Bedford County Public Records

What Are Public Records in Bedford County?

Public records in Bedford County, Pennsylvania, are defined under the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law (65 P.S. § 67.102) as any record, document, or information created or received by a Commonwealth agency, local agency, or legislative agency in connection with the transaction of public business. Members of the public may inspect a broad range of record categories maintained by Bedford County offices and agencies.

The following record types are currently available through the appropriate Bedford County custodial offices:

Court records (civil, criminal, probate, and family matters) — maintained by the Bedford County Court of Common Pleas and the Clerk of Courts
Property records (deeds, mortgages, liens, and assessments) — maintained by the Bedford County Recorder of Deeds and the Assessment Office
Vital records (birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates) — birth and death records are maintained by the Pennsylvania Department of Health; marriage licenses are issued by the Bedford County Register of Wills; divorce decrees are held by the Clerk of Courts
Business records (licenses, permits, and fictitious name registrations) — maintained by the Pennsylvania Department of State and local municipal offices
Tax records (property tax and assessment records) — maintained by the Bedford County Tax Claim Bureau and Assessment Office
Voting and election records — maintained by the Bedford County Election Bureau
Meeting minutes and agendas (County Commissioners, boards, and authorities) — maintained by the Bedford County Commissioners' Office
Budget and financial documents — available through the Bedford County Fiscal Office
Law enforcement records (arrest logs and incident reports, where permitted by law) — maintained by the Bedford County Sheriff's Office and municipal police departments
Land use and zoning records — maintained by the Bedford County Planning Commission

Is Bedford County an Open Records County?

Bedford County fully complies with the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law, which governs public access to government records throughout the Commonwealth. Under 65 P.S. § 67.301, a record in the possession of a local agency is presumed to be a public record unless it is exempt under the statute, protected by a privilege, or required to be kept confidential by law. This presumption places the burden on the agency — not the requester — to demonstrate that a record is not subject to disclosure.

Key provisions of the law currently in effect include:

Agencies must respond to a written request within five business days of receipt
If an agency fails to respond within the required timeframe, the request is deemed denied, and the requester may appeal to the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records
Agencies are required to designate an Open Records Officer to receive and process requests

Bedford County also operates in compliance with Pennsylvania's Sunshine Act (65 Pa.C.S. § 701 et seq.), which mandates that official actions and deliberations of public agencies be conducted at open, public meetings. Members of the public may submit formal records requests through the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records request portal, which also provides guidance on the types of records covered under state law.

How to Find Public Records in Bedford County in 2026

Locating public records in Bedford County involves identifying the appropriate custodial office and submitting a request through the proper channel. The following steps outline the standard process:

Identify the record type and custodial office. Determine which county or state agency maintains the record being sought. Property records are held by the Recorder of Deeds; court records are held by the Clerk of Courts; vital records may require contact with the Pennsylvania Department of Health.
Submit a written Right-to-Know request. Under current law, requests must be submitted in writing to the agency's designated Open Records Officer. Requests may be submitted in person, by mail, by fax, or by email, depending on the agency's accepted methods.
Use online portals where available. Court case information may be searched through the UJS Web Portal case search, which provides access to docket information for Pennsylvania courts, including appellate cases. Members of the public searching for individuals currently incarcerated may use the Pennsylvania inmate locator, which is updated daily by the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections and includes records for the Bedford County Jail.
Contact the Bedford County Assistance Office for records related to public assistance programs. The County Assistance Office directory maintained by the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services provides current contact information for the Bedford County location.
Allow the statutory response period. Agencies have five business days to respond; complex requests may be extended by an additional 30 days with written notice.

How Much Does It Cost to Get Public Records in Bedford County?

The Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law establishes the fee structure that Bedford County agencies must follow when fulfilling public records requests. Under 65 P.S. § 67.1307, the Office of Open Records is authorized to establish a schedule of fees applicable to duplication of records.

