Public Records Search by Name and State
Public records are documents that government agencies create and that the law opens to anyone. For a person, the most searched public records are arrest and booking records, court cases, and address history. MugshotLookup searches public records by name and state and shows where each record comes from and when it was recorded.
Searches are private. The person you search is not notified.
Which public records exist about a person
| Record type | Kept by | Public? |
|---|---|---|
| Arrest and booking records | Sheriffs, police, county jails | Yes, with limits on booking photos in some states |
| Criminal court cases | Clerks of court | Yes, unless sealed |
| Civil court cases | Clerks of court | Yes, with some exceptions |
| Prison and custody records | State corrections departments | Yes |
| Property and deed records | County recorder or assessor | Yes |
| Voter registration | State or county election office | Limited, rules differ by state |
| Juvenile, sealed and expunged records | Courts | No |
Why a public records search takes work
Each agency publishes its own records in its own way. One county puts its jail roster online, the next takes requests by mail, and courts in the same state can use different websites. A person who has lived in three counties has records in at least three places. A search by name and state brings the sources together and keeps the source and date on every row.
How to run a public records search
Enter the first name, the last name and the state.
Add a city to narrow the search to one county.
Review the official sources that cover the jurisdiction, with links to each agency.
Open the full report to see records grouped by type.
Official public records sources
You can always go to the agency itself. The Source Directory lists the official search page for state corrections departments, statewide court portals and the county sources we have verified, with the date of the last check. For records that are not online, each state has a public records law that lets you file a request with the agency.
What you may do with public records
Public does not mean free of rules. MugshotLookup is not a consumer reporting agency as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). You may not use this site or any information from it to make decisions about employment, tenant screening, consumer credit, insurance or any other purpose covered by the FCRA.
An arrest is not a conviction. Charges may have been dropped, dismissed or resulted in acquittal.
Questions and answers
Are public records free?
Viewing a record at the agency that holds it is often free, and many agencies offer a free online search. Copies and certified copies usually cost a fee. MugshotLookup charges for searching many sources at once and for monitoring, not for the records themselves.
Can I remove my public records?
You can ask us to suppress your records from MugshotLookup for free on the opt-out page. To change the record at its source, for example by sealing or expungement, you need to go through the court or the agency.
What is the difference between public records and a background check?
Public records are the raw documents. A background check is a report built from them for a purpose. Reports from MugshotLookup are for personal use and may not be used for decisions covered by the FCRA.
Start with a name and a state
You see the official sources for the jurisdiction before you create an account.
Searches are private. The person you search is not notified.
You have used today's 3 demo searches from this connection. Create your account to keep searching.
This search is paused. The same person was searched several times in a short period from this connection. We limit repeated searches to prevent misuse.
If you are worried about your safety, the National Domestic Violence Hotline answers at 1-800-799-7233 and at thehotline.org.
If this is your own record, you can ask us to remove it for free on the opt-out page.
Preparing your search plan
Official sources for this jurisdiction
| Source | Type | Jurisdiction | Booking photo rule | Official site |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open the official site |
Full report sections
Need just one report? Your account includes one free report on one person. For more, Unlimited runs month to month at $34.95 and cancels online in one click.
An arrest is not a conviction. Charges may have been dropped, dismissed or resulted in acquittal.
MugshotLookup is not a consumer reporting agency as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). You may not use this site or any information from it to make decisions about employment, tenant screening, consumer credit, insurance or any other purpose covered by the FCRA.
Is this your own record? Remove or correct it for free.