Crime Numbers
The Pennsylvania State Police collates crime data from different law enforcement agencies in the Commonwealth. Its latest unified crime reports are for 2017. In that year, York County recorded 1,094 violent crimes and 6,459 property crimes. Compared to the crime figure for 2013, the five-year crime trend shows that violent crime rate grew by 12.6% while property crime rate dipped by 17.6% in York County.
A closer look at the county's 2017 crime statistics reveals that there were 23 murders, 108 rapes, 298 robberies, and 665 aggravated assaults. Incidences of property crimes include 860 burglaries, 5,232 larceny thefts, 338 motor vehicle thefts, and 29 arsons. These figures show that murder (21.1%), rape (6.9%), robbery (12.5%), and aggravated assault (13.3%) rates rose between 2013 and 2017. The five-year crime trend for York County also indicates that burglary (37.5%), larceny theft (14.7%), motor vehicle theft (29.5%), and arson (54%) rates went down in the same period.
York County Criminal Records
The Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) provides statewide criminal history checks to the public on request. It offers two methods of requesting such records: online and by mail. To submit a request online, visit the Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History (PATCH) website.
Requesters ordering background checks by mail can download one of these forms: Criminal History Request Form (SP4-164), Criminal History Request Form - Volunteer Only (SP4-164A), or Individual Access and Request Form (SP4-170). Send the completed form to:
Pennsylvania State Police Central Repository - RCPU
1800 Elmerton Avenue
Harrisburg, PA 17110-9758
Include a money order for fee payable to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Each request submitted via SP4-164 costs $22. There is an additional fee of $5 to notarize the background check. Criminal history checks for volunteers ordered through SP4-164A are free while an Individual Access and Review request submitted with SP4-170 costs $20.
The Clerk of Courts for York County also provides local criminal records check. This costs $7 plus an additional $3 processing fee. Follow the instructions provided on the Clerk's Records Check page and then send an email request to RecordsCheck@yorkcountypa.gov.
York County Police Reports
The various police departments in York County provide incident and accident reports for events that occurred within their jurisdictions. The county government provides contact information for these police departments. Use the information on the page to visit their websites or call the departments about obtaining police reports.
York County Sex Offender Information
The Pennsylvania State Police maintains a central database of registered sex offenders living, working, and attending school in the Commonwealth. It makes this database available to the public on the Pennsylvania Megan's Law website. Use the County Search function of the website to find identifying information about registered sex offenders in York County. Make sure to select York from the drop-down county list or click it on the map of Pennsylvania presented on the webpage.
York County Inmate Records
The York County Prison is located at 3400 Concord Road, York and its contact phone number is (717) 840-7253. The Warden publishes the lists of male and female inmates currently in the facility on the county website. With these lists, inquirers may perform a York County Inmate Search using a detainee’s full name or DOC number. Friends and family can also deposit money in inmates' accounts at the kiosks located in the prison's visiting areas. Only cash is accepted. It is also possible to fund inmates' accounts online via Access Corrections.
Court Records
The highest trial court in York County is the Court of Common Pleas. There are also 19 Magisterial District Courts spread all over the county. Almost all criminal cases start in the Magisterial District Courts and their appeals are heard by the Criminal Division of the Court of Common Pleas. Civil cases from Magisterial District Courts may also be appealed to the Civil Division of the Court of Common Pleas. Generally, the Magisterial Courts hear all civil suits involving amounts up to $12,000.
The Orphans' Court handles all matters pertaining to adoption, guardianship, and estates of decedents as well as marriage licenses, birth certificates, and death certificates.
