Kentucky, county records

Carter County, Kentucky Public Records

Find the right office in Carter 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 Carter County records

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County court

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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.

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Local record guide

About public records in Carter County

County profile

Carter County at a glance

State
Kentucky
County seat
Grayson
Population
26,627
Area
412 sq mi
Founded
1838
Cities and towns
6

Carter County offices and records

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

Police Departments. Carter County is served by several law enforcement agencies, including Carter County Sheriff's Office and municipal police departments in cities like Grayson and Olive Hill. These agencies collaborate with the Sheriff's Office on major investigations and emergencies, making sure of a coordinated approach to public safety across Carter County.

Law Enforcement & Arrests. Carter County Sheriff's Office, headquartered at 300 West Main Street in Grayson, Kentucky 41143, is the primary law enforcement agency for Carter County's unincorporated areas and operates Carter County Detention Center. Citizens seeking inmate information for Carter County Detention Center can contact the jail directly at the Sheriff's Office number or visit in person during business hours to inquire about current detainees, booking dates, charges, and bond information.

Criminal Records. Residents can request criminal background checks through the Kentucky Court of Justice's online portal or by contacting the Kentucky State Police.

Arrest Records. Arrest records in Carter County are maintained by Carter County Sheriff's Office. Residents and attorneys can request arrest records by contacting the Sheriff's Office directly.

Mugshots & Booking Photos. These booking photos are part of the public record and can be accessed through the detention center's website or by request at the Sheriff's Office.

Abandoned mine records

Old mine workings in Carter County

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

From the old mine records

What is on record in Carter County

Old mine sites
20
Sites with no status in the records
1
Still producing
10
Worked underground, in the mine records
1
Main minerals
Clay; Silica
Holes drawn on the old survey maps
214
Shafts and tunnels
85
What they are
clay pit, adit, strip mine, quarry
Maps surveyed
1950 to 1971
Records behind them
252 records for 245 sites, the rest are the same working written down more than once

Is an old working under a property here?

The mine records hold 31 named mine sites inside the county, 20 of them worked out or abandoned; the old survey maps add 214 holes drawn inside the county, 85 of them shafts or tunnels. The minerals the records name are Clay; Silica.

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
Carter 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 Carter County (91 shown, 154 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

Carter County public-records FAQs

Open only the answer you need.

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

Deeds and other recorded land documents in Carter County are kept by the Carter 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 Carter 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 Carter 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.

Same county

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.