This large central Massachusetts county was founded in 1731, made up of land that was part of the older Hampshire, Middlesex and Suffolk counties. If you are looking for records older than 1731 for towns currently in Worcester County, you may have to know which county those towns were in originally.

Otherwise, your search for Worcester County public records may take you to several different places depending on what years you are researching. Over the several hundred year history of the county, records have been moved to different locations.

Modern records that are created today, and then date back until 1921 are kept by the Registry of Vital Records and Statistics for the state. They are located in Dorchester and if that is convenient, you can visit their service counter in person for quicker service. If not, then you can send your forms by mail to request a copy of a Worcester County public record. Copies are issued to anyone who asks with the proper forms from the Office of Health and Human Services website.

Going beyond 1921 until 1841, then you have to go to the State Archives to find your records. They are available to the public for researching at their facilities in Boston though they don't issue copies on demand like the government offices do. This is strictly a repository for the old documents. You have to do the research yourself. Their website allows for some online index searching to speed up your search.

If you are going back farther still after 1841, then the material still resides with the original county clerk's office in the town of Worcester. You have to make a request for documents, just like the above mentioned Vital Records office.

Worcester County Birth Records

Though records are issued without restrictions, there are fees associated with each Worcester County birth record you request. Each copy is $28 if you order it by postal mail, but only $18 if you go to the service counter to make your request. These only apply at the government offices, not the State Archive.

Worcester County Death Records

The same rules apply for Worcester County death records. You don't have to be related to the deceased to get any copies but you do need to pay the $28 or $18 search fees. The same form for birth records is used for death records as well.

Worcester County Marriage Records

The last type of vital record is marriage registrations, and Worcester County marriage records are as easy to acquire as the others. The fee is the same, and they are issued by the same government offices as birth and death records.

Worcester County Criminal Records

The county doesn't have access to Worcester County criminal records, so if you need a copy of someone's criminal background files (including your own), you will have to send a request application to the Department of Criminal Justice Information Services (DCJIS). These files have a fee of $30, and not all files are considered open to the public. Many are available but the crime and sentence determine which records will be released. The DCJIS will have further details.