deedplatState guides / Pennsylvania / Philadelphia County
Philadelphia County property data
Where Philadelphia County's property records live, how its tax and foreclosure sales work, and what Deedplat puts on one map.
- 580,000Parcels
Where the records are
The county offices an investor deals with in Philadelphia County, and what each one puts online.
Deeds and mortgages
Philadelphia Department of Records. Philadox lets anyone search deeds from 1974 to the present and view watermarked copies, but printing requires a paid subscription.
Owners and values
Philadelphia Office of Property Assessment (OPA). The free property.phila.gov search shows ownership, sales history, assessed value and building details for every property.
Tax sales
Philadelphia Sheriff's Office, Tax Lien Sales. Tax foreclosure sale lists and terms are posted free, and bidding is online on Bid4Assets with a deposit.
Foreclosure sales
Philadelphia Sheriff's Office, Mortgage Foreclosure Sales. The Sheriff Sale Calendar lists upcoming mortgage and tax foreclosure auctions, which are held online on Bid4Assets.
Parcel maps
City of Philadelphia Atlas. Atlas is a free online map that shows property information by address.
How property is sold here
Philadelphia County follows Pennsylvania's rules, with its own calendar and offices. Read the Pennsylvania guide for how the state works.
Tax sales
Philadelphia has no Tax Claim Bureau or upset sale. When owners do not pay their real estate taxes, the City takes the case to court and the property itself is sold at a Sheriff tax foreclosure sale. These tax sales are held online on Bid4Assets on their own dates, separate from mortgage sales, and are listed on the Sheriff Sale Calendar.
Foreclosure sales
The Philadelphia Sheriff's Office holds mortgage foreclosure and tax foreclosure auctions online on Bid4Assets, with dates posted on its Sheriff Sale Calendar. Winning bidders must pay up to 10% of the price by 5 p.m. the next business day and the balance within 15 calendar days.
Assessed values
OPA revalues all of the city's more than 580,000 properties on a regular cycle, most recently for Tax Year 2027 with notices mailed in June 2026, after the Tax Year 2025 revaluation.
Transfer tax
The total realty transfer tax in Philadelphia is 4.578%, which is 3.578% for the City plus 1% for the Commonwealth, usually split between buyer and seller.
Land bank
The Philadelphia Land Bank sells vacant and underused land for side and rear yards, community gardens, affordable housing and business expansion, with available properties shown on its map.
Worth knowing
Philadelphia is a combined city and county, so the City runs the recorder, assessment and tax offices.
Worth knowing
Recorded documents take two to four weeks after recording to become searchable in Philadox, and records before 1974 must be requested by mail or in person at City Hall, Room 154.
Worth knowing
Philadelphia's 4.578% transfer tax is one of the highest in Pennsylvania, so it is a big part of closing costs.
Every town in Philadelphia County
The cities, towns and townships inside the county line.
- Philadelphia city
Questions
Where are deeds recorded in Philadelphia County?
Deeds are recorded by the Philadelphia Department of Records in City Hall. Records from 1974 to the present can be searched online in Philadox.
When is the Philadelphia County tax sale?
Philadelphia sells tax-delinquent property at Sheriff tax foreclosure auctions held online on Bid4Assets. Dates are posted on the Sheriff Sale Calendar.
How do I find who owns a property in Philadelphia County?
Search the address on property.phila.gov to see the owner, sale history and assessed value from the Office of Property Assessment.
Are Philadelphia County property records online?
Yes. Deeds are in Philadox, owners and values are on property.phila.gov, maps are on Atlas, and Sheriff sale lists are on the Sheriff's website.
Sources for this guide
Office hours, fees and sale dates change. We checked these sources in October 2026; confirm with the county before you act.
- phila.gov/services/payments-assistance-taxes/taxes/property-and-real-estate-taxes/realty-t
- phila.gov/departments/department-of-records/
- phila.gov/departments/department-of-records/frequently-asked-questions/
- phila.gov/services/property-lots-housing/get-a-copy-of-a-deed-or-other-recorded-document/
- phila.gov/services/property-lots-housing/foreclosure-sheriff-sales/sheriff-lien-sales/
- phila.gov/departments/office-of-property-assessment/
- phila.gov/2026-06-30-city-of-philadelphia-to-mail-2027-property-assessments-and-launch-exp
- phillysheriff.com/property-listing/
- phillysheriff.com/calendar/
- phillysheriff.com/faqs/
- philadelphialandbank.org/
- property.phila.gov/
Every parcel in Philadelphia County, on one map
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