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of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

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    Pennsylvania State Archives: Fees

    Plesase refer to this list of fees and general information. 

    Fees

    General Information

    • Send your order to:

      Pennsylvania State Archives
      Attn: Reference
      1681 N. Sixth St. 
      Harrisburg, PA 17102-1106

    • Make payment by check or money order payable to: Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
    • Add shipping and handling (see below) to all orders except copies of Birth and Death Certificates.
    • The Archives may refuse to make copies of records that may be harmed in the process.
    • Fees may be discounted for State Agencies, reproductions that will be used in a classroom, History Day student projects, and similar uses.
    • Reproductions of electronic files may be subject to use fees. Consult our Use of Reproductions Permission Form via (PDF) or (Direct Submit) .
    • Research and copy orders are handled in the order in which they are received. Please allow 6-8 weeks for processing. All fees are nonrefundable.

    Reference By Mail

    Research Fee

    • $20.00 per name or indexed record(s) searched

    Research Procedures

    • Archives staff will search for one name or item in one series of original records. Genealogical requests should be submitted using the Research Request Forms.
    • Research fees include up to 10 pages of copying. Additional copies will be provided at the rates listed below.
    • Archives staff does not search digitized microfilm of county records or of other materials that are not housed in the Archives.
    • The Archives cannot search unindexed or unarranged records. 

    Copy Fees

    Paper Copies

    • $0.50 per page (8.5" x 11" | 8.5" x 14" | 11" x 17")

    Birth and Death Certificates

    • $5.00 per record (uncertified only)
    • Use Vital Records Request Form via (PDF) or (Direct Submit)

    Land Records (warrants, surveys, and patents)

    • $5.00 per record (uncertified)
    • $20.00 per record (certified)
    • Use Land Records Order Form via (PDF) or (Direct Submit) 

    Digital Scanning

    • Color, High-Resolution Scans
      • $10.00 per scan (Scans up to 23" x 33")
      • $30.00 per scan (Scans larger than 23" x 33") 
    • B/W, Low-Resolution Scans (PDF only)
      • $0.50 per scan (Scans up to 11" x 17")
    • Scanning fee includes CD, DVD, e-mail transmission, or delivery via Microsoft OneDrive download
    • $10.00 for files provided on USB drive

    Existing Digital Files

    • $5.00 per file
    • Fee includes CD, DVD, e-mail transmission, or delivery via Microsoft OneDrive download
    • $10.00 for files provided on USB drive

    Digitized Microfilm Duplicates

    • $15.00 per digitized roll 
    • Fee includes delivery via Microsoft OneDrive download
    • $10.00 for files provided on USB drive

    Audiovisual Materials

    • In-House Conversion Rates
      • $50.00 setup fee per order
      • $25.00 per half hour for conversion from audio or video original to digital
      • Fee includes CD, DVD, e-mail transmission or delivery via Microsoft OneDrive download
      • $10.00 for files provided on USB drive
      • $50.00 plus vendor's charge for special needs

    • Outsourced Vendor Conversion Rates
      • $50.00 setup fee plus any vendor charges for conversion
      • The State Archives cannot currently convert reel-to-reel motion picture films, Umatic videotapes, or other selected media depending on physical condition, to a digital format; vendor rates will apply to media that cannot be digitized at the Archives

    Certificate of Authenticity

    • $15.00 per record for a certificate of authenticity with raised, gold seal

    Use Fees

    • Use fees are assessed per image or for first 3 minutes of audiovisual material
    • Under 5,000 circulation/print run:
      • $40.00 commercial use
      • $20.00 nonprofit use
    • Circulation/print run of 5,000 or over:
      • $100.00 commercial use
      • $50.00 nonprofit use
    • Broadcast use, commercials, motion pictures, radio/television productions:
      • $200.00 commercial use
      • $100.00 nonprofit use
    • Webpage Use:
      • $40.00 commercial use
      • $20.00 nonprofit use
    • Use the Use of Reproductions Permission Form via (PDF) or (Direct Submit)

     

    Shipping and Handling

    For orders totaling:

    • $20.00 or less = FREE
    • $20.01-$100.00 = $5.00
    • Over $100.00 = $25.00