Recorder of Deeds

Picture of Joseph L. Davidson, Recorder of Deeds

Joseph L. Davidson, Recorder of Deeds

Centre County Recorder of Deeds
Willowbank County Office Building
414 Holmes Street
Bellefonte PA 16823-1488
Directions: Map
Phone: (814) 355-6801
E-mail: rodinfo@co.centre.pa.us
Hours: 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Monday - Friday

The Centre County Recorder of Deeds Office's primary mission is to Record, Protect, Preserve, and Reproduce Legal Documents that relate to real estate in Centre County and act as an agent for Real Estate Transfer Tax. The office receives and disburses Real Estate Transfer Taxes as prescribed by State Statute and County Code. The office distributes realty transfer checks that average an annual total of more than $5.6 million to 37 political subdivisions and six school districts that serve Centre County. In addition, the office acts as an agent of the State Department of Revenue in the collection of Writ taxes. The office also collects and distributes a fee provided by State Statute for the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts. Along with the Realty Transfer and Writ taxes the Recorder of Deeds office collects fees from documents recorded for the Affordable Housing Fund, County Records Improvement funds, and Pennsylvania Department of State Notary Public Commission fees. The Recorder's Office assists the State in generating over $5,000,000 annually in revenue for Pennsylvania and approximately $850,000 in commissions and fees for Centre County annually. The Recorder's Office also records Veterans Military Discharge documents.

All document records since the year 1800 except for Military Discharges, in the Recorder of deeds office are available for public inspection during regular office hours: 8:30-5:00 M-F. Annually over 10,000 people visit the Centre County Recorder of Deeds office to view public information and use the other recording services. There is an online subscription service available for those interested to access over the internet one of Pennsylvania's most complete and advanced computer indexed imaging systems (see above CCG WEB IA). Tax and Assessment offices in Centre County use the records created by the Recorder's office to accurately assess and update tax information. In 2003 the Recorder of Deeds office processed 36,522 documents for an all time record high.