What Are Philadelphia City Public Records?
According to the Right to Know Law, Philadelphia City public records include all “information, regardless of physical form or characteristics, that documents a transaction or activity of an agency and that is created, received, or retained pursuant to law or in connection with a transaction, business or activity of the agency.” Philadelphia public records can be letters, maps, film, audio recordings, images, or video-processed documents. Per the Right to Know Law, a record is in the public domain if:
- Privileges like attorney-client privilege or work-product doctrine do not protect it.
- Neither federal nor state law or judicial order exempts it from disclosure.
- Access to the record is unrestricted under the exemptions listed in Section 708 of the Right to Know Law.
Philadelphia City Crime Statistics
The Philadelphia City Police Department keeps records of crimes in the city and generates statistics for arrests and crime trends. Its website provides crime maps, yearly homicide reports, general crime reports, and weekly crime reports. According to a 2018 report, there were three times as many property crimes (49,145) than violent crimes (14,420). Larceny (36,968) held the highest number of reported crimes, followed by aggravated assault (7,712). Reported burglaries (6,497) followed assaults closely with motor vehicle theft (5,680) right behind it.
Are Philadelphia City Criminal Records Public?
Most Philadelphia City criminal records are in the public domain. For instance, members of the public may request record checks from the Philadelphia City Police Department. Statewide, using the Pennsylvania State Police site Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History (PATCH), requesters may obtain criminal background records on any registered adult.
How to Obtain Philadelphia City Police Reports and Arrest Records
Interested individuals may obtain Philadelphia City arrest records or police reports from the Philadelphia Police Department in person or by mail. To get public Philadelphia records regarding offenses or incidents, requesters must download and complete this form and submit it in person or by mail to the affected police district location with a non-refundable fee of $25.
How to Find Sex Offender Information in Philadelphia City
Under Megan’s Law, Pennsylvania requires all convicted sex offenders to register their home and work addresses with law enforcement agents. Interested individuals looking for information on sex offenders in Philadelphia may find it on the Megan’s Law website. Researchers may look for sex offenders by name, county, municipality, city, or mile radius.
The website also provides information on non-compliant sex offenders who have refused to register details with law enforcement. Interested parties may also register on the Electronic Notification System. Individuals who sign up on the system will receive email notifications when registered sex offenders move into the neighborhood.
How to Find Philadelphia City Inmate Records
The Philadelphia Prison System maintains Philadelphia inmate records and makes them available through the online inmate locator tool. The site permits researchers to find inmates using the six or seven-digit Police Identification number. Researchers can also search for inmates using first and last names or birth dates.
How Do I Visit an Inmate in Philadelphia City Jail?
Family members and friends may visit inmates incarcerated in any of the following jails in the Philadelphia Prison system:
Curran-Fromhold Correctional Center (CFCF)
7901 State Road,
Philadelphia, PA 19136
Visiting hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Detention Center
8201 State Road,
Philadelphia, PA 19136
Visiting hours: Monday–Friday, 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Philadelphia Industrial Correctional Center (PICC)
8301 State Road,
Philadelphia, PA 19136
Visiting hours: Monday–Friday, 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Riverside Correctional Facility (RCF)
8151 State Road,
Philadelphia, PA 19136
Visiting hours: Monday–Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Incarcerated individuals may receive visitors on a schedule that coincides with the first letter of the inmate’s last name. The table below shows the visiting day schedule:
Monday: From A to C
Tuesday: From D to H
Wednesday: From 1 to M
Thursday: From N to S
Friday: From T to Z
Inmates may receive visitors for up to one hour per week. An inmate may choose to receive visitors in two thirty-minute visits on separate days or a single hour’s visit. A maximum of two adults and two children may visit inmates at one time. Adults must present a valid government-issued ID to secure entry and valid birth certificates for child visitors.
Visitors must dress according to the approved code, wearing pants, underwear, and shirts with sleeves. Visitors may not wear plain white t-shirts, hoodies, or jackets with hoods, hot pants or short-shorts, revealing clothing, torn jeans, or any clothing that resembles an inmate uniform.
