Criminal Records
The Records Unit of the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office manages the storage and dissemination of reports generated by the office. Residents can obtain information by sending a request to
P.O. Box 1095,
Columbiana, AL 35051
Interested parties can also obtain criminal records or request background check from the Criminal Records Identification Unit of the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA). It maintains records and fingerprint files for all arrested offenders residing in the state.
How to Obtain Inmate Information
The Shelby County Sheriff's office maintains an online list of persons currently held in county jail. Members of the public can search through the list by last name or recent arrivals. In addition, the Alabama Department of Corrections provides a public inmate search tool that requesters can use to find inmates held in correctional facilities across the state. Searches can be conducted using different criteria, such as the inmate’s name or AIS (Alabama Institutional Serial) number.
How to Find Sex Offender Information
The Shelby County Sheriff office oversees the enforcement of registration for sex offenders in the county. It also publishes an online most-wanted list. Similarly, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) maintains state-wide records of registered offenders. It also provides public access to general information on sex offenders via a searchable online registry. Interested persons can conduct searches by name or zip code to find offenders living within a particular area.
Who Can Request a Police or Criminal Report?
In compliance with state laws, access to some arrest records and court records may be restricted to only authorized applicants. Requests can be made by witnesses or victims of a crime, insurance carriers, or legal representatives of victims. Requests for juvenile information will require the permission of the presiding judge of the juvenile court.
Court Records
Shelby County is home to a circuit court, district court, and probate court, all of which are housed in the same location at:
Shelby County Courthouse
112 N Main St, P.O. Box 1810
Columbiana, AL 35051
Phone: (205) 669-3760
Fax: (205) 669-3786
Vital Records
Shelby County provides access to vital records at the county and state level. Record for events that occurred in the last 125 years and deaths in the last 25 years are considered confidential and can only be accessed by authorized persons.
How to Find Divorce Records
Interested parties can obtain copies of a divorce decree by contacting the court clerk at the courthouse where the divorce was granted.
Shelby County Courthouse
112 N Main St, P.O. Box 1810
Columbiana, AL 35051
The Alabama Center for Health Statistics Vital Records office also processes requests for copies of divorce certificates. Residents can obtain records in person at any county health department. To obtain a divorce certificate by mail, interested parties must send a completed application with the appropriate fee to:
Alabama Vital Records
P.O. Box 5625
Montgomery, AL 36103-5625
The department charges $15.00 or a certified copy of a divorce record and $6.00 for each additional record ordered at the same time.
Note: Records of divorces that occurred prior to 1950 can be obtained at the County circuit court.
Who Can Access Divorce Records?
Under Alabama’s slate laws, divorce certificates are open to the public (for a fee). Anyone may obtain records as long as they are able to provide enough information to search for the record. Requesters are expected to provide as much of the following:
- Name of both spouses before marriage
- Date of divorce
- Requester’s name
- Requester’s signature
- Contact details
How to Find Birth, Death, and Marriage Records
The Shelby County Health Department processes requests for birth, death, and marriage records for events in the county. To obtain records, interested parties must submit a completed application form for a birth, death or marriage certificate. Requests can be submitted in person or by mail to:
Alabama Department of Public Health
Center for Health Statistics
P.O. Box 5625
Montgomery, AL 36103-5625
Applications must also include a copy of a valid government-issued I.D. Acceptable options include Alabama Driver’s license, U.S or foreign passport, U.S military I.D, Citizenship ID card, and Inmate ID.
Note: Processing time for court records ranges from half an hour for walk-in requests to 10 days for mail applications.
Are Property Records Open to the Public in Shelby County?
Property records in Shelby County are open to the public, in compliance with the Alabama Public Record Law. The Public Records Law allows members of the public to request records that are generated, prepared, used, or retained by government agencies while carrying out official duties. Interested persons may inspect or obtain copies of Shelby County property records by submitting a request at the custodian's office.
Where and How to Find Property Records in Shelby County
The Shelby County Probate Court Clerk maintains all property records in the county. Interested members of the public can obtain copies of these records in person or online. Interested persons who wish to obtain property records in person may do so at the office location:
Location: Shelby County Circuit Court
Shelby County Probate Judge
112 North Main Street
Columbiana, AL 35051
Phone: (205) 669-3710
Fax: (205) 669-3714
How to Look Up Shelby County Property Records
The Shelby County Probate Court maintains an online property search page that allows users to access property information in the county. The property search page uses both basic and advanced search options to provide information to interested persons. To obtain property information using the basic search, requestors can sort the queries using any option:
- Instrument: Low to High
- Instrument: High to Low
- Name: A to Z
- Name: Z to A
- Recorded Date: Max to Min
- Recorded Date: Min to Max
The advanced search option, however, allows users to access property information by using a variety of search combinations. Some of the search combinations available include Instrument Number, Recorded Date (from-to), Company or Last Name, First Name, Document Type, Book, Page, Map Book, Map Page, Lot Number, Lot, Block, Section, Township, Range, QT, BQT, and Legacy Number.
Location of Shelby County Property Assessors
Physical Address:
Property Tax Commissioner's Office
102 Depot Street
Columbiana, AL 35051
Phone: (205) 670-6900
Fax: (205) 670-6915
Mail Address:
P.O. Box 1269
Columbiana, AL 35051
