Open Public Record Act:
The Kentucky Open Records Act grants the public the right to openly examine public records unless exempted by certain laws. Public records are records maintained by state and local government agencies and bodies that receive at least 25% of their funds from state or local authority. The Open Meetings Act, on the other hand, gives the public the right to access public meetings where public business is discussed.
Birth Records:
Birth Certificates can be obtained from the Kentucky Vital Statistics Office. Each birth certificate costs $10. Only the person named on the record, the parent, or the legal guardian of the person on the record are eligible to receive a birth certificate. To obtain a birth certificate, you will need to submit a signed, written request online through third party vendor VitalChek, by phone, or by fax. You can also place a request in person or by mail. Payment methods include cash (for walk-ins only), check or money order made payable to the Kentucky State Treasurer, or credit card (for emergency phone orders only).
Marriage Records:
The Office of Vital Statistics has marriage records beginning from June 1958 on file. You can order a copy of certified marriage certificates from this office by phone, mail, online, or in person. Marriages prior to June 1958 will be on file with the county clerk in the county where the marriage occurred.
To obtain a copy of a marriage certificate, you will need to provide the full name of both parties involved, the date of the marriage, and the county where the marriage license was issued. You will also be asked to provide the name and address where the certificate will be mailed, a phone number where you can be reached during the day, and the number of copies you want. For orders made by mail, you will also need to enclose a check or money made payable to the Kentucky State Treasurer for the cost of each certificate which is $6. For orders online, phone, or by fax, you can contact the third party vendor, VitalChek.
Death Records:
The Office of Vital Statistics maintains files of deaths that have occured in the state as far back as 1911. Copies of certified death certificates can be obtained from this office in person, by phone, by mail, or online. Processing time for all types of certificates ordered through mail is 30 business days.
To obtain a copy, you will need to submit the full name of the deceased; the month, day, and year of death; and the county where the death occurred. Youl will also be required to provide the name and address where the certificate will be mailed, a phone number where you can be reached during business hours, and the number of copies requested. For payment, a fee of $6 for each copy will need to be paid in advance. If you order by mail, only a check or money order payable to the Kentucky State Treasurer will be accepted. Payments by credit card are only accepted for requests made by phone or online.
Missing People:
The Kentucky State Police maintains a list of all missing persons reported in the state. You can search through the list for information regarding a particular case. Each file contains the missing person’s name, photo, physical description, and the circumstances of the person’s disappearance. You will also be able to see the name of the lead investigator on the case as well as his/her contact information.
Elected Officials:
To learn all about the elected officials in Kentucky, you can visit the Kentucky Legislature website. The list of Senators and Representatives can be found here along with their photos and legislative activity. You can also email your legislator through the website. If you want to learn who your legislator is, you can use the Who’s My Legislator app to find the official serving your area. Some of the information you can obtain from each official’s bio include his/her district, home city, mailing address, Frankfort address, phone numbers, email address, twitter handle, and committee memberships. For example, Senator Christian McDaniel is listed as Republican who serves District 23. His home city is Taylor Mill and he chairs the Appropriations & Revenue Committee.
Public Records
- Adair County KY
- Allen County KY
- Anderson County KY
- Ballard County KY
- Barren County KY
- Bath County KY
- Bell County KY
- Boone County KY
- Bourbon County KY
- Boyd County KY
- Boyle County KY
- Bracken County KY
- Breathitt County KY
- Bullitt County KY
- Butler County KY
- Caldwell County KY
- Calloway County KY
- Campbell County KY
- Carlisle County KY
- Carroll County KY
- Carter County KY
- Clark County KY
- Clay County KY
- Clinton County KY
- Crittenden County KY
- Cumberland County KY
- Edmonson County KY
- Elliott County KY
- Estill County KY
- Fleming County KY
- Franklin County KY
- Fulton County KY
- Gallatin County KY
- Garrard County KY
- Grant County KY
- Graves County KY
- Grayson County KY
- Green County KY
- Greenup County KY
- Hancock County KY
- Hardin County KY
- Harlan County KY
- Harrison County KY
- Hart County KY
- Henderson County KY
- Henry County KY
- Hickman County KY
- Hopkins County KY
- Jackson County KY
- Jefferson County KY
- Jessamine County KY
- Johnson County KY
- Knox County KY
- LaRue County KY
- Lawrence County KY
- Lee County KY
- Leslie County KY
- Letcher County KY
- Lewis County KY
- Lincoln County KY
- Livingston County KY
- Logan County KY
- McCracken County KY
- McCreary County KY
- McLean County KY
- Madison County KY
- Magoffin County KY
- Marion County KY
- Martin County KY
- Mason County KY
- Meade County KY
- Menifee County KY
- Mercer County KY
- Metcalfe County KY
- Monroe County KY
- Morgan County KY
- Muhlenberg County KY
- Nelson County KY
- Nicholas County KY
- Ohio County KY
- Pendleton County KY
- Pike County KY
- Powell County KY
- Pulaski County KY
- Robertson County KY
- Rockcastle County KY
- Rowan County KY
- Russell County KY
- Scott County KY
- Shelby County
- Simpson County KY
- Spencer County KY
- Taylor County KY
- Trigg County KY
- Trimble County KY
- Warren County KY
- Washington County KY
- Wayne County KY
- Webster County KY
- Whitley County KY
- Woodford County KY