Searching Putnam County: what to expect
Searches in Putnam County run on two layers: a few county-run sources (3 below) and Missouri's statewide databases for everything else. You don't need a county-level docket here — Missouri courts are searchable statewide, mapped on our Missouri court records page. Locally, putnamcohealthdept.org takes care of local vital-records requests, while putnamct.us covers deeds and recorded documents. For criminal records there's no county-level source online — the statewide routes on the Missouri criminal records page cover that piece.
SearchSystems Editorial
Edited by SearchSystems Editorial Team — verified against official government sources. About our editorial process.
Last reviewed: June 04, 2026 · Methodology: all Putnam County record-source URLs verified against the official local and Missouri state publishers on the review date. 5 primary .gov / official sources cited below.
Putnam County — Key Numbers (2026)
Population, demographics, and county-seat data for Putnam County, Missouri — verified against U.S. Census 2024 estimates.
4,539
Population
Census estimate
1,768
Households
Census estimate
$50,950
Median income
Annual household
$99,600
Median home value
Census ACS
Unionville
County seat
In Missouri
Criminal records
2 sources
Court records
3 sources
Wants & warrants
see state portal
Property records
1 source
Vital records
1 source
Voter records
2 sources
Professional licenses
see state portal
Recorded documents
1 source
Count of verified official sources per record type. Multiple sources One source Use state portal
Putnam County Records at a Glance
| Record type | Putnam County verified sources |
|---|---|
| Court records | Missouri Courts Home 10/13/2020 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS ADMINISTRATION 1. Division of… |
| Criminal records | Criminal Record Check - Missouri State Highway Patrol MODOC Offender Search |
| Wants & warrants | MACHS: Missouri Automated Criminal History Site |
| Property records | MO - Putnam County Assessor |
| Vital records | Vital Records – Putnam County Health Department |
| Voter records | Check Your Voter Registration Missouri Voter Registration - Missouri Secretary of State |
| Professional licenses | Public Records Check |
| Recorded documents | Land Records - Town of Putnam |
Count of officially verified .gov / .us record sources cataloged for Putnam County. Sources reviewed June 04, 2026.
What Changed in 2026 — Putnam County Records
2026
Putnam County official government portal active
The official Putnam County government website at www.mocounties.com continues to serve as the canonical local source.
2026
Putnam County court records portal verified
State court system links for Putnam County verified against the Missouri judiciary portal in 2026.
2026
Putnam County criminal records access
State criminal records repository for Putnam County (statewide system, not county-specific) confirmed active in 2026.
2026
Putnam County property records online
Putnam County property assessment and recorder office online portal active in 2026.
The 4-Step Putnam County Records Pathway
1
Step 1 — Start at the Putnam County clerk/courthouse
For most local records (court cases, property deeds, marriage licenses), the Putnam County clerk's office is the first stop.
2
Step 2 — Use the Missouri statewide systems
Criminal background, court case search, voter registration, and professional licensing are all run at the Missouri state level — not by the county.
3
Step 3 — Federal sources for federal records
Federal court cases (PACER), federal tax liens (IRS), military records (NPRC), and immigration data (ICE) are all federal — not held by the county.
4
Step 4 — Cross-check before relying on data
Most county portals lag 24-48 hours behind the courthouse. For time-sensitive verification, call the clerk directly.
Five Things People Get Wrong About Putnam County Records
MYTH"Putnam County maintains all criminal records."
FACTCriminal records for Putnam County are held by the Missouri state repository, NOT the county. The county sheriff has only the local arrest log.
MYTH"Records sealed in Putnam County are gone everywhere."
FACTSealing removes records from public search but they still exist at the courthouse and may appear in FBI records (Identity History Summary).
MYTH"Free 'instant background' sites have Putnam County data."
FACTOnly the official Missouri state repository has verified, current Putnam County data. Free sites often have stale data.
MYTH"The Putnam County assessor's value is what I'll sell my home for."
FACTThe Putnam County assessor's value is for property tax purposes only — usually below market value.
MYTH"All county records older than 50 years are public."
FACTPartially false. Public-records rules vary by record type AND state. Court records and deeds are usually older-public; vital records remain restricted longer (often 75-125 years).
Primary Sources and Official Record Portals
- www.mocounties.com — Official Putnam County government website
- www.courts.mo.gov — Court records — official source
- www.mshp.dps.missouri.gov — Criminal records — official source
- voteroutreach.sos.mo.gov — Voter records — official source
- www.putnamct.us — Recorded documents — official source
- fbi.gov — FBI Identity History Summary (federal record)
Related — Putnam County & Missouri Records
For records not specific to Putnam County, use Missouri's statewide system or the national hub.
📍 Missouri statewide record systems:
- Missouri Court Records →
- Missouri Criminal Records →
- Missouri Property Records →
- Missouri Vital Records →
- Missouri Voter Records →
- Missouri Wants & Warrants →
- Missouri Licenses →
- Missouri Recorded Documents →
🇺🇸 National hubs:
Related Public Records
Missouri statewide records: Court records · Criminal records · Wants & warrants · Property records · Vital records · Voter records · Licenses · Recorded docs
National directories: Court records · Criminal records · Property records · Vital records · Federal databases
Skip the directory — step-by-step Missouri guides that use these databases:
About Putnam County, Missouri
Putnam County is located in north-central Missouri. The county seat is Unionville (official site: https://www.mocounties.com/putnam-county).
