null

How to Find Public Records in Letcher County in 2026

Members of the public seeking government documents in Letcher County, Kentucky, may access a range of publicly available information through official county and state channels. LetcherRecords.us serves as a resource directing users to publicly available data related to government-held documents in the region. Records that may be accessible include court filings, property documents, vital records, tax information, and election data, subject to applicable exemptions under state law.

Online Access: The Letcher County Clerk's Office maintains an official website where members of the public may access county records digitally. The office currently utilizes the eCCLIX platform, which allows users to view and print documents filed by county clerks across Kentucky. Property records, deeds, mortgages, and related land documents are among the record types available through this portal. No registration is required to perform basic searches, though printing or downloading documents may involve fees.

Court records are accessible through the Kentucky Court of Justice statewide portal, which provides online case information for Circuit and District Court proceedings.

In-Person Requests: Members of the public may visit the Letcher County Clerk's Office in person to inspect or request copies of records. The office is located at:

Letcher County Clerk's Office
156 Main Street, Suite 100
Whitesburg, KY 41858
(606) 633-2432
Letcher County Clerk

Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Requestors should bring a valid photo identification and be prepared to specify the record type and relevant identifying details such as names, dates, or parcel numbers.

Written/Mail Requests: Written requests may be submitted to the Letcher County Clerk's Office at the mailing address above. Requests should include the requestor's full name, contact information, a description of the records sought, and the preferred format for delivery. Under Kentucky Revised Statutes § 61.880, a public agency must respond to an open records request within five business days of receipt.

Phone/Email: The Letcher County Clerk's Office may be reached by telephone at (606) 633-2432 during regular business hours.

What Are Public Records in Letcher County?

Public records in Letcher County are defined under Kentucky's Open Records Act as any document, paper, photograph, film, map, or other documentary material, regardless of physical form, that is prepared, owned, used, or retained by a public agency. The Letcher County Clerk's records portal provides access to a broad range of document categories maintained by the county. The following record types are among those currently available:

Court records — civil, criminal, probate, and family court filings maintained by the Circuit Court Clerk
Property records — deeds, mortgages, liens, and property assessments maintained by the County Clerk
Vital records — marriage licenses and divorce decrees (birth and death certificates are maintained by the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services)
Business records — assumed name filings, business licenses, and permits
Tax records — property tax assessments and delinquent tax information
Voting and election records — voter registration data and election results
Meeting minutes and agendas — Letcher County Fiscal Court proceedings
Budget and financial documents — county expenditure and revenue records
Law enforcement records — arrest logs and incident reports, where permitted by law
Land use and zoning records — plats, surveys, and zoning decisions

The Letcher County Attorney's office serves as legal counsel for county government and maintains familiarity with records of Circuit and District courts and Kentucky trial court proceedings.

Is Letcher County an Open Records County?

Letcher County operates in full compliance with the Kentucky Open Records Act, codified at Kentucky Revised Statutes § 61.870 through § 61.884. This statute establishes the right of any person to inspect public records held by state and local government agencies, including county offices in Letcher County. As stated in the Act, "Free and open examination of public records is in the public interest." The law places the burden on the public agency to demonstrate that a requested record falls within a recognized exemption before withholding it.

The Kentucky Attorney General's Office provides guidance on open records compliance and adjudicates disputes between requestors and agencies. Letcher County agencies are required to designate an official custodian of records and to post their open records procedures in a publicly accessible location. The county does not maintain a separate local ordinance governing public records access; state law governs all such requests uniformly.

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

The standard fee structure for public records in Letcher County is governed by the Kentucky Open Records Act and applicable administrative regulations. Under current law, agencies may charge fees that do not exceed the actual cost of reproduction.

Record Type	Standard Fee
Paper copies (standard size)	$0.10 per page
Certified copies (deeds, etc.)	$5.00 per document
Electronic copies	Actual cost of duplication
Record inspection	No charge

Inspection of public records at the office is provided at no cost to the requestor.
Fees for certified copies of recorded instruments such as deeds and mortgages are set by statute.
Payment is accepted in cash, check, or money order at the Letcher County Clerk's Office; individual offices may also accept credit or debit cards.
Fee waivers may be available for indigent requestors or in cases where disclosure is determined to be in the public interest, at the discretion of the agency.