Current standard fees applicable to most Bedford County agencies include:

$0.25 per page for black-and-white, letter- or legal-size paper copies
$0.25 per page for double-sided copies (each side counted separately)
Actual cost for specialized documents, oversized maps, or records requiring special duplication equipment
Postage fees may be charged when records are mailed to the requester
Certification fees vary by office; the Recorder of Deeds and Register of Wills may charge additional fees for certified copies of official documents

Accepted payment methods vary by office but generally include cash, check, or money order made payable to the relevant county office. Fee waivers are not broadly mandated under the Right-to-Know Law; however, agencies retain discretion to waive fees in certain circumstances, particularly when the requester demonstrates that disclosure is in the public interest.

Does Bedford County Have Free Public Records?

Members of the public are entitled to inspect public records at no charge under Pennsylvania law, provided that inspection does not require duplication. Fees apply only when copies are requested. The following free access options are currently available:

In-person inspection at the custodial office during regular business hours, at no cost to the requester
Online court records accessible through the UJS Web Portal at no charge for basic docket searches
Pennsylvania inmate location data available at no cost through the Department of Corrections' online locator tool
Election and voter registration records available for public inspection through the Bedford County Election Bureau
County Commissioner meeting minutes and agendas posted publicly on the Bedford County government website at no charge

Who Can Request Public Records in Bedford County?

Any person may submit a public records request in Bedford County under the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law, regardless of residency, citizenship, or stated purpose. The law does not require requesters to:

Be a resident of Pennsylvania or Bedford County
Provide government-issued identification
State the reason for the request

Requesters are required only to submit a written request that identifies or describes the records sought with sufficient specificity. Certain record types, however, carry additional eligibility requirements:

Vital records (birth and death certificates) may require proof of relationship or legal interest, as governed by the Pennsylvania Vital Statistics Law
Juvenile court records are restricted to authorized parties, including the subject of the record, parents or guardians, and legal counsel
Criminal history records obtained through the Pennsylvania State Police are subject to the requirements of the Criminal History Record Information Act

Individuals requesting their own records are generally subject to the same process as any other requester, though certain agencies may offer expedited access for self-requests, particularly for records held by the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services.

What Records Are Confidential in Bedford County?

Certain categories of records are exempt from public disclosure under Pennsylvania law and are not subject to release through the Right-to-Know process. The following records are currently exempt or restricted:

Sealed court records, including records sealed by judicial order
Juvenile delinquency and dependency records, protected under the Juvenile Act
Records pertaining to ongoing criminal investigations, where disclosure would compromise law enforcement operations
Personal identifying information, including Social Security numbers, financial account data, and home addresses of private individuals
Medical and health records, protected under both state law and the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
Adoption records, which are sealed under Pennsylvania adoption statutes
Child welfare and protective services records, maintained by the Bedford County Children and Youth Services
Personnel records of public employees, with limited exceptions for salary and disciplinary information
Trade secrets and proprietary business information submitted to agencies in confidence
Security plans, infrastructure vulnerability assessments, and related public safety documents

Under 65 P.S. § 67.708, agencies must apply a balancing test when a record contains both disclosable and exempt information; in such cases, the agency is required to redact only the exempt portions and release the remainder of the document.

Bedford County Recorder's Office: Contact Information and Hours

The Bedford County Recorder of Deeds serves as the primary custodian of property-related public records, including deeds, mortgages, liens, and related instruments. The Clerk of Courts maintains civil, criminal, and family court records. Both offices are located within the Bedford County Courthouse complex.

Bedford County Recorder of Deeds 200 South Juliana Street, Bedford, PA 15522 (814) 623-4836 Bedford County Recorder of Deeds Public Counter Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Bedford County Clerk of Courts 200 South Juliana Street, Bedford, PA 15522 (814) 623-4833 Bedford County Clerk of Courts Public Counter Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Bedford County Register of Wills 200 South Juliana Street, Bedford, PA 15522 (814) 623-4834 Bedford County Register of Wills Public Counter Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Bedford County Assessment Office 200 South Juliana Street, Bedford, PA 15522 (814) 623-4842 Bedford County Assessment Office Public Counter Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Bedford County Assistance Office 150 North Street, Bedford, PA 15522-1040 (814) 623-1141 Pennsylvania Department of Human Services – County Assistance Offices Public Counter Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.