When was Luzerne County founded?

Luzerne County was founded in 1786, formed from Northumberland County, and named after Anne-César, Chevalier de la Luzerne.

What is the county seat of Luzerne County?

The county seat of Luzerne County is Wilkes-Barre.

Is there an online parcel map for Luzerne County?

Yes. Luzerne County publishes a parcel map of 176,385 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.

Has Luzerne County's boundary or name changed?

Luzerne County was created in 1786 from Northumberland County. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 9 later changes, chiefly involving Bradford County, Lycoming County and Ontario County.

Who issues building permits in Luzerne County?

The county's page on building permits: Driveway Permits. Inside a city or town, ask that city first.

Who issues septic and well permits in Luzerne County?

The county's page on septic systems and wells: Luz-Wyo Co Mental Health & Developmental Services.

Is my lot in a flood zone?

We do not have flood maps for Luzerne County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.

County · code 42079

Luzerne CountyPennsylvania

Luzerne County is a county in Pennsylvania, with its seat in Wilkes-Barre, formed in 1786.

Founded1786
County seatWilkes-Barre
Named forAnne-César, Chevalier de la Luzerne
Land area890 sq mi + 16 sq mi water
Population325,594 2020 Census
Parcels mapped176,385 checked 15 October 2026

Open the free map Click any parcel in Luzerne County: acreage, parcel id, address and who publishes the map. No sign-in.

Updated 19 October 2026

Census outline · seat marked

History

Formed in 1786 from Northumberland County

An old deed may name a county that no longer exists, or a boundary that has since moved.

Luzerne County was created from Northumberland County on September 25, 1786, and named after Anne-César, Chevalier de la Luzerne. Over the following decades, Luzerne County's boundaries changed significantly as new counties were formed from its territory and neighboring counties were added to it, including losses to Lycoming, Schuylkill, Wyoming, and Lackawanna, and gains from Northumberland, Ontario (now Bradford), Columbia, and Lycoming.

Boundary changes from the Newberry Library, Atlas of Historical County Boundaries; the 5 that matter most are shown first.

1786
Luzerne County created Luzerne created from Northumberland.
from Northumberland
25 September 1786 · Pa. Stat., ch. 1244, sec. 1/12:300-301
1804
Lost territory Luzerne lost to Lycoming.
to Lycoming
2 April 1804 · Pa. Stat., ch. 2506, sec. 1/17:846-847
1808
Gained territory Luzerne gained from Northumberland.
from Northumberland
28 March 1808 · Pa. Stat., ch. 2988, sec. 1/18:887
1811
Gained territory Luzerne gained from Ontario (now Bradford).
from Ontariofrom Bradford
28 March 1811 · Pa. Laws 1810-1811, ch. 86, sec. 1/pp. 114-115
1815
Gained territory Luzerne gained from Columbia and Lycoming.
from Columbia from Lycoming
21 February 1815 · Pa. Laws 1814-1815, ch. 35, sec. 1/pp. 43-44

Show all 15 changes (10 more, mostly small adjustments)

1786
Luzerne County created Luzerne created from Northumberland.
from Northumberland
25 September 1786 · Pa. Stat., ch. 1244, sec. 1/12:300-301
1786
Boundary clarified Boundary between Luzerne and Northumberland redefined (no change).
with Northumberlandno change
27 December 1786 · Pa. Stat., ch. 1256, sec. 8/12:343
1787
Boundary clarified Boundary between Luzerne and Northumberland redefined (no change).
with Northumberlandno change
29 September 1787 · Pa. Stat., ch. 1323, sec. 3/12:588
1795
Boundary clarified Boundary between Luzerne and Northampton clarified (no change).
with Northamptonno change
17 April 1795 · Pa. Stat., ch. 1848, sec. 1/15:312
1804
Lost territory Luzerne lost to Lycoming.
to Lycoming
2 April 1804 · Pa. Stat., ch. 2506, sec. 1/17:846-847
1808
Gained territory Luzerne gained from Northumberland.
from Northumberland
28 March 1808 · Pa. Stat., ch. 2988, sec. 1/18:887
1810
Lost territory Luzerne lost to the creation of both Ontario (now Bradford) and Susquehanna, and lost small area to Lycoming. Part of Ontario (now Bradford) and Susquehanna attached to Luzerne.
to Ontario to Bradford to Susquehannato Lycoming
21 February 1810 · Pa. Laws 1809-1810, ch. 30, secs. 1-3/p. 32-33
1811
Gained territory Luzerne gained from Ontario (now Bradford).
from Ontariofrom Bradford
28 March 1811 · Pa. Laws 1810-1811, ch. 86, sec. 1/pp. 114-115
1812
Changed Bradford and Susquehanna detached from Luzerne.
Bradford Susquehanna
13 October 1812 · Pa. Laws 1811-1812, ch. 109, sec. 2/p. 164
1815
Gained territory Luzerne gained from Columbia and Lycoming.
from Columbia from Lycoming
21 February 1815 · Pa. Laws 1814-1815, ch. 35, sec. 1/pp. 43-44
1818
Lost territory Luzerne lost to Schuylkill.
to Schuylkill
3 March 1818 · Pa. Laws 1817-1818, ch. 67, sec. 1/pp. 130-131
1843
Lost territory Luzerne lost to the creation of Wyoming.
to Wyoming
1 May 1843 · Pa. Laws 1842, no. 79, sec. 1/p. 222, and no. 104, sec. 1/p. 306
1860
Boundary clarified Boundary between Luzerne and Columbia clarified (no change).
with Columbiano change
2 April 1860 · Pa. Laws 1860, no. 469, sec. 1/pp. 560-561
1861
Boundary clarified Boundary between Luzerne and Columbia clarified (no change).
with Columbiano change
1 May 1861 · Pa. Laws 1861, no. 394, sec. 1/p. 424
1878
Lost territory Luzerne lost to the creation of Lackawanna.
to Lackawanna
21 August 1878 · Pa. Arch., 4th ser., 9:662-663

