OPEN PUBLIC RECORDS

Because You Need to Know
How to use this page: Pick the record type you need below. Each section names the agency that holds those records and links to the official source — no aggregators, no third-party services. Because Rhode Island has no county government, records are held by the state or by the 39 cities and towns, not at a county level.

What You Can Find Here

⚖️ Court case records through RI Judiciary smart search
🔍 Arrest records from municipal police and RI State Police
📋 Criminal history checks through RI State Police and AG BCI
🏛️ Vital records, property records, and open-records requests
Have this ready before you start:
  • Full name of the person or business
  • Case number, if you have one
  • The city or town where the record was created

How Records Work in Rhode Island

Rhode Island's court and arrest records run primarily at the state and municipal levels, bypassing the county level entirely. The state judiciary under the Rhode Island Supreme Court maintains court records through the Judiciary Public Portal. RI State Police and the AG BCI split criminal history records (fingerprint vs name-based). Most local records — deeds, vital records, tax assessments — live with the 39 cities and towns.

Rhode Island has five counties (Bristol, Kent, Newport, Providence, Washington) but no county government — they're purely geographic boundaries used for court districting and some state administrative purposes. There are no county seats, no county officials, and no county sheriffs (Rhode Island's Division of Sheriffs is a state-level agency). All local government runs through the 39 cities and towns. This makes Rhode Island unusually centralized at the state level and granular at the municipal level.

Counties (no County Governments) in Rhode Island

Rhode Island has 5 counties, but Rhode Island has NO county government. Counties are geographic regions only; all local government functions are performed by cities and towns (39 municipalities). Select one below to find local court, arrest, and court and arrest records.

What this page does not show: Not every record is online. Because Rhode Island has no county government, many records that would be at a county office elsewhere live with the city or town clerk. Municipal and Probate Court records typically require contacting the specific city or town. When in doubt, call the agency directly.

This page is a guide to help you find official records — it is not the official database. All information comes from government sources. Verify details directly with the agency that holds the records.

Last updated: April 24, 2026