Guide
How to Search County Records
Select Your County
Choose a county from the grid below to access that county's official public records portal, court system, and government offices.
Identify the Record Type
Decide what you need: court records, property deeds, vital records, business filings, or tax assessment records, each is held by a different county office.
Search Online or In Person
Most counties offer online search portals for court dockets and property records. Vital records often require an in-person visit or mail request to the county clerk.
Pay Any Required Fees
Certified-copy fees vary by county, agency, record type, and certification. Check the official custodian's current fee schedule before ordering. Many basic online index searches are free.
Verify Identity if Required
Some records (sealed court cases, restricted vital records) require proof of identity or legal standing. Have your government-issued ID ready.
Guide
What Records Are Available
- Court RecordsCivil, criminal, family court, probate, traffic cases
- Property RecordsDeeds, mortgages, tax assessments, liens, transfers
- Vital RecordsBirth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates
- Business RecordsBusiness licenses, DBAs, UCC filings, permits
- Voter RegistrationRegistered voters, party affiliation, districts
- Tax RecordsProperty tax assessments, payment history, exemptions
Guide
Select a County in Alabama
Back to Alabama Public Records
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State Directory
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Straight answers
Alabama County Public Records, questions
Are county records public information?
Yes. Alabama's Public Records Law, Code of Alabama section 36-12-40, gives every citizen the right to inspect and copy the public writings held by county offices, including deeds, court files and property assessments. The main exceptions are juvenile, adoption and sealed court files, plus vital records: Alabama keeps birth certificates confidential for 125 years and death certificates for 25 years.
How much do certified copies cost?
A certified Alabama birth or death certificate costs $15, which covers the search and one copy, with extra copies of the same record $6 each when ordered at the same time and $15 more to expedite. Court case lookups through Alacourt Access, the state court system's public portal, cost $9.99 per case, and each county probate office sets its own per-page fee for deed and mortgage copies.
Can I search county records online?
Court cases from every Alabama county are searchable statewide through Alacourt Access, the paid public portal of the Alabama court system. Deeds, mortgages and liens are recorded by each county's probate judge, and many probate offices post their indexes online or through a records vendor. Birth and death certificates cannot be searched online; they are ordered at any county health department, by mail from the Center for Health Statistics, or online through VitalChek.
What identification do I need?
Court files, deeds and other open county records need no ID. Restricted vital records do: an Alabama birth certificate less than 125 years old or a death certificate less than 25 years old is issued only to the person named on the record, close family members or a legal representative, and the Department of Public Health requires valid identification before it releases one.
How long does it take to receive records?
County health departments issue most Alabama birth and death certificates while you wait. Mail requests to the Center for Health Statistics take about 7 to 10 days, or less with the $15 expedite fee. Alacourt Access shows court case details immediately, and probate copy requests are filled by the county office that holds the record.