SearchSystems Editorial

Reviewed and updated October 11, 2026 by the SearchSystems.net editorial team. Every office link on this page was opened and checked against the office's own website at review time.

About this guide

Charles County is a county in Maryland with about 174,000 residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). Its public records are not in one place: court cases, jail bookings, deeds, property values, vital records and records requests each belong to a different office. This guide names the office that holds each kind of record, links to its own website and gives the phone number and address where the office publishes them. SearchSystems verified 7 county office pages for Charles County, every one opened and checked, and lists 1 more whose site blocks automated checks.

In this guide: Where the records live, Jail and arrests, Court records, County Clerk, Deeds and property, Vital records, State's Attorney, Records requests, Statewide sources, More directory links, Cities and towns, Other counties and Questions.

Where Charles County public records live

Each kind of Charles County record is kept by a different office. The list below names the office SearchSystems verified for each one; the sections that follow give its phone, address and hours where the office publishes them.

Arrests, jail and inmate lookups in Charles County

A person arrested in Charles County is booked into the jail, and the booking record (name, charges, bond and the next court date) is public in most cases. The office below is the one SearchSystems verified for jail and inmate information in Charles County.

  • Website: ccso.us/about (page title: About | Charles County Sheriff's Office)
  • Phone: 301-609-6249
  • Checked: September 30, 2026, the page answered.

Jail rosters usually show the people in custody now. Once a person is released, the case continues in the court records below.

Court records and case lookups in Charles County

Civil, criminal, family, probate and traffic cases filed in Charles County are kept by the clerk of the court that heard them. Many courts offer an online case search; the page below is the one SearchSystems verified for Charles County.

  • Website: courts.state.md.us/courtsdirectory/charles (page title: Charles County | Maryland Courts)
  • Phone: 301-932-3201
  • Address: 200 Charles Street La Plata, MD 20646
  • Checked: September 23, 2026, the page answered.

County Clerk of Charles County

The county clerk is the county's record keeper. What the office holds differs by state: in some states it files marriage licenses and vital records, in others deeds, court papers or the meeting records of the governing board. Its own website below says what it holds in Charles County.

Deeds, land records and property values in Charles County

Two offices share property records. The recording office files deeds, mortgages, liens and the other documents that affect title to land in Charles County. The assessment office sets the taxable value of each parcel and usually offers a free parcel search by address or owner name.

Recorded documents: Circuit Court Clerk (land records)

  • Website: mdcourts.gov/clerks/charles (page title: Circuit Court for Charles County, MD | Clerk's Office | Maryland Courts)
  • Phone: 301-932-3201
  • Address: 200 Charles Street, La Plata, MD 20646
  • Checked: September 30, 2026, the page answered.

Property values: Department of Assessments and Taxation

Birth, death and marriage records in Charles County

Certified copies of birth and death certificates for events in Charles County are issued by the office below. The Maryland state vital records office also issues certified copies for any event in the state.

State's Attorney for Charles County

The State's Attorney is the office that prosecutes criminal cases in Charles County. The case files themselves are court records (above); the prosecutor's office handles victim services and questions about pending prosecutions.

  • Website: ccsao.us/the-office/executive-team (page title: Meet Our Attorneys | CCSAO)
  • Address: 200 Charles St., La Plata, MD 20646
  • Checked: October 9, 2026, the page answered.

Public records requests to Charles County

Every state has a public records law that applies to county offices. A record that is not posted online is requested from the office that holds it. Many counties run one request page for every department; it is listed below when SearchSystems verified one for Charles County.

Statewide Maryland sources

Some records are kept by the state rather than the county. These are the Maryland state offices SearchSystems verified; each link opens the state office's own page.

Cities and towns in Charles County

Charles County has 3 incorporated cities and towns (2024 Census Bureau count, population in parentheses). City records such as council minutes, permits, business licenses and police reports are kept by each city; the records on this page are county records whatever the city.

  • La Plata (11,374)
  • Indian Head (4,247)
  • Port Tobacco Village (21)

Charles County Arrest Records

The Charles County arrest records guide names the three agencies that report arrests to the FBI here and the 1,596 arrests the two agencies with every month of 2025 on file reported that year. It also says where a person arrested here is held, how to find out about an arrest and how to get a copy of the report.

Charles County Records Guides

SearchSystems has nine more guides to Charles County, each written from the county's own offices and figures: Charles County warrants (who issues and serves them, where a person arrested on one is held, how to check for one), Charles County inmate search (the jail page of the Charles County Sheriff's Office, the jail numbers and who books people), Charles County criminal records (the court file, the Maryland criminal history and the local arrest records), Charles County court records (which court hears what, the case search and who keeps the files), Charles County police reports (which agency holds a report and what the Maryland Public Information Act requires), Charles County traffic tickets (which court takes the ticket, who writes them and the driving record), Charles County DUI (the DUI law, the arrest, the court case and the license case), Charles County divorce records (which court holds the file and how a certified copy is had) and Charles County property records (deeds, assessed values, permits and evictions).

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this the official Charles County website?

No. SearchSystems.net is an independent public records directory, online since 1997. It links to the official offices listed above; SearchSystems does not hold records, charge for them or take requests.

How do I find out if someone is in jail in Charles County?

Use the jail or inmate page SearchSystems verified for Charles County at ccso.us/about, or call 301-609-6249. Rosters usually show the people in custody now; after release, the case continues in the court records.

Where do I look up a court case in Charles County?

The court records page SearchSystems verified for Charles County is at courts.state.md.us/courtsdirectory/charles, phone 301-932-3201. A case number finds a case fastest; a name search returns every case with that name.

Who records deeds in Charles County?

The Circuit Court Clerk (land records), at mdcourts.gov/clerks/charles. Deeds, mortgages and liens on land in Charles County are filed there.

How do I get a birth or death certificate for Charles County?

From the office SearchSystems verified for Charles County vital records at charlescountymd.gov, phone 301-609-6900, or from the Maryland state vital records office.

How do I request a public record from Charles County?

Through the records request page at charlescountymd.gov. A record that is not covered there is requested from the office that holds it.