Utah public records are records of public events, decisions, and actions that are created, maintained, and preserved by government agencies in the state of Utah. These records are considered a part of the public domain and are therefore available to anyone who wishes to access them. The purpose of public records is to provide transparency and accountability in government, and to ensure that the public has access to information about the workings of government and the decisions that it makes.
In Utah, public records are governed by the Government Records Access and Management Act (GRAMA), which is a state law that establishes the rules and procedures for accessing and requesting public records. Under GRAMA, most public records are considered "public," which means that they are available to anyone who requests them. However, some types of records are considered "private," "controlled," or "protected," which means that they are not available to the general public. Examples of private records include personal information about individuals, such as social security numbers and medical records, and confidential business information.
In Utah, birth certificates are considered confidential records and are only available to the person named on the certificate, their parents or legal guardians, or other individuals with a legal right to the information for 100 years from the date of birth. If you are not one of these individuals, you will need to obtain a court order to access the birth certificate.
To order a certified copy of a birth certificate, you will need to complete an application form and submit it to the Utah Department of Health and Human Services. This can be done online, in person or by mailing:
Vital Records
PO Box 141012
Salt Lake City UT 84114-1012
To order birth records in person, you will want to visit a local Utah Health Department.
Utah death records are confidential for the first 50 years. Certified death records can be ordered online, in person or by mail through the Utah Department of Health and Human Services. You will need to meet certain criteria, complete an application and submit it along with identification and payment to the Office of Vital Records.
Marriage records in Utah are confidential for the first 75 years and are maintained by the county clerk's office in the county where the marriage took place. To obtain a copy of a marriage record, you will need to contact the county clerk's office in the county where the marriage took place and request a copy of the marriage record.
Divorce records in Utah are confidential for the first 75 years and are maintained by the county clerk's office in the county where the divorce took place. To obtain a copy of a divorce record, you will need to contact the county clerk's office in the county where the divorce took place and request a copy of the divorce record.
Criminal records in Utah are maintained by the Utah Department of Corrections and the Utah Bureau of Criminal Identification. To obtain a copy of a criminal record, you will need to contact either the Utah Department of Corrections or the Utah Bureau of Criminal Identification and request a copy of the criminal record.
Court records in Utah are maintained by the court in which the case was heard. To obtain a copy of a court record, you will need to contact the court in which the case was heard and request a copy of the court record.
Property records in Utah are maintained by the county assessor's office in the county where the property is located. To obtain a copy of a property record, you will need to contact the county assessor's office in the county where the property is located and request a copy of the property record.
There are also a number of organizations and resources in Utah that can help individuals access public records. For example, the Utah State Archives is a government agency that maintains a wide range of historical records, including state and local government records. The Utah State Library is another resource that can help individuals access public records, as it maintains a collection of state and federal government documents.
In summary, Utah public records refer to any documents or information that is made available to the public by the state government or other public agencies in Utah. These records can include a wide range of materials, such as court records, criminal records, property records, financial records, and more. The state government has established laws and regulations governing the availability and accessibility of these records, and there are a number of resources available to help individuals access them.