Department of Records

The Department of Records is the City office that keeps Philadelphia's official paper and electronic memory. Its responsibilities include recording real estate documents, managing records for City agencies, providing printing services and operating the City Archives.^[1] Its head, the Records Commissioner, also holds the title of Recorder of Deeds for Philadelphia, a county function that in most Pennsylvania counties is performed by a separately elected officer. Philadelphia's consolidation of city and county government (see City-County Consolidation) and the Home Rule Charter placed that function in an appointed department rather than among the elected row offices. As of 2026 the Commissioner was James P. Leonard.^[1]

1 Recording of deeds and land records

When a property is sold, mortgaged or otherwise transferred in Philadelphia, the instrument is recorded with the Department of Records, which creates the public chain of title. Recording does not itself prove ownership is valid, but it gives public notice and priority among competing claims. The realty transfer tax due on sales is collected at recording in coordination with the Revenue Department; see Philadelphia Taxes. Property valuations, by contrast, are set by the Office of Property Assessment, and sheriff's sales are run by the Sheriff's Office. The Department also modernized its payment process, according to the Chief Administrative Officer's 2026 testimony.^[2]

2 Deed fraud and title programs

The Department reports establishing what the CAO's testimony described as a national first-of-its-kind deed fraud protection, designed to help owners guard against forged or fraudulent deed filings.^[2] Its Tangled Title program assists eligible low-income people whose name is not on the deed of the home they live in, a common problem when an owner dies without a will and family members continue occupying the house.^[1] Such clean-up of title can affect access to home repair grants, tax relief and the ability to sell. Related help is described in Legal Aid and Public Interest Law and Register of Wills and Clerk of Orphans' Court, since estates are handled by the Register of Wills.

3 City Archives and public access

The Department operates the City Archives, which holds historical City records, and the PhillyHistory.org photograph site, which provides over 30,000 photographs from the archives.^[1] Public access to land records is a core function; to reach other City records, use the agency that created them or see How to Request Public Records and Right-to-Know Law and Public Records. The Department maintains records storage for agencies, which supports retention schedules and audit trails. Preserved records also serve historians and journalists; see Local News Media in Philadelphia.

4 Financial disclosures and regulations

Records hosts the public database of financial interest disclosure forms filed by City officials and employees, covering filings since 2015, as well as public safety reports, land records and notices of City regulations.^[1] The disclosures are part of the City's ethics system, enforced by the Board of Ethics; see Conflicts of Interest and Pay-to-Play. The department also publishes proposed and adopted City regulations, which must be filed and made available before they take effect.

5 Budget and place in the City

Council appropriated about $4.9 million from the General Fund to the Department for FY27, of which about $4.0 million is personnel.^[3] The Department reports to the Chief Administrative Officer, who oversees seven other offices and departments, and James Leonard appeared with the CAO team before City Council in March 2026.^[2] Its counter in City Hall is open to the public; residents can call or email for hours and fees.

See also: Chief Administrative Officer, Philadelphia Land Bank, Rental Licensing and Landlord-Tenant Law in Philadelphia.

References

1. City of Philadelphia, "Department of Records" department page (phila.gov).
2. Office of the Chief Administrative Officer, "Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Testimony," March 31, 2026 (phlcouncil.com).
3. City of Philadelphia, Fiscal Year 2027 Appropriation Ordinance, item 2.32, in The Mayor's Operating Budget in Brief for Fiscal Year 2027 (phila.gov).