Kentucky, county records
Find the right office in Kenton 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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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.
Open official site Kentucky Federal ResourcesVital records
Record index of Kentucky marriages, deaths and divorces.
Open official site Kentucky Vital Records IndexState records
Find general info and check name availability with the Kentucky Secretary of State.
Open official site Kentucky Fictitious Business Names FilingsPolice & jail
Information from the Kentucky Dept. of Corrections about Kentucky death row inmates.
Open official site Kentucky Death RowState records
Request records from the Kentucky department for libraries and archives.
Open official site Kentucky Historic Public RecordsLocal record guide
County profile
Sheriff & Law Enforcement. Kenton County Sheriff's Office is responsible for law enforcement in the unincorporated areas of Kenton County.
Police Departments. Kenton County is served by several law enforcement agencies, including Kenton County Sheriff's Office and municipal police departments such as the Covington Police Department, Independence Police Department, and Erlanger Police Department.
Law Enforcement & Arrests. Kenton County Sheriff's Office is the primary law enforcement agency for unincorporated areas of Kenton County, located at 1979 Collins Drive in Independence, Kentucky. Kenton County Detention Center, operated by the Sheriff's Office at 3000 Decker Crane Drive in Covington, houses inmates for Kenton County and surrounding jurisdictions. Arrest records in Kenton County are public records subject to the Kentucky Open Records Act (KRS 61.870 to 61.884). For historical arrest records or certified copies, requesters should contact Kenton County Clerk for Kenton County does not have tribal police jurisdiction as there are no federally recognized tribal lands in Kenton County.
Criminal Records. These records are maintained by Kenton County Circuit Court Clerk and the Sheriff's Office. Residents can conduct background checks through the Kentucky Court of Justice's online portal or request information from the Kentucky State Police, which operates the Kentucky State Police.
Arrest Records. Arrest records in Kenton County are maintained by Kenton County Sheriff's Office and the local police departments.
Mugshots & Booking Photos. These booking photos are part of the public record and can be accessed through the Sheriff's Office or third-party websites that aggregate such data.
Business licenses for specific activities may be required at the municipal level, and applicants should contact individual city halls in Covington (859-292-2121), Erlanger (859-727-2424), Independence (859-356-6600), or other municipalities for local business license requirements.
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Booking photos are kept by the agency that made the arrest, such as the Kenton County Sheriff or a city police department in Kenton County. 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.
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.
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.
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.
Deeds and other recorded land documents in Kenton County are kept by the Kenton County clerk. Property values are set by the Property Valuation Administrator, and tax bills come from the county sheriff. Source: official state page.
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.
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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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.