West Haven People Search
West Haven people search gives you ways to look up public records for about 55,379 residents in this New Haven County coastal city. Bordering New Haven to the west and Milford to the south, West Haven has a city clerk office that manages vital records and property filings. A people search in West Haven also reaches into the statewide court system, voter registration rolls, and professional license databases. Connecticut's open records framework under the Freedom of Information Act means most government files can be accessed by anyone, making it possible to track down information about a person with connections to this city.
West Haven Quick Facts
West Haven City Clerk Records
The West Haven City Clerk is the main local office for records used in a people search. Connecticut eliminated county government in 1960. Every municipality keeps its own files. In West Haven, the city clerk on Main Street handles birth, death, and marriage certificates along with property deeds, mortgages, and liens. These are the core local records for finding information about a person.
| Office | West Haven City Clerk |
|---|---|
| Address | 355 Main Street, West Haven, CT 06516 |
| Phone | (203) 937-3510 |
| Website | cityofwesthaven.com |
The West Haven city website has information about clerk services and how to request records.
Use the site to find current hours, fees, and forms for records requests at the West Haven City Clerk office.
Certified vital records from West Haven cost $20 per copy. The state Department of Public Health charges $30 for the same type of record. Death and marriage records are open to any adult. Birth records have tighter controls. Records less than 100 years old can only be obtained by the named person, parents, spouse, children over 18, or grandparents. This rule comes from state law and applies equally across all 169 Connecticut municipalities.
Court Records for West Haven Search
Court records are a strong part of a West Haven people search. The Connecticut Judicial Branch offers free online case lookups. The criminal case search shows convictions from the past 10 years by defendant name. The civil inquiry portal covers lawsuits, family cases, and housing disputes. Both are free and open to the public.
Connecticut courts operate by judicial district, not by city or town. West Haven is part of a district that covers several nearby municipalities. But the online search tools pull from the whole state. Enter a name and you see cases from every court in Connecticut. That is good for a people search because someone connected to West Haven could have had a case filed anywhere else in the state.
Some records will not show up. The system excludes juvenile cases, youthful offender matters, and infractions. When a record is erased or a pardon is granted, the entry disappears. Data shifts daily. For official certified copies, contact the court clerk where the case was actually heard. The online tools give you a solid starting point for a West Haven people search, but they do not replace the court file itself.
Note: The Judicial Branch cannot guarantee the accuracy of online records beyond the current day.
State Records for West Haven Searches
State databases stretch your West Haven people search further. The eLicense portal is one of the most useful. Over 850 license types from 14 state agencies are in the system. Enter a name and find out if someone holds a license in West Haven as a healthcare provider, contractor, cosmetologist, or any other regulated profession. Results update instantly.
The MyVote CT portal confirms voter registration. Search by name and town. If someone is registered in West Haven, you get their status and polling place. If they left West Haven, their new registration town may appear instead. Voter data is public and free to search in Connecticut.
For vital records at the state level, the Department of Public Health has files going back to 1897. State copies cost $30 each. This is useful when you do not know which town holds the record you want. The probate courts have online case data from 2011 forward covering estates, trusts, and guardianships. Full probate file access requires proving you are an interested party.
Public Records Requests in West Haven
You can request records from West Haven city offices under Connecticut's Freedom of Information Act. Section § 1-210 declares all records of public agencies to be public records. There are exceptions for things like personnel files, medical data, and certain law enforcement records. But property documents, voter records, meeting minutes, and most other files useful for a people search in West Haven are fully accessible.
No special form is needed. Write a request and send it to the relevant office. Municipal copy fees are capped at 50 cents per page under § 1-212. If West Haven denies your request, file a complaint with the Freedom of Information Commission within 30 days. They can compel release and fine the agency up to $1,000 under § 1-206. Most requests in West Haven get handled smoothly.
West Haven Property Records
Land records in West Haven are kept by the city clerk and offer a useful people search angle. Every deed, mortgage, lien, easement, and judgment recorded in the city links a person's name to a property address. If you are trying to find out where someone lives or used to live in West Haven, property records are one of the most direct paths.
The Connecticut Town Clerks Portal provides online access to indexed land records from many towns. Copies cost $1 in the office or $2 online. Recording fees start at $70 for the first page. West Haven property records go back decades and reveal a person's history in the city through purchases, sales, and liens. For a people search, this data fills gaps that other records might not cover.
Note: Each of Connecticut's 169 municipalities maintains its own separate land records, so there is no central county office for property filings.
Nearby Cities for People Search
West Haven is near several other cities and towns along the Connecticut shoreline. People who lived in West Haven may have records in neighboring communities.
- New Haven (137,562)
- Milford (53,396)
- Hamden (61,510)
- East Haven (27,953)
New Haven is the biggest neighbor and sits right to the east. Many West Haven residents work in New Haven. Milford is to the west along the coast. Hamden is to the north. Each of these towns maintains its own set of local records since Connecticut has no county government. The state court system, though, lets you search across all towns in one go.
New Haven County People Search
West Haven is part of New Haven County, which has a population of about 860,000 across dozens of towns and cities. County government was abolished in 1960, but the geographic boundary still defines the judicial district and regional planning area. For more people search resources covering the full New Haven County region, see the county page.