How to Look Up Eviction Records in Pennsylvania 2026

Where to Search Pennsylvania Eviction Records

In Pennsylvania, a landlord-tenant case begins and lives in the Magisterial District Court (MDJ) serving the property's district, and the good news for anyone searching is that records are reachable from anywhere in the state. Pennsylvania runs a statewide case-search system, the PA Unified Judicial System Portal, so you do not have to physically visit the courthouse or know the exact district to find a filing. Type in a name, and dockets from MDJ courts across all 67 counties surface in one place.

The expungement picture is the opposite of convenient: Pennsylvania has no statutory right to expunge or seal an eviction record. A landlord-tenant judgment that appears on a docket generally stays on the public record. That single fact shapes everything below, from how a tenant should weigh fighting a case to how a landlord must handle what screening reports surface. Average rent in Pennsylvania is about $1,057, and a record can follow a renter from one lease application to the next.

How to look up a Pennsylvania eviction record

Start with the PA Unified Judicial System Portal, the state's free, statewide docket-search tool. Search by a tenant's or landlord's name, or by a docket number if you have one, and the portal returns landlord-tenant cases filed in the Magisterial District Court for that party. Because coverage is statewide, you can confirm whether someone has filings in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, or a rural district without contacting each court separately.

For an official, court-stamped record, request a certified copy from the MDJ office that handled the case. Pennsylvania copy fees run $0.50 per page, and at the magisterial level expect roughly $1 per search plus per-page copy charges. The online docket is ideal for a quick check; the certified copy is what you produce when you need a document a court or agency will accept as authentic.

How to read a result: a filing is not a judgment

The most common screening mistake is treating any hit as proof a tenant was evicted. A filing is not a judgment. When a landlord files a landlord-tenant complaint in Magisterial District Court, a docket is created immediately, before any hearing and regardless of the outcome. The case may have been dismissed, withdrawn, settled, or decided in the tenant's favor.

The field that matters is the disposition. On the docket, look for whether the case ended in a judgment for the landlord (the plaintiff), a judgment for the tenant, a dismissal, or a withdrawal. A possession judgment against the tenant is materially different from a complaint that was filed and then dropped. Always read the disposition and any judgment amount before drawing a conclusion, and note that an appeal to the Court of Common Pleas can change the result that the MDJ docket first shows.

Expungement and sealing: what it means for screening

Pennsylvania does not provide a statutory mechanism to expunge or seal an eviction record. Unlike states that automatically shield dismissed cases, a Pennsylvania landlord-tenant docket generally remains publicly visible on the PA Unified Judicial System Portal even when the tenant prevailed or the case was dropped.

For landlords, that permanence raises the FCRA stakes. If you screen through a tenant-screening company, that report is a consumer report and the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act applies: you owe an adverse-action notice when a record drives a denial, and the tenant can dispute inaccurate entries with the screening company. Because dismissed and withdrawn cases stay on the record here, do not treat the mere existence of a filing as disqualifying. Read the disposition, weigh the context, and document a consistent, defensible screening standard.

The tenant's side: limited options and how to limit damage

Without a sealing statute, a Pennsylvania tenant cannot simply petition to erase a landlord-tenant record, so the best protection is preventing an adverse disposition in the first place. If you are served with a complaint in Magisterial District Court, appear at the hearing; a default judgment entered because you did not show is far harder to undo than a case you contest. Where you have grounds, an appeal to the Court of Common Pleas can supersede the MDJ result.

If a docket already shows your name, pull your own record from the PA Unified Judicial System Portal and read the disposition closely. If it is wrong, dispute it with any tenant-screening company reporting it under the FCRA. When you explain a filing to a prospective landlord, point them to the actual disposition, especially if the case was dismissed, withdrawn, or decided in your favor.

Step-by-Step: How to Search Pennsylvania Eviction Records

1. Go to PA Unified Judicial System Portal. Open https://ujsportal.pacourts.us in your browser.
2. Search by party name. Enter the prospective tenant's full legal name (last name, first name) as a defendant/respondent. Try name variations including maiden names.
3. Filter by case type. Select eviction, forcible detainer, unlawful detainer, or summary possession as the case type depending on the court's terminology.
4. Review the disposition. Identify whether the case resulted in a judgment for the landlord (eviction), dismissal (tenant won or case settled), or is still pending. A filing alone does not mean the tenant was evicted.
5. Check the filing date. Consider how old the record is, most tenant-screening best practices recommend discounting records older than 5-7 years.
6. Request certified copies if needed. For a certified copy of the court record, contact the Magisterial District Court (MDJ) clerk's office directly. Fees are typically $0.50/page (MDJ: $1/search + copies).

This page was compiled by the Eviction Risk Map research team using public information from the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts and the Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System, which operates the statewide MDJ docket-search portal; Pennsylvania has no eviction-record expungement statute as of this review. Last reviewed June 2026. This is general information, not legal advice; consult a licensed Pennsylvania attorney about your specific situation.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I look up an eviction record in Pennsylvania?

Use the PA Unified Judicial System Portal, the state's free statewide docket-search system. Search by name or docket number to find landlord-tenant cases filed in the Magisterial District Court (MDJ) in any of Pennsylvania's counties. For an official document, request a certified copy from the MDJ office that handled the case.

Are Pennsylvania eviction records public?

Yes. Landlord-tenant cases filed in Magisterial District Court are public and searchable statewide through the PA Unified Judicial System Portal. Remember that a filing is not a judgment, so always check the disposition before assuming a tenant lost the case.

Can a tenant expunge or seal an eviction record in Pennsylvania?

No. Pennsylvania has no statutory right to expunge or seal an eviction record, so a landlord-tenant docket generally stays publicly visible even if the case was dismissed or decided in the tenant's favor. The best protection is appearing at the MDJ hearing and, where grounds exist, appealing to the Court of Common Pleas. A tenant can still dispute inaccurate entries on a screening report under the FCRA.

How much does a certified copy of a Pennsylvania eviction record cost?

Certified copies run about $0.50 per page. At the Magisterial District Court level, expect roughly $1 per search plus per-page copy charges. The online docket on the PA Unified Judicial System Portal is free to view; the fees apply when you need a court-certified document.

Related Pennsylvania Landlord Guides

Court portal information sourced from the Pennsylvania court administrative office official website. Expungement laws from published Pennsylvania statutes (see citations above). Last updated August 27, 2026. For informational purposes only, not legal advice.