How to File a Document to Be Recorded

You may present a document for recording at the front counter of the office, use e-recording, or you may submit the document by mail. The individual presenting the document must have the property identification number certified on the document by the Luzerne County Tax Assessor’s Office prior to recording. Please see our fee schedule for more information.

Recording in Person

If you are recording in person at the Recorder of Deeds Office, it generally takes 10 to 15 minutes to review, receipt, and scan the documents. All papers presented to us for recording must be original documents, properly executed, signed, dated, and acknowledged before a Notary Public with the notary’s seal and signature before they can be accepted for recording. All recording fees and transfer taxes are payable at the time of recording.

Acceptance

If the document has met all the necessary requirements, the office will accept it for recording. It will be assigned an instrument number, a book and page, and it will be stamped with the time of recording and the recorder’s certification will be entered. Receipts are issued at the time of recording.

Rejection

If the necessary requirements have not been met, the document will be rejected for recording until it is corrected. The recording of any document is not an approval of the contents of that document. The Recorder’s Office records what is presented, the Office does not certify that the contents of the recorded document are correct.

Index System

When documents have been officially recorded they are then indexed and entered into the computer system. The original documents are returned to the rightful owner(s) after all necessary recording procedures have been completed. The recorded original documents are immediately returned to the presenter (usually an individual, a title company, or an attorney). If you have not received your papers after two weeks, contact the person or firm who recorded them for you.