Reviewed and updated October 9, 2026 by the SearchSystems.net editorial team. Every office link was opened and checked against the office's own site between September 23, 2026 and September 25, 2026.
Reading, Pennsylvania, in Berks County, has about 96,000 residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). The title to a parcel in Reading is in the deed records of the Recorder of Deeds and its taxable value is set by the Assessment Office; what is built on it is a matter for the city. This guide says who keeps each record and where the page for each office is.
This guide covers deeds, assessed values, city permits and records, evictions and court cases, records requests, directory links and common questions.
Related guides: Reading public records, Berks County property records, Reading arrest records, Reading warrants, Reading inmate search, Pennsylvania arrest records and Pennsylvania inmate search.
Deeds, Mortgages and Liens in Reading
Deeds, mortgages, liens and easements that affect title to land in Reading are recorded by the Recorder of Deeds, which indexes them by name and sells copies.
SearchSystems opened and checked the Recorder of Deeds' page at berkspa.gov/departments/recorder-of-deeds/search-records-on-line-(r... (page title: Berks County | Online Records Search Instructions), phone 610-478-3380, which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 23, 2026.
Assessed Values and the Tax Roll in Reading
The Assessment Office sets the value each parcel in Reading is taxed on and keeps the parcel maps. Pennsylvania counties set assessments in a base year and reassess rarely, so assessed values can be decades old; the county publishes a ratio to convert them to market value.
Permits and City Records in Reading
Building permits, zoning and code cases are the city's own. For Reading, SearchSystems opened and checked the city hall page at readingpa.gov/contact-city-hall/30... (page title: City Management), phone 877-727-3234, 815 Washington St Reading PA 19601, Mon-Fri 8:00am to 4:00pm, which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 25, 2026.
The city clerk's page SearchSystems verified is at readingpa.gov/city-clerk (page title: City Clerk), phone 877-727-3234, 815 Washington St, Reading PA 19601, which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 25, 2026.
Evictions and Court Cases About Land in Reading
Court cases about land from Reading, evictions among them, are filed in the Magisterial District Courts or the Berks County Court of Common Pleas.
Asking a County Office for a Record
Under the Right-to-Know Law a county office must answer a request within 5 business days, with a 30-day extension, and it may charge copying at 25 cents a page. The county records request page SearchSystems verified is at berkspa.gov/departments/commissioners/county-open-records-office-in... (page title: Berks County | County Open Records Office Information).
More Official Property and Land Records Pages for Berks County
The SearchSystems directory, online since 1997, lists the official pages for Berks County and Pennsylvania. These property pages from its Berks County listing were opened again on October 2, 2026 and each one still answers:
- Berks County Property Search (propertyrecords.berkspa.gov)
Frequently Asked Questions
Who records deeds in Reading?
The Recorder of Deeds, at berkspa.gov, phone 610-478-3380. Deeds, mortgages and liens on land in Reading are filed there.
Who sets the assessed value of a property in Reading?
The Assessment Office.
Where are evictions from Reading filed?
In the Magisterial District Courts. The file is public unless the court seals it.
How is property assessed in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania counties set assessments in a base year and reassess rarely, so assessed values can be decades old; the county publishes a ratio to convert them to market value.
Is this the official Reading website?
No. SearchSystems.net is an independent public records guide, online since 1997. It links to the official city, county, court and state offices described above and does not hold records, charge for them or take requests.