Mississippi has no single office where every public record lives. Instead, records are split among a state archives in Jackson, 82 county courthouses, and city halls from Clarksdale to Pascagoula. A birth certificate, a land deed, a police report and a governor's letter each sit with a different office. This page helps you work out which one holds what you need. The sections below explain who runs these offices, how they differ by region, and how to prepare for a visit.

How Mississippi Divides Archives Between the State, Counties and Cities

The state's central repository is the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, known as MDAH. Created in 1902, it is often described as the first state-funded archival agency in the country. It operates from the William F. Winter Archives and History Building at 200 North Street in Jackson, the same address as the Jackson Archive listing in our database (601-576-6850).

MDAH preserves the permanent records of state government, including governors' papers, legislative materials and agency files. Its collections also reach into history and family research, such as Confederate pension applications, military records and photographs. It also sets records-retention guidance for local governments, which is why a county or city cannot simply discard old minute books or deeds. The main laws are the Archives and Records Management Law (Title 25, Chapter 59 of the Mississippi Code) and the Mississippi Public Records Act of 1983 (Title 25, Chapter 61).

Day-to-day records stay with the office that created them. In each county, two elected officers matter most. The chancery clerk records deeds, deeds of trust, wills, estates, divorces and the minutes of the board of supervisors. The circuit clerk keeps felony court files and jury records, runs voter registration and issues marriage licenses. Cities keep ordinances, council minutes and municipal court dockets with the city clerk.

Names in our listings can mislead. The Forrest County Clerk Records Archive in Hattiesburg, the Brandon Rankin Chancery Court Records Archive and the Clinton Municipal Court Clerk Records Archive are working records rooms of clerks, not museums. Treat a listing name as a clue about what is inside, and call first to confirm.

Jackson and Hinds County: The Densest Cluster of Records in Mississippi

Jackson has been the state capital since 1822, and it shows in the records. Hinds County has five listings in our database, four of them in Jackson itself. Within a few miles you can find the state archives on North Street, the Jackson Records Archive at 2525 Robinson Street (601-960-2331), and the Jackson Vital Records Archive at 571 Stadium Drive (601-576-7981).

The Stadium Drive address is where the Mississippi State Department of Health handles vital records. Statewide registration of births and deaths began in 1912, so certificates for earlier events may not exist at the state level. Certified copies are limited to the person named, close family and legal representatives, so bring photo identification. MDAH does not issue certified birth certificates; it holds historical collections for research.

Researchers heading to MDAH should call first. Reading rooms typically require identification, and original materials are used on site rather than checked out. Bring a list of names, places and years, because staff can point you to the right collection faster when you arrive with specifics.

Hinds County is also one of the Mississippi counties with two judicial districts, one at Jackson and one at Raymond. Before you drive to a courthouse for a deed or court file, check which district handled your matter. West of Jackson, the municipal court clerk in Clinton at 305 Monroe Street (601-924-4411) keeps city court records separate from county files.

Columbus, Meridian and Pascagoula: Mid-Sized Cities With Two Layers of Records

In several cities, a city office and a county office sit a few blocks apart and hold different things. Columbus, in Lowndes County, has the Columbus Police Info and Records Archive at 1501 Main Street (662-244-3511) and the Columbus Detention Center Records Archive at 527 South Martin Luther King Junior Drive (662-328-6796). Meridian, in Lauderdale County, has the Meridian Finance & Records Archive at 2412 7th Street (601-485-1945) and the Lauderdale County Archive at 410 Constitution Avenue (601-482-9752).

The rule of thumb: city offices hold city business such as budgets, police reports and municipal court cases, while the county holds land, probate and felony cases. Pascagoula shows both sides. The Jackson County Land Records Archive at 2915 Canty Street (228-769-3380) is the place to ask about deeds and property, while the Pascagoula Records Archive at 611 Live Oak Avenue (228-938-6676) is listed separately, so ask what it covers. Note that Jackson County sits on the Gulf Coast and has nothing to do with the city of Jackson. People mix them up when searching online.

Coastal offices plan for hurricanes, so ask whether older volumes are stored on site, microfilmed or digitized. That one question can save you a wasted trip.

Rural Mississippi and the Delta: Smaller Offices, Longer Drives

Outside the metro areas, a records office may be one or two clerks in a courthouse. The Clarksdale City Records Archive at 121 Sunflower Avenue (662-621-8154) serves the Delta town of Clarksdale in Coahoma County. The Lexington Archive at 113 West China Street (662-834-0859) is in Holmes County, and the Jones County Sheriff Records Archive at 419 Yates Avenue (601-425-3453) is in Laurel. In the northeast, the Tupelo Police Records Archive at 322 Court Street (662-841-6523) is in Lee County.

Smaller offices often keep shorter hours, may close at lunch, and can be busy when court is in session. A phone call to confirm hours, the right department and the payment methods accepted saves a long drive. Many rural clerks will answer a precise question by phone: a name, a date and a type of record.

Along the river, the Mississippi State Government Archive listing at 400 Jeff Davis Boulevard in Natchez (601-446-6502) sits in Adams County, an early seat of government before the capital settled in Jackson. The Warren County Records Archive at 1102 Locust Street in Vicksburg (601-630-4104) serves another river county. Some Mississippi counties lost records to courthouse fires, including during the Civil War, so gaps before the 1860s are common. If a record seems to be missing, ask the clerk what survives and then check MDAH.

