Maryland, county records

Howard County, Maryland Public Records

Find the right office in Howard 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 Howard 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 12 official sources

Official

Property records

Howard County Property Information

The Howard 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 Howard County Property Information
Official

City records

Howard County Library

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

hclibrary.org
Open official site Howard County Library
Official

Court records

Howard Circuit Court

The Clerk of the Circuit Court for Howard County keeps the county's civil, criminal, family and land case files and issues copies of the court's records.

mdcourts.gov
Open official site Howard Circuit Court
Official

Court records

Family Court

Family Court, with the court location, contacts and the case records it keeps for Howard County, Maryland.

mdcourts.gov
Open official site Family Court
Official

Court records

Howard County Register of Wills

Howard County Register of Wills: Court and administration information, on the official site of the office that keeps it.

registers.maryland.gov
Open official site Howard County Register of Wills

Local record guide

About public records in Howard County

County profile

Howard County at a glance

State
Maryland
County seat
Ellicott City
Population
332,317
Area
254 sq mi
Founded
1851
Cities and towns
18

Howard County offices and records

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

Law Enforcement & Arrests. Law enforcement in Howard County, Maryland is primarily provided by Howard County Police Department (HCPD), headquartered at 3410 Court House Drive in Ellicott City, Maryland 21043. The department can be reached through the office maintains a full website at www.hcpd.org. Unlike many Maryland counties, Howard County does not have an elected Sheriff; the position was abolished in 1980, and law enforcement duties were transferred to Howard County police department under the County Executive's authority. Howard County Detention Center, located at 8870 Guilford Road in Jessup, Maryland 20794, houses pre-trial detainees and sentenced inmates. Code, General Provisions §§ 4-101 to 4-601).

Arrest Records. Arrest records in Howard County are maintained by Howard County Police Department and the Sheriff's Office.

The Circuit Court Clerk's office maintains all court records and can be contacted for Howard County Court of Maryland for Howard County, located at 3451 Court House Drive in Ellicott City, Maryland 21043 (phone: 410-480-7800), handles misdemeanor criminal cases, civil cases up to $30,000, landlord-tenant disputes, and traffic violations.

Abandoned mine records

Old mine workings in Howard County

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

From the old mine records

What is on record in Howard County

Old mine sites
59
Still producing
2
Worked underground, in the mine records
1
Main minerals
Feldspar; Iron; Mica
Holes drawn on the old survey maps
17
Shafts and tunnels
0
What they are
gravel/borrow pit - undifferentiated, gravel pit, open pit mine or quarry
Maps surveyed
1957 to 1971
Records behind them
79 records for 78 sites, the rest are the same working written down more than once

Is an old working under a property here?

The mine records hold 61 named mine sites inside the county, 59 of them worked out or abandoned; the old survey maps add 17 holes drawn inside the county, 0 of them shafts or tunnels. The minerals the records name are Feldspar; Iron; Mica.

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.

1 mile
Howard 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 Howard County (61 shown, 17 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

Howard County public-records FAQs

Open only the answer you need.

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

Booking photos are kept by the agency that made the arrest, such as the Howard County Sheriff or a city police department in Howard 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 Howard 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 Howard 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 Howard 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 Howard County, Maryland?

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