Milwaukee Public Records

In Milwaukee County, the Register of Deeds and the Clerk of Circuit Court are responsible for maintaining vital records and court records for events that take place within the county. Most of these records are available to the general public unless protected by privacy laws. The types of records available include Milwaukee County birth records, death records, marriage records, some Milwaukee County military records, divorce records, and Milwaukee County court records. Milwaukee County online public records are limited to court records, although birth, death and marriage records may be obtained online through the third-party vendor VitalChek. Military records, marriage licenses and complete court records are only available in person or by mail.

Vital records like Milwaukee County birth records, death and marriage records are available online through VitalChek for an additional processing fee.

Copies of Milwaukee County vital records for genealogical purposes cannot be ordered online. These requests must be made to the Register of Deeds in person or by mail.

Milwaukee County court records may be searched online through the Clerk of Circuit Court for free. Any court records may then be printed conveniently from a home computer.

Criminal records may be found by searching through criminal court records database online or by requesting these records in person at the customer service window at the Criminal/Traffic Division.

About Milwaukee County Public Records

Wisconsin is an open records state, meaning that most records in Milwaukee County are considered public. Public records for Milwaukee County are easily obtained online, unless for genealogical purposes. Milwaukee County, however, is a treasure chest of older records, with marriage records and probate records dating back to the 1830s. Milwaukee County birth records date back to the 1850s and death records to 1872. These are housed in the genealogical research room, and reservations must be made with the Register of Deeds to access these records.

Milwaukee County Free Public Records

Milwaukee County free public records are limited to court and criminal records obtained online through the online database maintained by the various courts under the Clerk of Circuit Court. You may search these free public records by name, birth date, business name or case number. This database also extends beyond Milwaukee County, and statewide criminal records and court records may be searched here at no cost. Most counties update these records daily, although accuracy is not guaranteed.

Searching Milwaukee County Public Records Online

Although Wisconsin public records may be searched online through either the courthouse database or through VitalChek, if you know where a court record, criminal record or vital record occurred, it is easier to narrow down your search to Milwaukee County online public records. All of the records offered online may be accessed in person or by mail, although searching Milwaukee County, WI public records online is the easiest method.