Find Public Records in St. Mary's County
St. Mary's County public records include court filings, land instruments, property data, probate documents, vital records, and criminal history maintained by county and state offices. The Circuit Court Clerk in Leonardtown serves as the primary records custodian for most official county documents. This page covers the main record types, where to find them online, and how to request anything that isn't available through a public database.
St. Mary's County Public Records Overview
St. Mary's County Court Records Search
The Circuit Court Clerk's office is at 41605 Court House Drive, Leonardtown, MD 20650. The main phone number is (301) 475-7844, and the office is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. St. Mary's County is part of Maryland's 7th Judicial Circuit, along with Calvert and Charles counties. That circuit covers the entire Southern Maryland peninsula south of Prince George's County.
Court records are searchable online through the Maryland Judiciary Case Search. The system covers both the Circuit Court and District Court. You can search by name or case number at no charge. Results show civil cases, criminal charges and dispositions, traffic matters, domestic filings, and appellate entries. Most active cases from the past two decades are included. Some older records are only on paper or microfilm at the courthouse and require an in-person visit or written request.
Sealed records, juvenile cases, and certain protective order details do not appear in the public search. If you need one of those and have a legal right to access it, contact the clerk's office directly with documentation of your authorization.
The Maryland Judiciary Case Search is the main portal for St. Mary's County court records online.
The case search portal returns filing dates, party names, charges or claim types, and case status for both Circuit and District Court matters in St. Mary's County.
St. Mary's County Land Records
Land instruments recorded in St. Mary's County include deeds, mortgages, deeds of trust, liens, releases, plats, and easements. These are filed with the Circuit Court land records office and indexed in the statewide Maryland Land Records system. The online portal lets you search by grantor or grantee name and view scanned document images at no cost.
Recording fees in Maryland are set by state law. A document of nine pages or fewer costs $20 to record. Documents of ten or more pages cost $75. Most instruments also carry a $40 surcharge. Mortgage releases are $10. These rates are the same in every Maryland county. If you are recording a document in St. Mary's County, bring the exact fee and make sure your instrument meets the formatting requirements listed on the land records portal.
Use Maryland Land Records to search St. Mary's County deeds and recorded documents.
The Maryland Land Records system shows full document images for most recorded instruments in St. Mary's County, making it easy to verify deed chains and mortgage releases online.
Property Records and Assessments
The Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT) maintains property ownership and assessment records for every parcel in St. Mary's County. The SDAT database is free to use online and shows the owner of record, mailing address, deed book and page reference, assessed value, and tax account number for each property. Records update after the annual reassessment cycle.
St. Mary's County sits at the southern tip of Maryland's Western Shore, surrounded on three sides by the Patuxent River, the Potomac River, and the Chesapeake Bay. The county has a mix of rural land, waterfront properties, and residential developments near Lexington Park and Patuxent River Naval Air Station. Property types and values vary significantly across the county, and the SDAT database reflects all of them.
Property tax bills are calculated by the county based on SDAT assessments. If you think your assessment is wrong, you can appeal to the Property Tax Assessment Appeals Board. The deadline to file is 45 days from the date of your assessment notice. SDAT's website explains the appeal process in detail.
Search the SDAT Real Property database to look up St. Mary's County property ownership and value records.
SDAT results show owner name, property class, assessed value, and the deed reference used to trace ownership history in the land records system.
Probate Records in St. Mary's County
Probate and estate records for St. Mary's County are handled by the Register of Wills, which is located in the Leonardtown courthouse complex. When someone dies with assets in St. Mary's County, the estate is typically opened with the Register of Wills. Admitted wills, inventory filings, accounts, and final distributions all become part of the public probate record unless sealed by specific court order.
The statewide Maryland Registers portal provides online access to probate indexes for all counties, including St. Mary's. You can search by the decedent's name and see key case details including the estate number, filing dates, and whether the case is open or closed. This is often the fastest way to confirm whether a probate was opened and who the personal representative is.
Probate records are frequently used in genealogical research. Estate inventories list personal property, debts, and sometimes names of family members and creditors. Older probate records in St. Mary's County can go back several centuries, and many have been digitized through the Maryland State Archives.
Access the St. Mary's County Register of Wills for probate and estate records.
The Register of Wills portal allows searches by decedent name and shows estate filing details, personal representative information, and case status for St. Mary's County probate matters.
Criminal Records and Public Safety Records
Criminal records in St. Mary's County are available through the Maryland Judiciary Case Search for court case outcomes and through the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS) for formal background checks. The court search is free and shows charges, case outcomes, and probation entries. The DPSCS process involves fingerprinting, fees, and is typically used for formal background screenings.
Arrest records and incident reports held by the St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office or the Maryland State Police are not part of the court record. Those require a Maryland Public Information Act (MPIA) request submitted directly to the law enforcement agency. Under the MPIA, agencies must respond within 10 days and fulfill the request within 30 days, though some law enforcement records may be withheld if disclosure would compromise an investigation or endanger someone.
The Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services manages state-level criminal history records and background check services for St. Mary's County and statewide.
DPSCS handles formal criminal history requests including fingerprint-based background checks, inmate locator queries, and supervised release information for St. Mary's County residents.
Vital Records: Birth, Death, and Marriage
Birth and death records in Maryland are held by the state, not the county. The Vital Statistics Administration (VSA) in Baltimore processes requests for certified birth and death certificates. These cannot be obtained from the St. Mary's County clerk or any local office. You must contact the VSA directly, either by mail or in person.
Birth records less than 100 years old are restricted to the subject, their parents, or authorized representatives. Death records older than 20 years are generally available to anyone with a valid reason and proper identification. Marriage records can be requested from both the VSA and from the Circuit Court Clerk in the county where the license was issued.
Marriage licenses in St. Mary's County are issued at the Leonardtown courthouse. Both parties must appear at the same time. There is a 48-hour waiting period after issuance. The license is valid for six months and costs $85. Once the ceremony takes place and the officiant returns the signed license, it becomes a permanent public record on file with the clerk.
How to Request St. Mary's County Records
Most records are available through the online systems described on this page. For records that aren't online, submit a written MPIA request to the office that holds them. Here is a quick reference for common record types:
- Court cases: Maryland Judiciary Case Search or Circuit Court Clerk, (301) 475-7844
- Land records and deeds: Maryland Land Records portal or clerk's office
- Property assessments: SDAT Real Property Search
- Probate and estate records: Register of Wills, Leonardtown courthouse
- Birth and death certificates: Maryland Vital Statistics Administration, Baltimore
- Criminal history: Maryland Judiciary Case Search or DPSCS
- Police reports: St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office via MPIA request
Written MPIA requests should clearly identify the records you want and include your name and contact information. There is no fee to submit a request, but agencies may charge for copying, staff time on large requests, or certified copies. The 30-day response window runs from the date the agency receives your written request.
Nearby Maryland Counties
St. Mary's County shares borders with Charles and Calvert counties to the north. All three counties make up Maryland's Southern Maryland region.