How to Search North Dakota Public Records

North Dakota's court, criminal, vital, property, voter, and licensing records are maintained across state agencies and the 53 counties listed below. Use the tabs to filter by record type, or jump directly to any source.

  • Courts: The North Dakota Supreme Court sits at the top of the system; trial-court business is handled by the District Court (7 judicial districts), Municipal Court. 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 North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services (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
796,568
Households
326,200
Median Income
$76,525
Median Home Value
$234,500

Wants & Warrants Databases

5 official North Dakota wants & warrants sources.

Wants & Warrants

Municipal Court | Bismarck, ND - Official Website
Official Free
Bismarck City Municipal Court is part of the South-Central Judicial District in Burleigh County, North Dakota. Municipal Courts have jurisdiction over criminal and non-criminal violations of city ordinances. These can include Class B misdemeanors, infractions and traffic violations.
Sheriff's Office | Cass County, ND
Official Free
Unfortunately, the Cass County Sheriff's Office cannot be everywhere 24 hours a day which is why we hope the communities in Cass County help us by becoming our eyes and ears. If you should see or hear that an offender is living in your area and is not accounted for on the searchable list, please contact us. You may search the Sex Offender Website to find a current list of all offenders registered in North Dakota.
Grand Forks County, ND | Home
Official Free
Click the button below to view the full list of meeting and events that are happening within Grand Forks County. View Calendar · Way Cooler Than You Think Discover · North Dakota Discover · Air Force Base Discover · Resilient & RISING Discover · Simply Grand Discover ·
Registered Offenders - Sheriff's Office - Morton County, North Dakota
Official Free
Pursuant to North Dakota Century Code Section 12.1-32-15, the law requires a person who is a resident of North Dakota and who has a qualifying conviction to maintain registration with the police department or sheriff's office in the jurisdiction where the person resides.
County Commissioner Minutes - Nelson County, North Dakota
Official Free
Skip to main content · Nelson County, North Dakota · 2021 County Commission Minutes · 2020 County Commission Minutes · 2019 County Commission Minutes · 2018 County Commission Minutes · 2017 County Commission Minutes · 2016 County Commission Minutes · 2015 County Commission Minutes · ...

North Dakota Counties

53 North Dakota 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

North Dakota'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.

North Dakota's court system is headed by the North Dakota Supreme Court. Trial-court business is handled by the District Court (7 judicial districts), Municipal Court. Many North Dakota courts publish docket searches and case lookups online — see the Court Records tab above for direct links.

The North Dakota 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.

North Dakota vital records (birth, death, marriage, divorce certificates) are issued by the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services (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 North Dakota 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.

Last reviewed: