Pennsylvania Public Records

  Trusted Public Records Directory

State of Pennsylvania Most Updated Online Public and Criminal Records Portal

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Statewide public records directory

Pennsylvania Official Records, Agencies & Answers

Jump into the four biggest statewide record categories, review the refreshed Pennsylvania overview pulled from the live database, and open only direct government sources from the directory below.

Top topic Criminal Records Criminal history tools, sheriff links, and related justice records.
Top topic Court Records Civil, criminal, and court access resources.
Top topic Expungements Record-clearance and expungement guidance.
Top topic Inmate Search Custody, jail, and inmate lookup resources.
PA

Pennsylvania public records, redesigned

State of Pennsylvania Most Updated Online Public and Criminal Records Portal

Updated April 29, 2026

Pennsylvania is one of several states which allow the public to request statewide criminal checks directly from the state Police online. The bulk of all requests are routine and provided by separate department websites throughout the state's government, Locate free Pennsylvania public records online instantly for background checks, divorces, lawsuits, criminal records, property records, business and personal assets, Less rout…

Official sources 72 Direct state links currently rendered on this page
Counties County coverage 67 County-level public records coverage tied to Pennsylvania
FAQ / Q&A 9 Live statewide answers surfaced from the database
Bonus cities 387 Standalone city record pages currently shown

About Pennsylvania

Open the dedicated background page for a deeper history, civic overview, and statewide public records context beyond the agency directory.

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Explore cities & counties County links 🗺️ Local map

Move deeper into the state structure with the city directory, county access page, and location-specific record hubs without losing the statewide view.

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✨ County picks County directory: open county access
Hub → sub pages

Explore every linked Pennsylvania specialty page

The hub now links directly to every live state-topic page we found for Pennsylvania. Use the cards below to jump straight into each specialty area.

13 sub pages linked
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Criminal Records Criminal history tools, sheriff links, and related justice records.
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Court Records Civil, criminal, and court access resources.
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Expungements Record-clearance and expungement guidance.
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Inmate Search Custody, jail, and inmate lookup resources.
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Most Wanted Wanted-person and fugitive resources.
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Police Police department and public-safety resources.
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County Sheriff County sheriff and detention access points.
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Background Checks Background screening and identity research resources.
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Asset Search Asset, ownership, and locator resources.
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DMV Driver, vehicle, and DMV resource links.
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Vital Records Birth, death, marriage, and health-record links.
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Genealogy Family-history and genealogy research tools.
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Missing Children Missing-child alerts and support resources.
Fresh database content

About Pennsylvania public records

This panel now uses the newer statewide heading content from the database instead of the old generic filler copy.

Pennsylvania is one of several states which allow the public to request statewide criminal checks directly from the state Police online. The bulk of all requests are routine and provided by separate department websites throughout the state's government, Locate free Pennsylvania public records online instantly for background checks, divorces, lawsuits, criminal records, property records, business and personal assets, Less rout…

Pennsylvania, the "Keystone State", is the second of the original 13 colonies and gained statehood on December 12, 1787. Pennsylvania is the 33rd biggest state in the country by area. The state was an early leader in agriculture with great surpluses to export outside the state. With the abundance of resources from natural resources, many new industries took shape within the state. It was also the birth place of the constitution and many other historical events. A majority of the state's early cities were formed along its rivers from the benefit of transport and trade. Until 1950 the state of Pennsylvania was the…

State snapshot Did you know? In Pennsylvania, arrest details often show up fastest through county jail, docket, and clerk systems, even when a borough or city police department made the arrest. County-first checking is usually the smart move. Bonus tip: county dockets can become more useful than city police pages once the arrest turns into a filed case.
Frequently asked questions

About Pennsylvania public records

Clearer question cards, modern spacing, and the same live statewide answers from the database.

