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How to Find Public Records in Lamoille County in 2026
LamoilleRecords.us provides access to publicly available information related to public records maintained by government agencies serving Lamoille County, Vermont. Members of the public seeking court documents, property records, vital records, or other government-held information may locate those materials through official county offices, state agency portals, and authorized online tools. The categories of records that may be available include:
- Court records (civil, criminal, probate, and family)
- Property deeds, mortgages, and land records
- Vital records (birth, death, marriage, and divorce)
- Tax and property assessment records
- Business licenses and permits
- Voting and election records
- Law enforcement incident reports (where permitted)
- Meeting minutes, agendas, and budget documents
Online Access: Members of the public may search certain Lamoille County records through the Vermont Judiciary Public Portal, a web-based platform that provides role-based access to court records statewide. Property records and land transactions are maintained at the town level in Vermont; requestors should access the relevant town clerk's online database for deeds and related instruments. The Vermont Department of Taxes offers a School Property Account Number lookup tool that assists in identifying property accounts across the state.
In-Person Requests: Members of the public may inspect records in person at the Lamoille County Clerk's Office located at Hyde Park, Vermont. Requestors should present a written or verbal description of the records sought. Staff will retrieve responsive documents for inspection during regular business hours.
Written/Mail Requests: Written requests must identify the record sought with sufficient specificity to allow staff to locate it. Under Vermont Public Records Act § 316, agencies are required to respond to written requests within three business days of receipt.
Phone/Email: The Lamoille County Clerk's Office may be reached by telephone at (802) 888-2207. Requestors may also contact individual town clerks within the county for locally maintained records.
What Are Public Records in Lamoille County?
Public records in Lamoille County are defined by Vermont state law as any written or recorded information produced or acquired in the course of agency business. Under 1 V.S.A. § 317, public records include all documents, papers, maps, photographs, and electronic files created or received by a public agency in connection with the transaction of public business. The following record types are maintained by designated offices:
| Record Type | Maintaining Office |
|---|---|
| Court records (civil, criminal, probate, family) | Vermont Superior Court – Lamoille Unit |
| Property deeds, mortgages, liens | Town Clerks within Lamoille County |
| Vital records (birth, death, marriage, divorce) | Vermont Department of Health / Town Clerks |
| Business licenses and permits | Secretary of State / Town Offices |
| Property tax and assessment records | Town Listers / Vermont Department of Taxes |
| Voting and election records | Town Clerks / Secretary of State |
| Meeting minutes and agendas | Lamoille County Clerk / Town Clerks |
| Law enforcement records | Lamoille County Sheriff's Office |
| Land use and zoning records | Town Zoning Administrators |
Vital records, including birth and death certificates, are available through the Vermont Department of Health vital records ordering system. Driving history documents are maintained separately by the Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles, which processes driving record requests for licensed operators statewide.
Is Lamoille County an Open Records County?
Lamoille County operates in full compliance with Vermont's statewide open records framework. Under the Vermont Public Records Act, 1 V.S.A. § 315 et seq., all public agencies—including county and municipal offices—are required to make public records available for inspection and copying upon request. The statute establishes a presumption of openness: all government records are presumed public unless a specific statutory exemption applies.
As the Vermont Secretary of State's Office has stated, "Vermont's Public Records Act reflects the Legislature's intent that government records be open to the public as a fundamental aspect of democratic accountability." County offices in Vermont do not maintain separate open records ordinances; the state statute governs all public agencies uniformly. The Lamoille County Clerk's Office adheres to these requirements and does not impose additional local restrictions on access beyond those authorized by state law.
Vermont's open records law is complemented by the state's Open Meeting Law, codified at 1 V.S.A. § 310 et seq., which requires that meetings of public bodies be open to the public and that minutes be made available as public records.
How Much Does It Cost to Get Public Records in Lamoille County?
The Vermont Public Records Act establishes the framework for fees that agencies may charge when responding to public records requests. Current fees applicable to Lamoille County records are as follows:
| Fee Type | Standard Amount |
|---|---|
| Photocopies (black and white, letter/legal) | $0.05 per page (state agencies); town offices may vary |
| Certification of records | Varies by office; contact the relevant clerk |
| Electronic copies | No charge in many cases; agencies may charge actual cost of production |
| Inspection of records | No charge for in-person inspection |
| Search fees | Not permitted under Vermont law for standard requests |
Accepted payment methods at the Lamoille County Clerk's Office include cash, check, and money order. Individual town clerks within the county may accept additional payment forms. Agencies are prohibited from charging fees that exceed the actual cost of reproduction. Fee waivers may be available for indigent requestors or for requests determined to be in the public interest, at the discretion of the agency head.
