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Public Records in Columbus and Phenix City
Where to search property, court and business records, and how to ask for the ones you cannot find online.
Most records about property, court cases and businesses are open to the public. This page points to the official sites for Muscogee County, Ga., and Russell County, Ala., then explains your rights when you ask a government office for a record.
Look up records yourself
Columbus and Muscogee County, Ga.
| What you want | Where to look |
|---|---|
| Property owner, value and tax bill | Muscogee County property search (qPublic). To estimate a bill, use our property tax calculator. |
| Deeds, liens and court filings | The Muscogee County Clerk of Superior Court is at 100 10th St. in Columbus. The Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority lists the clerk's hours and contact details and runs the statewide real estate records index, which may require an account or fee. |
| City and consolidated government records | Columbus Consolidated Government: budgets, zoning, council agendas and open-records requests. |
| Who owns a Georgia business | Georgia Secretary of State business search |
| Restaurant inspections | Our restaurant inspection scores for Columbus. |
Phenix City and Russell County, Ala.
| What you want | Where to look |
|---|---|
| Property values and tax bills | Russell County Revenue Commissioner |
| Parcel maps | Russell County GIS map |
| Deeds, mortgages and liens | Recorded by the Russell County Probate Court, at the courthouse at 1000 Broad St. in Phenix City. See the probate office's public site. |
| Who owns an Alabama business | Alabama Secretary of State |
If it is not online: how to request a record
In Georgia
- The Georgia Open Records Act (O.C.G.A. 50-18-70 and following) covers records of cities, counties, school districts and state agencies.
- An agency must respond within three business days. It can respond that the records will take longer, but it must answer in that time.
- Copies of letter- and legal-size pages can cost no more than 10 cents a page. Agencies may also charge for the staff time to search for and retrieve records, and many tell you the estimate first if it is over $25.
- An agency does not have to create a new document or report that does not already exist.
- Send the request in writing and name the record as specifically as you can. The Georgia Attorney General's office publishes guidance on the law.
In Alabama
- The Alabama open-records law is in Code of Alabama sections 36-12-40 through 36-12-46.
- A 2024 change that took effect Oct. 1, 2024 requires a public office to acknowledge a records request within 10 business days.
- The right to inspect records applies to Alabama residents, and an office may ask for proof of residency.
This is a general guide, not legal advice. Fees, deadlines and exceptions can change, so check the statute or ask the records office.
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Columbus Times links to these official sites for convenience and do not control them. Some court records require an account or a fee on the clerk's site.