Where to Look in Georgia
The six most productive places to start a people search in Georgia. Each links directly to the official record source.
Official Georgia Sources
State-level databases and agency record portals.
Georgia Courts
Dockets, civil & criminal case filings, judgments.
Property & Tax Records
Deeds, assessor data, owner history, liens.
Inmates & Offenders
State prison rosters, sex offender registries, jails.
Vital Records
Birth, death, marriage, divorce — certified records.
Georgia FAQ
Laws, fees, turnaround, and common questions.
1About Public Records in Georgia
The Georgia Open Records Act (O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70 et seq.) dictates that all public records shall be open for personal inspection. The law states a strong presumption that government records are public, aiming to foster government transparency.
While the law is broad, exemptions exist to protect individual privacy. Medical records, sealed adoption files, juvenile records, and certain law enforcement investigative materials are exempt. Social Security Numbers and financial account details are always redacted from publicly released court and property documents.
2Best Starting Points for Georgia People Search
Because Georgia has 159 counties, starting at the county level without knowing where the subject lives is inefficient. Begin with these statewide portals.
https://sos.ga.gov/corporations
Search all registered LLCs, corporations, and partnerships in the state.
What it's useful for: Identifying an individual's business holdings and obtaining their registered agent address.https://gsccca.org/
The Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority provides a unified statewide index for real estate deeds, liens, and UCC filings.
What it's useful for: Finding property ownership across all 159 counties in a single query (requires a paid subscription).http://www.dcor.state.ga.us/GDC/Offender/Query
The statewide correctional database of current and past state inmates.
What it's useful for: Quickly verifying state felony convictions.3Official State Government Sources
Georgia provides several central portals for interacting with state government and verifying official credentials.
https://georgia.gov/
The main access point for all Georgia state agencies.
What it's useful for: Navigating state bureaucracy and finding specific department contacts.4Court Records
Georgia court records are maintained locally. There is no free, unified statewide portal for all civil and criminal dockets. The state court system consists of Superior Courts (felonies, divorces, major civil cases), State Courts (misdemeanors, civil cases), Magistrate Courts (small claims, warrants), and Probate Courts.
https://www.peachcourt.com/
The official e-filing portal used by many, though not all, Georgia courts.
What it's useful for: Searching dockets and purchasing copies of court filings in participating counties.https://georgiacourts.gov/
Information on judicial circuits and links to local courts.
What it's useful for: Finding the correct local court website.5Property & Tax Records
Property in Georgia is assessed by the County Board of Tax Assessors, and taxes are collected by the County Tax Commissioner. Real estate deeds are recorded by the Clerk of Superior Court.
A massive nuance in Georgia is the reliance on third-party vendors for public access. The majority of Georgia's 159 counties use a platform called qPublic to host their property data.
https://qpublic.schneidercorp.com/
A central portal hosting property assessment data for dozens of Georgia counties.
What it's useful for: Conducting free address and owner searches for county tax records.6Business, Corporate & Licensing Records
The Georgia Secretary of State handles both corporate registrations and professional licensing.
https://sos.ga.gov/verify-professional-license
Verify the status of nurses, contractors, engineers, and dozens of other professions.
What it's useful for: Confirming a subject's professional credentials and finding disciplinary actions.7Corrections & Inmate Locators
The Georgia Department of Corrections handles state prisons. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) handles the state's sex offender registry.
https://gbi.georgia.gov/
Searchable map and database of registered offenders.
What it's useful for: Neighborhood safety and background checks.8Vital Records
The Georgia Department of Public Health maintains state vital records. Birth and death records are not open to the general public; they are restricted to immediate family and legal representatives. Marriage applications and divorce decrees are public and kept at the county level (Probate Court for marriage, Superior Court for divorce).
https://dph.georgia.gov/vitalrecords
Official portal for requesting certificates.
