Guide
How to Search County Records
Select Your County
Choose a county from the grid below to access that county's official public records portal, court system, and government offices.
Identify the Record Type
Decide what you need: court records, property deeds, vital records, business filings, or tax assessment records, each is held by a different county office.
Search Online or In Person
The Judicial Branch's Case Look-up is free for civil, family, housing and criminal conviction cases, land records are indexed by each town clerk, and certificates are ordered from the town clerk or the state Vital Records Office.
Pay Any Required Fees
A town-issued birth, death or marriage certificate costs $20 and a state-issued birth certificate $30; VitalChek adds its own fees, and certifying a public record copy costs $1 for the first page and 50 cents per page after.
Verify Identity if Required
Court and land records need no ID. A birth certificate requires a valid government-issued photo ID showing name, date of birth, signature and expiration date, plus proof of relationship for anyone other than the registrant or a parent.
Guide
What Records Are Available
- Court RecordsCivil, criminal, family court, probate, traffic cases
- Property RecordsDeeds, mortgages, tax assessments, liens, transfers
- Vital RecordsBirth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates
- Business RecordsBusiness licenses, DBAs, UCC filings, permits
- Voter RegistrationRegistered voters, party affiliation, districts
- Tax RecordsProperty tax assessments, payment history, exemptions
Guide
Select a County in Connecticut
Back to Connecticut Public Records
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Straight answers
Connecticut County Public Records, questions
Are county records public information?
Yes. Connecticut's Freedom of Information Act, General Statutes section 1-200 and following, makes town and state records open unless a specific exemption applies. Connecticut has no county government, so deeds and land records are kept by each town clerk. Death and marriage certificates are public records, but a birth certificate is confidential for 100 years and goes only to the person named, parents, close relatives, their attorneys and members of a recognized Connecticut genealogical society.
How much do certified copies cost?
A certified birth, death, marriage or civil union certificate costs $20 from the town or city where the event occurred, and a state-issued birth certificate from the Department of Public Health is $30. Online orders go through VitalChek, the only vendor the state approves, which adds processing and shipping fees. Certifying a copy of a public record under state law costs $1 for the first page and 50 cents for each page after it.
Can I search county records online?
The Judicial Branch's Case Look-up on jud.ct.gov lets anyone search civil, family, housing, small claims and criminal and motor vehicle conviction cases free. Land records are indexed by each town clerk, and most towns offer online search and e-recording, Westport for example. Birth, death and marriage certificates are not searchable online; order them from the town clerk or the state Vital Records Office by mail or in person, or through VitalChek.
What identification do I need?
Court records and land records need no ID. For a birth certificate the requester must present a valid government-issued photo ID that shows name, date of birth, signature and expiration date, and anyone other than the registrant or a parent on the record must add proof of the qualifying relationship. Hartford's clerk, for example, accepts two recent bills showing name and address when no photo ID is available.
How long does it take to receive records?
Town and city clerks issue certificates over the counter, in most cases while you wait. Mail orders to the state Vital Records Unit take longer, and VitalChek expedited processing is available for birth, death and marriage certificates. Case Look-up results appear immediately, and court document copies come from the clerk of the court that holds the file.