What are Atlanta Public Records?
Under the Georgia Open Records Act, Atlanta public records include all documents, papers, letters, maps, and books prepared, received, or maintained by an agency or by a private entity in the performance of a service or on behalf of an agency or when such documents have been transferred to a private person or kept for future governmental use. They also include tapes, photographs, computer-based or generated information, data, data fields, or similar material. However, there are certain documents and information that are exempted from public disclosure. They include:
- Records exempted by a federal statute or regulation;
- Medical or veterinary records;
- Files and documents that their disclosure would be an invasion of the right to privacy;
- Records of law enforcement, prosecution, or regulatory agencies in any pending investigation or prosecution of criminal or unlawful activity;
- Jury list data;
- Records containing confidential evaluations submitted to a governmental agency and prepared in connection with the appointment or hiring of a public officer or employee;
- Pending, rejected, or deferred sealed bids or sealed proposals and detailed cost estimates related to them until when the final award of the contract is made.
Atlanta Crime Statistics
The Atlanta Police Department is responsible for providing the crime data of Atlanta City weekly, monthly, and yearly. The 2018 crime data for Atlanta shows that there was a total number of 26,905 major crimes reported. A breakdown reveals the statistics of violent crimes to include 88 murders, 245 rapes, 1,099 robberies, and 2,382 aggravated assaults. Property crimes include 3,082 burglaries, 16,701 larcenies, 3,308 motor vehicle thefts, and 90 cases of arson. Compared to 2014 figures, the city experienced lower incidences of total crimes. There was a decrease in murder (5%), robbery (53%), aggravated assault (21%), burglary (44%), and motor vehicle theft (20%). In contrast, rape (63%), larceny (12%), and arson (20%) rates increased over the same period.
Are Atlanta Criminal Records Public?
Atlanta criminal records are mostly accessible to the public. Third parties may request criminal records by getting the signed consent of the record’s subject. Felony conviction records are open to members of the public without any consent needed.
Atlanta criminal records are available at the Atlanta Police Department and the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office. To carry out Atlanta criminal background checks at the Atlanta Police Department Office, fill out the Criminal History Check Request/Consent Form APD 928. Notarize it and attach a copy of a valid ID and a money order for $10. Mail it to:
Atlanta Police Identification Unit
3493 Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway
Atlanta, GA 30331
(404) 546-4491
Interested persons can use the Georgia Felon Search website to search felony conviction records. This website is maintained by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. It can be searched with the subject’s full name, date of birth, sex, and race. The consent of the record’s subject is not required. Pay for this service with credit cards.
How to Obtain Atlanta Police Reports and Arrest Records?
The Atlanta Police Department’s Central Records Unit is primarily in charge of all reports, including Atlanta arrest records and police reports, created by the police department. Interested persons can visit the Central Records Unit from Monday to Friday between 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at:
Atlanta Public Safety Annex
3493 Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway NorthWest
Atlanta, GA 30331
(404) 546-7461
Interested persons can make an online request for Atlanta incident reports and accident reports through the Online Open Records Request Form. It takes three business days to process a request. If there is no feedback from the Open Records Unit of the Atlanta Police Department after three days, call (404) 546-7448. Submit in-person or mail requests to:
Atlanta Police Department Open Records Unit
226 Peachtree Street SouthWest
Atlanta, GA 30303
Phone: (404) 546-7448
Fax: (404) 653-7987
openrecords-police@atlantaga.gov
How to Find Sex Offender Information in Atlanta?
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation provides the general public with a list of registered sex offenders in Atlanta and other parts of the state. Requesters can conduct searches by name. Search results can also be filtered by race, gender, address, and type of offense. In addition, the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office maintains a sex offender registry for the county. Residents of Atlanta City can search the online registry to find sex offenders living in their neighborhood. Residents should consider registering to receive information about sex offenders residing in their area.
How to Find Atlanta Inmate Records?
