Jefferson County Clerk Records

About the Jefferson County Clerk's Office

The Jefferson County Clerk, led by County Clerk David Yates, is a state constitutional office. Its About page says the office is responsible for public documents recorded, indexed, and filed within the county. Through its Legal Records Division, the clerk helps people retrieve, research, copy, and view recorded documents such as deeds, mortgages, business names, wills, name changes, liens, and releases.

The clerk serves Louisville and Jefferson County together, a result of the 2003 city-county merger. Because the office touches so many record types, it helps to call ahead or check the right department before you go, since deeds, marriage licenses, and vehicle services each have their own counter or branch.

What the Jefferson County Clerk Does

The County Clerk's reach is wide. It records and indexes legal real-estate documents, powers of attorney, assignments, releases, fixture filings, and UCC filings. It issues marriage licenses, notary commissions, special police registrations, regulated medical licenses, and transient merchant permits. The office also runs a large motor-vehicle function and administers elections, with the clerk serving as chairman of the county Board of Elections.

For recorded documents, the Jefferson County Clerk marriage search service is one of the online tools the office offers.

The list below covers the records and services people request most.

• Deeds, mortgages, releases, and other recorded land documents.
• Business names, assignments, UCC filings, and fixture filings.
• Wills recorded in the legal records system, name changes, and liens.
• Marriage licenses, notary commissions, and professional licenses.
• Motor vehicle titles and registrations, plus elections administration.

County Clerk vs. Circuit Court Clerk

Two offices share the word "clerk," and the mix-up is the most common reason a record request goes to the wrong place. One records documents; the other holds court case files. The comparison below sorts them out.

If you need a deed or a marriage license, this office is the place. If you need a court ruling, the court clerk is.

Land and Property Records

Land records are a core function of the County Clerk. The office records and indexes deeds, mortgages, releases, powers of attorney, assignments, fixture filings, and UCC filings. The Legal Records Division and the Deed Room are where the public researches and copies these documents.

For a property search, the recorded chain of title runs through this office, not the court. The clerk also collects delinquent real estate taxes through its Legal Records Division. When you need a certified copy of a deed or a lien release, the Deed Room is the counter, and a recorded document carries its own recording reference for later lookups.

Recorded documents stay on file long term, which makes the County Clerk a key stop for title and lien research. A title search often walks back through years of deeds, mortgages, and releases to confirm ownership, and each document is indexed by the names on it and the date it was recorded. If you only have an address, the office or a title professional can help trace the recorded chain, since the records are organized by document rather than by property address alone.

Marriage Licenses and Copies

Marriage licenses come from the County Clerk, not the court. Both parties must appear in person, bring valid ID, and pay the fee. There is no waiting period and no blood test, and the license is valid for 30 days in Kentucky only. Certified copies are available in person or by mail.

The marriage license FAQ covers the branch locations, the fee, and the copy request rules.

For the full marriage and divorce record process, see marriage and divorce records.

Kentucky sets a few rules the clerk follows. A marriage may be solemnized by clergy, a judge of the Court of Justice, a county judge or executive, or certain other officials, and at least two witnesses besides the couple and the officiant must be present. The state also bars certain marriages, such as those between first cousins or where one party has a living spouse not yet divorced. The clerk's FAQ spells out the ID, age, and copy rules in one place.

How to Request a Certified Copy

A certified copy from the County Clerk bears the office seal and is the version agencies accept. Plain copies work for personal use, but legal matters usually need certification. The steps below follow the clerk's process.

1. Identify the recorded document you need, such as a deed, a will, or a marriage record.
2. Search the Legal Records Division or the online tools to locate the document.
3. Request a copy in person at the Deed Room or the relevant department.
4. For a marriage record by mail, send a written request with the names and year.
5. Pay the copy or certification fee to receive the document.

For court case copies instead, use the Office of Circuit Court Clerk, since the County Clerk does not hold case files.

Bring what you can to speed a request. For a deed, the property owner names and a recording date help; for a marriage record, the names and year are key. The office accepts cash, checks, and major cards for fees. A certified copy costs more than a plain copy, so ask for certification only when an agency or court actually requires it.

Records Request Information

A County Clerk copy request needs enough detail to find the recorded document. The table lists the information the office typically asks for.

For marriages before June 26, 2015, a mail request asks for the bride's maiden name, the groom's name, and the year; after that date, it uses partner 1 or partner 2 maiden name and the date.

Jefferson County Clerk Fees

The County Clerk publishes a set fee schedule for recordings, copies, and licenses, with amounts set by statute. The table lists common figures from the clerk's schedule.

The clerk cites the fee statute for these amounts. The county clerk fee statute, KRS 64.012, sets the schedule.

Fees can change by statute, so confirm current amounts before you pay.

County Clerk Offices and Branches

The County Clerk operates a main office plus several branches for marriage, motor vehicle, and license services. The contact cards below cover the key locations.

Seven marriage-license branches around the county take in-person applications, several with extended evening hours on different weekdays.

Motor Vehicle, Notary, and Elections

Much of the office's daily volume is motor vehicle work. The County Clerk registers or renews roughly 700,000 vehicles a year, which is why its website leans heavily toward vehicle services. The office handles titles, registrations, and related transactions across its branches.

The clerk also commissions notaries and issues other licenses, and it administers elections, with the County Clerk serving as chairman of the county Board of Elections. One change worth noting: driver licensing moved from circuit court clerks to the state transportation cabinet in 2022, so a driver's license is no longer a court-clerk errand. For vehicle and election questions, the County Clerk and its branches are the contact, while a driver's license now goes through the state.

Related Jefferson County Resources

You may also want marriage and divorce records, probate records, public records, or the Office of Circuit Court Clerk for case files.