Perry County Public Records
Perry County public records are maintained by the Probate Court and Circuit Clerk in Marion. This rural west-central Alabama county serves about 9,000 residents through its courthouse on Washington Street.
Perry County Quick Facts
Perry County Probate Court
The Probate Court handles property records for Perry County. This includes deeds, mortgages, liens, plats, and marriage licenses. The office is on the first floor of the courthouse in Marion. Note that Marion is the county seat of Perry County, not to be confused with Marion County which is a separate county in northwest Alabama.
The Probate Judge oversees all land record filing and retrieval. Staff can help you search the index books and locate documents. Many older records are still in paper form only. The office has been working to digitize historical land records, but progress is slow due to limited funding. You may need to visit in person for records from before the 1990s.
Perry County is a small county with limited staff. Call ahead to confirm hours, especially around holidays. The office may close for lunch or have reduced hours on certain days. Staff are helpful but may be busy with other duties like probate hearings.
| Address |
300 Washington Street Marion, AL 36756 |
|---|---|
| Phone | (334) 683-2210 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM |
Search Perry County Records Online
Perry County has limited online records access compared to larger Alabama counties. The county uses the state Ingenuity system for some court records. However, the Probate Court does not offer a public online portal for property searches. You will need to contact the office directly or visit in person for most land record searches.
For property records, your best option is to call the Probate Court and ask staff to search for you. They can look up records by name or legal description. There is a fee for copies. You can also hire a title company or abstractor to do the search. This is common for real estate transactions in rural counties.
The Alabama Center for Real Estate provides some property data at the state level. Tax records may be available through the Perry County Revenue Commissioner. However, full deed and mortgage records still require a request to the Probate Court. The county has discussed adding online access, but no timeline has been set.
Some historical records for Perry County can be found at the Alabama Department of Archives and History. This includes old deeds, wills, and marriage records. These are useful for genealogy research. The Archives website at archives.alabama.gov has guides for researching county records.
Perry County Court Records
The Circuit Clerk maintains all trial court records in Perry County. This is separate from the Probate Court. Court records include civil cases, criminal cases, family matters, and traffic tickets. Perry County is part of the 4th Judicial Circuit along with Bibb, Dallas, Hale, and Wilcox counties.
Perry County uses the Alacourt system for court records. You can search case information through AlacourtAccess at pa.alacourt.com. A name search costs $9.99 and includes one case detail. Extra cases are $9.99 each. Document images cost $5.00 for the first 20 pages.
The Circuit Clerk website at perry.alacourt.gov has basic contact information. For in-person requests, the Circuit Clerk office is in the courthouse. You can also request court records by mail. Include the case number if you know it, or provide as much detail as possible for the clerk to locate the file.
Small claims and district court matters are handled at the District Court. This court covers minor civil disputes and misdemeanor cases. Records are also in the Alacourt system. The District Court Judge travels between counties in the circuit, so court is not held every day in Perry County.
| Circuit Clerk |
Perry County Courthouse 300 Washington Street Marion, AL 36756 |
|---|---|
| Phone | (334) 683-2215 |
| Website | perry.alacourt.gov |
Perry County Recording Fees
Perry County follows Alabama state guidelines for recording fees. These fees apply at the Probate Court for recording deeds, mortgages, and other land documents. Fees can change, so confirm current rates before you send payment.
The base recording fee in Alabama is set by state law. Counties can add local fees for archive preservation and other purposes. Perry County fees are generally in line with other small rural counties. Expect to pay around $30 to $50 for a standard deed recording, plus per-page fees for longer documents.
Copy fees at the Probate Court:
- Copy of recorded document: $1 per page
- Certified copy: $1 per page plus certification fee
- Search fee: may apply for staff searches
Deed tax in Alabama is $0.50 per $500 of property value, or $1 per $1,000. This is paid at recording. Mortgage tax is $0.15 per $100 of debt secured. The state and county split these taxes. You must pay the correct tax amount or the document will not be recorded.
Perry County Vital Records
Vital records include birth certificates, death certificates, and marriage records. In Alabama, birth and death records are maintained by the Alabama Department of Public Health. Marriage licenses are issued by the Probate Court in the county where the couple applies.
To get a marriage license in Perry County, both parties must appear at the Probate Court. Alabama no longer requires a ceremony. You complete a marriage certificate form, have it notarized, and file it with the Probate Court within 30 days. The license fee is around $70 to $80.
For copies of marriage records filed in Perry County, contact the Probate Court. For birth and death certificates, you must go through the state. The Alabama Center for Health Statistics handles these requests. You can order online at alabamapublichealth.gov or by mail.
Historical vital records may be at the Archives. Perry County has records going back to the 1800s for some document types. Older marriage records are often found in the Probate Court minute books rather than as separate certificates.
Perry County Tax Records
Property tax records are kept by the Perry County Revenue Commissioner. This office assesses property values and collects taxes. Tax records show ownership, assessed value, and payment history. These can be useful for property research alongside Probate Court records.
The Revenue Commissioner office is in the courthouse. You can request tax record searches in person or by phone. Some counties in Alabama have online tax parcel search systems, but Perry County does not have a public portal at this time. You may find limited property data through third-party GIS services.
Tax liens and tax sales are public record. If you are researching property for purchase, check for outstanding taxes. The Revenue Commissioner can tell you if taxes are current. Tax sale records are filed with the Probate Court after the sale.
How to Request Public Records
Alabama does not have a formal public records request law like some states. However, most government records are available to the public. For Perry County records, contact the specific office that maintains the records you need.
For property records, call or visit the Probate Court. For court cases, use Alacourt or contact the Circuit Clerk. For tax records, reach out to the Revenue Commissioner. For other county government records, the County Commission office can direct you to the right department.
When making a request, be as specific as possible. Provide names, dates, and document types if you know them. This helps staff find records faster. Small counties like Perry have limited staff, so complex searches may take time. Fees for copies and search time may apply.
Cities in Perry County
Perry County contains several small towns and communities. All of them file property records at the Perry County Probate Court. Court cases go through the Perry County Circuit Court. The largest community is Marion, the county seat, with a population of about 3,000.
Other communities in Perry County include Uniontown, Heiberger, and Sprott. These are small rural communities. None of the cities in Perry County meet the population threshold for a dedicated city page on this site. For records from any Perry County community, contact the county offices in Marion.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Perry County. If you need records from a neighboring area, select the county below. Perry County is in the west-central part of Alabama, sometimes called the Black Belt region.