Public Records in Mobile County, Alabama

Public Records

Mobile County sits in the southwestern corner of Alabama and is the second-most populous county in the state. Public records in this county refer to official documents that local government agencies maintain on residents, entities, and public businesses. 

It is your statutory right to get a copy of these records under the Alabama Public Records Law. Nevertheless, you must know the agency responsible for handling public requests and the procedure for submitting a records request. Alabama does not have a centralized database for all public records within its jurisdiction, but some independent databases bridge this gap. 

If you are looking for the arrest record of a resident, contact the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office. You will need to submit a request for an incident/offense report to the Records Section Supervisor via email at yrcalhoun@mobileso.com. You can also send a written request via regular mail to P.O. Box 113, Mobile, AL 36601. If you prefer to visit in person, the Sheriff’s administration building is at 510 South Royal Street, Mobile, AL 36603.

Arrest records are only one of several public records in Mobile County you can get from the Sheriff’s office. This office is also in charge of public records on incarcerated offenders. First, check if the inmate whose incarceration record you seek is on the county jail list. Once you confirm incarceration, submit a written request for public records to the jail administrative staff. Sex offender information and outstanding arrest warrants in Mobile County are also available online for your perusal. 

You can also view and get copies of court documents on any case that interests you unless the court restricts public access. These include criminal, divorce, small claims, and civil cases. Bankruptcy cases, and associated court records, are outside the jurisdiction of local courts. Nevertheless, you can use this public resource to get copies of bankruptcy filings from Mobile County. For local cases filed in Mobile County, visit the clerk’s office at the district or circuit court. You can also complete this records request form for mail requests. 

Meanwhile, you can visit the Mobile County Health Department downtown to get copies of vital records. These are documents on all births, deaths, marriages, and divorces recorded in the county up to date. Vital records that are less than 25 years old are unavailable to public requesters. However, once this time restriction has elapsed on a vital record, you may get a copy of it upon request. 

Some agencies only handle in-person requests, and most agencies make provisions for mail and phone requests or online databases. It is also common for an agency to have all three means of requesting public records. In such cases, the online method is typically the fastest way to get publicly available records if you are pressed for time and wish to minimize costs. 

In writing your request letter for mail requests, be as specific and brief as possible. Also, provide the necessary details that will help administrative staff find and retrieve the record you seek. Generally, these include the name of the subject, unique identifying numbers, e.g., case number, and relevant dates. 

Regarding payment, it is best practice to contact the custodian ahead and ask for a cost estimate. Some record custodians have a fee schedule, and others will contact you with a cost estimate after receiving your request. Either way, the record custodian must receive the complete fee before processing the public records request any further. 

Depending on the backlog of pending requests for public records in Mobile County, you can expect to get the documents you requested within several business days. In-person requests are typically faster than mail requests but subject to delays also. If the agency that keeps the public record you seek provides an online alternative, consider using it to save time and cost.