How to Search Minnesota Public Records

Minnesota's court, criminal, vital, property, voter, and licensing records are maintained across state agencies and the 87 counties listed below. Use the tabs to filter by record type, or jump directly to any source.

  • Courts: The Minnesota Supreme Court sits at the top of the system; trial-court business is handled by the District Court (10 judicial 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 Minnesota Department of Health (Office 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
5,793,151
Households
2,306,000
Median Income
$84,313
Median Home Value
$286,800

Voter Records Databases

3 official Minnesota voter records sources.

Voter Records

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Ballot Tracker: Status of Minnesota Absentee or Mail Ballot - MNVotes
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This website is updated nightly. Election officials may take up to several days to process your application. It will appear on this website the day after it is processed · If you did not provide an ID number on your absentee ballot application, you cannot use this service.
Office of the State Of Minnesota Secretary of State
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Office Of The Minnesota Secretary Of State Steve Simon · search search · About the Photography · See results from the March 11 Special Election in House District 40B · Renew A Business · Business Appointments · Register A Business · Search For A Business ·

Minnesota Counties

87 Minnesota counties are indexed on SearchSystems.net — top 28 counties shown below. Browse the full directory or click any county for local court, sheriff, recorder and assessor links.

Frequently Asked Questions

Minnesota'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.

Minnesota's court system is headed by the Minnesota Supreme Court. Trial-court business is handled by the District Court (10 judicial districts). Many Minnesota courts publish docket searches and case lookups online — see the Court Records tab above for direct links.

The Minnesota 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.

Minnesota vital records (birth, death, marriage, divorce certificates) are issued by the Minnesota Department of Health (Office 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 Minnesota 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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