To obtain information about persons arrested by the Atlanta Police Department, contact the jail center where the person was arrested:
Atlanta City Detention Center - (404) 865-8001, (404) 865-8000, or (404) 546-7448
Fulton County Jail - (404) 613-2000 or use the Fulton County Georgia Inmate Records
Dekalb County Jail - (404) 298-8224 or use the jail search portal
Clayton County Detention Facility - (770) 477-4413, (678) 479-5300 or (678) 479-5398; or use the inmate search portal
How Do I Visit an Inmate in Atlanta Jail?
Atlanta inmates are kept in four jail centers, namely the Atlanta City Detention Center, Fulton County Jail, Dekalb County Jail, and Clayton County Jail. To visit an inmate at the Atlanta City Detention Center, visit the jail center. Inmate visits are done on Wednesday and Sunday, between the hours of 8:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The inmate will have to provide the name of the visitor and time of visit in the visitor’s registry. The list should be filled out before the day of the visit. The time frame for inmate visits is 30 minutes. The detention center is located at:
Atlanta City Detention Center
254 Peachtree Street SouthWest
Atlanta, GA 30303
Phone: (404) 865-8001
Phone: (404) 865-8010
Fax: (404) 658-6064
The Fulton County Sheriff’s Office administers the daily operations of the Fulton County Jail. Family and friends can visit inmates in the facility, through video visits, once every week. Visiting hours are between the hours 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. There is a 25 minutes time limit on each visit. Contact the jail center for information on visitation below:
Fulton County Jail
901 Rice Street NorthWest
Atlanta, GA 30318
(404) 613-2000
(404) 613-2002
Friends and family of inmates in the DeKalb County Jail can visit inmates through the jail’s video visitation center or remotely (at home) via the internet. Visits are allowed any day of the week between the hours of 8:00 a.m.-11:45 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.-9:50 p.m. An inmate is allowed two 30-minute visits per week.
Dekalb County Jail
4425 Memorial Drive
Decatur, GA 30032
Phone: (404) 298-8145
Fax: (404) 298-8264
Inmate visitation days at the Clayton County Detention Facility are from Monday to Friday, between 8:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. An inmate is allowed to receive visitors just once a week. To visit an inmate at the detention facility, contact the facility with the information below:
Clayton County Detention Facility
Harold R. Banke Justice Center
9157 Tara Boulevard
Jonesboro, GA 30236
Phone: (770) 477-4413
Court Records
Atlanta City is located in Fulton County. The county has three Superior Courts, four State Courts, one Juvenile Court, one Probate Court, four Magistrate Courts, and 14 Municipal Courts. The courts maintain a variety of records relating to court cases, such as civil, criminal, juvenile, family, traffic, and probate cases.
Location of Courts in Atlanta
The locations and contact information of all courts of Fulton County, Georgia are below:
Fulton County Superior Courts
Fulton County Superior Court
Lewis R. Slaton Courthouse
136 Pryor Street SouthWest
Room C-155
Atlanta, GA 30303
Phone: (404) 613-5313
Fulton County Superior Court - North Service Center
7741 Roswell Road
Room 235
Atlanta, GA 30350
Phone: (404) 612-5756
Fulton County Superior Court - South Service Center
5600 Stonewall Tell Road
Room 219B
College Park, GA 30349
Phone: (404) 612-4117
Fulton County State Courts
State Court of Fulton County - Civil Division
Justice Center Tower
185 Central Avenue
Atlanta, GA 30303
Phone: (404) 613-5040
State Court of Fulton County - Criminal Division
160 Pryor Street SouthWest
Suite J-150, Atlanta, GA 30303
Phone: (404) 613-5085
State Court of Fulton County - North Service Center
7741 Roswell Road
