🗂️ Federal records at a glance
Records kept by federal agencies and courts rather than by states, counties or towns. Each link goes to the official source.
| Record | Held by | Office & contact | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🏛️ | Federal court cases | Federal | U.S. District and Bankruptcy Courts Each state has one to four federal judicial districts; official court websites are listed by the U.S. Courts. Official source ↗ |
| 💻 | Federal case files online (PACER) | Federal | PACER – Public Access to Court Electronic Records Register free, then search federal district, bankruptcy and appeals dockets; per-page fees apply, capped per document; fees are waived in any quarter where you accrue $30 or less. Official source ↗ |
| 📦 | Federal records & archives | Federal | National Archives (NARA) Census, immigration, military, land and federal court records. NARA facilities and the records each holds are listed on its locations page. Official source ↗ |
| 🎖️ | Military service records (DD-214) | Federal | National Personnel Records Center Veterans and next of kin can request DD-214s and service files. Official source ↗ |
| 🪦 | Veterans’ graves | Federal | VA Nationwide Gravesite Locator Burial locations in VA national, state veterans and military cemeteries, and some private cemeteries with a government marker. Official source ↗ |
| 🪪 | Social Security application (SS-5) | Federal | Social Security Administration (FOIA) Copies of a deceased person’s original SS-5 or Numident record; fees effective Oct 1, 2026: $23 (SS-5), $22 (Numident). Official source ↗ |
| 🔒 | Federal inmates | Federal | Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator People in federal custody since 1982. Official source ↗ |
| 🔎 | Sex offender search (national) | Federal | Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Website (NSOPW) Searches state, territory and tribal registries at once. Official source ↗ |
| 💵 | Unclaimed money | Federal | USA.gov unclaimed money guide Links to each state’s official unclaimed property program and federal sources. Official source ↗ |
| 📈 | Public company filings | Federal | SEC EDGAR full-text search Filings by publicly traded companies and insiders. Official source ↗ |
| 🤝 | Nonprofit filings | Federal | IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search Exempt status, Form 990s and determination letters. Official source ↗ |
| 🗺️ | Historic federal land patents | Federal | BLM General Land Office Records Original federal land patents for the 30 public-land states. Official source ↗ |
🗺️ State-by-state guides
Each state page lists that state’s federal court districts alongside its own record offices.
AlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareDistrict of ColumbiaFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming