Kentucky Public Records: How to Perform a Kentucky Public Records Search

Kentucky is one of the many states in the US that allows public access to its public records. 

So, if you ever have cause to look for unsealed public records in Kentucky, you can direct your efforts to any of the search options discussed in this article. 

Public Records Kentucky: Criminal Records in Kentucky

The state judiciary provides a series of resources through which people can view criminal records in Kentucky. 

One of these is through the clerk of courts—the chief custodian, who allows interested requesters to view and obtain these Kentucky public records in person, via mail, or online. 

The latter is also available via the fastCheck portal, an online platform where you can run a name-based criminal background check for a non-refundable fee of $25.

In-person requests for criminal records are processed much faster(same day) at the administrative office of the courts, for the same $25 service fee. 

Lastly, mailed requests to the same address are processed within ten days of the receipt of the application form. 

The application packet will contain the applicable fee—payable via check or money order(as with the others), stamped, self-addressed, and sent to the address:

Administrative Office of The Courts,
Records Unit,
1001 Vandalay Drive,
Frankfort, Kentucky 40601,
Phone: (800) 928-6381

Public Records Kentucky: Court Records

You can be sure to find your court records in hard copies or electronic versions when you stop by the office of the clerk in the court where your case was filed. 

The clerk will direct you on how to complete the request application, the payment to be made, and the personal identification requirements that must be met.

Alternatively, the official website for the Kentucky Court of Justice has a “Find a Case Portal” feature that allows you to find case records by running a search against the party names or case numbers. 

Requesters may also look towards the AOCFastCheck and its One-time Request portal that allows you to find case records documented online from 120 counties in Kentucky. 

Public Records Kentucky: Marriage Records

In Kentucky, the office of Vital Statistics (OVS) is open to receiving applications for marriage records from eligible requesters and those who can obtain a court order to this effect. 

Then there's the state archives, a government authority that also allows people to view its index of publicly available marriage records.

Interested requesters can obtain a certified Kentucky marriage record subsequent to the submission of a marriage application form. 

The entries in the form must include the requester's full name, contact details, and mailing address, accompanied by the attachment of the application service charges. 

The package can now be submitted to the following address:

Office of Vital Statistics
275 East Main Street, 1E-A
Frankfort, KY 40621
Phone: (502) 564-4212

Kentucky Public Records: Divorce Records

The best place to find public records in Kentucky, like divorce records, is at the County Clerk in the county where the divorce was settled. 

In addition to that, there's a vast stock of statewide divorce records available for collection at the Vital Statistics office. 

The request is usually presented in form of a written request or a completed application form, to be submitted alongside the $6 per certified copy fee.

Requesters are expected to provide information such as the full name of the divorcees, the place and date where the divorce decree was issued, and the number of ordered copies of the divorce records. 

The applicant now gets to deliver their application in person or by mail to the office of Vital Statistics. 

Kentucky Public Records: Birth records

While a concise catalog of birth records can be found at the Department of Health, the Kentucky State archives also keep a public index of births recorded prior to 1999.

Those who intend to request a birth certificate replacement must order from the Kentucky OVS. 

They can either submit a written request detailing the record in question or download and complete a birth certificate request application.

In both cases, the requester must include information such as the full name of the record owner and their parents, their country and birth date, and their relationship with the requester. 

Other things that are accounted for in the application include the applicable fees(to be paid to the Kentucky State Treasurer), a copy of a government-issued ID, and a document showing the status of their relationship with the record owner. 

All of the aforementioned can now be put in a stamped envelope and mailed to:

Office of Vital Statistics,
275 East Main Street, 1E-A,
Frankfort, KY 40621,
Phone: (502) 564-4212

Kentucky Public Records: Death Records

The Kentucky State Archives keeps a stock of birth records created before 1999. 

Also, the Office of Vital Statistics steps up a couple of notches to keep records of deaths as old as 1911. 

Eligible requesters or those who can present a court order granting them a waiver can obtain these Kentucky public records from the record custodians.

They may present a request application to any of the aforementioned agencies and ensure to satisfy the identification requirements while attaching the specified fees. 

The complete application can now be submitted in person or by mailing it to the address of the Office of Vital Statistics as previously provided.