How to Search Alabama Public Records

Alabama's court, criminal, vital, property, voter, and licensing records are maintained across state agencies and the 67 counties listed below. Use the tabs to filter by record type, or jump directly to any source.

  • Courts: The Alabama Supreme Court sits at the top of the system; trial-court business is handled by the Circuit Courts (41 circuits) and District Courts (67). Most courts publish dockets and case lookups online.
  • Criminal history: The state's criminal-history repository handles official background checks. Fees and procedures are set by the state agency — see the linked official source.
  • Vital records: Birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates are issued by the state Department of Health (or equivalent) and may also be available locally.
  • Property & recorded documents: Maintained at the county level by the Assessor, Recorder, or Clerk's office.
  • Business filings: The Secretary of State (or equivalent) operates the official business-entity search.
Population
5,108,468
Households
2,001,170
Median Income
$59,609
Median Home Value
$179,400

Source: U.S. Census Bureau (2024 Population Estimates Program; 2022 ACS 5-year)

Vital Records Databases

18 official Alabama vital records sources.

Vital Records

Autauga County | Marriages
Official Free
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Madison County | Vital Records
Official Free
Madison County Records Center marriage records, probate, Chancery Indexes, and a substantial number of additional databases.
Mobile County | Marriages
Official Free
Mobile County Probate Court marriage records.
Montgomery County | Marriages
Official Free
Montgomery County Probate Court marriage records.
Winston County | Births, Deaths, Marriages
Official Free
Winston County vital records.
Baldwin County | Marriages
Official Free
Baldwin County Judge of Probate marriage licenses.
Butler County | Marriages
Official Free
Butler County marriages recorded in the 1800s.
Pickens County | Marriages
Official Free
Pickens County marriages recorded between 1881 and 1898.
Shelby County | Marriages
Official Free
Shelby County marriages by date and/or name.
Alabama | Certificates
Official Free
Alabama Center for Health Statistics on how to order birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates.
Alabama | Cemetery Records
Official Free
Cemetery records in Alabama, including cemetery maps, interment records including dates, and many gravestone photos.
Alabama | Marriages
Official Free
Alabama Marriages recorded before 1825.

Alabama Counties

67 Alabama counties are indexed on SearchSystems.net — top 28 counties shown below. Browse the full directory or click any county for local court, sheriff, recorder and assessor links.

Frequently Asked Questions

Alabama's official criminal-history repository is operated by the state law-enforcement agency. Free public access to a complete criminal history is generally not available; an official background check typically requires fingerprints and a fee. Countie-level court records can be searched at no cost through individual court websites.

Alabama's court system is headed by the Alabama Supreme Court. Trial-court business is handled by the Circuit Courts (41 circuits) and District Courts (67). Many Alabama courts publish docket searches and case lookups online — see the Court Records tab above for direct links.

The Alabama Secretary of State (or equivalent agency) operates the official business-entity search. You can typically search corporations, LLCs, LPs, and other registered entities by name or registration number. See the Licenses or Business tab above.

The Assessor determines property values for tax purposes. The Recorder (or Clerk-Recorder) records deeds, mortgages, liens, and other property documents. Some county offices combine these roles, others keep them separate. Check the specific county page for details.

Alabama vital records (birth, death, marriage, divorce certificates) are issued by the state Department of Health (or equivalent) and, in many cases, by local county clerks. Fees and ID requirements are set by the issuing agency.

Most county-level property and recorded-document searches are free for basic information through the Assessor or Recorder website. Certified copies of deeds typically have a per-page fee. Direct links are in the Property Records tab above.

The Alabama sex offender registry is maintained by the state law-enforcement agency under the Sex Offender Registration and Community Notification Act. The registry is searchable by name, ZIP code, or address.

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