How to get a copy of a deed in Berks County
Get a copy of a Berks County deed online, in person, or by mail. Fees, the office address, and what you need to find the right document.
By The Berks Beat staff · Published July 18, 2026 · Updated July 18, 2026 · Facts last verified July 18, 2026
Copies of Berks County deeds come from the Recorder of Deeds, on the 3rd floor of the Berks County Services Center at 633 Court Street in Reading. You can get one three ways: print it from the county’s online search site, walk into the office, or mail a request. A plain copy costs 50 cents a page; a copy of your own home’s deed, made at the counter, is free.
What the Recorder of Deeds keeps
The Recorder of Deeds is the county office that records and stores documents tied to real estate: deeds, mortgages, easements, and related papers. Once a document is recorded it becomes a public record, so anyone can get a copy, not only the owner. The office’s images go back a long way: deeds to 1752, when the county was formed, mortgages to 1949, and other documents to 1900.
A deed is the document that transfers ownership of a property. You might need a copy to confirm who owns a parcel, to check the legal description or boundaries, to settle an estate, or because a lender or title company asked for it.
Before you start: find the document
To pull the right deed you need a way to point the office to it. Any one of these works:
- The current or former owner’s name.
- The property’s parcel number (the county calls it a UPI, at least 14 digits, or 17 for a condo).
- The book and page or instrument number, if you already have it from an older document.
If you only know the address, start with the parcel number. Our guide to looking up a Berks County property record walks through the county’s free parcel search, which gives you the UPI and the owner’s name to search on.
Option 1: Get it online
The county keeps every recorded document as a scanned image on its online search site, and you can print or download from there.
- Go to the county’s Search Records On-Line page and open the search portal (also reachable at berks.pa.publicsearch.us).
- Register for a free account and log in. Searching the index is free.
- Search by name, parcel number, or book and page, and open the document you want.
- To download or print a plain copy, pay 50 cents a page. To buy a certified copy online, the fee is $10 per document.
Paying online is by credit card, and the county adds a card processing fee on top of the copy cost. Online is the fastest route and the only one you can finish without leaving home.
Option 2: Get it in person
Go to the Recorder of Deeds, Berks County Services Center, 3rd floor, 633 Court Street, Reading, open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Staff can help you locate a document if you cannot find it yourself. Copies made at the office are 50 cents a page, except a copy of your own home’s deed, which the office provides free. A certified copy adds a $2 certification fee to the per-page cost.
Option 3: Get it by mail
Mail a written request to the office with the property or document details, a check for the copy fee, and a self-addressed stamped envelope so they can send it back. Make the check payable to “Berks County Recorder of Deeds.” Because the cost depends on the page count, call the office first at 610-478-3380 to confirm the exact amount, then send that with your request.
What a copy costs
| Copy | Fee |
|---|---|
| Plain copy (online, in office, or by mail) | 50 cents per page |
| Copy of your own home’s deed, at the counter | Free |
| Certified copy, in office or by mail | $2 certification + 50 cents per page |
| Certified copy purchased online (e-certification) | $10 per document |
A plain copy is fine for reading the deed or checking a boundary. You need a certified copy, the version the office stamps as a true copy of the record, only when a court, a title company, or another agency requires an official one. These figures come from the county’s fee schedule dated November 14, 2025; the office can confirm the current amount.
Where to go
Berks County Recorder of Deeds, Berks County Services Center, 3rd floor, 633 Court Street, Reading, PA 19601. Phone 610-478-3380, email recorder@berkspa.gov, open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The office also handles recording new deeds and mortgages. To understand which county offices do what, see our guide to how Berks County government works, and for the assessment and tax side of a property, how your property tax bill is split.
FAQ
How much does a copy of a deed cost in Berks County?
A plain copy is 50 cents a page whether you print it online, get it at the office, or order it by mail. A certified copy adds a $2 certification fee at the counter, or costs $10 per document if you buy the certified version online. A copy of your own home’s deed made at the office counter is free.
Can I look up a Berks County deed online for free?
Yes. Searching the county’s online records index is free once you register for an account. You pay only when you download or print a document: 50 cents a page for a plain copy, or $10 for a certified copy. Use the Search Records On-Line portal.
Do I need the original deed to prove I own my home?
No. The recorded copy at the Recorder of Deeds is the official public record, so a lost original does not affect your ownership. You can get a copy anytime, and a copy of your own home’s deed is free at the office counter.
What is the difference between a deed and the title?
The deed is the physical document that transfers a property and gets recorded. The title is the legal right of ownership itself, which the deed conveys. The Recorder of Deeds keeps the recorded deed; there is no separate paper “title” to a house the way there is for a car.
How do I change the names on my deed in Berks County?
You cannot edit a recorded deed. Adding or removing a name, such as after a marriage or death, requires preparing and recording a new deed. The Recorder of Deeds records the new deed but does not prepare it; most people use an attorney or title company to draw it up correctly.