How to Search Iowa Public Records

Iowa's court, criminal, vital, property, voter, and licensing records are maintained across state agencies and the 99 counties listed below. Use the tabs to filter by record type, or jump directly to any source.

  • Courts: The Iowa Supreme Court sits at the top of the system; trial-court business is handled by the District Court (8 districts). Most courts publish dockets and case lookups online.
  • Criminal history: The state's criminal-history repository handles official background checks. Fees and procedures are set by the state agency — see the linked official source.
  • Vital records: Birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates are issued by the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (Bureau of Vital Records) and may also be available locally.
  • Property & recorded documents: Maintained at the county level by the Assessor, Recorder, or Clerk's office.
  • Business filings: The Secretary of State (or equivalent) operates the official business-entity search.
Population
3,241,488
Households
1,310,300
Median Income
$71,433
Median Home Value
$181,600

Statewide Databases

2018 official Iowa government databases. Click a tab to filter by record type.

Court Records

Criminal Records

Wants & Warrants

C O U N C I L B L U F F S P O L I C E D E P A R T M E N T PRESS RELEASE
Official Free
value over $10,000.00 . On August 19, 2025, an arrest warrant was issued charging him with one count of Solicitation of a · Felony, a Class D Felony. Arrested in Council Bluffs on August 20, 2025. CITY OF COUNCIL BLUFFS, IOWA – 209 PEARL STREET – 51503-4270
🌐 www.councilbluffs-ia.gov

Vital Records

Voter Records

Licenses

About the Appraisal Subcommittee (ASC)
Official Free
Our goal is to maintain public trust in the appraisal profession by ensuring that appraisers are effectively regulated. ... The ASC has seven members, each designated by the head of their agency. Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Federal Reserve) ... U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Title XI also requires the FFIEC to appoint a Chair from the member representatives to serve a two-year term.
🌐 www.asc.gov

Recorded Documents

Property Records

Iowa Counties

All 99 Iowa counties indexed on SearchSystems.net. Click any county for local court, sheriff, recorder, and assessor links.

Adair Adams Allamakee Appanoose Audubon Benton Black Hawk Boone Bremer Buchanan Buena Vista Butler Calhoun Carroll Cass Cedar Cerro Gordo Cherokee Chickasaw Clarke Clay Clayton Clinton Crawford Dallas Davis Decatur Delaware Des Moines Dickinson Dubuque Emmet Fayette Floyd Franklin Fremont Greene Grundy Guthrie Hamilton Hancock Hardin Harrison Henry Howard Humboldt Ida Iowa Jackson Jasper Jefferson Johnson Jones Keokuk Kossuth Lee Linn Louisa Lucas Lyon Madison Mahaska Marion Marshall Mills Mitchell Monona Monroe Montgomery Muscatine O Brien Osceola Page Palo Alto Plymouth Pocahontas Polk Pottawattamie Poweshiek Ringgold Sac Scott Shelby Sioux Story Tama Taylor Union Van Buren Wapello Warren Washington Wayne Webster Winnebago Winneshiek Woodbury Worth Wright

Frequently Asked Questions

Iowa's official criminal-history repository is operated by the state law-enforcement agency. Free public access to a complete criminal history is generally not available; an official background check typically requires fingerprints and a fee. County-level court records can be searched at no cost through individual court websites.

Iowa's court system is headed by the Iowa Supreme Court. Trial-court business is handled by the District Court (8 districts). Many Iowa courts publish docket searches and case lookups online — see the Court Records tab above for direct links.

The Iowa Secretary of State (or equivalent agency) operates the official business-entity search. You can typically search corporations, LLCs, LPs, and other registered entities by name or registration number. See the Licenses or Business tab above.

The Assessor determines property values for tax purposes. The Recorder (or Clerk-Recorder) records deeds, mortgages, liens, and other property documents. Some county offices combine these roles, others keep them separate. Check the specific county page for details.

Iowa vital records (birth, death, marriage, divorce certificates) are issued by the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (Bureau of Vital Records) and, in many cases, by local county clerks. Fees and ID requirements are set by the issuing agency.

Most county-level property and recorded-document searches are free for basic information through the Assessor or Recorder website. Certified copies of deeds typically have a per-page fee. Direct links are in the Property Records tab above.

The Iowa sex offender registry is maintained by the state law-enforcement agency under the Sex Offender Registration and Community Notification Act. The registry is searchable by name, ZIP code, or address.

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