Boston Public Records

Boston public records are held by multiple city offices, including the City Clerk, the Assessing Department, the Boston Police Department, and various other city agencies. As the state capital and largest city in Massachusetts, Boston generates an enormous volume of official documents each year. This page explains how to find and request public records in Boston, which offices hold specific types of records, and what rules apply under state law.

Boston City Clerk Office

The Boston City Clerk is the official keeper of the city's public records. The office is on the sixth floor of Boston City Hall at 1 City Hall Square. It holds some of the oldest local records in the country, including vital records going back to 1630. The Clerk's office handles birth, marriage, and death certificates, business certificates for doing business under a trade name (DBA), domestic partnership registrations, dog licenses, voter registration, and public meeting notices. The City Clerk also maintains City Council journals, mayoral executive orders, ordinances, and city contracts.

The Boston City Clerk's website offers access to meeting agendas, public notices, and general records information. For a full view of what the office holds and links to online services, visit boston.gov/departments/city-clerk. Staff can help you understand what forms to submit and what proof of identity you may need to bring.

The city clerk is the go-to office for many routine requests. Need a business certificate? This is where you file. It costs $65 for a four-year filing. Domestic partnerships, dog licenses, and certain voter registration tasks also run through this office.

The screenshot below shows the Boston City Clerk's web portal, where residents can access department information and services.

The City Clerk's portal links to vital records ordering, meeting minutes, and ordinance archives all in one place.

How to Request Public Records in Boston

Massachusetts law gives the public the right to access government records under MGL Chapter 66, Section 10. Every city agency in Boston must respond to a public records request within 10 business days. The city has designated Records Access Officers (RAOs) to handle these requests. For most city agencies, the General Counsel's Office serves as the RAO. You can reach the city RAO at RAO@boston.gov or call (617) 635-4000. The office is at 1 City Hall Square, Boston, MA 02201.

Some large city departments have their own RAOs. The Boston Police Department (BPD) handles public records requests separately. Send BPD records requests to publicinfo@pd.boston.gov. Boston Public Schools has its own RAO as well, reached at publicrecords@bostonpublicschools.org. For all other city agencies, the General Counsel's Office is the right contact.

Boston also runs a dedicated online records portal at records.boston.gov. Free registration lets you submit requests, track their status, and receive records electronically. The portal includes a searchable database of already-released documents, which saves time if someone has requested the same record before.

State law sets fees for public records. The first four hours of staff time are free for requests to Boston (as a municipality with over 20,000 residents, the standard is two hours, but Boston's portal lists four). After that, the rate is capped at $25 per hour. Paper copies cost $0.05 per page. If a request is denied or partially denied, you can appeal to the Supervisor of Records at One Ashburton Place, Room 1719, Boston, MA 02108.

Note: Most routine records requests to Boston are handled within a few business days, well before the 10-day deadline.

Vital Records in Boston

Boston vital records span an extraordinary range, from birth and death records dating back to 1630 to current marriage certificates. The City Clerk's office issues certified copies of these documents. In person, a certified copy costs $14. Online orders through the city's portal cost $17.60 due to a processing fee. You can order vital records at boston.gov. Requests can also be mailed with a completed form, a photocopy of your ID, and a check or money order.

You need to show your relationship to the person on the record. Immediate family members, legal guardians, and parties with a documented legal need can get certified copies. Genealogy researchers may also get access to older records under state law. The Registry of Vital Records and Statistics at mass.gov/orgs/registry-of-vital-records-and-statistics is the state-level source for records older than 100 years or in cases where the city cannot fulfill the request.

Boston keeps its own records going back to the 1600s. These historical records are invaluable for genealogy and family research. Ask the Clerk's office about the oldest records and what format they are available in.

Boston Property and Assessor Records

The Boston Assessing Department maintains property records for every parcel in the city. These records include ownership history, assessed value, tax class, lot size, building characteristics, and tax bills. You can look up any property at boston.gov/assessing-online without creating an account. The search is free and covers all residential and commercial properties in Boston.

For deed records and recorded documents, the Suffolk Registry of Deeds holds all land records for Boston. You can search property deeds, mortgages, liens, and other recorded instruments through MassLandRecords.com. Suffolk County deeds are searchable by name, address, or document type. The registry maintains records going back to the colonial era.

Below is a screenshot of the Boston Assessing Department's online lookup tool, which lets you search current property assessments for any Boston address.

The assessing portal shows current and prior year values, tax bills, and parcel details for all Boston properties.

Boston Police Department Records

The Boston Police Department (BPD) holds incident reports, accident reports, and other police records. As noted above, BPD has its own Records Access Officer. Send your public records request to publicinfo@pd.boston.gov. The BPD is headquartered at 1 Schroeder Plaza, Boston, MA 02120. You can also call the general line at (617) 343-4500. News releases and public safety data are posted at bpdnews.com.

Accident reports are available through the BPD Records Division. You may need to appear in person or submit a written request with identifying information about the incident, such as the date, location, and names involved. Fees may apply for copies.

For court case records related to arrests or criminal filings in Boston, use MassCourts.org. This free statewide system lets you search cases by name or case number. Criminal records background checks go through the Department of Criminal Justice Information Services at mass.gov/orgs/dcjis. The Sex Offender Registry Board maintains a public lookup at mass.gov/sorb.

Note: BPD typically responds to records requests within the 10-business-day window set by state law, though complex requests may take longer.

Suffolk County Public Records

Boston is the county seat of Suffolk County. Many records for Boston are also held or indexed at the county level. The Suffolk Registry of Deeds handles all land records. Suffolk County courts, including Boston Municipal Court and the various District Courts, handle criminal and civil case records. For a full overview of county-level public records resources in Suffolk County, visit the county page.

View Suffolk County Public Records

Nearby Cities

Boston borders several other qualifying cities in the metro area. Each of these cities has its own city clerk and public records office.