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Maryland Public Records

State of Maryland Most Updated Online Public and Criminal Records Portal

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Statewide public records directory

Maryland Official Records, Agencies & Answers

Jump into the four biggest statewide record categories, review the refreshed Maryland overview pulled from the live database, and open only direct government sources from the directory below.

Top topic Criminal Records Criminal history tools, sheriff links, and related justice records.
Top topic Court Records Civil, criminal, and court access resources.
Top topic Expungements Record-clearance and expungement guidance.
Top topic Inmate Search Custody, jail, and inmate lookup resources.
MD

Maryland public records, redesigned

State of Maryland Most Updated Online Public and Criminal Records Portal

Updated March 24, 2026

Maryland's department of public safety's criminal records searches are official background checks for employers, persons seeking license qualifications or as an application requirement. Criminal, civil, traffic and civil citation cases within District and Circuit courts are electronically available freely online for any member of the public from the state's judicial site. Different Maryland departments adopt varying policies…

Official sources 47 Direct state links currently rendered on this page
Counties County coverage 23 County-level public records coverage tied to Maryland
FAQ / Q&A 9 Live statewide answers surfaced from the database
Bonus cities 2 Standalone city record pages currently shown

About Maryland

Open the dedicated background page for a deeper history, civic overview, and statewide public-records context beyond the agency directory.

Open about page

Explore cities & counties County links 🗺️ Local map

Move deeper into the state structure with the city directory, county access page, and location-specific record hubs without losing the statewide view.

Browse cities
✨ County picks County directory: open county access
Hub → sub pages

Explore every linked Maryland specialty page

The hub now links directly to every live state-topic page we found for Maryland. Use the cards below to jump straight into each specialty area.

13 sub pages linked
MD
Criminal Records Criminal history tools, sheriff links, and related justice records.
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Court Records Civil, criminal, and court access resources.
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Expungements Record-clearance and expungement guidance.
MD
Inmate Search Custody, jail, and inmate lookup resources.
MD
Most Wanted Wanted-person and fugitive resources.
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Police Police department and public-safety resources.
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County Sheriff County sheriff and detention access points.
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Background Checks Background screening and identity research resources.
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Asset Search Asset, ownership, and locator resources.
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DMV Driver, vehicle, and DMV resource links.
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Vital Records Birth, death, marriage, and health-record links.
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Genealogy Family-history and genealogy research tools.
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Missing Children Missing-child alerts and support resources.
Fresh database content

About Maryland public records

This panel now uses the newer statewide heading content from the database instead of the old generic filler copy.

DB-backed content live

Maryland's department of public safety's criminal records searches are official background checks for employers, persons seeking license qualifications or as an application requirement. Criminal, civil, traffic and civil citation cases within District and Circuit courts are electronically available freely online for any member of the public from the state's judicial site. Different Maryland departments adopt varying policies…

Maryland became the 7th state in the US on April 28, 1788. Early economic growth came from tobacco and wheat crops. Today's economy is comprised of agriculture such as poultry, dairy and corn. Coal mining and steel are 2 of Maryland's major natural resources. Maryland is the country's 42 largest state with 12,407 square miles of territory with a population of 5.7 million residents. The state has executive, legislative and judicial branches with 24 counties including Baltimore. The county government consists of commissioners, councils, executives, courts and works to govern localities in the state. The state's go…

State snapshot Did you know? In Maryland, arrest records usually follow the local agency first, then county records—or Baltimore City if the arrest happened there. That local split makes city and county links especially useful. Bonus tip: Baltimore City is its own lane, so city-specific checking can matter just as much as county searching.
Frequently asked questions

About Maryland public records

Clearer question cards, modern spacing, and the same live statewide answers from the database.

