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Charles County, Maryland public records

In Charles County, deeds are recorded by the Clerk of the Circuit Court for Charles County - Department of Land Records; property values come from the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation; court files are kept by the Register of Wills for Charles County.

Last checked against official sources on .

On this page
  1. Where to get each record
  2. Deeds and land records
  3. Property values, owners and tax bills
  4. Court records: which clerk keeps which case
  5. Marriage records
  6. Divorce records
  7. Birth certificates
  8. Death certificates
  9. Probate records and wills
  10. Business names (DBA)
  11. Voter records
  12. Historical records
  13. Good to know about Charles County records
  14. Office addresses, phones and hours
  15. Records that are not online: public records requests
  16. Questions people ask
  17. Official copies vs look-alike sites
  18. Sources

Where to get each record

RecordOfficeSearch onlineFee
Deeds and land recordsClerk of the Circuit Court for Charles County - Department of Land Records4Search deeds2$0.50 per page3
Property values and ownersMaryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation5Property search2Free search—
Property tax billsTreasury Division, Department of Fiscal and Administrative Services5Tax bill search5—
Court casesRegister of Wills for Charles County6Circuit Court for Charles County2
Orphans' Court for Charles County7		Circuit Court copies $0.50/page; certification $5 + $0.50/page. District Court certification $5 per request plus photocopy fee8
Marriage recordsClerk of the Circuit Court for Charles County4——
Divorce recordsClerk of the Circuit Court for Charles County4——
Birth certificatesCharles County Department of Health - Vital Records6——
Death certificatesCharles County Department of Health - Vital Records6——
Probate and willsRegister of Wills for Charles County6Search probate cases7Statutory: photocopies $0.50 per page9
Business names (DBA)Trade names (DBAs) are filed statewide with SDAT, not with counties10——

Deeds and land records

Deeds, mortgages and other land documents for property in Charles County are recorded by the Clerk of the Circuit Court for Charles County - Department of Land Records.4

About this search
MDLANDREC - statewide land records portal of the Judiciary and Maryland State Archives2
Copy fee
$0.50 per page3
Certified copy fee
$5 per certification plus $0.50 per page3
Pre recording validation
Treasury researches and validates deeds before they are recorded at the courthouse5
Recordation tax
$7 per $500, effective July 25, 20255

How deeds work in Maryland

Property values, owners and tax bills

The Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation (state assessment office for Charles County) sets property values5; the Treasury Division, Department of Fiscal and Administrative Services bills and collects the tax5.

Property search
SDAT Real Property Search (sdat.dat.maryland.gov/…) - free; covers every parcel in Maryland2
Tax bill search
Property Tax Account Inquiry: charlescountymd.gov/…5
Parcel map (GIS)
County Mapping Services page: charlescountymd.gov/…4
Appealing a value
Appeal assessments to SDAT within 45 days of the notice, then the Property Tax Assessment Appeals Board, then the Maryland Tax Court11
County board
Property Tax Assessment Appeal Board hears the second level of assessment appeals; meets once to twice a month on Thursdays, 9:00am-2:00pm, at the Charles County Government Building12

How property tax works in Maryland

Court records: which clerk keeps which case

CourtCasesRecords kept byCase search
Circuit Court for Charles County (7th Judicial Circuit)Jury trials, serious criminal cases, major civil cases, divorce and family; the clerk also keeps land records and issues licenses—casesearch.courts.state.md.us/casesearch Maryland Judiciary Case Search2
District Court of Maryland, Charles County (4th District), La PlataLandlord-tenant, traffic, misdemeanors, civil claims up to $5,000 exclusively9— Maryland Judiciary Case Search2
Orphans' Court for Charles CountyWills and estates; the Register of Wills is its clerkRegister of Wills for Charles County (clerk to the Orphans' Court)registers.maryland.gov/main/search.html Register of Wills Estate Search : decedent, case number, personal representative, docket; 1998 to present for all jurisdictions (some older); copies can be ordered7
Fees
Circuit Court copies $0.50/page; certification $5 + $0.50/page. District Court certification $5 per request plus photocopy fee8

Criminal records and background checks

Which court
Circuit Court (felony) and District Court (misdemeanor) records via Maryland Judiciary Case Search2
State repository
Statewide criminal history checks: Maryland DPSCS Criminal Justice Information System13

