Bucks County Public Records
What Are Public Records in Bucks County?
Public records in Bucks County are defined according to the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law (RTKL), specifically under 65 P.S. § 67.102, which defines a public record as "a record, including a financial record, of a Commonwealth or local agency" that is not exempt under the law, not protected by privilege, or not exempt under other Federal or State law or regulation or judicial order or decree.
Bucks County maintains numerous types of public records, including:
- Court Records: Civil, criminal, family court, and probate records maintained by the Bucks County Court of Common Pleas
- Property Records: Deeds, mortgages, liens, and property assessments maintained by the Recorder of Deeds
- Vital Records: Birth certificates (from 1906), death certificates (from 1906), marriage licenses, and divorce decrees
- Business Records: Business licenses, permits, and fictitious name registrations
- Tax Records: Property tax information, assessment records, and tax claim data
- Voting and Election Records: Voter registration data and election results maintained by the Board of Elections
- Meeting Minutes and Agendas: Records of the County Commissioners, boards, and committees
- Budget and Financial Documents: County budgets, financial statements, and expenditure reports
- Law Enforcement Records: Certain police reports, incident logs, and arrest records (with statutory limitations)
- Land Use and Zoning Records: Planning documents, zoning permits, and land development plans
The Bucks County government website serves as the primary portal for accessing many of these records, with specific departments maintaining their respective record types. The county's Records Requests page provides centralized information about obtaining various public records.
Is Bucks County an Open Records County?
Bucks County adheres to the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law (RTKL), which governs access to public records throughout the Commonwealth. Under 65 P.S. § 67.301, "a Commonwealth agency shall provide public records in accordance with this act." This statute establishes the presumption that all records are public unless specifically exempt.
The law states: "A record in the possession of a Commonwealth agency or local agency shall be presumed to be a public record." This presumption of openness forms the foundation of Bucks County's approach to records access.
Bucks County has implemented specific policies to comply with state transparency requirements. The Bucks County Board of Commissioners has demonstrated commitment to transparency by establishing clear procedures for requesting public records and designating Open Records Officers within various county departments.
Additionally, Bucks County complies with Pennsylvania's Sunshine Act (65 Pa.C.S. §§ 701-716), which requires public meetings to be open to the public with proper notice. This ensures that not only are records accessible, but the decision-making processes of county government are also transparent.
The county maintains an official Records Request Policy that outlines procedures for obtaining public records in accordance with state law.
How to Find Public Records in Bucks County in 2026
Members of the public seeking access to Bucks County records may utilize several methods to locate and obtain the information they require:
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Online Access: Many records are available through the Bucks County website, which provides direct access to numerous public records databases. The county's GIS mapping system offers property information, while the Docket Lookup Information page provides access to court case information.
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Submit a Right-to-Know Request: For records not readily available online, individuals may submit a formal request under the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law. The county provides a standardized Right-to-Know request form that may be submitted to the appropriate department's Open Records Officer.
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Visit County Offices: Records may be inspected in person at various county offices during normal business hours:
- Court records at the Bucks County Justice Center
- Property records at the Recorder of Deeds Office
- Vital records at the Register of Wills
- Tax records at the Tax Assessment Office
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Contact Specific Departments: Each department maintains its own records and may have specialized procedures for access:
- For court records, contact the Clerk of Courts
- For property records, contact the Recorder of Deeds
- For vital records, contact the Register of Wills
- For election records, contact the Board of Elections
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Use the Unified Judicial System Portal: Court records may also be accessed through the Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System Web Portal, which provides case information from courts throughout the Commonwealth.
Requests should be as specific as possible to facilitate prompt processing. The county is required to respond to Right-to-Know requests within five business days, though complex requests may require additional time.
How Much Does It Cost to Get Public Records in Bucks County?
Bucks County assesses fees for public records in accordance with the fee schedule established under the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law. Current standard fees include:
- Photocopies: $0.25 per page for standard 8.5" x 11" black and white copies
- Specialized Documents: Actual cost for non-standard documents (blueprints, color copies, etc.)
- Certification of Records: $5.00 per record
- Specialized Services: Additional fees may apply for complex or time-consuming requests requiring extensive redaction or compilation
The fee structure is governed by 65 P.S. § 67.1307, which states that fees must be reasonable and based on prevailing fees for comparable services.
Specific departments may have their own fee schedules:
- Recorder of Deeds: Deed recording fees vary based on document type and page count
- Prothonotary: Court document fees vary by document type
- Register of Wills: Fees for marriage licenses, death certificates, and other vital records are set by state statute
Payment methods accepted typically include cash, check, money order, and in some cases, credit cards. The county may require prepayment if fees are expected to exceed $100.