Q What is included in a Maryland background check?
In Maryland, background checks are governed by the Maryland Public Information Act (MPIA) (Maryland Code, General Provisions § 4-101 through § 4-601). They may include criminal history, sex offender status, court filings, arrest records, and vital statistics. Agencies must respond within 10 business days for a written response. The law is administered by Maryland Attorney General's Office, MPIA Compliance, (410) 576-6300; local disputes may also go to circuit court.
Q Where can I find police reports in Maryland?
Police reports in Maryland are public records under the Maryland Public Information Act (MPIA). Submit your request to the agency that generated the report. Who may request: Any person - no residency requirement. Response deadline: 10 business days for a written response. If access is denied, you may appeal to district or circuit court. Under the Maryland Public Information Act (Md. Code § 4-101), most incident and accident reports become public after the investigation is closed. Requests can be submitted to the records division of the reporting agency. The Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services handles reports generated by state troopers; local police departments and county sheriff offices handle their own reports. Allow 5-10 business days for standard requests; fees typically range from $5-$25 per report.
Q What are the procedures to obtain Maryland vital records, and what is included in those records with address, not URLs?
Vital records (birth, death, marriage, divorce) in Maryland are maintained by the state Department of Health or Vital Statistics. Standard fees: First 2 hours of staff time are free; $25-$35/hour thereafter. Copies: $0.25/pag. Certified copies carry separate fee schedules. Fee waivers may be available for journalists, nonprofits, and public-interest requesters - always ask.
Q What is the school district and performance data for Maryland?
The Maryland State Department of Education provides school district and performance data for all public schools in the state. This data includes information on student enrollment, test scores, graduation rates, and other measures of school performance. The data can be accessed through the Maryland Report Card website. Maryland State Department of Education (www.marylandpublicschools.org) publishes annual school and district performance reports covering graduation rates, standardized test scores, chronic absenteeism, and college/career readiness. Reports are available on the agency's official website and are updated each fall following the close of the academic year. Parents and researchers can compare district performance across Maryland using the state's school accountability portal.
Q What is the crime statistics for Maryland?
The Maryland State Police publishes an annual report on crime statistics in the state. According to the 2019 report, there were a total of 131,945 reported crimes in Maryland, including violent crimes (6,845) and property crimes (125,100). The violent crime rate was 4.2 per 1,000 people, and the property crime rate was 39.3 per 1,000 people. Annual crime statistics for Maryland are compiled by the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services and submitted to the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program. Data includes violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) and property crimes (burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft). The most recent full-year statistics are available on the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services website and the FBI Crime Data Explorer at cde.ucr.cjis.gov.
Q If I get arrested in Maryland where would I go to jail and court? include address.
If arrested in Maryland, you would be taken to the local county jail. Court appearances are scheduled in the county where the arrest occurred. Under the Maryland Public Information Act (MPIA), arrest records and booking information are generally public. Oversight: Maryland Attorney General's Office, MPIA Compliance, (410) 576-6300; local disputes may also go to circuit court. Appeals go to district or circuit court.
Q Can I find Public records in Maryland State Library?
Yes. Maryland state and public libraries provide access to public records databases. The Maryland Public Information Act (MPIA) (Maryland Code, General Provisions § 4-101 through § 4-601) guarantees public access to government documents. Many libraries offer free access to LexisNexis, court records portals, and vital record indexes. The Maryland State Archives, 350 Rowe Blvd, Annapolis, MD 21401 provides free public access to government records, genealogy databases (Ancestry.com, HeritageQuest), legal research tools (LexisNexis, Westlaw), and historical newspaper archives. Under the Maryland Public Information Act (Md. Code § 4-101), library patrons can request government documents through the library's inter-agency loan and records request services at no charge. Many local public libraries throughout Maryland also offer digital access to court records and vital statistics indexes.
Q Where is the Maryland State Library located?
The Maryland State Library is located in Annapolis, Maryland. The library maintains public access to government records, historical archives, genealogy databases, and legal research tools. Under the Maryland Public Information Act (Md. Code § 4-101), Maryland residents may request government documents through the state library's reference services. Collections include census records, land patents, vital statistics indexes, and digitized newspapers. Most state library services are free to Maryland residents. Contact the library by phone or visit the official MD state library website for research guides and online catalog access.
Q Maryland State fingerprinting office
The Maryland State Police Licensing Division operates the fingerprinting services for the state. The Licensing Division is located at 1201 Reisterstown Road, Pikesville, MD 21208. The office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. For more information, call (410) 653-4500. Residents can also be fingerprinted at local sheriff offices, police departments, and approved private LiveScan vendors throughout Maryland. Prints are submitted electronically to the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services and to the FBI for national background checks. Common purposes include employment, professional licensing, adoption, volunteer work, and immigration. Standard fee: $5-$25 for ink cards; $20-$50 for electronic LiveScan. Allow 3-7 business days for results to be returned to the requesting agency.
Did you know?

Some Maryland cities have standalone record pages

Fun fact: some Maryland cities skip the county layer entirely. They have their own public record hubs—go straight to them below.

City

Brooklyn

Open the local page for focused public-record links and a quicker statewide sweep into this city.

Open Brooklyn records
city

Laplata

Open the local page for focused public-record links and a quicker statewide sweep into this city.

Open Laplata records
State page refreshed: March 24, 2026