Is there any websites out there where i can find public records free of charge?

although this information is public record, a lot of these sites want you to pay for the information, so i want to know what sites out there actually have the information to view free of charge.Is there any websites out there where i can find public records free of charge?
If you don't want to join ancestry or one of the others, you can still find the information but it's harder and much more time consuming. It's impossible to get documentation for free.



Birth and Death records cost money. Birth and Death archive records, they often charge a search fee. Then you pay for certification and postage. Military records cost you as well. They tend to just charge you copy fees and postage, but it's going to cost you.



I find a lot of stuff at state library archives. Church's are a good source too. My family followed Manifest Destiny, so they were all over the place. If you're like me and you're subjects are from different states, it gets expensive. It also gets frustrating at times. I just concentrate on ONE BRANCH of your line and ONE PERSON in that branch at a time. For me, it's like building a bridge, one stone at a time.



You also can join SURNAME mailing lists. It's amazing what you find there! Also, State and County lists. You can find a lot of people who have connections with you and they help out a lot.



Just have fun,

Terrie



Edit: Oh and if you've gotten far enough check the National Archive for a lot of historical documents. DAR and DRT will send you entire files for a Patriot. DAR charges $10 and DRT charges per copy.



Really, there are so many resources out there. There are too many to record here. Go get a book. There are many books about internet sources and etc..Is there any websites out there where i can find public records free of charge?
Of course they charge for this information. Do you think that it costs them nothing to compile and make this info available to you?



I know of none that are free. But I know of one that is very reasonable. Try publicdata.com. They charge $25 per year and includes 250 look-ups plus free 150 more look-ups if you charge the fee on your credit card. You can get criminal reports, drivers license reports, VID reports, sex predator reports, voter reg. reports, etc., etc. I have been using this service now for about five years and am very satisfied.Is there any websites out there where i can find public records free of charge?
http://vitals.rootsweb.ancestry.com/ca/d鈥?/a>

has 9,366,786 death records in California from 1940 thru 1997. It is free. Chances are that won't help you, but I wanted to show you there ARE public records out there, for free.



"Public" just means you can see it, not that a county clerk has to spend the time and money to put it on the world-wide web. For instance, if you were adopted, you could not see your adoption records in some states, even if you drove to the courthouse and paid a fee, because they are sealed, not public. You could see your birth certificate, your parents' marriage certificate or your great-grandparents' death certificates if, again, you drove to the courthouse and paid a fee. Due to privacy concerns and identity theft, there are limits on those, too. For instance, in my county, you have to be related to buy copies of B, M or D certificates.



Your city's mayor's salary is a matter of public record, and you can see it for free, usually, or just call and ask.



If you are looking for birth or marriage records for living individuals, you probably won't find them, due again to privacy laws.



There isn't a world-wide or even nation-wide site for most records. People from all over the world, but mostly the USA and UK, use this category. If you revise your answer to say what shire/state you are interested in, what kind of records and what decade, someone may be able to help you.