Court Records
A part of the First Judicial District (FJD) of Pennsylvania, the Philadelphia Municipal Court gives interested parties access to various Philadelphia City court records, including probate records, criminal records, traffic records, and administrative records.
Locations of Courts in Philadelphia City
The city and county have two courts that make up the First Judicial District (FJD) of Pennsylvania - the municipal court and the common pleas court.
Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas - Family Division
1501 Arch Street,
Philadelphia, PA 19102
Phone: (215) 686-4000
Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas - Office of Judicial Records - Civil
City Hall
Broad and Market Streets,
Suite 284,
Philadelphia, PA 19107
Phone: (215) 686-6654
Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas - Office of Judicial Records - Criminal
Juanita Kidd Stout Center for Criminal Justice
1301 Filbert Street,
Suite 310,
Philadelphia, PA 19107
Phone: (215) 683-7703
Fax: (215) 683-7713
Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas - Orphans' Court Division
City Hall
Broad and Market Streets,
Suite 415,
Philadelphia, PA 19107
Phone: (215) 686-2230
Philadelphia Municipal Court - Civil Division
1339 Chestnut Street,
Suite 1020,
Philadelphia, PA 19107
Phone: (215) 686-2910
Fax: (215) 569-9254
Philadelphia Municipal Court - Criminal Division
Juanita Kidd Stout Center for Criminal Justice
1301 Filbert Street,
Suite 208,
Philadelphia, PA 19107
Phone: (215) 683-7290
Fax: (215) 683-7293
Philadelphia Municipal Court - Traffic Division
800 Spring Garden Street,
P.O. Box 56301,
Philadelphia, PA 19130
Phone: (855) 868-1675
Are Philadelphia City Court Records Public?
According to the Right to Know law, most Philadelphia court records are open to the public. However, under the law, court records that include minors’ identifying information are exempt from public view. Examples of court records involving children are:
- Juvenile delinquency cases
- Juvenile dependency cases
- Domestic violence cases
- Some divorce cases
- Child custody cases
Can You Look Up a Philadelphia City Court Case Online?
Interested individuals can obtain online access to some Philadelphia court records. The Philadelphia Municipal Court also allows attorneys and interested individuals to view criminal and civil case dockets online as part of the CLAIMS system. Statewide, interested individuals can obtain online access to comprehensive Pennsylvania court records through the Unified Justice System’s web portal.
How to Obtain Philadelphia City Civil Court Case Records
The Municipal Court Civil Division oversees civil cases where the amount in dispute is $12,000 or less. To obtain civil court case records, interested parties may search the online repository. Interested individuals may also complete a Request for Case Records form and submit it by email, mail, or in-person to the Municipal Court Civil Division from Monday to Friday, between 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Copies of court case records cost 25 cents per page.
Philadelphia Municipal Court - Civil Division
1339 Chestnut Street,
Suite 1020,
Philadelphia, PA 19107
Phone: (215) 686-2910
Fax: (215) 569-9254
How to Obtain Philadelphia City Criminal Court Records
The Municipal Court Criminal Division oversees criminal cases. To obtain Philadelphia City criminal court records, interested parties may search the online repository for criminal court dockets. Interested individuals may also complete a Request for Case Records form and submit it by email, mail, or in-person to the Municipal Court Criminal Division from Monday to Friday, between 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Copies of court case records cost 25 cents per page.
Philadelphia Municipal Court - Criminal Division
Juanita Kidd Stout Center for Criminal Justice
1301 Filbert Street,
Suite 208,
Philadelphia, PA 19107
Phone: (215) 683-7290
Fax: (215) 683-7293
What Are Philadelphia City Vital Records?
Philadelphia City vital records refer to official documents containing details of significant life events like death certificates, divorce decrees, birth certificates, and marriage licenses. The Philadelphia Division of Vital Records is responsible for maintaining vital records and providing them to eligible requesters.
Where and How to Obtain Philadelphia City Divorce Records
In Philadelphia, divorce records created from 1885 to the present are available to requesters. Interested individuals may obtain certified copies of divorce decrees by mailing or sending an in-person request to:
Office of Judicial Records, Civil Filing Center
City Hall
Broad & Market Streets
Room 296
Philadelphia, PA 19107
Requesters must provide the following information:
- Case number assigned to the divorce action
- The names of the divorcees
- Approximate year of the divorce action’s filing
Requesters must also include a self-addressed stamped envelope and a fee of $41.58, payable by check or money order.
