Daviess County Public Records

What Are Public Records in Daviess County?

Public records in Daviess County are defined under Kentucky Revised Statutes § 61.870 as all books, papers, maps, photographs, cards, tapes, discs, diskettes, recordings, software, or other documentation regardless of physical form or characteristics, which are prepared, owned, used, in the possession of, or retained by a public agency. The following categories of records are currently available to members of the public through various Daviess County offices:

Court records (civil, criminal, probate, and family matters) — maintained by the Daviess County Circuit Court Clerk
Property records (deeds, mortgages, liens, and assessments) — maintained by the Daviess County Clerk
Vital records (birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates) — marriage licenses are issued through the Daviess County Clerk; birth and death records are held by the Kentucky Office of Vital Statistics
Business records (licenses, permits, and fictitious business names) — maintained by the Daviess County Clerk
Tax records (property tax bills and assessment records) — maintained by the Daviess County Property Valuation Administrator and the Sheriff's Office
Voting and election records — maintained by the Daviess County Clerk, Elections Division
Meeting minutes and agendas (county commission, boards, and committees) — maintained by the Daviess County Clerk and respective agencies
Budget and financial documents — available through the Daviess County Judge/Executive's Office
Law enforcement records (arrest logs and incident reports, where permitted by law) — maintained by the Daviess County Sheriff's Office
Land use and zoning records — maintained by the Owensboro-Daviess County Regional Planning Commission

Is Daviess County an Open Records County?

Daviess County fully complies with Kentucky's open records framework, which establishes a broad public right of access to government documents. Under Kentucky Revised Statutes § 61.872, all public records of a public agency shall be open for inspection by any person, except as otherwise provided by the Kentucky Open Records Act. Two key provisions govern access in Daviess County:

Any person may inspect public records during the regular office hours of the public agency, and agencies must respond to written requests within five business days.
Public agencies are required to maintain a written policy describing the procedures by which records may be inspected or copies obtained, and that policy must be made available to the public upon request.

Kentucky's Open Meetings Act, codified at KRS § 61.800 et seq., further requires that meetings of public agencies be conducted openly and that minutes be made available to the public. Daviess County agencies are bound by both statutes and are required to designate an official custodian of records responsible for processing open records requests. No county-specific ordinance currently supersedes or narrows the rights established under state law.

How to Find Public Records in Daviess County in 2026

Members of the public may obtain Daviess County public records through several channels, depending on the record type sought. The following steps outline the standard process:

Identify the custodial office. Determine which agency holds the record — for example, court records are held by the Circuit Court Clerk, while property records are held by the County Clerk.
Submit a written open records request. Requests may be submitted in person, by mail, or by email to the designated open records coordinator of the relevant agency. Requests should identify the records sought with reasonable particularity.
Await agency response. Under current law, the agency must respond within five business days, either providing the records, denying the request with a written explanation citing the applicable exemption, or notifying the requester that additional time is needed.
Access court records online or in person. The Kentucky Court of Justice provides online access to certain case information through its CourtNet system. Members of the public may also visit the Daviess County Circuit Court Clerk in person to inspect or obtain copies of court filings.
Search law enforcement records. Arrest and offender information may be accessed through the Kentucky Online Offender Lookup maintained by the Kentucky Department of Corrections.
Appeal a denial. If a request is denied, the requester may appeal to the Kentucky Attorney General's Office within 30 days of the denial.

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

Current fees for public records in Daviess County are governed by state statute and vary by record type and custodial office. Under KRS § 61.874, a public agency may charge a fee for copies that does not exceed the actual cost of reproduction, not including the cost of staff required to produce the copy. Standard fees currently in effect include:

Paper copies: $0.10 per page for standard black-and-white copies at most county offices
Certified copies of court records: Fees set by the Kentucky Court of Justice; currently $0.50 per page plus a certification fee
Vital records (marriage/divorce): Fees for certified copies of marriage and divorce records vary; the Kentucky Office of Vital Statistics charges a standard fee per certified copy
Property records: The Daviess County Clerk charges a per-page fee for copies of deeds, liens, and related instruments
Electronic records: Agencies may charge for the actual cost of duplication in electronic format

Accepted payment methods vary by office but generally include cash, check, and money order. Certain offices may accept credit or debit card payments. Fee waivers may be available for indigent requesters or for requests made in the public interest, at the discretion of the agency custodian.