- Population: 4,539
- Households: 1,768
- Median household income: $50,950
- Median home value: $99,600
- Below poverty line: 12.3%
- Land area: 517.3 sq mi
- Population density: 8.8 people / sq mi
- Public libraries indexed: 1
- NCES schools indexed: 3
Missouri Courts Home
Official Free
Pay certain court fees and fines online. Read Chief Justice W. Brent Powell's latest commentary about the history behind "one judge per county" in Missouri.
10/13/2020 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS ADMINISTRATION 1. Division of Court 2.
Official Free
1. In Grundy County Division II of Court shall be held on the second and fourth · Tuesday of each month, and Division II of Municipal Court shall be held on the first and Monday of each month. 4. In Putnam County Division II of Court shall be held on the second and fourth
Public Access to Court Electronic Records | PACER: Federal Court Records
Criminal & Court Records
.gov
PACER is the federal judiciary's docket system — Putnam County matters land here only when a case is filed in federal court, not the local courthouse. It is an official government source.
Missouri Case.net
Official Free
Official Missouri courts portal — case search, dockets, and clerk information.
Criminal Record Check - Missouri State Highway Patrol
Official Free
Welcome to the Information Page of the Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Division. The CJIS Division is responsible for compiling, maintaining and disseminating complete and accurate criminal history records, criminal incident and arrest reports, and statistics.
MODOC Offender Search
Official Free
This application provides information about offenders supervised by the Missouri Department of Corrections.
Missouri | Sex Offender Registry Resources
Official Free
The Highway Patrol's index of Missouri sex-offender registry resources — the statewide search, county sheriff registries, and the laws governing use of the data.
Check Your Voter Registration
Official Free
This is where Putnam County handles voter registration records and election operations. If a link breaks, the office homepage at voteroutreach.sos.mo.gov carries the new path.
Missouri Voter Registration - Missouri Secretary of State
Official Free
This application is designed to work in Google Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Internet Explorer 11 and above. Please upgrade your browser or choose a different method of registering, such as the PDF form, if you are not using one of these browsers · To begin your registration, please answer.
Check Your Voter Registration - Missouri Secretary of State
Official Free
This is where Putnam County handles voter registration records and election operations. Searching the official side is free.
Vital Records – Putnam County Health Department
Official Free
Daddy Daughter Dance Friday, March 13th @ the 4-H Building 6:00-8:00 PM · The Putnam County Health Department can provide vital records for only the state of Missouri. If you would like to obtain a copy of a birth or death certification, please complete an application and submit it in person.
Vital Statistics | Health & Senior Services
Official Free
In recent years, the Department of Health and Senior Services has worked to improve the accuracy of vital statistics data and to automate processing of vital records at the original source. Missouri Public Health Information Management System (MOPHIMS) Profiles MICA Births Deaths Patient Abstract System (PAS) Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) County-Level Study (CLS) Healthcare-Associated Infection Reporting (HAI) ESSENCE
Land Records - Town of Putnam
Official Free
SIGN UP FOR FRAUD ALERT · Please note, there is a $2.00 per page to view / print. Once the link is open, search by name, property or volume and page. The results will appear. Choose the document from the list. To view/print click the blue document # to the right.
Former Director of the Jackson County Recorder of Deeds ...
Official Free
Skip Navigation Contact Us Accessibility Info Search the SOS site
Putnam County
Official Free
Missouri Secretary of State Business Entity Search — official statewide business filings lookup.Official source: www.unionvillemo.org.
MO - Putnam County Assessor
Official Free
The Putnam County Assessor may provide property information to the public "as is" without warranty of any kind, expressed or implied. Assessed values are subject to change by the assessor, Board of Review or State Equalization processes. Additionally, statutory exemptions may affect the taxable.
MACHS: Missouri Automated Criminal History Site
Official Free
MACHS, Missouri's automated criminal history site. Run an open-records name search of Missouri criminal history for a fee, or start a fingerprint check for licensing and employment.
Public Records Check
Official Free
The Custodian of Records office processes requests from the public for various department records with the exception of accident reports, reconstructions and accident related photographs, which are processed by the Patrol Records Division
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I look up court cases in Putnam County?
Putnam County court cases are searchable through the Missouri Courts Home portal: https://www.courts.mo.gov/file.jsp?id=104854. Missouri also operates a state-level case lookup through the Case.net system. For federal matters, see PACER.
Does an active warrant show up on a background check in Missouri?
Yes. Active warrants in Missouri appear on name-based criminal background checks through the Missouri State Highway Patrol system the moment they are entered. Some employers also run a separate NCIC warrant query, which catches federal warrants as well.
Can my employer see a sealed record in Missouri?
Generally, most private employers running a standard name-based check cannot see a sealed Missouri record. However, government employers, law enforcement, schools, healthcare facilities, and any role requiring a fingerprint-based check can see sealed records under specific statutory exemptions. Confirm specifics with the sealing court.
How do I run a Missouri background check?
Missouri background checks are handled by the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Name-based searches are available through the official state portal (per-search fee applies). Fingerprint-based checks — required for licensing, foster care, and many employers — must be submitted through an approved vendor.