Severn Maryland Public Records
Severn is an unincorporated community in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, which means all public records for the area are held and processed by county agencies rather than any city government. This page covers how to find police reports, court filings, property records, and other documents through the offices that actually maintain them.
Severn Public Records Overview
How Severn Public Records Work
Severn has no city hall, no city clerk, and no municipal police force. It is a census-designated place. That means every record type you might need, whether it's a crash report, a court case, or a deed, runs through Anne Arundel County. The county is large, with well over 500,000 residents, so it has established clear channels for each category of public record.
Maryland's Public Information Act (MPIA) gives everyone the right to request government records. Agencies must respond within 10 business days and finish the request within 30 days. The first two hours of staff search time are free. After that, fees are billed at the hourly rate of whoever is pulling the records. Most basic reports cost $5 or less.
Anne Arundel County has a centralized online portal at aacounty.org/pia that covers police, fire, health, planning, zoning, and permits. You can create an account, submit requests, track status, and pay fees online. That portal is the fastest way to get most county records without driving anywhere.
Severn Police Records: Anne Arundel County Police Department
The Anne Arundel County Police Department handles law enforcement for Severn. The Central Records Section is at police headquarters: 8495 Veterans Highway, Millersville, MD 21108. The records line is (410) 222-8750. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM.
You can submit a records request three ways. Online is the simplest. Go to aacounty.org/pia, pick the "Police" category, choose your record type, and fill out the form. The system lets you track progress and pay any fees electronically. By mail, send your request to the address above, attn: Central Records/PIA. In person, the headquarters has tablets at the front desk that you can use to submit a request on the spot. Bring a valid ID.
Most completed incident reports and accident reports cost $5. Archived reports that require retrieval from storage cost $35. Color photo copies are $1 each. A photo CD is $5. If you want a 911 audio recording, that runs $25. Body-worn camera footage and other audio/photo/video materials cost $40. Reports longer than 20 pages are charged at $0.25 per page beyond the base fee.
The department uses Axon Body 3 cameras for standard officers and Axon Flex 2 for SWAT. All sworn officers have been equipped since September 2021. The department has roughly 1,680 body-worn cameras in rotation. Standard recordings are kept for at least four years. Homicide and sexual assault case footage is retained for 80 years. Evidence recordings stay until the case is fully adjudicated.
Active investigations are not released. Juvenile records are restricted. Victim and witness identifying information is redacted in most cases. Crime statistics and completed case reports are generally public once a case is closed.
The Anne Arundel County Clerk's website is the starting point for court-related record requests in the county. The page below shows the clerk's portal, which links to online access tools and in-person filing information.
From the clerk site you can find the specific office handling the record type you need, including contact details and hours for each division.
Court Records for Severn Residents
Two trial courts serve the Severn area. The Glen Burnie District Court handles misdemeanors, traffic cases, small civil claims, and other lower-level matters. It sits at 7500 Governor Ritchie Highway, Glen Burnie, MD 21061, and the phone is (410) 260-1800. The Anne Arundel County Circuit Court handles serious criminal cases, civil suits, family law, and jury trials. That court is at 8 Church Circle, Annapolis, MD 21401, phone (410) 222-1397.
Most case lookups start at Maryland Judiciary Case Search. The system is free and covers both District and Circuit Court filings across the state. You can search by name, case number, or citation number and pull up case status, hearing dates, dispositions, and charges. No account is needed to run a basic search.
The Maryland Case Search portal is shown below. It covers all counties including Anne Arundel, which means Severn cases appear here.
To get certified copies of court documents, contact the clerk's office directly. Copies cost $5 for the first page and $0.50 for each additional page. Requests can be made in person or by mail. Include a check payable to the clerk of the circuit court.
Severn Property Records
Property records for Severn addresses are kept by two primary sources: the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT) and Anne Arundel County Land Records through mdlandrec.net. Both are free to use.
SDAT's real property search is at sdat.dat.maryland.gov/RealProperty. When you get there, select Anne Arundel County (county code 02). You can search by street address, account number, or map reference. The database shows ownership history, assessed value, and basic property characteristics. Owner name searches are not available through SDAT.
The SDAT property search tool is shown below. It lets you pull assessment data and ownership records for Severn addresses quickly.
After running your search, you can view the full assessment details including recent sale history and parcel characteristics without any login or fee.
For deed images and recorded instruments, use mdlandrec.net. You will need to create a free account. The system covers deeds, mortgages, liens, and other documents recorded with the county. If you prefer to search in person, the Anne Arundel County Land Records office is in Annapolis at the Circuit Court building on Church Circle.
Property taxes in the Severn area are assessed by SDAT and collected by Anne Arundel County Treasury at 7480 Baltimore Annapolis Blvd, Glen Burnie, MD 21061, phone (410) 222-1753. You can also pay online through aacounty.org. The SDAT Anne Arundel office for assessment questions is at 1 Harry S. Truman Parkway, Annapolis, MD 21401, phone (410) 974-4380.
Anne Arundel County PIA Requests: Non-Police Records
For county records that don't come from the police department, Anne Arundel County still uses the central PIA portal at aacounty.org/pia. The portal covers a wide range of departments. You can request planning and zoning documents, inspection and permit records, health department data, fire department reports, and more.
If you're not sure which department has the records you need, start with the online portal and pick the closest category. Staff will route your request if it goes to the wrong office. The portal also gives you estimated fees before you finalize a request, which helps you decide whether to proceed or narrow your request first.
Mail-in requests for general county records go to: Anne Arundel County Government, Public Information Act Request, 7480 Baltimore Annapolis Blvd, Glen Burnie, MD 21061. Be specific about what you're looking for. Include the record type, time period, any relevant names or addresses, and your contact information. Also state the maximum fee you're willing to pay, because requests are sometimes held if the estimated cost exceeds what was authorized.
Vital Records and Other Severn Documents
Birth, death, and marriage certificates are not available at the county level in Maryland. You need to go through the Maryland Division of Vital Records at 6764 Reisterstown Road, Baltimore, MD 21215, phone (410) 764-3038. The state office handles all vital records issuance. Only people with a direct interest, such as the person named or an immediate family member, can get certified copies.
The Anne Arundel County Department of Health serves the Severn area through a Glen Burnie office at 122 Langley Road, Suite A, Glen Burnie, MD 21060, phone (410) 222-6693. This office can answer questions about local health department records and help direct you to the right state agency for vital records requests.
Business entity records are searchable at no cost through the SDAT business database at dat.maryland.gov. You can look up registered agents, formation dates, and filing status for any business registered in Maryland. For local business licenses and permits, contact Anne Arundel County directly through the PIA portal or by calling the specific department that issues them.
Building permits and code enforcement records for Severn are handled by Anne Arundel County Inspections and Permits. Requests go through the same PIA portal. Zoning records and planning documents flow through the Planning and Zoning department, also accessible via the portal. Both types of records are public under the MPIA once any active enforcement action is resolved.
Nearby Maryland Cities
These nearby Maryland cities also have public records resources you can look up online.