How Maryland courts keep their files

Marriage records

Kept by the Clerk of the Circuit Court for Charles County (civil and family).4

Marriage license
Clerk of the Circuit Court for Charles County (license issued by the clerk of the county where the ceremony is performed)14
Certified copy
Marriages on/after Jan 1, 2007: MDH Division of Vital Records; earlier: Circuit Court clerk or Maryland State Archives15

Divorce records

Kept by the Clerk of the Circuit Court for Charles County (civil and family).4

Decree
Copy of the decree only from the Circuit Court that granted it (Charles County Circuit Court clerk)16
Verification
MDH Division of Vital Records issues a Verification of Divorce (not the decree)16

Birth certificates

Kept by the Charles County Department of Health - Vital Records (Annex Building).6

Local
Charles County Department of Health: $25.00 each, by appointment on Monday, Wednesday and Friday; cash, checks or credit cards17
Who may order
Photo ID required; a court order is required for anyone other than yourself or your child17
State
Maryland Department of Health, Vital Statistics Administration, Division of Vital Records (Baltimore); also some local health departments; records older than 100 years at Maryland State Archives18

Ordering a Maryland birth certificate

Death certificates

Kept by the Charles County Department of Health - Vital Records (Annex Building).6

Local
Charles County Department of Health: $25.00 first copy, $20.00 each additional copy of the same certificate, by appointment on Tuesday and Thursday19
State
MDH Division of Vital Records for deaths in 2012 or later; earlier deaths at the Maryland State Archives20

Ordering a Maryland death certificate

Probate records and wills

Kept by the Register of Wills for Charles County (clerk to the Orphans' Court).6

About this search
Register of Wills Estate Search : decedent, case number, personal representative, docket; 1998 to present for all jurisdictions (some older); copies can be ordered7
Copy fee
Statutory: photocopies $0.50 per page9
Appointments
Appointments encouraged; drop box and walk-up window at the District Court building21

Finding a will or probate case in Maryland

Business names (DBA)

Trade names (DBAs) are filed statewide with SDAT, not with counties10

Voter records

Kept by the Charles County Board of Elections.22

List
Voter list for a single county: $75 (to Maryland registered voters, non-commercial use, via State Board of Elections)23

Historical records

Charles County government records in electronic, microfilm and original formats at the Maryland State Archives24

Good to know about Charles County records

  • The Port Tobacco courthouse was destroyed by fire on Aug. 3, 189225
  • County seat moved from Port Tobacco to La Plata on June 4, 1895; the La Plata courthouse was completed in 189625
  • County created April 13, 1658; not the same as Old Charles County (1650-1653)6
  • Code Home Rule since 20026
  • Tax sale held by Treasury each May5

Office addresses, phones and hours

Clerk of the Circuit Court for Charles County - Department of Land Records

Address
Courthouse, 200 Charles St., La Plata, MD 2064626

Clerk of the Circuit Court for Charles County (civil and family)

Address
Courthouse, 200 Charles St., La Plata, MD 2064626

Clerk of the Circuit Court for Charles County (criminal)

Address
Courthouse, 200 Charles St., La Plata, MD 2064626

District Court of Maryland, Charles County (4th District)

Address
Courthouse, 11 Washington Ave., La Plata, MD 2064626
Mail
P.O. Box 307026

Register of Wills for Charles County (clerk to the Orphans' Court)

Address
Courthouse, 11 Washington Avenue, La Plata, Maryland 2064621
Mail
Register of Wills, Charles County, PO Box 3080, La Plata, MD 20646-308021
Hours
8:30am - 4:30pm Monday to Friday; appointments encouraged21

Treasury Division, Department of Fiscal and Administrative Services

Address
200 Baltimore St., La Plata, MD 206465
Mail
P.O. Box 2607, La Plata, MD 206465
Hours
Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.5

Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation (state assessment office for Charles County)

Charles County Department of Health - Vital Records (Annex Building)

Address
4545 Crain Highway, White Plains, MD 2069528
Hours
By appointment: birth certificates Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays; death certificates Tuesdays, Thursdays; 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.17

Charles County Board of Elections

Address
201 East Charles Street, La Plata, MD 2064622
Mail
P.O. Box 908, La Plata MD 20646-090822

Charles County Sheriff's Office

Address
6915 Crain Highway, La Plata, MD 20646-018926
Mail
P.O. Box 18926
Website
ccso.us6

Mapping Services

Records that are not online: public records requests

Sheriff
Sheriff's police reports and MPIA requests: ccso-md.nextrequest.com29

How to write a public records request

Questions people ask

How do I get a copy of a deed in Charles County?

