What is a public record?

In short, public records are local, county, state and federal documents that are classified as non-confidential, and therefore available to the public. The main repositories of public records are government and court clerks’ offices, libraries and, more recently, online databases like PeopleFinders.

Billions of Records

Billions of these records are created every year in the United States, by you as well as government agencies. In fact, many of the documents you fill out, sign and submit become public records. For example, new records are created from voter registration cards, census documents and even magazine subscription forms.

Common Record Types

Common types of public records include:

• Current & Historical Records
• Birth & Death Records
• Property Records
• Phone Records
• Criminal Records
• Court Records
• Business Records
• Professional Licenses
• Bankruptcies, Liens & Judgments

Learn More

To learn more, read "What Is A Public Record?"