Data Sources

Our search platform aggregates data from multiple authoritative sources. All data is obtained through legal public records requests, official government data portals, and licensed commercial sources.

Understanding Public Records in the United States

Public records are documents and data files that government agencies are required by law to make available to the general public. In the United States, the principle of government transparency is deeply embedded in the legal system at every level -- federal, state, and local. The fundamental idea is straightforward: because government operates on behalf of the people and is funded by taxpayer dollars, citizens have a right to know what their government is doing, how it is spending public money, and what information it collects in the course of carrying out its duties.

The scope of public records is remarkably broad. It encompasses everything from real estate deeds and court filings to voter registrations and business incorporation documents. Professional licenses, campaign finance reports, government payroll data, patent filings, and vital statistics are all part of the public record. This information has been collected by government agencies for centuries to support the administration of justice, the regulation of commerce, the protection of public health and safety, and the functioning of democratic elections. The modern digital era has dramatically expanded access to these records, transforming what was once available only through in-person visits to government offices into data that can be searched and retrieved in seconds from anywhere in the world.

The Legal Framework for Public Records

Several major federal and state laws establish the legal foundation for public access to government records.

The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), enacted in 1966, gives any person the right to request access to records held by federal government agencies. FOIA applies to all executive branch agencies and departments, and agencies are required to respond to requests within 20 business days. While FOIA includes nine exemptions that allow agencies to withhold certain categories of information -- such as classified national security information, trade secrets, and personal privacy records -- the law creates a strong presumption in favor of disclosure. FOIA has been the primary tool through which journalists, researchers, and citizens obtain access to federal government records that are not proactively published.

State sunshine laws are the state-level equivalents of FOIA, and every state has enacted its own open records statute. These laws go by different names in different states -- the California Public Records Act, the Texas Public Information Act, the New York Freedom of Information Law, the Florida Sunshine Law -- but they all serve the same fundamental purpose of ensuring public access to state and local government records. State sunshine laws often provide even broader access than federal FOIA, as many states have fewer exemptions and stronger enforcement mechanisms. Some states, like Florida, have particularly expansive sunshine laws that make virtually all government records and proceedings open to the public.

The Driver's Privacy Protection Act (DPPA), enacted in 1994, regulates access to personal information in state motor vehicle records. While vehicle registration and title records are public, the DPPA restricts the disclosure of personal information such as Social Security numbers, photographs, and medical information from driver's license records. The law establishes 14 permissible uses for personal motor vehicle data, including use by government agencies, law enforcement, insurance companies, and authorized research organizations.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) regulates how consumer information is collected, shared, and used by consumer reporting agencies. While FCRA does not directly govern public records, it establishes important rules about how public record data can be included in consumer reports used for credit, employment, and insurance decisions. Data providers and platforms that furnish information used in consumer reports must comply with FCRA's accuracy and dispute resolution requirements.

How OpenDataUSA Aggregates Public Data

OpenDataUSA compiles information from dozens of authoritative public record sources to create a comprehensive, searchable database. Our data aggregation process involves collecting records from federal agencies, state government offices, county clerks, municipal departments, and publicly available reference databases, then standardizing, deduplicating, and cross-referencing the data to produce accurate and useful search results.

Each data source has its own collection methodology, update frequency, and format. Federal databases like the FCC licensing system and the USPTO patent database publish structured data files that are updated on regular schedules. State-level records such as voter registrations, professional licenses, and corporate filings are obtained through official data portals and public records requests, with update frequencies that vary by state. Municipal records such as building permits and property assessments are collected from individual city and county systems, each with their own data formats and publication practices.

Our platform brings all of these disparate sources together into a unified search experience, allowing users to find public record information about individuals, businesses, and properties without needing to know which specific government agency holds the records they are looking for. Every data source page in this section provides detailed information about where the data comes from, what it contains, and the legal basis for its public availability.

Overview of Data Categories

Our data sources span a wide range of government records and publicly available databases. People and identity records include voter registrations, vital record indexes, and demographic data that help establish who people are and where they live. Property and asset records encompass real estate ownership data, vehicle registrations, and building permits that document what people own and how they use their property. Professional and business records cover corporate filings, professional licenses, healthcare provider registrations, and government employment data that document people's careers and business activities.

Financial and political records include campaign finance disclosures, lobbyist registrations, PPP loan data, and lottery winner records that reveal financial activities connected to government programs and political participation. Federal agency records encompass patent filings, FCC licenses, White House visitor logs, and other records maintained by specific federal agencies. Entertainment and reference records include credits, statistics, and biographical data from publicly available industry databases that document achievements in film, television, publishing, and sports.

Each category page provides comprehensive information about the specific records within that category, including what data fields are available, how the records are collected and maintained, the legal basis for their public availability, and practical guidance on how to interpret and use the data. We encourage you to explore the individual data source pages below to learn more about any category that interests you.