Preparing for a Records Request in Mississippi

Most requests go better with preparation. Before you call or visit, gather:

Under the Public Records Act, a public body must respond to a written request within seven working days, either by producing the record or by explaining in writing why it cannot. If the record cannot be produced in that time, the office must give a date when it will be. Offices may charge reasonable fees for searching and copying. Some records are exempt, including parts of active investigative files and certain personal information. If you believe a refusal is wrong, the Mississippi Ethics Commission accepts complaints about public-records denials.

Government archives in Mississippi are administered by the state archives and records management division, which is typically housed within the Secretary of State's office or a dedicated cultural affairs agency. The state archives preserves official government records while also maintaining collections of historical significance to Mississippi residents.

Archives locations are available in 14 cities across Mississippi. They are spread across 13 counties.

Cities with the highest concentration include Jackson, Meridian, Columbus, which tend to have more archives facilities due to their roles as county seats, state capitals, or historic centers of government activity.

Residents of Mississippi conducting genealogical or historical research should check whether their county or city maintains a separate archives in addition to the state repository, as many local records are held at the municipal or county level.

Archives by Counties

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Researchers in Mississippi can often access digitized state archives records through the state library's online portal without visiting in person. For records not yet digitized, contact the archives office in advance to schedule a research appointment and confirm that the specific collection is available for public review.

Browse Archives by county across Mississippi to find the nearest location.

Planning a Mississippi Records Trip by Region

Mississippi is a long state, and records research rewards good routing. A day in the capital area can combine the state archives on North Street, vital records on Stadium Drive and the Hinds County courthouses, with Clinton to the west and Brandon to the east a short drive away. Brandon's chancery court records room at 203 Town Square (601-825-1649) serves Rankin County.

On the Gulf Coast, the Gulfport Police Records Archive at 2810 34th Avenue (228-868-5962) is in Harrison County, which divides courthouse duties between Gulfport and Biloxi. Confirm which one holds your file before you leave. Farther east, Pascagoula's offices serve Jackson County, and storm season can affect hours, so check ahead between June and November.

In east Mississippi, Meridian has both a city finance office and the Lauderdale County Archive, so ask which one fits your question. In the south, the Forrest County Clerk Records Archive at 641 Main Street in Hattiesburg (601-545-6046) is the starting point for county records, and the Jones County Sheriff Records Archive in Laurel serves the same part of the state.

Most offices close on state and federal holidays, and many close for lunch. Plan around those, bring photo identification, and keep a list of every office you contact, with the date and the name of the person who helped. That record makes follow-up requests much easier.

Frequently Asked Questions About Archives in Mississippi

The Mississippi Department of Archives and History (MDAH) is based in the William F. Winter Archives and History Building at 200 North Street in Jackson. Our Jackson Archive listing uses that address and the number 601-576-6850. MDAH holds permanent state government records, governors' papers, legislative materials and historical collections such as Confederate pension applications, photographs and maps. It does not replace your county courthouse. Deeds, wills, divorces and local court files stay with county clerks, and certified birth and death certificates come from the Department of Health. Call ahead to confirm research room hours and any identification or registration you need before you visit.

Certified copies come from the Mississippi State Department of Health, Vital Records, which our database lists as the Jackson Vital Records Archive at 571 Stadium Drive, 601-576-7981. Statewide registration of births and deaths began in 1912, so earlier events may not appear in state files. Eligibility is limited, generally to the person named, immediate family members and legal representatives, and you will need valid photo identification. Ask the office about current fees, accepted payment types and whether mail or online applications are available, because those details change. For genealogy, historical information may be easier to find through MDAH and county courthouses.

Deeds, deeds of trust, plats and similar land documents are recorded by the chancery clerk in the county where the land sits. In our database, the Jackson County Land Records Archive at 2915 Canty Street in Pascagoula (228-769-3380) and the Brandon Rankin Chancery Court Records Archive at 203 Town Square (601-825-1649) are examples. Bring the owner's name, a legal description or parcel number, and an approximate year. Counties with two judicial districts, such as Hinds, Harrison and Jones, may keep records in more than one courthouse, so confirm the location before you travel. Title companies and attorneys commonly do this search for a fee.

Start with the agency that took the report. Our listings include the Gulfport Police Records Archive (228-868-5962), the Tupelo Police Records Archive (662-841-6523), the Columbus Police Info and Records Archive (662-244-3511) and the Jones County Sheriff Records Archive in Laurel (601-425-3453). Give the date, location, names involved and any report number. Under the Mississippi Public Records Act, a written request must be answered within seven working days. Active investigative files are generally exempt, though basic incident information is often available. Ask whether the agency charges a copy fee and whether it requires the request in writing. Jail records, such as the Columbus Detention Center listing, follow the same process but may limit personal details.

Ask for the denial in writing and for the specific legal exemption relied on. The Public Records Act requires a written explanation, and an office that cannot produce a record in seven working days must give a date when it will. Some records are legitimately exempt, such as parts of active investigations, sealed court files and juvenile matters. If you believe the denial is wrong, you can file a complaint with the Mississippi Ethics Commission or ask a court to review it. Before escalating, narrow your request with exact names, dates and record types, since vague requests cause many delays.

Gaps are common. Some counties lost courthouse records to fires, including during the Civil War, and floods and storms have damaged others, especially on the Gulf Coast. Mississippi also did not register births and deaths statewide until 1912, so earlier family events show up instead in church records, census returns, wills, deeds and tax rolls. Start with the chancery clerk and circuit clerk in the county seat, then check MDAH in Jackson, which holds collections that may fill gaps. For river-county research, offices in Natchez (Adams County) and Vicksburg (Warren County) are worth a call before you plan a trip.