About Georgia Public Records

• Georgia Records HubMain directory
• Cities & Counties535 cities • 159 counties
• Court RecordsGeorgia courts
• Criminal RecordsBackground checks
• Vital RecordsBirth, death, marriage
• DMV RecordsDriver & vehicle
• Property RecordsReal estate & assets
• GenealogyHistorical research

The top providers of records in Georgia are the administration office of the courts, Secretary of State, department of public health, and county Assessors. Other than larger departments which provide records on a daily basis, there are services from the state and local governments to obtain information, files and more from lesser frequently thought of departments. The Georgia Technology Authority maintains an open felon search from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation is one example. Instant data bases also search professional licenses, inmates, property and case files. A directory of larger and smaller government departments, together, offer a vast number of public sources to help conduct an effective search.

Georgia, also known as the "Peach State", was the 4th state to enter the Union in January of 1788. The state's agriculture leads the U.S. in peanut and pecan production. The economy also benefits by production of cotton, tobacco, soybean and corn. However, the service industry is the state's largest sector. Georgia is the 23rd largest state with just over 59 thousand square miles and ranks 9th most populous with approximately 9.5 million residents. Georgia consists of 159 counties, the most in the U.S. after Texas with 254. The entire state is part of one county or another including the barrier islands along the Atlantic ocean. Georgia counties function as an arm of the state government and deal with local issues. There are 535 municipalities that can be called cites, towns or villages. There are no legal differences between the various types of municipalities. The largest cities are Atlanta with over 400,000 residents followed by Augusta, Columbus and Savannah. Cities elect local officials such as the mayor, boards and commissions. Counties and cities provide local services through its various agencies and departments to serve the residents of Georgia. The Georgia Open Records and Meetings Act ensures residents of the state a transparent government. These statutes also known as the Georgia Sunshine Laws provide that records and information held by governments are open to the public. With exceptions to confidentiality and privacy, open records and meeting laws allow Georgians access to information about their governments. Private citizens, journalists and groups often make request for information for reasons ranging from uncovering a story of overspending and corruption to personal purposes such as ordering recorded documents. All Georgia departments and divisions fall under the Freedom of Information Act. Conducting a Georgia background check is made possible by collecting many records obtained from state and local government agencies. Recorded criminal offenses are an essential part of background searches. The Georgia Crime Information Center from the state's bureau of investigations provides a requestor with criminal reports of felony convictions. Arrests in Georgia can be obtained with the consent of the person being checked. Individuals looking for employment that are required to present a current driving history can obtain their motor vehicle record (MVR) with online request using the State of Georgia Department of Driver Services official website. Court records can be searched by counties for history of lawsuits, criminal cases, divorce filings and trials from various jurisdictions. Locating a person's address and obtaining a history of a subject's previous residences may show that a search expanded to the outside of Georgia is necessary for a complete background check. Locating Georgia assets can be challenging for anyone not familiar with the availability of information. Financial records such as bank accounts and certain investments are protected under Georgia and federal privacy laws. Asset information can be obtained such as property ownership from the Georgia Superior Court Clerks Cooperative Authority. Find business ownership with an instant free database search provided by the Georgia Secretary of State. Using a public record directory of the best found Georgia sites online to conduct a complete background investigation or looking up a single recorded document can be made simple and easy. Find out where to order the Georgia records you are seeking from the specific department. Lookup and verify information with instant databases without browsing the web resulting in unrelated sources.

Access Georgia Courts online directly. Search court records; from Georgia county courts to Supreme courts. Find criminal filings, Georgia dissolution of marriage or divorce records from official state websites. File small claims lawsuits. Bankruptcy courts by jurisdiction or by districts. Georgia state courts contact information such as telephone numbers and more.

Criminal, civil and divorce records in Georgia can be held by more than one court, so search each court that may hold the case. The official court site below lists the Georgia courts and how to reach each one.

• Georgia courts directoryFind each court in Georgia

Georgia criminal records are managed by the Georgia Crime Information Center (GCIC) under the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI). Georgia criminal history records can be obtained from local Sheriff or Police Departments. The GCIC Lobby Office provides assistance with criminal history inquiries, record restrictions, and record inspections by appointment only. Court records are accessible through the Georgia Courts eAccess portal with various provider systems. The GBI maintains the Georgia Sex Offender Registry. The Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) provides a Find an Offender tool searchable by name, description, ID, or case number.

Certified copies of Georgia birth and death certificates are issued by the Georgia Department of Public Health. Marriage records are also kept by the local office that issued the license, and divorce records by the court that granted the divorce.

• Georgia vital recordsGeorgia Department of Public Health

Georgia.gov lists the state's organizations, and the Georgia General Assembly posts bills and laws.

• Georgia state organizationsOfficial list on Georgia.gov
• Georgia General AssemblyBills, laws and members

The Georgia Department of Driver Services keeps driving histories, and the Department of Revenue Motor Vehicle Division handles registration.

• Georgia DDS driving history (MVR)Department of Driver Services
• Georgia vehicle registration and platesDepartment of Revenue

Georgia calls expungement record restriction (O.C.G.A. 35-3-37). A restricted record is hidden from most non criminal justice checks once the prosecuting attorney approves it; for arrests before July 1, 2013 you apply at the arresting agency.

• Record restrictions in GeorgiaGeorgia Courts self help
• GBI record restrictionsGeorgia Bureau of Investigation

For family history, start with the Georgia Archives and its Virtual Vault.

• Georgia ArchivesState government records and research help
• Georgia Archives Virtual VaultDigitized records from the Georgia Archives

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation posts the unsolved missing persons cases it assists with; report other cases to local police.

• GBI Missing PersonsGeorgia Bureau of Investigation
• NamUsU.S. Justice Department database of missing and unidentified people

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