Q What is included in a Pennsylvania background check?
In Pennsylvania, background checks are governed by the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law (RTKL) (Pennsylvania Act 3 of 2008, 65 P.S. § 67.101 through § 67.3104). They may include criminal history, sex offender status, court filings, arrest records, and vital statistics. Agencies must respond within 5 business days to respond. If the agency cannot meet the deadline, it must noti. The law is administered by Pennsylvania Office of Open Records (OOR), 333 Market St., 16th Floor, Harrisburg, PA 17101; (717) 346-9903.
Q Where can I find police reports in Pennsylvania?
Police reports in Pennsylvania are public records under the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law (RTKL). Submit your request to the agency that generated the report. Who may request: Any person - no residency requirement; however, incarcerated. Response deadline: 5 business days to respond. If the agency cannot meet the deadline, it must noti. If access is denied, you may appeal to district or circuit court.
Q What are the procedures to obtain Pennsylvania vital records, and what is included in those records with address, not URLs?
Vital records (birth, death, marriage, divorce) in Pennsylvania are maintained by the state Department of Health or Vital Statistics. Standard fees: Actual cost of duplication; standard copies $0.25/page; no charge for first 100. Certified copies carry separate fee schedules. Fee waivers may be available for journalists, nonprofits, and public-interest requesters - always ask.
Q What is the school district and performance data for Pennsylvania?
The Pennsylvania Department of Education provides school district performance data for all public school districts in the state. This data includes information on student achievement, graduation rates, teacher quality, and other indicators of school performance. The data can be accessed through the Pennsylvania School Performance Profile website. The Pennsylvania Department of Education (www.education.pa.gov), headquartered in Harrisburg, PA, is the authoritative source for Pennsylvania school district performance metrics. Reported metrics include proficiency rates in English language arts and mathematics, English learner progress, science achievement, and school climate indicators. Data is updated annually and can be searched by district, school, or student group on the department's data portal.
Q What is the crime statistics for Pennsylvania?
The Pennsylvania State Police publishes an annual report on crime statistics in the state. According to the 2019 report, there were a total of 545,817 reported crimes in Pennsylvania, including 4,845 violent crimes and 540,972 property crimes. The violent crime rate was 4.2 per 1,000 people, and the property crime rate was 44.2 per 1,000 people. Crime data for Pennsylvania is collected under the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) and reported annually to the FBI. The Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) coordinates data collection from local law enforcement agencies across all counties and municipalities in Pennsylvania. Full statistical breakdowns, including arrest data, clearance rates, and hate-crime incidents, are publicly available through the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP)'s annual crime report published each year for the prior calendar year.
Q If I get arrested in Pennsylvania where would I go to jail and court? include address.
If arrested in Pennsylvania, you would be taken to the local county jail. Court appearances are scheduled in the county where the arrest occurred. Under the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law (RTKL), arrest records and booking information are generally public. Oversight: Pennsylvania Office of Open Records (OOR), 333 Market St., 16th Floor, Harrisburg, PA 17101; (717) 346-9903. Appeals go to district or circuit court.
Q Can I find Public records in Pennsylvania State Library?
Yes. Pennsylvania state and public libraries provide access to public records databases. The Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law (RTKL) (Pennsylvania Act 3 of 2008, 65 P.S. § 67.101 through § 67.3104) guarantees public access to government documents. Many libraries offer free access to LexisNexis, court records portals, and vital record indexes. Under the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law (65 P.S. § 67.101), Pennsylvania residents can access public records through state and local libraries. The State Library of Pennsylvania, 333 Market St, Harrisburg, PA 17126 maintains research collections including historical newspapers, land records, probate files, and legislative archives. Libraries also provide free access to LexisNexis Public Records and other subscription databases not available at home. Reference librarians are available to help navigate Pennsylvania government records portals and submit public records requests.
Q Where is the Pennsylvania State Library located?
The Pennsylvania Library is located in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. In addition to its main location, the Pennsylvania State Library coordinates resources and services for public libraries statewide. Patrons can access LexisNexis, ProQuest Historical Newspapers, and PACER court records indexes through the library. Under the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law (65 P.S. § 67.101), government documents are available for public inspection during regular business hours. Reference librarians in Harrisburg, PA can assist with inter-library loans, records requests, and genealogical research inquiries.
Q Pennsylvania State fingerprinting office
Pennsylvania fingerprinting services are provided by the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP), Central Repository, at 1800 Elmerton Ave, Harrisburg, PA 17110. Phone: (717) 783-5494. IdentoGO (MorphoTrust) operates fingerprinting locations across Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, Allentown, and Scranton - schedule at identogo.com or call 1-888-483-4632. Local police departments and sheriff offices also offer fingerprinting for employment and licensing.
Did you know?

Some Pennsylvania cities have standalone record pages

Fun fact: some Pennsylvania cities skip the county layer entirely. They have their own public record hubs, go straight to them below.

City

Abington

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Community

Abington Township

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City

Allen

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Community

Allen Township

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City

Antis

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Community

Antis Township

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City

Antrim

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Community

Antrim Township

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City

Armstrong

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Community

Armstrong Township

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City

Aston

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Community

Aston Township

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City

Barrett

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Community

Barrett Township

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City

Bensalem

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Community

Bensalem Township

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City

Bethel

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Community

Bethlehem Town

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