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How to Find Public Records in Scott County in 2026

ScottKYRecords.org provides access to publicly available information related to public records maintained by government agencies in Scott County, Kentucky. Members of the public may use this resource to locate data pertaining to court proceedings, property transactions, vital events, and other government-generated documents. The information presented reflects what is available through official channels, and completeness of any individual record set depends on the maintaining agency's digitization status and applicable disclosure laws.

Records that may be located through official sources include:

Court records (civil, criminal, probate, and family court)
Property deeds, mortgages, and liens
Marriage licenses and related vital records
Election and voter registration records
County fiscal court meeting minutes and budgets
Tax assessment and property records
Business licenses and permits
Law enforcement incident reports (where permitted by law)

Records may be searched through official court resources, clerk offices, public access terminals, and online tools.

Online Access: The Scott County Fiscal Court website provides access to county government information, including fiscal court documents and public notices. The Scott County Clerk's office maintains an online portal for land records including deeds, mortgages, and wills. The Kentucky Court of Justice provides case information through its CourtNet system, accessible via the Scott County court information page. Some records require registration or in-person verification before full digital access is granted.

In-Person Requests: Members of the public may visit the Scott County Clerk's Office at 101 E Main St, Georgetown, KY 40324, during regular business hours, Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. Requestors should identify the record type, provide relevant identifying information (such as names, dates, or parcel numbers), and submit a written or verbal request to the records custodian on duty.

Written/Mail Requests: Written requests may be mailed to the Scott County Clerk's Office at 101 E Main St, Georgetown, KY 40324. Requests should include the requestor's name, contact information, a description of the records sought, and the preferred format for response. Under KRS § 61.880, the agency must respond within five business days of receiving a written request.

Phone/Email: The Scott County Clerk's Office may be reached by phone at (502) 863-7875. The City of Georgetown's official records custodian handles open records requests for city-level documents; the Georgetown open records request portal is available online at the city's official website.

What Are Public Records in Scott County?

Public records in Scott County are defined under Kentucky's Open Records Act 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 record types are maintained by specific county offices:

Record Type	Maintaining Office
Court records (civil, criminal, probate, family)	Circuit Court Clerk
Property deeds, mortgages, liens	Scott County Clerk
Marriage licenses	Scott County Clerk
Birth and death certificates	Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services
Tax assessment records	Scott County Property Valuation Administrator
Election and voter records	Scott County Clerk – Elections
Meeting minutes and budgets	Scott County Fiscal Court
Law enforcement records	Scott County Sheriff's Office
Zoning and land use records	Scott County Planning and Zoning
Business licenses and permits	City of Georgetown or County Clerk

The Scott County Clerk is charged with housing all legal land records, including deeds, mortgages, wills, marriage licenses, and notary bonds, as stated on the office's official records page.

Is Scott County an Open Records County?

Scott County fully complies with Kentucky's Open Records Act, codified at KRS § 61.870 through § 61.884, which governs public access to government records across all counties in the Commonwealth. Under this statute, any person may inspect public records of a public agency, subject to specific exemptions enumerated in the law.

As stated in the Kentucky Open Records Act, "the General Assembly finds an essential interest in the accountability of government to the citizens of the Commonwealth" and that "free and open examination of public records is in the public interest." This principle applies to all agencies operating within Scott County, including the fiscal court, clerk's office, sheriff's department, and planning commission.

The Scott County Fiscal Court operates in compliance with Kentucky's Open Meetings Act (KRS § 61.800 through § 61.850), which requires that all meetings of public agencies be open to the public, with limited exceptions. Agendas, minutes, and related documents are subject to public inspection.

County-specific policies may supplement state law but may not restrict access beyond what state statute permits. The City of Georgetown maintains its own open records procedures, with the city clerk serving as the official custodian of city records, as noted on the Georgetown open records request page.

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

The current fee structure for public records in Scott County is governed by state statute and individual agency schedules. Standard fees applicable to most requests are as follows:

Fee Type	Standard Amount
Paper copies (letter/legal size)	$0.10 per page
Certification of records	$5.00 per document (varies by office)
Electronic copies (where available)	Actual cost of medium or transmission
Search fees	Not permitted under Kentucky law for standard requests
Inspection of records	No charge

Under KRS § 61.874, agencies may charge a reasonable fee for copies but may not charge for the inspection of public records. Fees for electronic records are limited to the actual cost of duplication. Agencies are prohibited from charging fees that exceed the actual cost of reproduction.

