Lauderdale County Public Records

How to Find Public Records in Lauderdale County in 2026

Members of the public seeking government documents in Lauderdale County, Tennessee, may access a range of publicly available information through official county and state channels. LauderdaleCountyRecords.us provides a directory of data and resources that may assist individuals in locating records maintained by local government offices. The types of information that may be found through official sources include, but are not limited to:

Court records (civil, criminal, probate, and family)
Property deeds, mortgages, and assessment records
Vital records (birth, death, marriage, and divorce)
Business licenses and permits
Tax and financial records
Voting and election records
Law enforcement records, where permitted by law
Meeting minutes, agendas, and budget documents

Records may be searched through official court resources, clerk offices, public access terminals, and online tools maintained by county and state agencies.

Online Access: The Tennessee Comptroller's property assessment portal allows members of the public to search property data by county, including Lauderdale County. The Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts provides online case information through its public access system. No registration is required for basic property lookups, though some court databases may require account creation.

In-Person Requests: Members of the public may visit the Lauderdale County Clerk's Office or the Circuit Court Clerk's Office to inspect records in person. Requests are submitted directly to the custodian of the relevant record.

Lauderdale County Clerk's Office
100 Court Square, Suite 1
Ripley, TN 38063
(731) 635-2561
Lauderdale County Clerk

Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM.

Written/Mail Requests: Written requests should be directed to the appropriate custodial office. The request must identify the record sought with sufficient specificity to allow the office to locate it. Under the Tennessee Public Records Act, agencies are required to respond promptly, and in no event later than seven business days from receipt of the request.

Phone/Email: The Lauderdale County Clerk's Office may be reached by telephone at (731) 635-2561. Email contact information is available through the county's official website.

What Are Public Records in Lauderdale County?

Public records in Lauderdale County are defined under Tennessee state law as all documents, papers, letters, maps, books, photographs, microfilms, electronic data processing files, and other documentary materials made or received in connection with the transaction of official business by any governmental entity. Under Tenn. Code Ann. § 10-7-503, all state, county, and municipal records are open for personal inspection by any citizen of Tennessee unless otherwise provided by law.

The following record types are maintained by Lauderdale County offices:

Record Type	Custodial Office
Civil and criminal court records	Circuit and General Sessions Court Clerk
Property deeds and mortgages	Register of Deeds
Property assessments	County Assessor of Property
Vital records (birth, death)	Tennessee Department of Health
Marriage and divorce records	County Clerk / Circuit Court Clerk
Business licenses and permits	County Clerk
Tax records	Trustee's Office
Voting and election records	Election Commission
Meeting minutes and agendas	County Commission / County Clerk
Law enforcement records	Lauderdale County Sheriff's Office

Property assessment data for Lauderdale County is accessible through the Tennessee property assessment viewer, maintained by the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury as a public service.

Is Lauderdale County an Open Records County?

Lauderdale County fully operates under Tennessee's statewide open records framework. Under Tenn. Code Ann. § 10-7-503, all public records are open for inspection by any citizen of Tennessee, and government entities are required to make records available promptly upon request. The Tennessee Public Records Act (TPRA) governs all county offices, including those in Lauderdale County.

As stated by the Tennessee Comptroller's Office of Open Records Counsel: "Pursuant to Tenn. Code Ann. § 10-7-503(g), all government entities subject to the Tennessee Public Records Act are required to have a public records request coordinator." This requirement ensures that each county office designates a responsible party to handle records requests in a consistent and lawful manner.

Tennessee's Open Meetings Act, codified at Tenn. Code Ann. § 8-44-101 et seq., further requires that meetings of governmental bodies be open to the public, and that minutes and agendas be maintained as public records. Lauderdale County Commission meetings and related board proceedings are subject to these provisions. The Tennessee Attorney General's office provides guidance on open records compliance applicable to all county governments statewide.

How Much Does It Cost to Get Public Records in Lauderdale County?

The standard fee structure for public records in Lauderdale County follows the schedule established under Tennessee state law. Members of the public are not charged a fee to inspect records in person; fees apply when copies are requested.