Fees vary by record type and the office maintaining the record. Court records obtained through the Kentucky Court of Justice system may carry separate fee schedules established by the Administrative Office of the Courts.

Does Letcher County Have Free Public Records?

Free inspection of public records is available to any person under the Kentucky Open Records Act. Members of the public may visit the Letcher County Clerk's Office during regular business hours to inspect records at no charge. The distinction between free inspection and free copies is significant: while viewing records in person carries no fee, obtaining physical or electronic copies is subject to the reproduction fees described above.

The Letcher County Clerk's online records portal provides free search access to certain digitized county records through the eCCLIX system. Users may search property records, recorded instruments, and related documents without charge. Printing or downloading documents from the portal may incur a nominal fee.

Election results and certain fiscal court documents are available at no cost through the Letcher County Clerk's Office website. Court case information may be searched at no charge through the Kentucky Court of Justice online case search tool.

Who Can Request Public Records in Letcher County?

Any person may submit a public records request in Letcher County, regardless of residency, citizenship, or stated purpose. Under the Kentucky Open Records Act, requestors are not required to be Kentucky residents, to provide identification, or to explain the reason for their request as a condition of access to non-exempt records. As the Act provides, "The General Assembly finds an essential vitality in open government."

Specific provisions apply in the following circumstances:

Identification: Requestors are not required to provide identification to inspect public records, though identification may be requested for certain sensitive record types.
Purpose: Agencies may not condition access to public records on the requestor's stated purpose, except in limited circumstances defined by statute.
Restricted records: Certain record categories, such as sealed court files or juvenile records, are accessible only to parties with a demonstrated legal interest.
Personal records: Individuals requesting their own records, such as personal court filings or property documents, follow the same process as any other requestor.

Non-residents retain the same rights as Kentucky residents under the Open Records Act. The Letcher County Attorney may be consulted regarding disputes over records access or questions about the scope of permissible requests.

What Records Are Confidential in Letcher County?

Not all government-held documents in Letcher County are subject to public disclosure. Kentucky Revised Statutes § 61.878 enumerates the categories of records exempt from mandatory disclosure under the Open Records Act. The following record types are among those currently withheld from public inspection:

Sealed court records — records sealed by judicial order are not accessible to the general public
Juvenile records — records pertaining to minors in delinquency or dependency proceedings
Ongoing investigation records — law enforcement records compiled in the course of an active criminal investigation
Personal identifying information — Social Security numbers, financial account data, and similar identifiers embedded in otherwise public documents
Medical records — protected under both state law and the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
Adoption records — sealed by statute and accessible only through court order
Child welfare and protective services records — maintained as confidential by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services
Personnel records — employee performance evaluations and disciplinary records, with limited exceptions for final disciplinary actions
Trade secrets and proprietary business information — submitted to government agencies under confidentiality agreements
Security plans and critical infrastructure details — withheld to protect public safety

Agencies applying an exemption must notify the requestor in writing and identify the specific statutory basis for withholding the record. A balancing test applies in certain cases where the public interest in disclosure may outweigh the agency's interest in confidentiality.

Letcher County Recorder's Office: Contact Information and Hours

Letcher County Clerk's Office
156 Main Street, Suite 100
Whitesburg, KY 41858
(606) 633-2432
Letcher County Clerk

Office Hours:
Monday – Friday: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Closed on state and federal holidays

Letcher County Circuit Court Clerk
156 Main Street
Whitesburg, KY 41858
(606) 633-2237
Letcher County Court Information

Office Hours:
Monday – Friday: 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM
Closed on state and federal holidays

Letcher County Attorney's Office
156 Main Street
Whitesburg, KY 41858
(606) 633-2237
Letcher County Attorney