Wisconsin Public Records

You can find some Wisconsin public records that date back to the mid-1800s, but the state office has only been required to register public events and happenings since the year 1907. Visiting the county clerk’s office where an event took place may help you find other records that date earlier than that. There are also obituaries, births and marriages placed in local newspapers, church, burial and cemetery records that you can use to search for the record you need. If you’re searching for a public record of an event that occurred since 1907, you must send a request to the Vital Records department to obtain a copy and only family members can receive a certified copy (the true legal document). Family members include parents, siblings, grandparents or children of the person in question. Send the request form, search fee of $20 (check or money order payable to the State of Wisconsin Vital Records Department) and a copy of your personal identification to:

Wisconsin Vital Records Department
P.O. Box 309
Madison, Wisconsin 53701
Phone: (608) 266-1371

To bypass the red tape and hassle of a state-based search, you may use a fee-based online search service to find the record you need. The Internet has now made it possible to search through thousands of vital records in a matter of a few seconds.

WI Public Records

The numerous search sites that have appeared since the advent of the Internet are a tribute to how the ‘net’ has changed our lives and made it possible to look up vital information in the privacy of your own home or office. The fees of these private sites are reasonable and you’ll likely receive a report within moments, whereas a state-based search might take days or even weeks. These Internet sites also use more sophisticate search engines and databases than most states and may be able to provide you with data you wouldn’t receive from the state. All you have to do is submit some information about the record you need, pay the fee (payment data is encrypted) and you’ll have a concise and clear copy of the document within a few minutes. Legal professionals and genealogists maintain monthly memberships to some of these sites because they use them on a daily basis. You may also use a private search site on a one-time basis only if that’s all you need. No one should want to let a person in their lives or the lives of loved ones unless they’ve conducted a thorough background search on the individual. There are too many predators and people who use fraud to get what they want to take a chance. To learn more about how a private search site can help you find Wisconsin public records, click on the link.