Missouri is one of the states whose laws consider most any information produced, received, and stored by various state government agencies to be public. Under the state’s sunshine law, all government agencies are required to make their records available upon request. There are a number of exceptions to the sunshine law in Missouri and most of these have to do with the privacy of individuals, though not all. One of the exceptions, for example, is about real estate sales and purchases by public agencies. Still, in comparison with all the data that is available to the public, these exceptions are very limited. The following questions cover the most common types of public records requested in Missouri and where to find them.
Are birth certificates public records in Missouri?
Birth certificates are not public records in Missouri and are only available to the person on the record, immediate family members and certain authorized legal representatives.
How do you order a copy of a birth certificate in Missouri?
You can order official copies of birth certificates for people born after January 1, 1910 in person or by mail at the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. Certified copies can also be ordered from the local public health agency for the county where the birth occurred. Missouri has also partnered with VitalChek to offer official copies of birth certificates that can be ordered online or by phone.
Are death records public in Missouri?
Death records for people that died within the last 50 years are not public in Missouri and can only be ordered by close relatives and certain legal representatives. Death records for deaths that occurred more than 50 years ago are available to the general public.
Where can you get a certified copy of a death certificate in Missouri?
Certified copies of death certificates are available at the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. They may also be ordered locally at the public health agency in the county where the death took place. They may also be ordered online and by phone through VitalChek.
Where can you find records for deaths that took place in Missouri over 50 years ago?
You can find digitized images of original death certificates for deaths that took place in Missouri over 50 years ago at the State Archives. The State Archives has certificates dating back to January 1, 1910 that can be searched online by first, middle and last name, month, year and county. They are available to the general public.
Are Missouri marriage records public?
Marriage records can be viewed and searched for by the general public at the Recorder of Deeds for the county where the marriage occurred. However, official certified copies of marriage certificates can only be ordered by the people named on the certificate and certain other eligible parties.
How can you get a copy of a marriage certificate in Missouri?
Certified copies of marriage certificates can by ordered at the Recorder of Deeds in the county where the marriage was recorded. Only the people named on the license and certain other eligible parties may order a certified copy of a marriage certificate. If you do not know which county the marriage was recorded in you can order a certified statement of marriage from the Department of Health and Senior Services. The statement will list the names on the license, date and the county where the marriage was recorded.
Are divorce records available to the public in Missouri?
Missouri divorce records are available to the general public unless they have been sealed. This includes all divorce court proceedings, documentation and records.
Where can you get a copy of your Missouri divorce decree?
You can order a copy of your divorce decree from the circuit clerk for the county in Missouri where the divorce was finalized. If you do not know the county where the divorce was granted you can order a statement relating to divorce from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. The certified statement relating to divorce will give you the names of both spouses, the date and the county where the divorce was granted.
Are Missouri adoption records public?
Adoption records are not public in Missouri. Adult adoptees, their siblings and their biological parents can register with the Adoption Information Registry which will attempt to make anonymous contact and acquire permission to disclose contact information. If all parties agree, they will put adoptees in contact with their birth parents and their siblings.
Are court records public in Missouri?
Court records are public in Missouri and can be searched, viewed and requested by anyone. The state offers an online search tool where you can browse information based on docket entry, party and judgment.
Are Missouri criminal records public?
Criminal records are considered public records in Missouri.
Where can you search for criminal records in Missouri?
You can do a statewide criminal background check through the Missouri State Highway Patrol – Criminal Justice Information Services Division. There is a substantial fee associated with these background checks so it might be more worthwhile to search at a third party online criminal records search service instead. You can also lookup criminal case information at the Missouri courts automated case management system.
Where can you search for Missouri property and land records?
Property and land records are available through a variety of resources at the county and city level. Most counties provide interactive GIS maps and an online search service for properties that provides detailed information such as the current owner, sales history, tax assessments, parcel and boundaries. The larger cities in the state also provide these types of services.
Where can you find Missouri census records?
You can do a census records search at the Missouri State Archives. They have census records from 1752 to 1940 as well as special census records from 1857 to 2004. This includes state, county, city, federal and special census records.
How do you check your driving record in Missouri?
You can request your Missouri driving record in person at any DMV in the state. You can also order your driving record by mail or fax from the Driver License Record Center that is located in Jefferson City, MO. Driving records can be requested only by the driver themselves or by certain government agencies, insurance companies and local courts.
In general, Missouri makes a huge amount of information about individuals, businesses, and public agencies easily accessible for anyone interested. Navigating such a huge amount of information can be challenging, so make sure that you are certain which agency is custodian of the public record you need before submitting a request.