Reading Pennsylvania Arrest Records
Reading arrest records are maintained by the Reading Police Department and the Berks County court system. Reading is the county seat of Berks County and one of the larger cities in eastern Pennsylvania. Criminal cases arising from Reading arrests are filed at the Berks County Courthouse, located just blocks from City Hall. You can search court dockets online at no cost, request police records in writing, or run a certified criminal history check through the Pennsylvania PATCH program.
Reading Quick Facts
Reading Police Department Records
The Reading Police Department maintains arrest records for the city. The department is at Reading City Hall, 815 Washington Street, Reading, PA 19601. Records requests are accepted in person or by mail. The department follows state guidelines for fees and response times.
Written requests for Reading arrest records are processed under the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law. The law at 65 P.S. § 67.101 requires agencies to respond within five business days. Some records may be exempt, including active investigation files and records protected by the Criminal History Record Information Act at 18 Pa.C.S. § 9101. Incident and accident reports are available through the same process.
Reading is the county seat, so city and county operations overlap in many areas. Arrests made by Reading PD feed into the Berks County court system, and records appear in both the city police files and the county clerk's office. For a complete picture of a person's criminal history in Reading, you often need to check both sources.
Berks County Clerk of Courts
The Berks County Clerk of Courts maintains criminal case files for all arrests in the county, including those made in Reading. The office is at the Berks County Courthouse, 633 Court Street, 2nd Floor, Reading, PA 19601. Phone is (610) 478-6550. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM.
Right-to-Know requests for Berks County court records can also be directed to the county's Open Records office. The county's open records phone is (610) 478-6136. Requests are accepted in person, by mail, by email, and by fax. Agencies respond within five business days. Fee schedules follow state guidelines, and records are available for a per-page copy fee once your request is approved.
The Berks County official website at countyofberks.com/departments/clerk-of-courts has the full request process and fee schedule. The image below is from that page and shows how criminal records are organized at the county level.
Criminal case files at the Berks County Courthouse include arrest information, charges, hearing dates, and final dispositions. Cases from Reading Municipal Court and the Court of Common Pleas are both maintained here. Older records may require additional retrieval time from off-site storage.
Note: The Berks County Clerk of Courts office serves both as a public records repository and as the filing office for new criminal cases. In-person visits during business hours allow same-day access to most current files.
Searching Reading Records Online
The Unified Judicial System Portal covers Reading Municipal Court and the Berks County Court of Common Pleas. Access the portal at ujsportal.pacourts.us. You can search by participant name, case number, or filing date. Results are free to view and include charges, hearing dates, dispositions, and case status for Reading criminal cases.
The portal also shows traffic court records, civil small claims cases, and Protection from Abuse filings for the Berks County area. Court calendars are published online and updated regularly. For certified copies of specific dockets or documents, you must contact the Clerk of Courts directly rather than downloading from the portal.
The Berks County Open Records page at countyofberks.com provides forms and instructions for submitting a formal record request. The image below is from that page and reflects the open records process for Reading area cases.
Using the UJS Portal first is the fastest way to find basic case information. If you need certified copies or full file access, follow up with the Clerk of Courts office in person or by mail.
Statewide Criminal History for Reading
The Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History program, known as PATCH, gives access to certified criminal history records that include Reading arrests. The PATCH site is at epatch.pa.gov. The fee is $22 per check. Results include arrest and disposition data from all Pennsylvania agencies, not just the Reading Police Department.
Reading arrest records in the PATCH database are submitted by the Reading Police Department and by other agencies that operate in Berks County, including the Pennsylvania State Police. Form SP 4-164 is used for mail requests to the Pennsylvania State Police. Online requests through the PATCH portal are faster. Notarized copies are available for an extra fee when needed for official use.
For people who have moved to state custody after a Reading conviction, the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections Inmate Locator at inmatelocator.cor.pa.gov tracks current placement. The Pennsylvania State Police main page at pa.gov/agencies/psp has guidance on all state-level record access programs. Appeals for denied Right-to-Know requests go to the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records at openrecords.pa.gov.
Berks County Arrest Records
Reading is the county seat of Berks County. All county-level criminal court records for Reading arrests are filed at the Berks County Courthouse. For the full county resource guide, court contacts, and fee schedules, visit the Berks County arrest records page.
Nearby Pennsylvania Cities
Other cities in eastern Pennsylvania maintain their own arrest records and criminal court files. Select a city below to learn more.