Georgia Public Records

Georgia, famous for its peaches and Scarlet O’Hara, has a colorful history and plenty of records available to the public. Although Georgia makes many of its records open to anyone, birth and death records are restricted due to privacy laws. Georgia birth records and death records can be requested from the Department of Public Health, as well as limited marriage records. Georgia marriage records are not restricted and can reliably be requested from the local Probate Court that issued the record. Georgia divorce records are also considered Georgia public records and can be requested from the local Clerk of the Superior Court. Georgia criminal records are available to the public and may be searched online through the Georgia Technology Authority in partnership with state law enforcement. Historic Georgia public records are available at the Georgia Archives, including military records, death, cemetery and court records.

About Georgia Public Records

Georgia restricts access to birth and death records to protect privacy and prevent identity theft. Only authorized individuals may request copies, which includes the person of record, an immediate family member or a legal representative. However, Georgia public records that aren’t restricted include Georgia marriage records and divorce records. Although the Department of Public Health maintains records of marriages after 1952, it is often easier to request copies from the local Probate Court that recorded the marriage. This is also a good place to view historic marriage records, which aren’t recorded by the state.

Georgia divorce records are maintained by the Clerk of the Superior Court that handled the case and are not maintained in a state repository like other vital records. These Georgia public records are readily available. Certain Clerks of the Superior Court offer online access to divorce records, but methods for requesting copies depends on the specific court.

Searching Georgia Public Records Online Free

Georgia does not offer a central court case database, although the Georgia state courts are described on their main website. Also, links are provided for the individual local courts, as well as descriptions of the types of cases handled to make your search easier. Accessing Georgia public records online free is limited to the Superior Courts that offer online court case access. Fulton County, for example, offers an online search tool that enables anyone to look up civil, criminal and divorce cases.

Most older court records need to be requested in person or over the phone from the specific court that heard the case, as these haven’t been placed into the online databases. However, any court with online access includes most recent cases. Other public records online in Georgia include the felon search database, although this is a fee-based service to learn whether someone has a criminal record in Georgia.

Performing a Public Records Search in Georgia

The Georgia State Archives offers public access to its vast collection of historic records pertaining to state history. It’s located in the Atlanta suburb of Morrow. The research room is only open to the public on certain days, so phoning ahead is recommended. Included in the State Archives are Georgia military records, cemetery records and death records. Military records include Civil War records, Spanish American War and Revolutionary War, just to name a few. Georgia death records and some marriage records are included in the records collections open to the public.

The State Archives offers an online search of the Virtual Vault, which allows you to plan your visit by learning which records held there are of most interest. There is no fee to research, just to make copies.