Atlanta, GA 30350
Phone: (404) 613-7640
State Court of Fulton County - South Service Center
5600 Stonewall Tell Road
College Park, GA 30349
Phone: (404) 612-3056
Fulton County Juvenile Court
Fulton County Juvenile Court
Judge Romae T. Powell Juvenile Justice Center
395 Pryor Street SouthWest
Atlanta, GA 30312
Phone: (404) 224-4402
Fulton County Probate Court
Probate Court of Fulton County
136 Pryor Street SW
Suite C-230
Atlanta, GA 30303
Phone: (404) 613-4070
Fulton County Magistrate Courts
Fulton County Magistrate Court
Justice Center Tower
185 Central Avenue
Atlanta, GA 30303
Phone: (404) 613-5360
Fulton County Magistrate Court - Fulton County Jail
901 Rice Street
Atlanta, GA 30318
Phone: (404) 613-2000
Fulton County Magistrate Court - North Service Center
7741 Roswell Road
Atlanta, GA 30350
Phone: (404) 613-7640
Fulton County Magistrate Court - South Service Center
5600 Stonewall Tell Road
College Park, GA 30349
Phone: (404) 612-3056
Fulton County Municipal Courts
Municipal Court of Alpharetta
Crabapple Government Center
12624 Broadwell Road
Alpharetta, GA 30004
Phone: (678) 297-6250
Fax: (678) 297-6251
Municipal Court of Atlanta
150 Garnett Street SouthWest
Atlanta, GA 30303
Phone: (404) 658-6940
Fax: (404) 546-9339
Municipal Court of Chattahoochee Hills
6505 Rico Road
Chattahoochee Hills, GA 30268
Phone: (770) 463-6576
Fax: (770) 463-8550
Municipal Court of College Park
3717 College Street
College Park, GA 30337
Phone: (404) 761-3131
Municipal Court of East Point
2727 East Point Street
East Point, GA 30344
Phone: (404) 559-6250
Fax: (404) 305-8219
Municipal Court of Fairburn
26 West Campbellton Street
Fairburn, GA 30213
Phone: (770) 683-4611
Fax: (770) 964-8984
Municipal Court of Hapeville
700 Doug Davis Drive
Hapeville, GA 30354
Phone: (404) 669-2149
Fax: (404) 305-7861
Municipal Court of Johns Creek
11445 Johns Creek Parkway
Johns Creek, GA 30097
Phone: (678) 512-3444
Fax: (678) 512-3243
Municipal Court of Milton
13000 Deerfield Parkway
Suite 107E
Milton, GA 30004
Phone: (678) 242-2525
Fax: (678) 242-2520
Municipal Court of Mountain Park
118 Lakeshore Drive
Mountain Park, GA 30075
Phone: (770) 993-4231
Fax: (770) 993-5903
Municipal Court of Palmetto
401 Carlton Road
Palmetto, GA 30268
Phone: (770) 463-9068
Fax: (770) 463-1456
Municipal Court of Roswell
38 Hill Street
Suite 210
Roswell, GA 30075
Phone: (770) 641-3790
Fax: (770) 641-3798
Municipal Court of Sandy Springs
7840 Roswell Road
Building 500
Sandy Springs, GA 30350
Phone: (770) 206-2075
Municipal Court of Union City
5060 Union Street
Union City, GA 30291
Phone: (770) 306-6847
Fax: (770) 306-6843
Are Atlanta Court Records Public?
The majority of Atlanta court records are considered open records and therefore accessible to members of the public. Public access to Atlanta court records is restricted by the court only. The court records are maintained by court clerks or at the courthouse where the case was handled. The Fulton County Clerk of Superior and Magistrate Courts maintains the records of the Fulton County Superior Courts and Magistrate Courts. The Fulton County Court Clerk maintains State Court records. Juvenile and Probate Court records are in their respective courthouses.
Can you look up an Atlanta Court case online?
The majority of Fulton County and Atlanta court records are available online. To search court records online, there are two publicly accessible online portals provided by the courts. To obtain documents generated in the Superior Court, use the Records Inquiry Clerk of the Superior Court website. It provides a search tool that can be used to find case records by their citation numbers. Fulton State and Magistrate Courts case records are available on a different portal. There is a Smart Search feature available to help find court records. Use the Advanced Search option to filter search results based on the court.
