Bolivar County Public Records

How to Find Public Records in Bolivar County in 2026

BolivarRecords.us provides publicly available information and data related to public records maintained by government agencies in Bolivar County, Mississippi. Members of the public may access a range of records through official county offices, state agency portals, and online search tools. Available record categories include court filings, property documents, vital records, law enforcement logs, tax assessments, business licenses, and meeting minutes, among others. The completeness and availability of specific records may vary depending on the custodial office and the nature of the request.

Records in Bolivar County can be searched through official court resources, clerk offices, public access terminals, and online tools maintained by state and county agencies.

Online Access:

The Mississippi Department of Archives and History maintains digitized historical records and indexes accessible through its online portal.
The Mississippi Courts Electronic Filing System provides online access to certain civil and criminal case records.
Property records and tax assessment data may be searched through the Bolivar County Tax Assessor's online portal.
Some online tools require user registration or identity verification before granting access to sensitive record categories.

In-Person Requests:

Members of the public may visit the Bolivar County Circuit Clerk's Office or the County Chancery Clerk's Office to inspect records in person.
The Chancery Clerk's Office is located at 400 Court Street, Cleveland, Mississippi 38732.
Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
Requestors should present a valid government-issued photo identification and complete a public records request form at the counter.

Written/Mail Requests:

Written requests may be submitted by mail to the appropriate custodial office, addressed to the Bolivar County Chancery Clerk, P.O. Box 789, Cleveland, Mississippi 38732.
Requests should include the requestor's full name, contact information, a specific description of the records sought, and the preferred format for delivery.
Under Mississippi Code § 25-61-5, public bodies are required to respond to records requests within a reasonable time.

Phone/Email:

The Bolivar County Chancery Clerk's Office may be reached by telephone at (662) 843-2071.
Email inquiries may be directed to the office through contact information listed on the county's official website.

What Are Public Records in Bolivar County?

Public records in Bolivar County are defined under Mississippi Code § 25-61-3 as all books, records, papers, accounts, letters, maps, photographs, films, sound recordings, magnetic or other tapes, electronic data processing records, artifacts, or other documentary materials, regardless of physical form or characteristics, made or received by any governmental body in the conduct of its official business. The following record types are maintained by county and state agencies:

Court records — civil, criminal, probate, and family court filings maintained by the Bolivar County Circuit Clerk and Chancery Clerk
Property records — deeds, mortgages, liens, and assessments maintained by the Chancery Clerk and Tax Assessor
Vital records — birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates; birth and death records are maintained by the Mississippi State Department of Health, which offers online ordering through VitalChek
Business records — licenses, permits, and fictitious name registrations maintained by the County Clerk and the Mississippi Secretary of State
Tax records — property tax bills and assessment records maintained by the Bolivar County Tax Collector and Assessor
Voting and election records — maintained by the Bolivar County Election Commission
Meeting minutes and agendas — county board of supervisors and other public body records maintained by the Chancery Clerk
Budget and financial documents — maintained by the Bolivar County Board of Supervisors
Law enforcement records — arrest logs and incident reports, where permitted, maintained by the Bolivar County Sheriff's Office
Land use and zoning records — maintained by the county planning and zoning department

Is Bolivar County an Open Records County?

Bolivar County operates in full compliance with Mississippi's open records framework. Under Mississippi Code § 25-61-1 et seq., known as the Mississippi Public Records Act, all public records are presumed to be open and accessible to any person unless a specific statutory exemption applies. The Act establishes that "it is the policy of the Legislature that public records must be available for inspection by any person unless otherwise provided by this chapter."

The Mississippi Attorney General's Office has issued guidance affirming that public bodies must make records available for inspection and copying upon request, and that the burden of demonstrating that a record is exempt rests with the custodial agency. Bolivar County public bodies, including the Board of Supervisors, the Circuit Clerk, and the Chancery Clerk, are subject to these requirements. The county does not maintain a separate local ordinance that restricts access beyond what state law permits. Mississippi's open meetings law, codified at Mississippi Code § 25-41-1 et seq., further requires that meetings of public bodies be open to the public, with limited exceptions.

How Much Does It Cost to Get Public Records in Bolivar County?

