Guide
How to Search County Records
Select Your County
Choose a county from the grid below to access that county's official public records portal, court system, and government offices.
Identify the Record Type
Decide what you need: court records, property deeds, vital records, business filings, or tax assessment records, each is held by a different county office.
Search Online or In Person
MEC provides trial court dockets to subscribers and the appellate courts offer free case search, chancery clerks keep land records with online indexes in many counties, and vital records are ordered from MSDH in Ridgeland by mail, online, phone or in person.
Pay Any Required Fees
A Mississippi birth, death or marriage certificate costs $17, with additional copies $6; the DPS name-based background check is $32, and public records copies are charged at actual cost.
Verify Identity if Required
Open records need no ID. A birth certificate application needs a copy of a valid photo ID, and only the registrant, parents, spouse, siblings, grandparents, children and legal representatives qualify.
Guide
What Records Are Available
- Court RecordsCivil, criminal, family court, probate, traffic cases
- Property RecordsDeeds, mortgages, tax assessments, liens, transfers
- Vital RecordsBirth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates
- Business RecordsBusiness licenses, DBAs, UCC filings, permits
- Voter RegistrationRegistered voters, party affiliation, districts
- Tax RecordsProperty tax assessments, payment history, exemptions
Guide
Select a County in Mississippi
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Straight answers
Mississippi County Public Records, questions
Are county records public information?
Yes. The Mississippi Public Records Act of 1983, Section 25-61-1 and following of the Mississippi Code, opens county records, and anyone who denies access or charges an unreasonable fee can be held civilly liable. Chancery clerk land records, circuit clerk court files and assessor rolls are open. Birth, death and marriage certificates are restricted to the registrant, specified family members and legal representatives, and juvenile, adoption and sealed court files are closed.
How much do certified copies cost?
A certified Mississippi birth, death or marriage certificate costs $17, with additional copies of the same record $6 each when ordered at the same time; a five-year search of the divorce index is $17. VitalChek adds its own fee to online and phone orders. The Department of Public Safety's name-based background check is $32 per request, and public records copies are charged at the reasonable actual cost of providing them.
Can I search county records online?
Mississippi Electronic Courts, MEC, provides online access to trial court dockets for subscribers, and the Supreme Court and Court of Appeals offer free case search on courts.ms.gov. Deeds and land records are kept by each county's chancery clerk, and many, such as Jackson and Harrison counties, post indexes online. The Department of Public Safety runs an online name-based background check, and vital records are ordered from MSDH in Ridgeland by mail, online, phone or in person, not searched.
What identification do I need?
Open records need no ID. A Mississippi birth certificate application must include a copy of a valid photo ID, such as a driver's license, passport or school or university ID, and only the registrant if of legal age, parents, spouse, siblings, grandparents, children and legal representatives are eligible. Death and marriage certificates require ID and proof of relationship as well.
How long does it take to receive records?
Walk-in customers at the Vital Records office in Ridgeland receive a birth certificate the same day unless a search is required; mailed birth certificate requests are processed in about 7 to 10 business days, and the office asks that you allow 4 weeks before inquiring. Death and marriage certificates ordered in person are mailed. MEC and chancery clerk searches are immediate.