Reading PA Death Records
Reading obituary and death records are available through Berks County and the Pennsylvania Division of Vital Records. Reading is the county seat of Berks County and home to about 95,000 residents. Founded in 1748, Reading is one of the older cities in Pennsylvania and carries a long record-keeping history. Death certificates from 1906 to the present are held by the state. The Berks County Register of Wills holds older records and estate files. The Reading Public Library is a key resource for historical obituaries in local newspapers. This guide covers where to search for Reading death records and how to get certified copies.
Reading Quick Facts
Where to Find Reading Death Records
The Berks County Register of Wills is the main local office for Reading death records. The office is at 633 Court Street, 4th Floor, Reading, PA 19601. Phone is 610-478-6370. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The Register of Wills holds historical birth and death records from 1893 to 1906, the period just before Pennsylvania required statewide death registration. Estate records and probate files go from 1885 to the present. These estate files frequently include a copy of the death certificate as part of the filing.
For Reading deaths from 1906 to the present, certified copies come from the Pennsylvania Division of Vital Records. The fee is $20 per certified copy. You can order online at pa.gov death certificates or through VitalChek. Mail requests go to the Division of Vital Records, PO Box 1528, New Castle, PA 16103. There is no walk-in vital records office in Reading itself, so most local residents use mail or the online option. Check current wait times at pa.gov processing times.
| Office | Berks County Register of Wills |
|---|---|
| Address | 633 Court Street, 4th Floor, Reading, PA 19601 |
| Phone | 610-478-6370 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM |
| Records | Death and birth records 1893-1906; estate records 1885-present |
Note: Online marriage license searches through the Berks County Register of Wills cover records from 1996 to the present. For older marriage records, an in-person visit or written request is required.
How to Order a Reading PA Death Certificate
Ordering a certified Reading death certificate is a straightforward process through the state. The $20 fee applies to each certified copy. Online orders through the state portal or VitalChek process faster than mail in most cases. Mailed applications take longer, especially when volume is high.
Your application must include a copy of your photo ID and proof of your eligibility to receive the record. Immediate family members are eligible requesters. Legal representatives with proper documentation can also request copies. For genealogical research, Pennsylvania law allows broader access to death records over 50 years old. The rules for genealogical access are described at pa.gov genealogy vital records.
Reading death certificates from 1906 through 1968 are also available through Ancestry.com as part of a digitization project with the Pennsylvania State Archives. You can access these at no charge in-branch at the Reading Public Library, which provides free access to Ancestry Library Edition. The state archives portal at PA State Archives vital statistics links to these digital records.
Reading Public Library Obituary Collection
The Reading Public Library is one of the best resources for Reading obituary research. The main library is at 100 South Fifth Street, Reading, PA 19602. Phone is 610-655-6355. The genealogy and local history department holds Reading newspapers on microfilm, obituary indexes, Berks County histories, and atlases. The library houses the Berks County Genealogical Society collection, which adds significant depth for researchers tracing Reading families.
Obituary indexes at the Reading Public Library cover multiple decades of Reading newspaper obituaries. These indexes let you quickly find an obituary notice without reading through every issue of a newspaper. Reference librarians assist with genealogy research and can help you identify what records exist for a specific time period in Reading. The library's collection of Berks County histories and atlases can provide community context that helps place individual deaths within the broader story of Reading.
Free in-branch access to Ancestry Library Edition at the Reading Public Library gives researchers access to digitized death records, the Reading newspapers database, and national obituary collections. This is a significant resource, especially for people who cannot afford a personal Ancestry subscription. Programs on local history are offered at the library and may be relevant to ongoing death record or genealogy research in the Reading area.
Historical Reading Obituary Records
Reading was founded in 1748, making it one of Pennsylvania's oldest cities. Known as the "Pretzel City," it has a deep industrial and railroad history. That history produced active newspaper coverage from an early date, and those newspapers are a rich source of historical obituaries for Reading residents.
The Historical Society of Berks County at 940 Centre Avenue, Reading, PA 19601, phone 610-375-4375, holds extensive archives for the Reading area. The library contains manuscripts, newspapers, and photographs. Obituary indexes for Berks County newspapers are maintained at the society. Family papers and organizational records often contain death notices and letters that fill in gaps left by official records. Research assistance is available for genealogical inquiries, and educational programs are offered to the public. The museum features exhibits on county history that can provide valuable context for understanding Reading deaths in different eras.
For early Reading deaths before 1893, church records and cemetery registers are often the best surviving sources. Many churches in Reading have published their burial records, and the Historical Society of Berks County holds transcriptions of a number of them. Cemetery records can establish death dates and family connections even when no formal death certificate exists. The Berks County Services Center at 633 Court Street also houses the Clerk of Judicial Records office on the second floor, which holds additional historical county materials.
Note: The Reading Pagoda, overlooking the city from Mount Penn, is a local landmark that often appears in Reading obituary notices as a reference point for cemetery locations and neighborhood affiliations.
Reading Genealogy Resources
Reading and Berks County have a well-developed network of genealogy resources. Together they cover Reading deaths from the colonial era through the present.
The Berks County Register of Wills online system allows marriage license searches from 1996 to the present. Estate records can be searched in person or by written request. Probate files for Reading residents often contain certified death certificates as well as wills and heir information. The office at 633 Court Street handles both old and new records for the Reading area. The probate process creates detailed public records that can confirm deaths and establish family relationships going back to 1885.
The PHMC archives research portal provides links to multiple Pennsylvania digital collections relevant to Reading and Berks County. These tools let researchers begin a search before making an in-person visit. For the full picture of Pennsylvania vital records law and access rules, the administrative code at pacodeandbulletin.gov chapter 1 outlines the registration requirements and eligibility rules for obtaining Reading death records. Orphans court records in Berks County can be accessed through the clerk system listed at pacourts.us orphans court clerks.
Berks County Death Records
Reading is the county seat of Berks County. County-level death records include Register of Wills estate files, historical pre-registration deaths, and probate materials. The Berks County death records page has additional information on county offices and resources.
Nearby Pennsylvania Cities
Other cities in eastern Pennsylvania have their own death record offices and library resources. Select a city to find obituary and death record information for that area.