Sumter County was established in 1832 from Choctaw territory, and the current county seat is Livingston. Many records were kept for the county starting in that year and then the state made it a legal requirement to manage vital statistics in 1908.

You can get certified copies of many Sumter County public records for a small search fee and a completed application form. There are going to be some privacy restrictions on certain records, so you will want to find out the details before putting in your forms. Most types of vital records are outlined below.

The health department office in Livingston is where you need to go, though you can also mail your forms in to them if that is more convenient for you. But if you are near Livingston, you can just go to the service counter during regular business hours to get your papers while you wait. For mailing, you can download the form from the Alabama Department of Public Health website.

There is a $15 search fee for most types of Sumter County public records (births, deaths and marriages). This is paid up front and is non-refundable, even if the records aren't found. At the counter you can pay in cash, but mailed in forms need a check or money order with them, made out to the State Board of Health.

Sumter County Birth Records

Sumter County birth records can be awkward to get copies of if you are looking for material outside your immediate family. There is a privacy restriction on birth records for 125 years, with the exception of children, parents, siblings and spouses. You can only request a copy if you are one of these relations to the person on the record, or if the record is your own.

Sumter County Death Records

Similar restrictions exist for Sumter County death records, but the time frame is only 25 years for these. You'll be limited for that length of time after the date of death but the records become public domain after that. Certified copies can still be ordered through the health department if you need them, but you can also find older records for free at most public libraries or the State Archives.

Sumter County Marriage Records

Marriage records have no such privacy limits, so you can place a request for any Sumter County marriage records you wish. The cost is the same as birth and death records, and you also can go to the health department to get your copy. The county has been maintaining marriage records for a long time though the state only started requiring it in 1936. For older records, check with the local Probate courthouse. They have their own archives that can help.

Sumter County Criminal Records

Copies of criminal records are issued by the Alabama Criminal Justice Information Center, and they are located in Montgomery. Mailed in applications are fine, and their website has blank forms and instructions on how to include your fingerprints. These records are private and are only issued to the person on the record themselves. Getting copies of your own criminal background files will cost $25 each.