Fee waivers may be granted at the discretion of the Open Records Officer when the request is made in the public interest. However, commercial requests are generally not eligible for fee waivers.
Does Bucks County Have Free Public Records?
Bucks County provides free access to certain public records in compliance with Pennsylvania law. Under the Right-to-Know Law, inspection of records at county offices is available at no charge during normal business hours. The following free resources are available:
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Online Records: Many records are accessible at no cost through the Bucks County website, including:
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In-Person Inspection: Members of the public may inspect records in person at no cost at the appropriate county office:
- Court records at the Bucks County Justice Center
- Property records at the Recorder of Deeds Office
- County Commissioner records at the County Administration Building
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Public Access Terminals: Computer terminals are available at certain county offices for free public access to electronic records, including:
- Law library terminals at the Bucks County Justice Center
- Public access computers at the Recorder of Deeds Office
While inspection is free, fees may still apply for copies, certification, or specialized services as outlined in the county's fee schedule. Additionally, certain records available through the Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System Web Portal can be accessed without charge.
Who Can Request Public Records in Bucks County?
Under the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law, any person, regardless of citizenship or residency status, may request public records from Bucks County. As specified in 65 P.S. § 67.102, a "requester" is defined as "a person that is a legal resident of the United States and requests a record pursuant to this act." This includes:
- Pennsylvania residents
- Residents of other states
- Legal residents of the United States
- Business entities registered in the United States
- Non-profit organizations
- Media organizations
Requesters are not required to:
- State the purpose of their request
- Explain why they want the records
- Provide identification (except for certain restricted records)
However, specific record types may have additional requirements:
- Criminal History Records: Access may be restricted based on the requester's relationship to the subject
- Vital Records: Birth and death certificates may require proof of relationship or legal interest
- Medical Records: Access is typically limited to the subject or their authorized representative
- Juvenile Records: Access is highly restricted by state law
When requesting one's own records, identification may be required to verify identity. When requesting records about another individual, access may be limited based on privacy protections and statutory exemptions.
Legal representatives, including attorneys, may request records on behalf of clients with proper authorization.
What Records Are Confidential in Bucks County?
Certain records maintained by Bucks County are confidential and exempt from public disclosure under Pennsylvania law. 65 P.S. § 67.708 exempts the following categories of records:
- Personal Identifying Information: Social Security numbers, driver's license numbers, financial account numbers, and home addresses of judges, law enforcement officers, and certain other officials
- Medical Records: Health-related information protected under HIPAA and state medical privacy laws
- Juvenile Records: Records related to juvenile offenders, dependency proceedings, and child welfare matters
- Criminal Investigative Records: Information related to ongoing criminal investigations
- Personnel Records: Employee performance evaluations, disciplinary actions, and other personnel matters (with certain exceptions for positions, salaries, and length of service)
- Attorney-Client Communications: Records protected by attorney-client privilege
- Trade Secrets and Confidential Proprietary Information: Business information that would cause competitive harm if disclosed
- Predecisional Deliberations: Internal discussions and draft documents prior to agency decisions
- Emergency Preparedness Information: Security plans, infrastructure details, and emergency response protocols
- Sealed Court Records: Records sealed by court order
- Adoption Records: Information related to adoptions
- Academic Records: Student records protected under FERPA
The law requires agencies to apply a balancing test when determining whether to release certain records, weighing the public interest in disclosure against privacy interests and potential harm from release.
Redaction may be used to provide partial access to records containing both public and confidential information, with exempt information removed prior to disclosure.
Bucks County Recorder's Office: Contact Information and Hours
Bucks County Recorder of Deeds
55 East Court Street
Doylestown, PA 18901
Phone: (215) 348-6209
Bucks County Recorder of Deeds
Hours of Operation:
Monday through Friday: 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM
Closed on weekends and county holidays
Additional County Offices for Public Records:
Bucks County Prothonotary (Civil Court Records)
Bucks County Justice Center
100 North Main Street
Doylestown, PA 18901
Phone: (215) 348-6191
Bucks County Prothonotary
Bucks County Clerk of Courts (Criminal Court Records)
Bucks County Justice Center
100 North Main Street
Doylestown, PA 18901
Phone: (215) 348-6389
Bucks County Clerk of Courts
Bucks County Register of Wills (Marriage Licenses, Estate Records)
55 East Court Street
Doylestown, PA 18901
Phone: (215) 348-6265
Bucks County Register of Wills
Bucks County Board of Assessment (Property Assessment Records)
55 East Court Street
Doylestown, PA 18901
Phone: (215) 348-6219
Bucks County Board of Assessment