St. Louis County People Search

St. Louis County is the most populous county in Missouri and home to nearly one million people spread across dozens of cities and unincorporated areas west of the city of St. Louis. A St. Louis County people search can pull up court records, property filings, vital records, and jail data from several county offices based in Clayton. The Circuit Court, Recorder of Deeds, Police Department, and Department of Public Health each hold their own sets of public records that are open for search. Whether you need to look up a case on Case.net, check the inmate roster, or get a copy of a deed, St. Louis County has both online and in-person options for finding the records you need.

St. Louis County Court People Search

The 21st Judicial Circuit Court handles all court cases filed in St. Louis County. This court processes civil cases, criminal cases, family court matters, traffic cases, and probate filings. Joan M. Gilmer serves as the Circuit Clerk and her office is the main point of contact for people search requests tied to court records. The clerk office is at 105 South Central Avenue in Clayton. You can reach the office by phone at 314-615-8029. Hours run Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

The St. Louis County Circuit Court website at stlcountycourts.com provides details on local court procedures, forms, and contact numbers for each division.

Online case searches are free through the statewide Case.net system.

Case.net is the best tool for a St. Louis County people search involving court records. You can search by name in last-first format to find civil, criminal, family, and traffic cases filed in the 21st Circuit. The system shows docket entries, hearing dates, charges, and case status. You can view and print documents filed on or after July 1, 2023 at no cost. For older court documents, you will need to visit the Circuit Clerk in Clayton or send a written request. Run a free search on Case.net for any case in St. Louis County. Certified copies cost roughly $0.50 to $1.00 per page. The clerk can also mail copies if you send payment by check or money order.

Note: Sealed, expunged, or restricted cases will not show up in a Case.net people search for St. Louis County.

People Search Through Property Records

The St. Louis County Recorder of Deeds keeps property deeds, mortgage records, liens, subdivision plats, marriage licenses, and military discharge records. Gerald E. Smith serves as Recorder of Deeds. The office is at 41 South Central Avenue, 4th Floor, in Clayton, MO 63105. Call 314-615-7100 for questions. This office is a strong resource for a people search tied to real estate or marriage records in St. Louis County. Property deed indexes go back decades, and marriage records are on file as well.

Online deed searches are available through two platforms. Tapestry is the pay-as-you-go option at $6.95 per search plus $1.00 per page to print documents. Laredo works on a monthly subscription for people who search often. A free basic search will show that a document exists along with the recording date and document number. For full document images, you need to use one of the paid options. You can search by grantor or grantee name, date range, legal description, or document number. Certified copies of a marriage license cost $10.00. Visit the St. Louis County Recorder of Deeds page for more details on search options and fees.

St. Louis County People Search Resources

The St. Louis County government website is a good starting point for a people search. The site links to all county departments and services from one place. You can find the department directory, online service portals, and public records request forms here. The main county office is at 41 South Central Avenue in Clayton, MO 63105. The general phone number is 314-615-5000.

From the county site you can reach property tax records, municipal court case searches, and the open records request portal.

Missouri's Sunshine Law under Chapter 610 of the Revised Statutes gives you the right to request public records from any St. Louis County office. Under RSMo 610.023, the records custodian must respond within three business days. Standard copies cost no more than 10 cents per page. This law covers most records used in a St. Louis County people search, though some files like sealed court records or certain law enforcement records have restrictions.

Vital Records for St. Louis County People Search

The St. Louis County Department of Public Health issues birth and death certificates. Birth certificates cover Missouri births from 1920 to the present. Death certificates go back to 1980 for all Missouri deaths, and earlier for deaths that happened in St. Louis County. The vital records office is at 6121 N Hanley Road in Berkeley, MO 63134. Call 314-615-1720 or email DPH.VitalRecords@stlouiscountymo.gov. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Same-day in-person service is available.

A birth certificate costs $15.00 per copy. Death certificates cost $14.00 for the first copy and $10.00 for each extra copy of the same record. You can order online, by phone at 866-225-2072, or in person. You need a valid government-issued photo ID and must show your relationship to the person on the record. Under Missouri law, vital records are not open to the general public. Only the person named on the record, immediate family members, legal guardians, or authorized representatives can get a certified copy. These records can help confirm a date of birth, verify a death, or trace family ties as part of a St. Louis County people search.

St. Louis County Inmate People Search

The St. Louis County Police Department runs the county jail and maintains an inmate locator tool. You can search for someone by first and last name. The search is free. Results show booking information and custody status. This is a fast way to do a people search for someone who may be held at the St. Louis County jail.

The inmate search tool is at the St. Louis County Police jail inmate information page.

Police headquarters is at 7900 Forsyth Blvd in Clayton, MO 63105. The jail phone number is 314-615-5080. For non-emergency questions, call 636-529-8210.

You can also make records requests through the Sunshine Law request portal on the police website. Arrest reports, police reports, and accident reports are available. Copy fees may apply. Background checks in Missouri go through MACHS at machs.mo.gov and cost $14 for a name-based search. That is a statewide tool, not specific to St. Louis County, but it can show criminal history for anyone with records in Missouri.

Note: The inmate locator only shows people currently in St. Louis County jail custody, not past bookings or state prison inmates.

Criminal Records in St. Louis County

A criminal history people search for St. Louis County can draw from several sources. Case.net shows criminal cases filed in the 21st Judicial Circuit. The MACHS portal at machs.mo.gov provides statewide criminal background checks for $14 per name search. The Missouri Department of Corrections has a free offender search at web.mo.gov/doc/offSearchWeb for people in state prisons, on probation, or on parole. The sex offender registry at mshp.dps.mo.gov lets you search by name or address. Each tool covers a different piece of the picture. For a full criminal people search in St. Louis County, it helps to check more than one of these databases.

Under RSMo 610.100, arrest reports in Missouri are generally open to the public. You can request them from the St. Louis County Police Department. Some records may be restricted if they involve open investigations or juvenile cases. The Highway Patrol's CJIS Division compiles criminal history records under RSMo 43.500. This is the legal basis for the MACHS system that handles formal background checks statewide.

Cities in St. Louis County

St. Louis County contains many cities and communities. People search records for residents of these areas are handled by the St. Louis County offices in Clayton. Select a city to find local people search details.

Nearby Counties

These counties border St. Louis County. If you are not sure which county holds the records you need, check the address of the person or property in question. Each county keeps its own set of public records.