Does Lamoille County Have Free Public Records?
Free inspection of public records is available to all members of the public under Vermont law. Agencies are required to permit in-person inspection of public records at no charge during regular business hours. The distinction between free inspection and free copies is significant: while viewing records costs nothing, obtaining physical or electronic copies may involve reproduction fees as described above.
Several categories of records are accessible at no cost through official online platforms:
- Court case information through the Vermont Judiciary Public Portal
- Property account data through the Vermont Department of Taxes SPAN finder tool
- Transportation-related public records through the Vermont Agency of Transportation
- Inmate and corrections records through the Vermont Department of Corrections public records portal
Members of the public may also inspect records at the Lamoille County Clerk's Office and at individual town clerk offices throughout the county without charge.
Who Can Request Public Records in Lamoille County?
Any person may request public records in Lamoille County, regardless of residency, citizenship, or stated purpose. Vermont's Public Records Act does not restrict access based on the identity or affiliation of the requestor. Specifically:
- Requestors are not required to be Vermont residents
- Requestors are not required to provide identification for most record types
- Requestors are not required to state the purpose of their request
- Non-residents retain the same access rights as Vermont residents
Certain record types carry additional access restrictions. Driving records maintained by the Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles are subject to the federal Driver's Privacy Protection Act, which limits disclosure to authorized purposes. Requestors seeking their own driving history may submit a driving record request directly to the DMV. Individuals requesting their own records from the Vermont Department of Corrections may do so through the corrections public records request portal. Requests for records pertaining to other individuals may be subject to additional review where personal privacy interests are implicated.
What Records Are Confidential in Lamoille County?
Not all government records in Lamoille County are subject to public disclosure. Vermont law enumerates specific categories of exempt records under 1 V.S.A. § 317(c), which identifies information that agencies are required or permitted to withhold. Confidential records include:
- Sealed court records – Records sealed by judicial order are not accessible to the public
- Juvenile records – Records pertaining to minors in delinquency or child welfare proceedings
- Ongoing law enforcement investigation records – Active investigative files where disclosure would compromise the investigation
- Personal identifying information – Social Security numbers, financial account data, and similar identifiers embedded in otherwise public documents
- Medical and health records – Protected under both state law and the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
- Adoption records – Sealed by statute and accessible only under specific legal circumstances
- Child protective services records – Records of the Department for Children and Families relating to abuse and neglect investigations
- Personnel records – Employee records, with limited exceptions for disciplinary actions involving public officials
- Trade secrets and proprietary business information – Submitted to agencies in confidence
- Security and infrastructure plans – Documents whose disclosure could endanger public safety
When an agency withholds a record or portion of a record, it is required to notify the requestor of the specific statutory basis for the exemption. Vermont law applies a balancing test in certain circumstances, weighing the public interest in disclosure against the privacy interests of individuals identified in the records.
Lamoille County Recorder's Office: Contact Information and Hours
Lamoille County Clerk's Office
180 Main Street, Suite 3
Hyde Park, VT 05655
(802) 888-2207
Lamoille County Clerk
Office Hours:
Monday – Friday: 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM
Closed on state and federal holidays
Vermont Superior Court – Lamoille Unit
180 Main Street
Hyde Park, VT 05655
(802) 888-3887
Vermont Judiciary
Lamoille County Sheriff's Office
736 Cadys Falls Road
Morrisville, VT 05661
(802) 888-3502
Lamoille County Sheriff
Vermont Department of Health – Vital Records
108 Cherry Street
Burlington, VT 05402
(800) 439-5008
Vermont Department of Health
As the Vermont Secretary of State's Office notes, "Town clerks in Vermont serve as the primary custodians of land records, vital records, and local government documents," meaning that requestors seeking property deeds or locally recorded vital records within Lamoille County should contact the relevant town clerk's office directly. Town clerk offices are located in each of the county's municipalities, including Hyde Park, Morrisville, Johnson, Stowe, and Cambridge, among others.