Maryland, county records

Dorchester County, Maryland Public Records

Find the right office in Dorchester 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 Dorchester County records

Every card below goes to the government office responsible for that record. Use the category buttons to narrow the list.

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Showing 10 official sources

Official

Property records

Dorchester County Property Information

The Dorchester County property search gives the owner, the parcel number, the legal description and the assessed value of each parcel in the county.

sdat.dat.maryland.gov
Open official site Dorchester County Property Information
Official

State records

Dorchester Voter Registration

The Maryland State Board of Elections sets out who may register in Dorchester County and how to register online, by mail or in person at the county board of elections.

elections.maryland.gov
Open official site Dorchester Voter Registration
Official

City records

Dorchester County Library

The Dorchester County public library gives readers its catalogue, its online databases and the local history and genealogy collections it holds for the county.

dorchesterlibrary.org
Open official site Dorchester County Library

Local record guide

About public records in Dorchester County

County profile

Dorchester County at a glance

State
Maryland
County seat
Cambridge
Population
32,531
Area
983 sq mi
Founded
1669
Cities and towns
16

Dorchester County offices and records

Sheriff & Law Enforcement. Dorchester County Sheriff's Office is responsible for maintaining law and order in Dorchester County's unincorporated areas.

Police Departments. In addition to Dorchester County Sheriff's Office, several municipal police departments operate within Dorchester County. These agencies collaborate with the Sheriff's Office on major crimes and emergencies, making sure of full law enforcement coverage across Dorchester County.

Law Enforcement & Arrests. Dorchester County Sheriff's Office, headquartered at 501 Court Lane, Cambridge, MD 21613, is the primary law enforcement agency for unincorporated areas of Dorchester County. Dorchester County Detention Center, operated by the Sheriff's Office at the same Court Lane location, houses pre-trial detainees and sentenced inmates. The City of Cambridge operates its own Cambridge Police Department, located at 101 Locust Street, Cambridge, MD 21613, providing municipal law enforcement services within city limits. Arrest records in Dorchester County are considered public information under the Maryland Public Information Act (Maryland Code, General Provisions Article §4-101 et seq.).

Arrest Records. Arrest records in Dorchester County are maintained by Dorchester County Sheriff's Office. Residents and attorneys can request arrest records by submitting a formal request to the Sheriff's Office, adhering to the guidelines set forth by the Maryland Public Information Act.

Jail & Inmate Records. Inmate lookup services are available through the Sheriff's Office, allowing family members and legal representatives to find information about current detainees.

Mugshots & Booking Photos. Mugshots in Dorchester County are taken and retained by Dorchester County Sheriff's Office during the booking process at the detention center. While some mugshots may be available online through the Sheriff's Office website or third-party services, Maryland law provides certain privacy protections.

Abandoned mine records

Old mine workings in Dorchester County

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

From the old mine records

What is on record in Dorchester County

Old mine sites
3
Still producing
1
Main minerals
Limestone, General; construction sand and gravel; Iron
Holes drawn on the old survey maps
22
Shafts and tunnels
0
What they are
sand pit, open pit mine or quarry, gravel pit
Maps surveyed
1944 to 1988

Is an old working under a property here?

The mine records hold 4 named mine sites inside the county, 3 of them worked out or abandoned; the old survey maps add 22 holes drawn inside the county, 0 of them shafts or tunnels. The minerals the records name are Limestone, General; construction sand and gravel; Iron.

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. Maryland's coal mining is confined to Allegany and Garrett Counties.

Dorchester 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.
Maryland mine map and abandoned mine records
Named workings recorded in Dorchester County (4 shown, 22 unnamed on the map)

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

Dorchester County public-records FAQs

Open only the answer you need.

Where can I find mugshots or booking photos in Dorchester County, Maryland?

Booking photos are kept by the agency that made the arrest, such as the Dorchester County Sheriff's Office or a city police department in Dorchester County. Ask that agency for its record. Maryland Commercial Law Article 14-1324: a website that charges a fee to remove arrest photos must remove a person's photo, free, within 30 days of a written request when the record was expunged or shielded or the judgment was vacated.

How do I get a criminal background check in Dorchester County, Maryland?

The Maryland criminal history record comes from the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, Criminal Justice Information System Central Repository. Fingerprint based only: in Maryland, go to any authorized fingerprinting location; outside Maryland, request a fingerprint card from the Central Repository, P.O. Box 32708, Pikesville, Maryland 21282-2708. Fee: State background check only: $18.00 by mail, $38.00 in person (includes the $20.00 CJIS service fee).

How can I look up sex offenders in Dorchester County, Maryland?

Search the Maryland Sex Offender Registry (DPSCS), 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 Dorchester County, Maryland?

Register with the local board of elections or through the Maryland State Board of Elections. You can also register online with the state online registration. Same day registration: yes, at an early voting center in your county or at your assigned election day polling place, with a document that proves where you live.

How do I look up property records in Dorchester County, Maryland?

Deeds and other recorded land documents in Dorchester County are kept by the Dorchester County Department of Land Records in the county Circuit Court Clerk's Office. Property values are set by the State Department of Assessments and Taxation, and tax bills come from the county or Baltimore City finance office or treasurer. Source: official state page.

How do I get a birth or death certificate in Dorchester County, Maryland?

Certified birth and death certificates for Maryland come from the Maryland Department of Health, Division of Vital Records. Some Maryland local health departments issue birth and death certificates to walk in customers; their fees vary by jurisdiction. By mail with the application, payment, a self addressed envelope and a copy of your ID to the Division of Vital Records, P.O. Box 68760, Baltimore, MD 21215-0036; online through VitalChek Network, the independent company the office has partnered with; or at some local health departments. Fee: $10.00 for a birth certificate and $10.00 for a death certificate ($12.00 for each additional death copy in the same transaction).

How do I find business license records in Dorchester County, Maryland?

Business entity filings are searched with the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation (Maryland Business Express). Maryland Business Express says some areas require a local business license; contact your county's office of inspections, licensing or permits, or your county's Clerk of the Circuit Court.

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.