Savannah Residents Directory

Savannah is the largest city in Chatham County and one of the oldest in Georgia. The Savannah residents directory draws from court case files, property deed records, voter rolls, and other public data held at the county and state level. You can search for people in Savannah through the Chatham County court portal, the city's own open records process, or free state databases. Chatham County keeps most of the records that tie back to Savannah residents, but the city government also holds police reports, code enforcement files, and permit records. This page walks you through the tools and offices you can use to look up people in Savannah.

Savannah City Government Records

The City of Savannah runs its own government offices at 2 E. Bay Street, Savannah, GA 31401. The main phone line is (912) 651-6511. Savannah is one of the few Georgia cities that has a formal open records process built into its website. The city follows the Georgia Open Records Act, which is found at O.C.G.A. Section 50-18-70. That law says any person can ask for public records from a government body in Georgia. Agencies must respond within three business days. The first 15 minutes of staff search time cost nothing. After that, the city can charge the hourly rate of the lowest paid worker who can pull the file.

The Savannah Open Records Information page tells you how to file a request with the city of Savannah. You can submit it in writing by mail, by email, or in person at Savannah City Hall. The Savannah city government handles requests for police reports, building permits, inspection records, meeting minutes, and other documents that Savannah departments create or keep. Paper copies cost $0.10 per page under state law. If you need a large batch of Savannah records, the city may give you an estimate before they start pulling files. This is a good resource if you are looking for Savannah records that the county does not hold.

Savannah also keeps code enforcement files, zoning records, and business license data. These Savannah records can help with a residents directory search because they list names and addresses tied to properties or businesses in the Savannah area. The Savannah city clerk's office is the place to start if you are not sure which department holds a record you need.

Savannah Police Department Records

The Savannah Police Department has its own Open Records Unit. Call them at (912) 651-6410. All Savannah police report requests go through this unit. You cannot get Savannah police records from the main city records office or from the county clerk. The Savannah police department handles incident reports, accident reports, and arrest records for people in Savannah.

Georgia law at O.C.G.A. Section 50-18-72 sets out what police records are open to the public and what can be withheld. Initial Savannah police reports are public once the case is no longer active or once charges are filed. Some parts of an investigation file may be sealed if release would hurt an ongoing Savannah case. The Savannah police records unit can tell you if a specific report is available. They follow the same three-day response rule that applies to all open records requests in Georgia. If the Savannah request is complex, they will give you a timeline and a cost estimate before they start the work.

Note: Juvenile records and sealed case files are not available through the Savannah police open records process.

Chatham County Court Records for Savannah

Chatham County handles court records for all of Savannah. The Superior Court Clerk is Tammie Mosley. Her office is at 133 Montgomery Street, Savannah, GA 31401. You can reach the clerk at (912) 652-7264. Under Georgia law at O.C.G.A. Section 15-6-11, the clerk must give public access to court case files and recorded documents. Every document filed or recorded in the Chatham County clerk's office gets scanned and is available online. That makes Savannah one of the easier places in Georgia to search for records from home.

The Chatham County Superior Court Clerk website lets you look up real estate filings, civil case records, criminal case files, and other recorded documents tied to Savannah. You do not need to go to the Savannah courthouse in person. The clerk's office also records liens, military discharges, assumed business names, and notary bonds. For people in the Savannah residents directory, the clerk's records are one of the most complete sources because they cover so many types of Savannah filings.

Certified copies from the Savannah clerk cost $10.00 for the first page. Each page after that is $1.00 more. Uncertified copies run $1.00 per page. If you mail a Savannah record request, send a money order or cashier's check. The clerk does not take personal checks by mail. In-person visitors to the Savannah courthouse should ask about payment methods at the front window since some offices now accept credit cards.

Savannah Case Search Portal

The Chatham County court system has a web portal that covers five courts. The portal uses the Odyssey case management system. It pulls records from the Superior Court, State Court, Magistrate Court, Probate Court, and Recorders Court. If someone in Savannah has a court case of any kind, this portal is the fastest way to find it.

Smart Search is the main tool on the Savannah case portal. Type a name and hit search. Results come back fast. You can also search by case number if you have one, or by hearing date if you know when a Savannah case was scheduled. The portal has an advanced filter that helps when you get too many results for a common Savannah name. There is also a Soundex feature that finds names that sound the same but are spelled differently. This is useful when you are not sure about the exact spelling of a last name in the Savannah residents directory. The Savannah portal shows case info, hearing dates, parties involved, and case status. It does not let you file new documents online.

Note: The case portal shows information only and does not replace a trip to the clerk's office if you need certified copies.

State Databases for Savannah Searches

Georgia runs several free databases that are useful for a Savannah residents directory search. The GSCCCA Real Estate Records Search covers property deals in all 159 counties, going back to 1999. You can search by name to find anyone who bought or sold property in Savannah. Results show the buyer, seller, property location, and the book and page number where the deed was recorded. This is a free tool and it works well for finding people who own or once owned property in the Savannah area.