Standard Copy Fees:

Item	Fee
Black-and-white paper copy (letter/legal)	$0.15 per page
Color copy	Actual cost
Certified copy (vital records, court documents)	Varies by record type
Electronic records (where available)	Actual cost of media or transmission
Oversized documents (maps, plats)	Actual cost

Certification fees for vital records such as birth and death certificates are set by the Tennessee Department of Health and are subject to change. The Lauderdale County Register of Deeds charges recording and copy fees in accordance with state statute. Accepted payment methods at county offices include cash, check, and money order; some offices accept credit or debit cards.

Under Tennessee law, agencies may charge for the actual cost of materials and labor when producing records in electronic format. Inspection of records at a public counter does not incur a fee. Fee waiver provisions are not broadly established by statute, though individual offices may exercise discretion in limited circumstances.

Does Lauderdale County Have Free Public Records?

Free inspection of public records is available at Lauderdale County government offices during regular business hours. Any citizen of Tennessee may inspect records in person at no charge, consistent with the requirements of the Tennessee Public Records Act.

The following resources provide free access to certain records:

The Tennessee property assessment viewer provides free online access to property assessment data for all Tennessee counties, including Lauderdale County.
The Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts offers free online case lookup for certain court records through its public portal.
The Tennessee Felony Offender Information database, maintained by the Tennessee Department of Correction, provides free public access to information on felony offenders who are or have been in state custody.
The Lauderdale County Election Commission makes voter registration and election result data available for public inspection at no charge.

The distinction between free inspection and free copies is significant: while inspection at a public counter carries no fee, obtaining paper or electronic copies is subject to the fee schedule described above.

Who Can Request Public Records in Lauderdale County?

Any citizen of Tennessee may request public records from Lauderdale County government offices. Under the Tennessee Public Records Act, residency within the county is not required; Tennessee citizenship is the applicable standard. Members of the public are not required to state a purpose or reason for their request in order to inspect most public records.

Requestors are not required to provide identification as a condition of inspection for most records, though identification may be required for records that contain sensitive personal information or for certified copies. Non-residents of Tennessee do not have the same statutory right of access under the TPRA, though many offices extend access as a matter of practice.

Individuals requesting their own records — such as personal court records or vital records — follow the same process as any other requestor, with additional identity verification required for certified copies of vital records. Requests for records pertaining to other individuals are subject to the same open records framework, except where specific exemptions apply.

Certain record categories, such as juvenile court records, adoption records, and sealed court files, carry additional restrictions regardless of the requestor's identity or purpose.

What Records Are Confidential in Lauderdale County?

Not all government records in Lauderdale County are open for public inspection. Tennessee law establishes a range of exemptions that protect certain categories of information from disclosure. The following records are currently exempt from public access under state and federal law:

Sealed court records and expunged criminal records
Juvenile court records and proceedings
Records pertaining to ongoing law enforcement investigations
Social Security numbers and personal financial account information
Medical records and protected health information (subject to HIPAA)
Adoption records
Child welfare and protective services records
Personnel records of government employees (with limited exceptions)
Trade secrets and proprietary business information submitted to government agencies
Security plans, infrastructure vulnerability assessments, and emergency response protocols

As noted by the Tennessee Comptroller's Office: "The Tennessee Public Records Act contains numerous exceptions to the general rule of openness, and those exceptions must be strictly construed." Agencies denying access to records are required to cite the specific statutory basis for the exemption.

Tenn. Code Ann. § 10-7-504 enumerates specific categories of confidential records under Tennessee law. When a record contains both exempt and non-exempt information, the custodial office is required to redact the exempt portions and provide access to the remainder.

Lauderdale County Recorder's Office: Contact Information and Hours

Lauderdale County Register of Deeds
100 Court Square, Suite 4
Ripley, TN 38063
(731) 635-2175
Lauderdale County Register of Deeds

Office Hours:
Monday – Friday: 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM
Closed on state and federal holidays.

Lauderdale County Circuit Court Clerk
100 Court Square
Ripley, TN 38063
(731) 635-2174
Lauderdale County Circuit Court Clerk

Office Hours:
Monday – Friday: 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM

Lauderdale County Trustee (Tax Records)
100 Court Square, Suite 3
Ripley, TN 38063
(731) 635-2413
Lauderdale County Trustee