Looking for totally free public records?

Looking for an absolutely free website to search public records?

• Answer:

  There are websites that provide links to all 50 states, all counties within the states and many of the cities (see links below). Those sites have links to different categories such as property records, vital records, foreclosures, and land registries. They are worth a quick look. However, many of the "search pages" at the state links will connect you to a for-profit search engine that charges for reports. Also a quick survey looking for links to state online property records did not provide easy access to online land records. There is no single "absolutely free" website where you can search public records in every state. Many states that offer online records charge a fee for accessing documents. The best place to search free public records is through an official government sponsored website. A government website is run by a State, County or City and will provide the most accurate information. Government websites are run independently so you'll need to check each city, state and department individually. One of the most challenging aspects of researching public records is finding the correct home page to begin your search. Many areas are not online and many small towns do not have websites that offer any databases. A good way to start is to do an online search using the county, state and the records you seek such as "land records". For assessor's records the town and state should be used to search. Searching through government databases is something of an art and sites can be cumbersome. In most cases it takes some experience to access the information that is available. Massachusetts Massachusetts uses two different land records systems and land records are all available online at Masslandrecords.com. Most counties use a system that allows one to print copies of documents for free. However, it takes some patience and practice to reach the desired information. Most court records are not available online. Most larger cities have online assessor's databases with easy to access and print assessor's maps. Missouri The State of Missouri Court records are available online and search-able by litigant name, filing date, case number and court calendars. Greene, Jackson and St. Louis Counties also have court record information available online. Most other types of Missouri public records are limited and may need to be accessed at your local courthouse or city hall.