Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA)
On July 3, 2025, Congress reauthorized claims under the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) and extended the RECA Trust Fund. In addition, the reauthorization expands the criteria for eligibility under RECA.
To see if you’re eligible, please review the RECA Missouri Resources Eligibility page. The Department of Justice is reviewing the amendments to RECA and will provide additional guidance as it becomes available. Claimants are encouraged to wait until additional guidance is published before filing a claim.
St. Louis County Library can support community members seeking to file RECA claims by offering access to research tools and assistance in locating documents that show they lived in an affected community for at least two years after January 1, 1949, such as school records, city directories and other proof of residency.
Recorded RECA Informational Session
Contact Information
How the Library Can Help
Assistance using many of our resources can be done in person at the Emerson History and Genealogy Department, located on the 2nd floor of the Clark Family Branch. Library employees may provide assistance in locating documentation for RECA claim forms but are not authorized to complete or submit RECA claim forms on behalf of individuals.
Residency Documentation Lookup Request
We will look up information to support RECA residency using library resources and free online resources. Due to research limitations, we may not be able to fulfill all lookup requests.
Documentation Resources
Public Record Databases are databases that contain information extracted from documents produced by government and other authorized agencies. Access to these databases can be gained by visiting FamilySearch or Ancestry.
For those without Ancestry.com access, please visit any of our library branches to access Ancestry Library Edition for free using a public PC or library Wi-Fi on your personal device.
The Archdiocese of St. Louis Office of Archives and Records holds records from closed schools and closed or subsumed parishes that may assist RECA applicants to provide proof of residence, employment, or school attendance in affected areas in Missouri.
Applicants should check the box for Search the Cancer Registry option when applying (pages 10 and 14).
The Missouri Cancer Registry and Research Center (MCR) serves as the designated central cancer registry, located on the University of Missouri within the Department of Public Health in the College of Health Sciences. MCR collects comprehensive data on all diagnosed cancers in Missouri, required by the mandates outlined in Missouri statutes (192.650, 192.653, 192.655, 192.657 RSMo) and regulations (19 CSR 70-21.010).
Private census records from the 1960 to 2020 censuses can only be obtained by the person named in the record or their heir after submitting an application for records.
We offer an extensive collection of city directories and phonebooks in the Emerson History and Genealogy Department. Address verification can take place using these directories.
Several city directories have also been digitized and are available for online viewing in our Digital Archives.
Exploring the St. Louis County Library Digital Archives
Discover the St. Louis County Library Digital Archives — free to use, no library card required. Learn how to search city and county directories, newspapers, yearbooks, and more.
St. Louis County Directories are mainly available on our Digital Archives.
Casenet is the Missouri state courts automated case management system and it contains records that go back to 1980.
How to Use Missouri Case.net for Court Records
Learn how to use Missouri’s Case.net system to find civil, criminal, traffic, family, juvenile, probate, and municipal court records. This step-by-step guide will show you how to access and search this free database.
Death certificates are public records in Missouri and can be obtained for free via the Missouri Secretary of State.
Death certificates are available until 1974 through Missouri Digital Heritage.
The Missouri Death Index is a free searchable database of registered deaths in the state of Missouri between 1954-2024.
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services offers the ability to request long form death certificates. A long form copy of a death certificate, also referred to as an “original,” is a copy of the original death certificate.
Copies of St. Louis City marriage records through 1965 and St. Louis County marriage records through 1960 are available at FamilySearch (free account required).
For assistance with marriage records beyond these dates, please visit the St. Louis (City) Marriage Records Department or St. Louis County Recorder of Deeds Office.
The United States Social Security Death Index can be another way to find information relating to residency. Information is available through Ancestry.com.
For those without Ancestry.com access, please visit any of our library branches to access the Ancestry Library Edition collection for free using a public PC or library Wi-Fi on your personal device.
IRS Tax Records
You can request taxpayer history for the past 10 years by logging into the IRS account portal or by submitting a form to the IRS.
Wage and Tax Statements from the Social Security Administration
We only have voting records for St. Louis City in our possession. To obtain copies of historical voting records, please contact the St. Louis Board of Elections.
The Board of Elections has a Voter Registration Record Request specifically for those obtaining records for their RECA application.
- Website: https://stlouiscountymo.gov/st-louis-county-government/board-of-elections
- Email: vote@stlouiscountymo.gov
- Phone: 314-615-1800
Check Your Voter Registration
Current voter registration records can be viewed on the Missouri Secretary of State's website by providing the same data you provided when you registered to vote.