Land and parcels

What the maps cover in Luzerne

Who publishes each layer, how good it is, and when we last checked.

Parcels Good enough

Lot lines and tax-map numbers for 176,385 parcels from Luzerne County. Drawn for tax purposes: usually within a few feet of a survey, but not a survey.
checked 15 October 2026
Address points Missing

No public address points layer found for Luzerne County yet.
Buildings Reference

Roof outlines traced from aerial imagery from FEMA Response Geospatial Office with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Good for seeing what is on a lot; not accurate enough to set a fence from.
checked 18 October 2026

Official: from the office that keeps the record
Good enough: a reliable statewide or national copy
Fallback: a guide only; check the official record
Missing: nothing public found yet

People and land

Luzerne by the Census

Population

325,594 2020 Census count

Housing units

150,693 2020 Census count

Land area

890 square miles

Water area

16 square miles

People per sq mi

366 population ÷ land area

Source: US Census Bureau, 2020 Census; US Census Bureau, 2020 Gazetteer Files. Not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Rules and offices

Who to ask before you build, dig or sell

Official county pages only. We link to them; we do not copy them, because they change.

Inside a city or town, permits usually come from that city rather than the county.

Records

Assessor and property recordsfrom luzernecounty.org · checked 13 October 2026
Clerk of court: deeds and plats
Clerk of Council
from luzernecounty.org · checked 13 October 2026

Permits

Health department: septic and well
Luz-Wyo Co Mental Health & Developmental Services
from luzernecounty.org · checked 13 October 2026
Driveway Permitsfrom luzernecounty.org
Licenses and Permits Portalfrom luzernecounty.org

Zoning and code

Planning and zoningfrom luzernecounty.org · checked 13 October 2026
Subdivision & Land Development (SALDO)from luzernecounty.org
Ordinancesfrom luzernecounty.org
Passed Ordinancesfrom luzernecounty.org
Zoningfrom luzernecounty.org
Planning & Zoningfrom luzernecounty.org

GIS and maps

County GIS and maps 570-825-1550from luzernecounty.org · checked 13 October 2026

County government

County government
The official website of Luzerne County.
luzernecounty.org

See your own lot on these maps

Open Luzerne County on Parcel Chart's free map and click your parcel. Save it with a free account; the full record of your place (site map, projects, documents) is Pro, in early access.

Open the free map no sign-in Pro early access

Questions

Common questions about Luzerne County

When was Luzerne County founded?: Luzerne County was founded in 1786, formed from Northumberland County, and named after Anne-César, Chevalier de la Luzerne.
What is the county seat of Luzerne County?: The county seat of Luzerne County is Wilkes-Barre.
Is there an online parcel map for Luzerne County?: Yes. Luzerne County publishes a parcel map of 176,385 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.
Has Luzerne County's boundary or name changed?: Luzerne County was created in 1786 from Northumberland County. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 9 later changes, chiefly involving Bradford County, Lycoming County and Ontario County.
Who issues building permits in Luzerne County?: The county's page on building permits: Driveway Permits. Inside a city or town, ask that city first.
Who issues septic and well permits in Luzerne County?: The county's page on septic systems and wells: Luz-Wyo Co Mental Health & Developmental Services.
Is my lot in a flood zone?: We do not have flood maps for Luzerne County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.

Nearby