What it's useful for: Obtaining authorized copies of birth or death certificates.9Voter Registration Information
Georgia's "My Voter Page" is an excellent tool for verifying residency. It confirms if a person is registered and their polling location.
https://mvp.sos.ga.gov/s/
The Secretary of State's voter lookup tool.
What it's useful for: Verifying active residency in a specific county.10Archives, Genealogy & Obituary Resources
For historical records, the Georgia Archives in Morrow, GA, holds vast collections. Researchers should also utilize the Social Security Death Index (SSDI) and Chronicling America.
https://www.georgiaarchives.org/
State repository for historical documents, maps, and government records.
What it's useful for: Deep historical and genealogical research.11County & City Research Resources
To perform deep research, you must go to the county level. Here are the major Atlanta-area and statewide hubs:
County: https://www.fultoncountyga.gov/ | Clerk: https://www.fultonclerk.org/
Official records for the core of Atlanta.
What it's useful for: Searching cases and property in Fulton.https://www.cobbcounty.org/
Official portal for Cobb County courts and property.
What it's useful for: Marietta area research.https://www.gwinnettcourts.com/
Comprehensive court portal for Gwinnett.
What it's useful for: Searching dockets in Lawrenceville and surrounding areas.Other major counties include: DeKalb, Chatham (Savannah), Clayton, Cherokee, Hall, Muscogee (Columbus), and Bibb (Macon).
12Georgia People Search Tips & Research Methodology
- Understand the GSCCCA: For $5 a month, the GSCCCA index is the most powerful tool in Georgia for locating property statewide. It tells you exactly which county to check.
- Check Magistrate Courts: Evictions and small claims happen in Magistrate Court, not Superior Court. Ensure you are searching the correct court tier.
- Metro Atlanta Sprawl: Atlanta spans Fulton and DeKalb counties, while the metro area includes Cobb, Gwinnett, and Clayton. Always search all five core counties for metro residents.
In Georgia, divorce records are filed in the Superior Court of the county where the couple lived. Unlike marriage licenses (handled by Probate Court), you must check Superior Court dockets to find divorce decrees.
13Privacy, FOIA & Legal Framework in Georgia
While Georgia's Open Records Act is strong, recent years have seen increased privacy protections, particularly for law enforcement and public officials regarding their home addresses.
Georgia restricts access to driving records (MVRs) under the federal DPPA. You cannot simply look up someone's driving history or license plate in Georgia without a permissible statutory purpose.
Assuming Georgia has a unified statewide court search. Many people search Fulton County and assume a clean record means the subject has no criminal history. They may have a record in neighboring Cobb or DeKalb county.
More Georgia Record Tools
Combine a people search with Georgia-specific record searches for a complete profile. These companion directories are already live on PublicRecordCenter.com:
Search People in Other States
Every state's public records system works differently. Click any state for its dedicated people-search directory.
Frequently Asked Questions — Georgia
Are Georgia criminal records public?
Yes. Georgia criminal histories can be obtained from local sheriffs or through the state's GCIC program. Court dispositions are public at the county courthouse.
How do I find someone in Georgia by name only?
Start with the Georgia Secretary of State corporate search or My Voter Page. These statewide databases can help identify which of the 159 counties a person lives in.
Can I look up property owners in Georgia for free?
Yes. Most Georgia counties use third-party hosts like qPublic to provide free property tax and assessment lookups online.
How do I find out if someone is in Georgia DOC custody?
Use the Georgia Department of Corrections Offender Search portal, which lists current and paroled inmates statewide.
Are Georgia court records online?
Many are accessible via PeachCourt or Odyssey portals, but Georgia does not have a fully unified, free statewide case search for the public. You must check county by county.
What is the GSCCCA in Georgia?
The Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority. It hosts statewide indexes for deeds, liens, UCC filings, and notaries.
How far back do Georgia public records go?
Online records usually date back to the late 1990s or early 2000s. For older records, you must visit the county clerk or the Georgia Archives.
Is it legal to run a background check on someone in Georgia?
Yes, for informational use. Commercial usage for employment, credit, or tenancy requires strict adherence to the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).