The Clerk of the Circuit Court for Charles County - Department of Land Records keeps deed records. Plain copies: $0.50 per page. Certified copies: $5 per certification plus $0.50 per page.43

How do I look up who owns a property in Charles County?

Use the property search of the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation (state assessment office for Charles County): sdat.dat.maryland.gov/…2

Official copies vs look-alike sites

A certified copy comes only from the office that holds the record; reports and "research copies" sold by commercial sites are not issued by any Charles County office. How to tell an official record source from a paid look-alike.

Other counties and independent cities in Maryland with a full guide: Anne Arundel County, Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Calvert County, Carroll County, Cecil County, Frederick County, Harford County, Howard County, Montgomery County, Prince George's County, St. Mary's County, Washington County, Wicomico County. Every county and independent city in the state: Maryland county and independent city list.

Sources

Every fact above links to the official page it comes from. Fees and rules change, so check the office's own page before you pay or travel.

  1. Government Units List 2026US Census Bureauchecked November 4, 2026
  2. Court Records (Case Search)Maryland Judiciarychecked November 7, 2026
  3. Summary of Charges, Costs, and Fees of the Clerks of the Circuit CourtMaryland Judiciarychecked November 7, 2026
  4. Charles County, MD home pageCharles County Governmentchecked November 7, 2026
  5. TreasuryCharles County Governmentchecked November 7, 2026
  6. Maryland Manual On-Line: Charles County, Maryland - GovernmentMaryland State Archiveschecked November 7, 2026
  7. Estate Search FAQMaryland Registers of Willschecked November 7, 2026
  8. District Court of Maryland Cost Schedule (DCA-109)Maryland Judiciarychecked November 7, 2026
  9. Md. Code, Estates and Trusts § 2-206 (Register of Wills fees)Maryland General Assemblychecked November 7, 2026
  10. Md. Code, Corporations and Associations § 1-406 (trade names)Maryland General Assemblychecked November 7, 2026
  11. Assessment Appeal ProcessMaryland SDATchecked November 7, 2026
  12. Property Tax Assessment Appeal BoardCharles County Governmentchecked November 7, 2026
  13. Background Check ServicesMaryland DPSCSchecked November 7, 2026
  14. Md. Code, Family Law § 2-401Maryland General Assemblychecked November 7, 2026
  15. Marriage CertificatesMaryland Department of Healthchecked November 7, 2026
  16. Divorce VerificationMaryland Department of Healthchecked November 7, 2026
  17. Birth CertificatesCharles County Department of Healthchecked November 7, 2026
  18. Birth CertificatesMaryland Department of Health, Vital Statistics Administrationchecked November 7, 2026
  19. Death CertificatesCharles County Department of Healthchecked November 7, 2026
  20. Request Death and Fetal Death CertificatesMaryland Department of Healthchecked November 7, 2026
  21. Register of Wills for Charles CountyMaryland Register of Willschecked November 7, 2026
  22. Local Boards of ElectionsMaryland State Board of Electionschecked November 7, 2026
  23. Voter Registration Data / list requestsMaryland State Board of Electionschecked November 7, 2026
  24. Maryland Manual On-Line: Charles County RecordsMaryland State Archiveschecked November 7, 2026
  25. Maryland Manual On-Line: Charles County Historical ChronologyMaryland State Archiveschecked November 7, 2026
  26. Maryland Manual On-Line: Charles County - Judicial BranchMaryland State Archiveschecked November 7, 2026
  27. Local Tax Billing/Collection OfficesMaryland SDATchecked November 7, 2026
  28. Local Health DepartmentsMaryland Department of Health, Vital Statistics Administrationchecked November 7, 2026
  29. Charles County Sheriff's Office home pageCharles County Sheriff's Officechecked November 7, 2026
  30. County population totals: Vintage 2025 (July 1, 2025)US Census Bureauchecked November 4, 2026