Formed in 1818, Blount County is in north-central Alabama. Even so, the state did not start collecting any of the Blount County public records until 1908.

The county seat is Oneonta, which is where you will find the offices involved in recording and issuing Blount County public records. In particular, vital records are kept at the health department office in Oneonta. They keep regular business hours and you can go in person to file your request, which will include your identification, a completed form and the current records fee. Usually, they can issue you a certified copy of any Blount County public record within a few minutes.

If you are not in the Oneonta area, feel free to mail your application to them or directly to the state office for Vital Records in Montgomery. The forms and fees will be the same, and there can be a 2 week waiting period before your material is sent out. Send your fees as either a check or money order.

And the fees are not refundable. So if the clerks are unable to locate the specific record you need, you do not get your money back but only a notice of "failure to find".

Blount County Birth Records

You can make a request to get a certified copy of your own Blount County birth record, or that of someone in your immediate family. That would include parents, children, brothers and sisters and current spouses. All other records are off-limits until 125 years as passed since the date of birth, at which point they become public record. The cost for a Blount County birth record will be $15 USD for the first copy, and $6 for each copy thereafter.

Blount County Death Records

There are fewer restrictions on getting Blount County death records because they become public domain after only 25 years. Until that point, you will need to be an immediate relation in order to request a copy. After 25 years, you can make a request for any death certificate. The cost is also $15 USD, and you can apply at the health department office or the state office. Depending on the year of death, the record may or may not include a cause of death.

Blount County Marriage Records

Blount County marriage records are open to the public with no date or relationship restrictions. You can get your own, or a copy of anyone else's marriage registration as long as you complete the form. Alabama only started requiring these records be kept in 1936 so anything older than that may be spotty. Copies of a Blount County marriage record is $15 USD, and divorce records are also open to the public as of 1950.

Blount County Criminal Records

These are the only records that aren't actually kept right in Blount County, so you will have to make your requests to the state. Specifically, its the Alabama Criminal Justice Information Center that maintains Blount County criminal records. You are only permitted to get a copy of your own criminal background files. One exception is an employer that needs to do a background check on a potential employee. The cost for these documents is $25 USD.