Does Daviess County Have Free Public Records?

Free inspection of public records is available to all members of the public under Kentucky law, which requires agencies to permit in-person inspection of records at no charge during regular business hours. The following resources currently provide free access to Daviess County records:

In-person inspection at the Daviess County Clerk's Office, Circuit Court Clerk's Office, and other public agencies — no fee is charged for viewing records on-site
Kentucky Court of Justice online portal — certain civil and criminal case information is available at no cost through the Kentucky Court of Justice website
Kentucky Online Offender Lookup — the Kentucky Department of Corrections offender search provides free public access to current offender status and location information
Daviess County Sheriff's Office website — the Daviess County Sheriff's Office provides publicly accessible information regarding tax payments and certain law enforcement matters at no charge

Who Can Request Public Records in Daviess County?

Any person, regardless of residency, citizenship, or stated purpose, is entitled to inspect and obtain copies of public records in Daviess County. Under KRS § 61.872, the right of inspection applies to "any person," and agencies are not permitted to require requesters to identify themselves or explain the reason for their request as a condition of access to non-exempt records. The following provisions apply:

Residency: Requesters are not required to be residents of Daviess County or the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
Identification: Agencies may not require identification as a precondition to inspecting public records, though identification may be required for certain restricted record types.
Purpose: Requesters are generally not required to state the purpose of their request, except in limited circumstances involving records subject to special statutory protections.
Restricted record types: Certain records — such as sealed court files, juvenile records, and adoption records — are accessible only to parties with a demonstrated legal interest or court authorization.
Requesting your own records: Individuals seeking records pertaining to themselves may be entitled to access records that would otherwise be withheld from third parties, such as certain personnel or investigative records.

What Records Are Confidential in Daviess County?

Not all government records in Daviess County are subject to public disclosure. Kentucky law establishes specific categories of exempt records, and agencies are required to withhold information that falls within these exemptions. Under KRS § 61.878, the following categories are currently exempt from mandatory public disclosure:

Sealed court records — records sealed by judicial order are not available for public inspection
Juvenile records — records pertaining to minors involved in court proceedings are confidential by statute
Ongoing investigation records — records compiled in the course of an active law enforcement investigation, where disclosure would harm the investigation
Personal identifying information — Social Security numbers, financial account data, and similar identifiers are protected from disclosure
Medical records — protected under both state law and the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
Adoption records — sealed pursuant to Kentucky adoption statutes
Child welfare and protective services records — records maintained by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services relating to child abuse or neglect investigations
Personnel records — records of public employees containing personal information, with limited exceptions for disciplinary actions and final agency decisions
Trade secrets and proprietary business information — submitted to agencies in confidence
Security plans and critical infrastructure details — withheld to protect public safety

Where a record contains both exempt and non-exempt information, the agency is required to separate and release the non-exempt portions. Agencies must provide a written explanation citing the specific statutory basis for any denial of access.

Daviess County Recorder's Office: Contact Information and Hours

In Kentucky, the functions of a recorder's office are performed by the County Clerk, who is responsible for maintaining property records, vital records, business filings, and election records. The principal offices serving Daviess County are listed below.

Daviess County Clerk's Office 212 St. Ann Street, Owensboro, KY 42303 (270) 685-8434 Daviess County Clerk Public counter hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Daviess County Circuit Court Clerk 100 East Second Street, Owensboro, KY 42303 (270) 687-7270 Daviess County Circuit Court Clerk Public counter hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Daviess County Sheriff's Office 212 St. Ann Street, Owensboro, KY 42303 (270) 685-8466 Daviess County Sheriff's Office Public counter hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Daviess County Property Valuation Administrator 212 St. Ann Street, Room 102, Owensboro, KY 42303 (270) 685-8474 Daviess County PVA Public counter hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Kentucky Office of Vital Statistics 275 East Main Street, Frankfort, KY 40621 (502) 564-4212 Kentucky Vital Statistics Public counter hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.