The fee structure for public records in Bolivar County is governed by state law and the policies of individual custodial offices. Standard fees currently applicable include:

Record Type	Standard Fee
Paper copies (per page)	$0.25–$1.00
Certified copies of court documents	$1.00–$5.00 per page
Vital records (birth/death certificates)	$17.00 per certified copy (MSDH)
Marriage certificates	$17.00 per certified copy (MSDH)
Motor vehicle driving records	$14.31 per certified copy (online)
Electronic records (where available)	Varies by office

Members of the public may inspect records in person at no charge; fees apply only when copies are requested. Accepted payment methods at county offices include cash, money order, and personal check made payable to the appropriate office. The Motor Vehicle Record Department of the Mississippi Department of Public Safety accepts online payment by credit or debit card for driving record requests. Fee waivers may be available for indigent requestors or for requests made in the public interest, subject to the discretion of the custodial agency.

Does Bolivar County Have Free Public Records?

Free inspection of public records is available at county offices during regular business hours. Members of the public may review documents at the Chancery Clerk's Office, the Circuit Clerk's Office, and the Tax Assessor's Office without incurring a fee, provided no copies are made. The distinction between free inspection and free copies is significant: inspection is a right afforded to all persons under state law, while reproduction carries the fees described above.

Several categories of records are accessible at no cost through official online portals. The Mississippi Sex Offender Registry, maintained by the Mississippi Department of Public Safety, provides free public access to registered sex offender information searchable by name, county, or ZIP code. The Mississippi Department of Corrections makes certain inmate and supervision records available through its public records search portal at no charge. The Mississippi Department of Human Services provides information related to child support enforcement through the Division of Child Support Enforcement at no cost to participating families.

Who Can Request Public Records in Bolivar County?

Any person may request public records in Bolivar County, regardless of residency, citizenship, or stated purpose. The Mississippi Public Records Act does not require requestors to be Mississippi residents, to provide identification as a condition of access, or to explain the reason for their request. As the Mississippi Attorney General's Office has stated, "the right to inspect public records belongs to any person," and public bodies may not condition access on the disclosure of the requestor's identity or intended use.

Certain record types carry additional eligibility requirements. Vital records such as birth and death certificates are restricted to authorized individuals, including the subject of the record, immediate family members, legal representatives, and others with a demonstrated legal interest, pursuant to Mississippi Code § 41-57-2. Persons requesting their own driving records through the Mississippi Driver License Records portal must authenticate their identity online. Non-residents retain the same general access rights as residents for unrestricted public records.

What Records Are Confidential in Bolivar County?

Certain records maintained by Bolivar County agencies are exempt from public disclosure under state and federal law. Mississippi Code § 25-61-11 enumerates categories of records that public bodies are not required to disclose, including:

Sealed court records — records sealed by judicial order are not available for public inspection
Juvenile records — records pertaining to minors involved in youth court proceedings are confidential under Mississippi Code § 43-21-261
Ongoing investigation records — law enforcement records compiled in connection with active criminal investigations are exempt until the investigation is closed
Personal identifying information — Social Security numbers, financial account data, and similar identifiers are redacted from disclosed records
Medical records — protected under the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and state health privacy statutes
Adoption records — sealed by statute and accessible only through court order
Child welfare and protective services records — maintained as confidential by the Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services
Personnel records — employee records are exempt with limited exceptions for salary and position information
Trade secrets and proprietary business information — submitted to government agencies under confidentiality agreements
Security plans and critical infrastructure details — exempt to protect public safety

When a public body withholds a record, it is required to identify the specific statutory exemption relied upon and, where applicable, to provide any non-exempt portions of the document after redaction.

Bolivar County Recorder's Office: Contact Information and Hours

Bolivar County Chancery Clerk
400 Court Street, Cleveland, Mississippi 38732
(662) 843-2071
Bolivar County Chancery Clerk

Office Hours:
Monday – Friday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Closed on state and federal holidays

Bolivar County Circuit Clerk
400 Court Street, Cleveland, Mississippi 38732
(662) 843-4411
Bolivar County Circuit Clerk

Office Hours:
Monday – Friday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Bolivar County Tax Assessor/Collector
400 Court Street, Cleveland, Mississippi 38732
(662) 843-1651
Bolivar County Tax Assessor