How to Obtain Atlanta Civil Court Case Records?
The Fulton County Clerk of Superior and Magistrate Courts provides plain copies of court records at 50 cents per page. Where the records are gotten with the help of the clerk, it costs $1 per page. The first page of a certified or exemplified copy of court records costs $2.50. Additional pages cost 50 cents each.
Copies of single or multiple civil court records are available through mail requests only. The Superior Court Clerk keeps Superior Court records in the File Room on the 1st floor of the Clerk’s Office. Magistrate Court records are kept on the Ground floor of the Clerk of Superior and Magistrate Courts. To obtain either of these records, fill out the Request Form for Superior Court Files or the Request Form for Magistrate Court Files. Requesters should include payment and the case number that references the requested documents. Send requests by mail to the File Room for Superior Court records or the Magistrate Court for Magistrate Court records:
Attention: File Room
Clerk of Superior Court
136 Pryor Street SW
Suite C103
Atlanta, GA 30303
(404) 612-8482
Attention: Magistrate Court
Clerk of Superior and Magistrate Courts
185 Central Avenue
Suite TG100
Atlanta, GA 30303
(404) 612-8482
The Records Division of the Fulton County Probate Court is in charge of Probate Court records. It provides interested individuals with information on how to obtain Probate Court records. Call (404) 612-4693 to get the required information, or visit the Probate Courthouse.
How to Obtain Atlanta Criminal Court Records?
To obtain Atlanta criminal court records, a requester should complete the File Request Form or the Request for Copies form. The first certified copy’s page requested costs $2.50 and 50 cents for each additional page. For plain copies, it costs 50 cents per page. Enclose payment and send it to:
Clerk of Superior & Magistrate Court
136 Pryor Street
Suite C-130
Atlanta, GA 30303
(404) 612-8482
What are Atlanta Vital Records?
Atlanta vital records are official documents that provide information about vital events that happened within the city. Atlanta vital records include marriage, birth, divorce, and death records. Atlanta vital records are maintained and issued at the county and state levels. The Fulton County Clerk of Superior and Magistrate Courts issues copies of Atlanta divorce records. The Fulton County Probate Court processes requests for Atlanta marriage records. The Fulton County Health Department and the Georgia State Department of Public Health provide interested eligible persons with access to Atlanta birth, death, marriage, and divorce records at the county and state level respectively.
Where and How to Obtain Atlanta Divorce Records?
The Fulton County Clerk of Superior and Magistrate Courts keeps Atlanta divorce records and provides copies to interested members of the public. An interested requester should submit a written request to obtain an Atlanta divorce record in person or via mail to:
Fulton County Clerk of Court
Lewis R. Slaton Courthouse
136 Pryor Street
Suite C155
Atlanta, GA 30303
(404) 613-5313
(404) 613-5314
The Georgia State Department of Public Health offers divorce verifications via mail and in-person applications to interested persons. Interested persons should fill out the Divorce Verification Request (Form 3917) to request a divorce verification. Include a copy of a government-issued ID and payment. Submit them in person to the Vital Records Office or the Fulton County Health Department:
State Office of Vital Records
1680 Phoenix Boulevard, Suite 100
Atlanta, GA 30349
Monday-Friday; between 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Fulton County Health Department
141 Pryor Street
Suite 1029A
Atlanta, GA 30303
(404) 613-1260
Or by mail to:
State Office of Vital Records
1680 Phoenix Boulevard, Suite 100
Atlanta, GA 30349
Response Time: 8-10 Weeks
Where and How to Get Public Atlanta Marriage Records?
