirement that can cause rejection if not followed.
Maps cannot be e-recorded and must meet strict size and format requirements. Subdivision, survey, and highway maps must be submitted in person or by mail. They cannot be electronically recorded. All maps are limited to a maximum of 24×36 inches.

Maps must be legible and scan clearly, must state the county, municipality, and owner's name, must be certified with the surveyor's original signature and seal, and, for subdivision maps, must include the planning commission's original signature of approval. All signatures must be original (no electronic signatures).

Marcellus Shale gas leases and related instruments dominate recent recording history. Susquehanna County was one of the primary Marcellus Shale development zones in Pennsylvania, and its recording index from approximately 2008 onward contains a substantial volume of oil and gas leases, pipeline rights of way, unitization pooling declarations, landowner consent filings, and lease assignments.

Oil and gas leases, leases with 30+ year terms, assignments thereof, and easements with 30+ year terms (other than for public utilities) are subject to PA Realty Transfer Tax and require an SOV if not paying full tax. Title chains for rural parcels in the county's Marcellus Shale footprint should systematically search for these instruments. GasSearch Drilling Services Corp is among the county's current top employers, as natural gas activity continues.

The assessed values do not reflect market value. The Susquehanna County Assessment Office completed its last countywide reassessment in 1993. All 29,000+ parcels are assessed at 1993 market values.

Assessed values in county records and tax data will not reflect current market conditions; do not use assessed values as a proxy for market value without adjustment. The common level ratio published by the PA Department of Revenue provides the adjustment factor for determining the relationship between assessed and market value for realty transfer tax purposes.

Pennamite Yankee War colonial deed chains. Deep title research on Susquehanna County properties may encounter instruments arising from the Pennamite-Yankee Wars (1769–1799), during which both Pennsylvania and Connecticut grantees held conflicting deed chains for the same tracts. While most of these disputes were resolved in Pennsylvania's favor, their resolution left behind complex, layered deed chains with Connecticut-origin grants and Pennsylvania re-grants.

Researchers tracing the title back to the late 18th century should be aware of this historical background and may need to consult the county's Historical Records department

Typical Contents of a Susquehanna County Property Record

When reviewing recorded instruments at the Susquehanna 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 ($2.00 add-on; not in page count; in duplicate) for exemptions.
- Certification of address (signed by individual Grantee or representative, not law firm name).
- Uniform Parcel Identifier number.
- Notarial acknowledgment (specific “acknowledgment” act required; not merely witness or oath).
- For multi-municipality deeds: percentage (in whole numbers) for each municipality.
Mortgages and Related:
- Lender/borrower names, property description, and loan terms.
- Certification of address required (signed by Mortgagee or representative).
- Satisfactions, releases, modifications, subordinations.
Other Common Instruments:
- Oil and gas leases (subject to transfer tax if 30+ year term; SOV required if not paying full tax).
- Pipeline rights of way and easements (30+ year term: transfer tax applies).
- Landowner consent filings and agricultural security area instruments.
- Clean & Green Act 319 filings.
- Act 287 Underground Utility filings.
- Subdivision and survey maps (in person/mail only; max 24×36 inches; original signatures).
- UCC-1 and UCC-3 financing statements.
- Military service discharges (DD-214).
- Powers of attorney, notary bonds, and oaths.

Recording Changes to Property Titles

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

Pennsylvania's 2% Realty Transfer Tax (1% state + 1% local) applies to most deed transactions and to oil and gas leases, 30+ year leases and assignments thereof, and 30+ year easements (except for public utilities). Include a Statement of Value in duplicate when an exemption is claimed, or consideration is not stated (add $2.00 to the recording fee; do not count SOV pages; trust exemptions require a full trust agreement copy; correction deed exemptions require an original deed copy). Certification of address signed by the individual is required on deeds, mortgages, and mortgage assignments.

Current fee schedule effective January 1, 2026. Base deed fee: approximately $71.75 (4 pages, 4 names, 1 parcel). Verify the exact current rate from the January 2026 fee schedule on the county website. Additional pages: $2.00. Additional names or parcels: $0.50 each. SOV add-on: $2.00 (not in page count). Copies: $0.50/page; certified: +$1.50/stamp. Credit card service fee: 2.5% or $2.00 (whichever is greater). SASE required; if missing, $1.00, 5 pages added. Maps cannot be e-recorded; submitted in person or by mail.

Practical Research Flow (Checklist)

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

Search online via Landex Webstore. Go to landex.com/webstore. Select Pennsylvania, then Susquehanna County.
For Marcellus Shale-era parcels, search comprehensively for oil and gas leases and related instruments. Especially for 2008–2018 recordings: check for gas leases, pipeline easements, unitization declarations, landowner consents, and lease assignments.
For parcels with a deep title history, check for Pennamite-Yankee era deed chain complexity. Consult the county Historical Records department for pre-1812 instruments.
Verify parcel data and GIS mapping. Use susqco.com/departments/gis-mapping or contact the Assessment Office.
Note: assessed values reflect 1993 market conditions. Use the PA Common Level Ratio (from the PA Dept. of Revenue) to adjust for transfer tax and market value purposes.
Verify delinquent taxes. Contact the Tax Claim Bureau.
Verify zoning. Contact the specific municipality. No county zoning.
Prepare recording documents. Exact fee required (overages ≤$5 retained, >$5 causes rejection); individual signature on certification of address; acknowledgment of notarial act (not just witness or oath); SOV in duplicate ($2.00 add-on, not in page count) for quitclaim deeds, estate deeds not paying tax, and other exempt transfers; maps in person/mail only; e-record via CSC or Simplifile for non-map documents; SASE required.

Appendix A: Municipalities in Susquehanna County

Susquehanna County has approximately 40 incorporated municipalities: boroughs and townships; no cities.

County Seat: Montrose Borough.
Largest Community: Forest City Borough.
Key Boroughs along the Susquehanna River corridor: Hallstead, Great Bend Borough, Susquehanna Depot Borough, New Milford Borough, Oakland Borough, Lanesboro Borough, and Little Meadows Borough.
Other Key Boroughs: Friendsville, Hop Bottom, Thompson Borough, Union Dale.
Selected Townships: Apolacon, Ararat, Auburn, Bridgewater, Brooklyn, Choconut, Clifford, Dimock, Forest Lake, Franklin, Gibson, Great Bend Township, Harford, Harmony, Herrick, Jackson, Jessup, Lathrop, Lenox, Liberty, Middletown, New Milford Township, Oakland Township, Rush, Silver Lake, Springville, Thompson Township, and others.