The Georgia My Voter Page is another free option for Savannah searches. Look up any registered voter in Chatham County by name and date of birth. Results show voter status, polling place, and district. Voter records are public in Georgia, which makes them a solid part of any Savannah residents directory search. The Secretary of State also sells full voter registration lists with Savannah home addresses, though those cost money and take about two weeks.

The Georgia Department of Public Health Vital Records office handles birth, death, and marriage records for the whole state. If you need to verify that someone lived in Savannah at a certain time, a vital record can sometimes help. Birth and death certificates have restrictions based on who can request them, but marriage records are generally easier to access. The state office is in Atlanta, but you can order records by mail or online from anywhere.

Savannah Probate and Property Records

The Chatham County Probate Court sits in Room 509 at 133 Montgomery Street in Savannah. Call (912) 652-7264, option 1, for probate matters. This court handles wills, estates, guardianships, marriage licenses, and firearms permits. For a residents directory search, probate records can fill in gaps that court cases do not cover. Marriage license files show names and addresses at the time the license was issued. Estate records list heirs and their contact details. Guardianship files name both the ward and the person appointed to care for them.

The research fee at the Savannah Probate Court is $10.00 per search. Certified copies are $10.00 for the first page and $1.00 for each extra page. Uncertified copies cost $1.00 a page. These are the same rates the Savannah Superior Court Clerk charges. If you mail in a Savannah probate request, include a money order or cashier's check. The Probate Court does not take personal checks by mail either.

Savannah property records are also useful for finding people. The Chatham County tax assessor keeps ownership data with names and mailing addresses for every parcel in Savannah and the rest of the county. You can search Savannah property records online through the county website. Tax records get updated each year, so the name and address data stays fairly current. Between the Savannah tax assessor, the GSCCCA real estate search, and the clerk's deed index, you have three ways to search for property owners in Savannah.

How to Search Savannah Records

There are a few ways to search for people in Savannah. Online is the fastest. The Chatham County case search portal covers five courts and lets you look up anyone by name. The GSCCCA tool handles property records. The My Voter Page checks voter status. Each one gives you a different piece of the picture, so using all three together works best for a thorough Savannah residents directory search.

For in-person visits, the Savannah courthouse at 133 Montgomery Street is the main spot. The Savannah Superior Court Clerk is on the first floor. The Probate Court is in Room 509. You can view Savannah records at no charge in most cases. Copies are where the fees start. Bring a form of payment other than a personal check if you plan to buy copies at the Savannah courthouse. Hours are Monday through Friday during normal business hours. It helps to call ahead at (912) 652-7264 to confirm that the Savannah record you need is at that location before you make the trip.

You can also send a mail request to the Chatham County Superior Court Clerk at 133 Montgomery Street, Savannah, GA 31401. Put the full name of the person you are searching for, the type of record you need, and your payment in the envelope. Be as specific as you can. Add dates and case numbers if you have them. A clear request saves time and keeps the research fee lower. If the clerk has to dig through a large number of files, the cost goes up. For Savannah city records like police reports, send your request directly to the city department that holds the file.

Savannah Record Fees and Costs

Costs vary by record type and which office holds the file. Here is a summary of common fees for Savannah and Chatham County records:

• Research fee (clerk or probate): $10.00 per search
• Certified copies: $10.00 first page, $1.00 each page after
• Uncertified copies: $1.00 per page
• Open Records Act copies: $0.10 per page
• Search time over 15 minutes: prorated hourly rate of lowest paid staff

The clerk's office and the Probate Court in Savannah share the same fee schedule. Open Records Act fees are set by state law and apply to the city of Savannah, the Savannah police department, and any other public body in the county. If you go in person to a Savannah office, ask about card payments at the window. Not all Savannah offices take them yet, but many have started accepting cards in the last few years. Mailed requests to Savannah still need a money order or cashier's check.

Note: Always confirm current fees by calling the office before you send payment, since rates can change without advance notice.

Chatham County and Nearby Cities

Savannah is the county seat of Chatham County. All court records, property filings, and probate matters for Savannah residents go through the Chatham County courthouse. If you cannot find a record under the city of Savannah, check with the county clerk's office instead. The county page has more detail on every office and tool available in Chatham County.

Two nearby cities also have pages in this directory. Pooler is just west of Savannah in Chatham County and has been one of the fastest growing cities in the area. Hinesville is in Liberty County, about 40 miles southwest of Savannah, and serves as the home of Fort Stewart. If the person you are looking for moved between Savannah and a nearby city, checking records in those areas can help. People move around the coastal Georgia region often, so a search in one city sometimes leads to records in another.