Public Records Explained: What You Can Access & Why It Matters

Infographic listing Public Records types like criminal and property data, showing how to cross-reference with FaceCheck.ID to verify identities.

Public records are documents and data created or collected by government agencies that the public can legally access. They are not confidential, although some details may be restricted or redacted under privacy laws.

What public records can include

Public records often cover information connected to government actions and decisions, such as:

  • Criminal records and arrest logs
  • Court records for civil and criminal cases
  • Judgments, legal filings, and case outcomes
  • Property records, deeds, and tax assessments
  • Business registrations and professional licenses
  • Marriage, divorce, and other vital records (access rules vary)
  • Government meeting minutes, permits, and regulatory actions

Why public records matter

People use public records to:

  • Verify identities and background details
  • Confirm addresses, ownership, or business affiliations
  • Understand court activity and legal history
  • Support investigations, due diligence, and compliance checks

Public records can help cross reference and validate information found online. For example, if a name, location, or employer appears on social media, public records may help confirm whether those details match real world records.

In reverse image search workflows, public records may provide additional context once a person or organization is identified, such as related addresses, court cases, licenses, or business filings.

Important notes on access and accuracy

Availability and rules differ by country, state, and agency. Some records require a formal request, a fee, or proof of eligibility. Also, public records can contain outdated or incorrect information, so it is best to verify findings using multiple sources and check timestamps.

background check, court records, criminal records, civil records, government records, FOIA, open records request, property records, arrest records, vital records

FAQ

What are “Public Records” in the context of face recognition search engines?

“Public Records” generally refers to information that is legally available to the public from government or official sources (for example: court filings, property records, business registrations, professional licenses, voter or campaign records where applicable, and some law-enforcement/public-safety publications depending on jurisdiction). In face recognition search engines, the term usually describes result pages that contain publicly accessible identity-related details alongside photos (such as a mugshot page, a court docket image, or an agency PDF).

Why do face recognition search results sometimes include Public Records pages?

Because many Public Records are published online and can include headshots, scanned documents, or images that contain faces. If a search engine has indexed those pages (directly or via third-party sites that republish public information), its face-matching system may surface them when the face in your query appears similar to a face shown on a Public Records-related page.

Does a Public Records match mean the person in my photo is definitely the same person named in the record?

No. A Public Records result is not proof of identity. Face matches can be wrong due to look-alikes, low-quality images, aging, lighting, or miscaptioned/republished pages. Treat Public Records hits as leads to verify by checking multiple independent identifiers on the source page (e.g., full name, date, location, case number, employer, or other corroborating details) and confirming the original source rather than only a repost.

How should I verify and interpret Public Records results returned by a face search tool (e.g., FaceCheck.ID)?

Open the source link and assess whether it is an official government domain or a third-party aggregator; prioritize official sources when possible. Compare multiple photos (not just one), look for consistent biographical details, and confirm whether the record clearly connects to the same person across time and context. If using a tool like FaceCheck.ID (or similar), use any similarity indicators as a starting point, not a conclusion, and avoid making accusations or decisions based solely on a single Public Records match.

It depends on the site and the jurisdiction. If the image is hosted by an official agency site, removal may be limited and governed by that agency’s policies and local law. If the image appears on a third-party republisher, that site may offer takedown/opt-out procedures. Separately, some face recognition search engines provide opt-out or removal request processes for indexing/display; you typically need to follow their specific instructions and may need to confirm the URLs to be removed.

Christian Hidayat is a dedicated contributor to FaceCheck's blog, and is passionate about promoting FaceCheck's mission of creating a safer internet for everyone.

Public Records
Want to find out more about someone from a photo? FaceCheck.ID is the perfect tool for you! This face recognition search engine can cross-reference images across the internet, including public records. It's an efficient way to find relevant information about people in a matter of seconds. So why wait? Give FaceCheck.ID a try and uncover valuable information with a single click!
Search Public Records with FaceCheck.ID

Recommended Posts Related to public records

  1. How to Find Anyone Online: A Comprehensive Guide to Internet Sleuthing

    We'll explore popular social media platforms, search engines, and public records that can help you track down the person you're looking for. You can also use social media profiles, public records, and other online resources to gather more information about the person and narrow down your search results. Pipl: Pipl is a robust search engine specifically designed to locate online identities, such as social media profiles, forum posts, and public records.

  2. How to Find Someone Online

    Find Someone Using Public records. When you want to find public records, you have several options. Another option is to use a public records database such as MyHeritage, which offers a broad range of public records.

  3. How to Search Arrest Records and Mugshots by a Photo of a Person

    If that doesn't work, try looking for the person's name on a public records website. Mugshots are stored in the police department's records, but many are also published online because they are public records. If this happens, it would be harder for people to find mugshots, but they would still be accessible through public records requests.

  4. Uncover the Truth Before Your First Date

    Access to Public Records. Face search engines can access a wealth of public records, including criminal records, court records, and social media profiles.

  5. How to Spot a Catfish Online in Under 60 Seconds with FaceCheck.ID

    Only search publicly indexed images (social media, news, public records).

Public records are legally accessible non-confidential documents or information related to criminal history, legal decisions, and other government-involved activities, which can be used to cross-check and validate information, including in social media and facial recognition search, or to find more details in reverse image searches.