Where and How to Get Philadelphia City Marriage Records
Marriage records are certified copies of marriage applications or duplicate sections of a marriage license. In Philadelphia, all marriage records are in the public domain, and the Register of Wills provides copies of Philadelphia City marriage records to interested individuals. To obtain a Philadelphia City marriage certificate, requesters must send a written request containing the couple’s names at the time of marriage, the marriage date, and a self-addressed stamped envelope. For easy use, requesters may fill the form online, print the document, and send it to:
Marriage License Bureau
City Hall
Room 415
Philadelphia, PA 19107
Requesters must enclose two checks made out to "The Clerk of Orphans' Court": one for $15 (for research) and another for $25 (for a non-certified copy) or $50 (for a certified copy).
Where and How to Find Philadelphia City Birth Records
Individuals interested in obtaining Philadelphia City birth records may query the Pennsylvania Department of Health online, in person, by mail, or by telephone. Only the following individuals may obtain birth certificates:
- The individual named on the birth certificate
- The spouse of the person named on the certificate
- A parent or step-parent (step-parents must show proof of relationship)
- A sibling or half-sibling
- A son or daughter
- A step-son or step-daughter (must show proof of relationship)
- Grandparent or grandchild
- Attorney of the individual named on the birth certificate (must provide supporting documentation)
To obtain a Philadelphia City birth certificate online, eligible individuals may place orders through Pennsylvania’s authorized vendor who relays requests to the Department of Health. The fee for a standard birth certificate is $20, and requesters must also pay a $10 processing fee.
To obtain birth certificates by telephone, requesters can call Pennsylvania’s authorized provider at (866) 712-8238, any time and day of the week. The fee for a standard birth certificate is $20, along with a $10 processing fee.
To obtain Philadelphia birth certificates in person, requesters must complete a Vital Records Appointment Request Form and an Application for a Birth Certificate. Once completed, the requester must email the forms to the Vital Records Appointment Request Form’s address. Once administrators process the request, they will contact the requester to schedule an appointment. Requesters must arrive at the appointment at least five minutes before the scheduled time and bring a valid form of identification and payment for the requested certificate.
To request a Philadelphia birth record by mail, eligible parties must complete an application for a birth certificate and mail it to the address below:
Division of Vital Records
Birth Certificate Processing Unit
P.O. Box 1528
New Castle, PA 16103
Where and How to Find Philadelphia City Death Records
Individuals interested in obtaining Philadelphia death certificates may query the Pennsylvania Department of Health online, in person, by mail, or by telephone. Only the following individuals may obtain birth certificates:
- The spouse of the person named on the certificate
- A parent or step-parent (step-parents must show proof of relationship)
- A sibling or half-sibling
- A son or daughter
- A step-son or step-daughter (must show proof of relationship)
- Grandparent or grandchild
- Attorney of the individual named on the birth certificate (must provide supporting documentation)
To obtain a Philadelphia death certificate online, eligible individuals may place orders through Pennsylvania’s authorized vendor who relays requests to the Department of Health. The fee for a standard birth certificate is $20, and requesters must also pay a $10 processing fee.
To obtain death certificates by telephone, requesters can call Pennsylvania’s authorized provider at (866) 712-8238, any time and day of the week. The fee for a standard death certificate is $20, along with a $10 processing fee.
To obtain Philadelphia death certificates in person, requesters must complete a Vital Records Appointment Request Form and an Application for a Death Certificate. Once completed, the requester must email the forms to the Vital Records Appointment Request Form’s address. Administrators will contact the requester to schedule an appointment after processing the request. Requesters must arrive at the appointment at least five minutes before the scheduled time and bring a valid form of identification and payment for the requested certificate.
To request a Philadelphia death record by mail, eligible parties must complete an application for a death certificate and mail it to the address below:
Division of Vital Records
Birth Certificate Processing Unit
P.O. Box 1528
New Castle, PA 16103