The Civil and Criminal Division, as well as the York County Orphans' Court, occupy the same courthouse. Find below the addresses and contact information of all the courts in York County:
York County Court of Common Pleas - Clerk of Courts (Criminal)
York County Judicial Center
45 N George St,
York, PA 17401
Phone: (717) 771-9612
Fax: (717) 771-9096
York County Court of Common Pleas - Prothonotary (Civil)
York County Judicial Center
45 N George St,
York, PA 17401
Phone: (717) 771-9611
Fax: (717) 771-4629
York County Orphans' Court
York County Judicial Center
45 N George St,
York, PA 17401
Phone: (717) 771-9607
Fax: (717) 771-4678
York County Magisterial District Court 19-1-01
1285 E Princess St,
York, PA 17403
Phone: (717) 771-4787
Fax: (717) 771-4785
York County Magisterial District Court 19-1-02
1215 Roosevelt Ave,
York, PA 17404
Phone: (717) 771-4792
Fax: (717) 771-4791
York County Magisterial District Court 19-1-03
203 Dart Dr,
Hanover, PA 17331
Phone: (717) 632-4565
Fax: (717) 632-0373
York County Magisterial District Court 19-1-04
232 S George St,
York, PA 17401
Phone: (717) 771-4798
Fax: (717) 771-4797
York County Magisterial District Court 19-1-05
745 W Mason Ave,
York, PA 17401
Phone: (717) 771-4796
Fax: (717) 771-9538
York County Magisterial District Court 19-2-01
118 Pleasant Acres Rd,
York, PA 17402
Phone: (717) 840-7233
Fax: (717) 840-7200
York County Magisterial District Court 19-2-02
2756A S Queen St,
Dallastown, PA 17313
Phone: (717) 747-5100
Fax: (717) 747-5103
York County Magisterial District Court 19-2-03
390 E Berlin Rd,
York, PA 17408
Phone: (717) 793-5200
Fax: (717) 793-5225
York County Magisterial District Court 19-2-04
3202 Farmtrail Rd,
York, PA 17406
Phone: (717) 767-5700
Fax: (717) 767-5702
York County Magisterial District Court 19-2-05
1410 Sixth Ave,
York, PA 17403
Phone: (717) 845-5508
Fax: (717) 854-5537
York County Magisterial District Court 19-3-01
2997 Cape Horn Rd,
Red Lion, PA 17356
Phone: (717) 244-4002
Fax: (717) 246-1533
York County Magisterial District Court 19-3-03
72 N Main St, #2,
Stewartstown, PA 17363
Phone: (717) 993-6721
Fax: (717) 993-9648
York County Magisterial District Court 19-3-04
165 Fairview Ct,
New Freedom, PA 17349
Phone: (717) 227-0688
Fax: (717) 235-3582
York County Magisterial District Court 19-3-05
20 Wayne Ave, #2,
Hanover, PA 17331
Phone: (717) 632-0618
Fax: (717) 632-1418
York County Magisterial District Court 19-3-06
4824 Walters Hatchery Rd,
Spring Grove, PA 17362
Phone: (717) 225-3301
Fax: (717) 225-3307
York County Magisterial District Court 19-3-07
2990 Grenway Rd,
Dover, PA 17315
Phone: (717) 767-5708
Fax: (717) 767-5720
County Magisterial District Court 19-3-09
700 Yorktown Rd,
Lewisberry, PA 17339
Phone: (717) 938-2523
Fax: (717) 938-4092
York County Magisterial District Court 19-3-10
126 W Harrisburg St, #200,
P.O. Box 415,
Dillsburg, PA 17019
Phone: (717) 432-3618
Fax: (717) 432-7695
York County Magisterial District Court 19-3-11
202 Rosedale Dr,
Manchester, PA 17345
Phone: (717) 266-6891
Fax: (717) 266-6895
Records for these courts are available on the web portal of the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania. Select York from the county list when searching for Magisterial District Courts Dockets and Common Pleas Courts Dockets on the portal.
Vital Records
The Office of the Prothonotary maintains all divorce records for York County. The parties involved can obtain copies of their divorce decrees by submitting a request to the Prothonotary. Send a written request that provides the names of the parties, approximate year of divorce, and case number to:
45 N. George Street
York, PA 17401
Include a self-addressed stamped envelope and a money order for copy fees with your mail request. The York County Prothonotary charges $15 for each certified copy of a divorce decree. You can also visit this office to make your request in person. Walk-in requesters can pay with cash, money order, and credit card.