Applicants requesting copies of public records for a commercial purpose must provide a certified statement to the Scott County Clerk's office, as required under KRS 61.874. This requirement applies specifically to elections-related open records requests and other records sought for commercial use.

Accepted payment methods at the Scott County Clerk's Office include cash, check, and money order. Individual offices may vary in accepted payment forms.

Fee waivers are not expressly mandated under Kentucky's Open Records Act, though agencies retain discretion to waive fees in cases involving indigent requestors or requests clearly in the public interest.

Does Scott County Have Free Public Records?

Free inspection of public records is available at all Scott County government offices during regular business hours. Kentucky law does not permit agencies to charge for the act of inspecting records; fees apply only when copies are requested.

Members of the public may inspect the following records at no cost:

Land records and property documents at the Scott County Clerk's Office
Court case information at the Scott County Circuit Court Clerk's Office
Fiscal court meeting minutes and budgets at the Scott County Fiscal Court offices
Election records through the Scott County Clerk's elections division

Online access to certain records is also available at no charge. The Scott County Clerk's land records portal provides free online access to deeds, mortgages, and related instruments. The Kentucky Court of Justice offers free case lookup tools through its online systems, accessible via the Scott County court information page. The City of Georgetown provides free access to city-level public records through its open records request system.

The distinction between free inspection and free copies is significant: while any person may view records without charge, obtaining physical or electronic copies is subject to the fee schedule described above.

Who Can Request Public Records in Scott County?

Any person may request public records from Scott County government agencies. Kentucky's Open Records Act does not restrict access based on residency, citizenship, or stated purpose. Non-residents of Scott County and non-residents of Kentucky retain the same rights of access as county residents.

Requestors are not required to:

Be a resident of Scott County or Kentucky
Provide government-issued identification for standard requests
State the purpose of the request (with limited exceptions for commercial use)

An exception applies to commercial requestors: under KRS § 61.874, any person seeking records for a commercial purpose must submit a certified statement describing the intended commercial use. Failure to provide this statement when required may result in denial of the request.

Certain record types impose additional eligibility requirements. Sealed court records, adoption records, and juvenile records are accessible only to parties with a demonstrated legal interest or court authorization. Requestors seeking their own records may be required to provide identification to verify identity before access is granted.

The right to request records on behalf of another person or organization is recognized under state law, provided the requestor identifies themselves and, where applicable, their representative capacity.

What Records Are Confidential in Scott County?

Kentucky's Open Records Act enumerates specific categories of records exempt from public disclosure. The following records are confidential under state law and are not subject to routine public inspection:

Sealed court records and expunged criminal records
Juvenile court records and child welfare case files
Adoption records (sealed by court order)
Ongoing law enforcement investigation records, where disclosure would harm the investigation
Personal identifying information, including Social Security numbers and financial account data
Medical and health records protected under HIPAA and state law
Personnel records of public employees (with exceptions for disciplinary actions)
Trade secrets and proprietary business information submitted to government agencies
Security plans, infrastructure vulnerability assessments, and emergency response protocols
Attorney-client privileged communications within government agencies

As stated in the Kentucky Open Records Act, "public records exempted from the application of KRS 61.870 to 61.884 shall be clearly identified and described" by the agency withholding them, and the agency bears the burden of establishing that the exemption applies.

When an agency withholds records, it must provide written notification citing the specific statutory exemption. Requestors who believe a denial is improper may appeal to the Kentucky Attorney General's Office of Open Records, which issues binding decisions on disputes.

Scott County Recorder's Office: Contact Information and Hours

Scott County Clerk's Office
101 E Main St
Georgetown, KY 40324
(502) 863-7875
Scott County Clerk

Office Hours:
Monday – Friday: 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM
Closed on state and federal holidays

Scott County Circuit Court Clerk
119 N Hamilton St
Georgetown, KY 40324
(502) 863-7880
Scott County Court of Justice

Office Hours:
Monday – Friday: 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM

Scott County Fiscal Court
101 E Main St
Georgetown, KY 40324
(502) 863-9805
Scott County Fiscal Court