How to Access Public Records for Free: Our Favorite Methods
Cindy Ellis - January 17, 2023
Public records are just that – public. Anyone can access things that are determined as public records in order to gain the information listed on these records or perform research.
However, there are many different types of public records and several search methods or websites that can help you with this process. This can be overwhelming to some when you first start looking into where to find certain public records; with so many options, it’s hard to know where to start.
Our article aims to help you understand more about how public records can help you in all areas of your life, and what the best methods of obtaining these records for free are. We even point you in the right direction of where to begin searching so you can get started right away with your public records research.
What Can Public Records Help You With?
Public records include important information such as criminal convictions, civil court records, marriage and divorce information, and custody arrangements. Other types of public records include immigration records, birth and death certificates, business and licensing information, and military or veteran records. Even property records and some types of tax records are also considered public records in many jurisdictions.
Researching public records can help tell you whether or not someone has criminal convictions in the past, verifies someone’s marriage or death records, and helps you determine if a business or licensed professional is legitimate. You can also perform family research utilizing public records and learn more about your ancestry via birth, death, and immigration records. Property records might help you determine the value of your property or how much taxes you might be expected to pay if you purchase a property.
There are many varied and personal reasons that public records might help you throughout your life during searches for information or family history. Read on to learn more about how to get started with your public record search for free.
The Best Methods for Obtaining Free Public Records
Below, we give you the best methods for obtaining free public records. Each of these search methods gives you pointers on how to access a specific type of public record.
You most likely won’t have to pay a fee to access most of these records, but some websites and in-person record offices do charge search fees that are hard to avoid.
Birth Records
Birth records, commonly known as birth certificates, are commonly known as ‘vital records.’ These records may be found online via genealogy websites or your state’s Office of Vital Records. To locate the birth records you need, follow the instructions on your state’s Vital Records website to determine how to access these records either online or in person.
Keep in mind that you may need to try a few different variations of the name of the person you are looking for if their name was changed upon immigration to the country or state, or if they changed their name in adulthood. Be sure you gather all information about the person before reaching out to your state’s Office of Vital Records.
Death Certificates
Death certificates are another type of public record that is typically held by your state’s vital records office. You can utilize family history websites to search for death dates and other information, but if you need a more in-depth record, gather information about the person you are researching and contact the Vital Records office in your jurisdiction.
Marriage and Divorce Records
In most states, marriage and divorce records are kept at a county level. The county clerk’s office, vital records office, or other record-keeping association will typically have both marriage and divorce records.
Search on these websites first, or perform internet searches for marriage licenses and divorce decrees in your state to locate the correct state government or county website to access this information.
Census Information
Census information is a great source of publicly available information. Census records can tell you information about yourself, but other recent census information is generally privacy protected. Once census information becomes public, it becomes part of the National Archives, where you can search for historical census information about anyone.
State Court Records
State court records are those publicly available records, like criminal convictions, traffic infractions, small claims court records, custody arrangements, and occasionally marriage and divorce records.
Different states have varying records available online for the public to look through, and whether or not you can access a specific record depends on state disclosure laws and if there are still current legal proceedings surrounding the case.
Most court records are publicly available via courthouse websites, the county clerk’s office, or other local record-keeping offices. You may need to research which entity holds the specific court records you are searching for before beginning this task.
Federal Court Records
If you are looking for federal court records or court opinions that have become public access, you can use the United States Court system’s PACER database. PACER stands for Public Access to Court Electronic Records, and it provides a great source of researchable information about all kinds of federal cases.
Immigration Records
If you are searching for immigration records of family members in order to complete historical research, both the National Archives and the Ellis Island passenger search databases can help you with this process.
By performing searches via the names of the individuals you believe immigrated, you will be able to access public records about these individuals that might match the individual you are searching for. Make sure to use multiple name variations if you are having trouble finding specific records, as many names became changed during historical immigration proceedings.
Ancestry and genealogy websites may also be a good source of information on immigration records on those coming into America, and they may even provide information about the individual’s history in their home country depending on how much information is publicly available.
Business and Professional License Information
Checking if a business or professional is properly licensed is a part of public record searches. Most states provide an area of their government websites to search for this information; simply type in the professional or business’s name and you should be able to find all related licensing information.
The websites you will utilize for this search will be your state Security of State’s website, the state government’s Department of Commerce, or even a state-level professional licensure board. Check all of these websites to figure out which one has the best information for your research situation.
Military and Veteran Records
Most of the time active military and recent veteran records are only available to designated next of kin or direct relatives of the individual in question.
The United States Government does keep records for all military branches and veteran service members, and to find historical publicly available records of these individuals, you can perform a search via the National Archives. You can read more about locating military members on the U.S. government’s website here.
Property Records
Property records, including certain tax records, are publicly available and commonly listed online for research and disclosure purposes. You can search property records by accessing your county’s online database (if one is available. If not, you will need to visit an in-person county clerk’s office) and searching for the name of the property owner or the property address.
This website can help you figure out which office or record-keeping facility to contact for your state’s specific county.
Is There an Easier Way to Search Public Records?
Searching for all of this public record information separately and utilizing many different websites to do it can be overwhelming, not to mention time-consuming. If you’re looking for an easier way to have all of this public record information at your fingertips without spending days searching, then you might want to consider the search tools on Information.com.
The people search, phone search, and address lookup tools all utilize public records to compile a report on a person and give you vital information about them such as criminal records, marriage and divorce information, birth and death certificates where applicable, and current address or employment history.
You can utilize the information that these search tools return to narrow and refine your searches on other state or federal government websites, and to point you in the right direction for the information you need.
Keep in mind that there is a small fee associated with running searches on Information.com, but these fees might be worth it when you consider how much time you save by not pouring through documents in person or researching through documents over a variety of websites.
Accessing the Public Records You Need
Accessing public records for free is possible, but it can be a time-consuming process. Utilize our list to figure out the best search methods for finding a variety of public records that might be available at the county, state, or federal level.
Remember that some jurisdictions won’t provide access to these public records online, requiring you to visit a records-keeping office in person. As long as you stay patient, check all of the search methods available to you, and ensure that you stay thorough with your searches, you can access all of the public records you need in no time.