The Clerk of the Orphans' Court issues certified copies of marriage licenses for York County. The Office of the Clerk accepts walk-in and mail requests. When requesting for these records by mail, make sure to provide information such as names of husband and wife (maiden name), date of marriage, license number, and return address. Visit or send the application to:
Clerk of Orphans' Court
York County Judicial Center
45 N. George St.
York, PA 17401
Make sure to include a check or money order for copy fee with your application. Make this payable to Clerk of Orphans' Court. The fee for each certified copy of a marriage license is $10.
The Division of Vital Records of the Pennsylvania Department of Health provides copies of birth and death certificates for all counties in the Commonwealth. You can visit its office at 101 S. Mercer Street, New Castle, PA to request for birth and death records issued after 1906. For vital records prepared between 1893 and 1906, visit the York County Archives maintained by the Clerk of Orphans' Court at 150 Pleasant Acres, York, PA. You may also call (717) 840-7222 or send an email to archives@yorkcountypa.gov.
When ordering a birth or death certificate form the Division of Vital Records of the Pennsylvania Department of Health by mail, send a completed Application for a Birth Certificate (also available in Spanish) or Application for a Death Certificate (Spanish) to:
Department of Health
Bureau of Health Statistics & Registries
Division of Vital Records
P.O. Box 1528
New Castle, PA 16103
Include a check or money order payable to VITAL RECORDS for copy fees. The fee for each certified copy of a birth or death certificate is $20.
Are Property Records Open to the Public in York County?
In accordance with the Pennsylvania Right-To-Know-Law, property records are considered public in York County. The law guarantees public access for all interested requestors who submit applications to the county's custodian office.
Where and How to Find Property Records in York County
The York County Recorder of Deeds records and maintains all property records in the county of York. Documents are available for all York County properties recorded since August 1749. Persons interested in York County property records should visit the Recorder of Deeds office. The office provides computer terminals that visitors may use to view desired records free of charge. However, printing costs 50 cents per page. In addition, the office does not allow visitors to use cell phones, cameras, or other image-capturing equipment to scan computer screens or record books.
Alternatively, applicants may visit to request copies from the Recorder of Deeds Office. Requests are processed from 8:00 am 4:30 pm on Mondays through Fridays. The office is located at the following address:
York County Recorder of Deeds
York County Administrative Center
28 East Market Street
York, PA 17401-1590
Phone: (717) 771-9608
Phone: (717) 771-9644
Phone: (717) 771-9295
Fax: (717) 771-9582
The Recorder of Deeds Office also grants phone requests for York County property records. However, information accessible via phone calls is restricted to the book and page number, instrument number, and recording date. This option is also only available for one document. For liability reasons, persons seeking detailed records must visit the Recorder of Deeds Office.
How to Look Up York County Property Records
The York County Assessment and Tax Claim Office provides online access to county property records. This office maintains online records via its Searchable Assessment Database and Mapping page. Searchers may view records through the Real Estate Assessment Data function or use the Property Viewer to look up mapping and property tax details.
Users can find assessment data by providing the owner's name, property address, or parcel ID. For the owner's name search, the requestor may use a full name, the first name, or the last name. Persons providing full names must enter the last name before the first name, without commas. A property search requires either the full address or a part of it. Persons searching by the property's 18-digit parcel number may input the full number or any part of the number with the digits in their correct order. Available information includes assessed values, tax information, previous ownership, current ownership, and other miscellaneous details.
Location of York County Property Assessors
County of York Department of Assessment and Tax Claim
Administrative Center
28 East Market Street
Room 105
York, PA 17401-1585
Phone: (717) 771-9232
Fax: (717) 771-4651
