The history of Covington County starts in 1821 but the maintaining of most records didn't begin until around the 1880s. And then the state of Alabama decided to make it the law in 1908, which is when the majority of the available Covington County public records begin.

The county seat for Covington is Andalusia, which is where most of the government offices are located that can assist you in your search for Covington County public records. In particular, you will want to go to the health department office. That's where most vital records are issued from, and where you can request your certified copies. They have all the forms at the office and can serve you at the customer counter.

Covington County Birth Records

Birth records are fairly restricted for the first 125 years to prevent fraud. Until a Covington County birth record is that old, you can only access your own certificate or that of your child, parent, sibling or current spouse. Certified copies will cost $15 USD each, or an additional $6 if you get more than one. You need to provide the name of the person on the certificate, along with the birth date and location. Parent's full names (maiden name for the mother) are also very helpful in locating the right record.

Covington County Death Records

The privacy limitations on death records end after 25 years, so there will be less hassle getting older records outside of your immediate family. Not only can you make a request at the health department office for copies, you can also do research on your own at the library or State Archives since these records are public domain. For an official copy of a Covington County death record, the cost is also $15 USD. The forms will require you to know the person's full name, the place and location of their death as well as their birth date.

Covington County Marriage Records

Covington County marriage records are the easiest to get because there are no restrictions or time limits on them. They are simply public documents for anyone to request. You can put in the same type of application to the health department, and the cost will be $15 also. State records for marriages start in 1936 but the county has been keeping track of registrations for decades longer than that. Make an inquiry at the Andalusia Probate court and you should be able to go back farther. If they have the record, you can usually get a certified copy from them.

Covington County Criminal Records

You will not be able to make a request for anyone else's Covington County criminal record, except for your own. If you need to get a copy, you can complete the request forms and send them to the Alabama Criminal Justice Information Center. They handle all criminal documents, not the county. The cost is $25 USD for each copy you request. Their website has the forms for download, and the instructions on how to apply.