Atlanta marriage records are at the county’s Probate Court. Interested persons can submit mail requests to obtain Atlanta marriage certificates. It costs $10 per copy. Requesters should complete the Marriage Records Request form, attach money order payment and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Mail them to:
Fulton County Probate Court
License Division
136 Pryor Street SouthWest
Suite C-230
Atlanta, GA 30303
The Georgia State Department of Public Health provides interested persons with copies of marriage records in Georgia, including Atlanta marriage records. Marriage records can be obtained with mail and in-person requests. A requester should complete the Request for Search of Marriage Record (Form 3913), enclose payment, and a copy of a government-issued ID. Submit these documents in person at the Vital Records Office or the Fulton County Health Department at:
State Office of Vital Records
1680 Phoenix Boulevard, Suite 100
Atlanta, GA 30349
Monday-Friday; between 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Fulton County Health Department
141 Pryor Street
Suite 1029A
Atlanta, GA 30303
(404) 613-1260
The documents can also be submitted via mail to:
State Office of Vital Records
1680 Phoenix Boulevard, Suite 100
Atlanta, GA 30349
Response Time: 8-10 Weeks
Where and How to Find Atlanta Birth Records?
The Fulton County Department of Health is responsible for maintaining and issuing Fulton County and Atlanta birth records. The birth records are available only to the record’s subject and any individual with a direct and tangible interest in the record (e.g. parent, guardian, siblings, descendants, or legal representatives). To obtain an Atlanta birth certificate, fill out the Birth Certificate Application form. Enclose payment of $25 and a valid ID with the filled-out form. Submit them in person or by mail to:
Fulton County Health Department
141 Pryor Street
Suite 1029A
Atlanta, GA 30303
(404) 613-1260
An Atlanta birth certificate costs $25 for the first certified copy. Where additional copies are requested at the same time, they cost $5 each. Accepted means of payment include cash, money order, personal check, and credit/debit card.
Alternatively, obtain Atlanta birth records from the Georgia State Department of Public Health, by submitting a mail and in-person request. Simply complete the Request for Search of Birth Record (Form 3918) and provide a copy of a government-issued ID as well as payment. Submit the request in-person to any one of the offices below:
State Office of Vital Records
1680 Phoenix Boulevard, Suite 100
Atlanta, GA 30349
Monday-Friday; between 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Fulton County Health Department
141 Pryor Street
Suite 1029A
Atlanta, GA 30303
(404) 613-1260
Submit mail requests to:
State Office of Vital Records
1680 Phoenix Boulevard, Suite 100
Atlanta, GA 30349
Response Time: 8-10 Weeks
Where and How to Find Atlanta Death Records?
The Fulton County Department of Health is the primary custodian of Fulton County and Atlanta death records. Access to Atlanta death records is restricted to persons with a direct and tangible interest, primary family members, or legal representatives of the family. These persons can complete the Death Certificate Application form to request copies of Atlanta death records. Enclose a valid-ID and payment to the filled-out form. Submit them in person or by mail to:
Fulton County Health Department
141 Pryor Street
Suite 1029A
Atlanta, GA 30303
(404) 613-1260
The custodian's office charges $25 for the first certified copy of an Atlanta death certificate. It charges $5 for each additional copy requested at the same time. Make payment with cash, money order, personal check, and credit/debit card.
The Georgia State Department of Public Health also keeps records of deaths registered in Georgia and Atlanta City. These records are available to interested persons through mail and in-person requests. To request an Atlanta death record, they should complete the Request for Search of Death Record (Form 3912). Provide payment and a copy of a government-issued ID and submit the request by mail to:
State Office of Vital Records
1680 Phoenix Boulevard, Suite 100
Atlanta, GA 30349
Response Time: 8-10 Weeks
Or submit an in-person request to any of the locations below:
State Office of Vital Records
1680 Phoenix Boulevard, Suite 100
Atlanta, GA 30349
Monday-Friday; between 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Fulton County Health Department
141 Pryor Street
Suite 1029A
Atlanta, GA 30303
(404) 613-1260
