Public Records Online

The following is a list of web sites that provide public records, either for free or for a small fee.  Remember for many of the local government agencies, there will be a similar agency in other cities or states where you can do further research.

General Searches

There are numerous online telephone directories you can use to search for current information on individuals.  Try the local telephone company's search, Dex Knows Local Search, or try the library's subscription database, Reference USA, which requires a city resident library card when used outside the library.

• The Washington Digital Archives lets you search by name various vital records, with some collections more historic than others
• For other states, see Where to Write for Vital Records from the federal government and the more comprehensive commercial site, Vitalrec.com
• State Agency Databases lists the various sources of information provided by state governments
  
• Searchsystems.net is a commercial site that features a large nationwide index of public records databases
• See our Genealogy Resources section on Searchable Databases
  

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Business Records

• Reference USA's Business Search provides business contact information, personnel, and sometimes company profiles and public filings for larger businesses.  You must have a valid city resident library card when using this outside the library
• The Better Business Bureau has reliability reports on companies in the U.S. and Canada
• Washington State Corporation Records searches incorporated businesses, including those that are no longer active.  Advanced search allows for name or business category search.  See this LLRX article for links to other states' corporation records searches
• Department of Revenue's Business Records Database will search for all businesses that have paid taxes in Washington State going back at least 20 years
• Labor & Industries' Contractor's Database allows searches for contractors, electricians, or plumbers who have been licensed in Washington, including their insurance status and if they have complaints against them
• The Department of Licensing Business and Professional License Search shows the licensing status of such professions as engineers, real estate agents, and cosmetologists
  
• For health professions, see the Department of Health Credential Search, and for insurance agencies and agents, see the state Insurance Commissioner
  
• Donating to a charity? Check out the Better Business Bureau's Charity index and the Secretary of State's Charities and Commercial Fundraisers database

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Legal Records

• Spokane County District Court has a name index by year for various cases
  
• Washington Courts database can be searched by name to find criminal and civil cases
  
• For federal cases, especially bankruptcy cases, you will need to sign up for a free PACER account, where there is a small fee for accessing the full records
• The Washington State Patrol provides a criminal history search by name.  You must register, and there is a fee for each name searched
• Washington State Patrol also offers Collision Report forms and a way to request a copy of a previous report for a fee
• The Spokane Sheriff's office provides a list of current jail inmates.  Locate other prisoners nation-wide through these Prisoner Locator Tools
  
• Registered Sex Offenders in Spokane County is searchable by address or you can see a complete list, with photos.  There is a similar database for Idaho State.  The commercial web site FamilyWatchDog includes all states and is searchable by name

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Political Records

• Opensecrets.org lists campaign contributions over $200 at the national and state level, searchable by donor or industries.  For Washington State, there is a similar database for candidates or contributors through the Washington Public Disclosure Commission
• The Sound Politics Washington State Voter Database can be searched by address or name

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Real Estate Records

• The Spokane County Assessor's Office Parcel Search allows searches by address for property tax and valuation information
• Zillow.com is a commercial service that let's you compare prices for homes in a neighborhood, including homes recently sold and currently for sale

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