Kentucky, county records

Bell County, Kentucky Public Records

Find the right office in Bell County. Court cases, deeds and parcels, sheriff and jail records, vital records and county filings, each linked to the office that keeps them.

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Most requested Bell County records

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Showing 7 official sources

Official

County court

Kentucky Federal Resources

Kentucky.gov's government section links to state agencies, the legislature, open records requests, state spending and employee salary data, and voter registration and polling place lookups.

kentucky.gov
Open official site Kentucky Federal Resources
Official

City records

Bell County Clerk Site

Bell County Clerk Site, the office that keeps county filings and public records, with the copies and searches it publishes.

bellcountyclerk.ky.gov
Open official site Bell County Clerk Site

Local record guide

About public records in Bell County

County profile

Bell County at a glance

State
Kentucky
County seat
Pineville
Population
24,097
Area
361 sq mi
Founded
1867
Cities and towns
12

Bell County offices and records

Sheriff & Law Enforcement. Bell County Sheriff's Office is responsible for law enforcement in the unincorporated areas of Bell County.

Police Departments. Law enforcement in Bell County is provided by Bell County Sheriff's Office and municipal police departments, including the Pineville Police Department and the Middlesboro Police Department.

Law Enforcement & Arrests. Bell County Sheriff's Office, located at 101 Courthouse Square in Pineville, Kentucky 40977, is the primary law enforcement agency for unincorporated areas of Bell County. Within Bell County, municipal police departments include the Pineville Police Department, which serves the county seat, and the Middlesboro Police Department, which serves the largest city in Bell County with a population of approximately 24,098 residents.

Criminal Records. Individuals seeking to run a background check in Kentucky can access records through the Kentucky Court of Justice's online portal or request information from the Kentucky State Police.

Arrest Records. Arrest records in Bell County are maintained by Bell County Sheriff's Office and the local police departments. Residents and attorneys can request arrest records by contacting the Sheriff's Office or the relevant police department.

Mugshots & Booking Photos. These booking photos are part of the public record and can be accessed through the Sheriff's Office or online databases that compile arrest information.

Abandoned mine records

Old mine workings in Bell County

Where the workings are, and the office that holds the mine maps.

From the old mine records

What is on record in Bell County

Old mine sites
4
Still producing
2
Main minerals
Clay; Silica; Limestone, Dimension
Holes drawn on the old survey maps
336
Shafts and tunnels
255
What they are
adit, open pit mine or quarry, strip mine, tipple
Maps surveyed
1946 to 1979

Is an old working under a property here?

The mine records hold 6 named mine sites inside the county, 4 of them worked out or abandoned; the old survey maps add 336 holes drawn inside the county, 255 of them shafts or tunnels. The minerals the records name are Clay; Silica; Limestone, Dimension.

A point in either file is a location, not a property line: the sheet shows the opening on the surface, not the rooms under it. The record that shows what runs under a parcel is the mine map. The OSMRE National Mine Map Repository holds scanned underground mine maps and answers requests for a named mine or an area.

1 mile
Bell County: the boundary from the Census Bureau, and one dot for each old mine or hole on record inside it. The purple dots come off the old survey maps and the darkest of those are shafts and tunnels; the red, green and orange ones are mine records. Hover a dot for its name.
Kentucky mine map and abandoned mine records
Named workings recorded in Bell County (206 shown, 136 unnamed on the map)

Rows taken off the old survey maps open the USGS record of what sits at that spot, because no single feature on those maps has a page of its own. Rows from the mine records open their own USGS page.

Disclaimer: The mine information here is for general information only. Old mine records can be incomplete, outdated or wrong, and finding nothing here does not mean there is nothing there. Check with the mine map office named here before you rely on it, and have a qualified engineer look at any ground you are worried about. PublicRecordCenter.com assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors, omissions, or consequences arising from the use of this information.

Straight answers

Bell County public-records FAQs

Open only the answer you need.

Where can I find mugshots or booking photos in Bell County, Kentucky?

Booking photos are kept by the agency that made the arrest, such as the county sheriff's office or a city police department. Ask that agency for its record. Under KRS 61.8746, no one may use a booking photograph obtained from a public agency for a commercial purpose on a website or in a publication that charges a fee for its removal; a person can sue for an injunction, costs, attorney's fees and daily damages.

How do I get a criminal background check in Bell County, Kentucky?

The Kentucky criminal history record comes from the Kentucky Administrative Office of the Courts, Records Unit. Name based state court criminal record report online through AOC FastCheck (account or one time request), by mail to Administrative Office of the Courts, Records Unit, 1001 Vandalay Drive, Frankfort, KY 40601, or at the AOC drive thru window. Fee: $25.00 per record request.

How can I look up sex offenders in Bell County, Kentucky?

Search the Kentucky Sex Offender Registry (Kentucky State Police), or every state at once on the National Sex Offender Public Website run by the U.S. Department of Justice.

How do I register to vote in Bell County, Kentucky?

Register with the county clerk or through the Kentucky State Board of Elections. You can also register online with the state online registration. Registration books close on the fourth Tuesday before an election (KRS 116.045(2)); for the 2026 general election the last day to register was Monday, October 5, with online registrations due by 4:00 PM local time.

How do I look up property records in Bell County, Kentucky?

Deeds and other recorded land documents in Bell County are kept by the Bell County clerk. Property values are set by the Property Valuation Administrator, and tax bills come from the county sheriff. Source: official state page.

How do I get a birth or death certificate in Bell County, Kentucky?

Certified birth and death certificates for Kentucky come from the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, Office of Vital Statistics. By mail with a check or money order payable to the Kentucky State Treasurer to Office of Vital Statistics, 275 E. Main St., 1E-A, Frankfort, KY 40621, in person or at the drop box at 275 East Main Street, Frankfort, or online and by phone through VitalChek at (800) 241-8322, the only authorized online and telephone partner. Fee: $10 for each birth certificate (non refundable search fee); $6 for each death, marriage or divorce certificate.

How do I find business license records in Bell County, Kentucky?

Business entity filings are searched with the Kentucky Secretary of State. Kentucky does not have a statewide business license that applies to all businesses; many cities and counties require a local business license or impose an occupational tax.

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Cities, towns and neighboring counties

Use the city page when a record was created by a municipal police department or city office; use the county page for courts, deeds, vital records and jail custody.