Reviewed and updated October 4, 2026 by the SearchSystems.net editorial team. Every office link on this page was opened and checked against the office's own website at review time.
West Des Moines is a city in Polk County, Iowa, with about 74,000 residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). Its public records are split between the city and the county. The city keeps police reports, council records and its own licenses and permits; court cases, jail bookings, deeds and vital records are county or state records. This guide names the West Des Moines offices SearchSystems verified, links to each one's own website and gives the phone number and address where the office publishes them. SearchSystems verified 3 city office pages for West Des Moines, every one opened and checked.
In this guide: City or county, City Clerk, Police records, City Hall, Records requests, Other cities and Questions.
City or county record: where West Des Moines records are kept
- Kept by the City of West Des Moines: police reports, council and board meeting records, ordinances and the city's own licenses and permits.
- Kept by Polk County or the state: court cases, jail bookings, deeds and property values and birth and death certificates. These are not city records; they are in the Polk County public records guide under court records, jail lookups, property records and vital records.
West Des Moines City Clerk: council records and ordinances
The City Clerk keeps the official records of the city government: council and board agendas and minutes, ordinances and resolutions, and the city's contracts and other official documents. The office below is the one SearchSystems verified for West Des Moines.
- Website: wdm.iowa.gov/government/city-manager/city-clerk (page title: City Clerk | West Des Moines, IA)
- Phone: 515-222-3603
- Address: 4200 Mills Civic Parkway, 2B, West Des Moines, IA 50265
- Hours: Monday - Friday, 8 am - 5 pm
- Checked: September 26, 2026, the page answered.
West Des Moines police reports and records
Incident reports, crash reports and the other records of the West Des Moines police are requested from the department's records unit, usually in writing or through an online form. Reports on open investigations and the names of victims and juveniles are usually withheld or redacted, and some states limit crash reports to the people involved and their insurers. The page below is the one SearchSystems verified for West Des Moines police records.
- Website: wdm.iowa.gov/government/police/learn-about-us/records (page title: Records | West Des Moines, IA)
- Phone: 515-222-3320
- Hours: Monday - Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm
- Checked: September 26, 2026, the page answered.
Jail bookings and inmate lookups are usually handled by the county, not the city police. They are in the Polk County public records guide under jail and inmate lookups.
West Des Moines City Hall: departments, licenses and permits
Business licenses, building permits, code enforcement cases and the city's other records are kept by the department that issued them. The city's own website below lists its departments and how to reach them.
- Website: wdm.iowa.gov/Home/Components/FacilityDirectory/FacilityDirectory/60... (page title: City Hall | City & Public Offices | West Des Moines, IA)
- Phone: 515-222-3600
- Address: 4200 Mills Civic Parkway P.O. Box 65320 West Des Moines, IA 50265
- Checked: September 26, 2026, the page answered.
Public records requests to West Des Moines
Iowa public records law applies to the city government of West Des Moines. A record that is not posted online is requested from the office that holds it: the City Clerk for council and city records, the police records unit for police reports and the department that issued a permit or license for its records. A request that names a date, an address, or a report or case number is the easiest to answer.
Other cities and towns in Polk County
SearchSystems has a guide like this one for these other cities and towns in Polk County. The Polk County public records guide covers the records the county keeps for all of them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this the official West Des Moines website?
No. SearchSystems.net is an independent public records directory, online since 1997. It links to the official West Des Moines offices listed above, and the city's own website is wdm.iowa.gov; SearchSystems does not hold records, charge for them or take requests.
How do I get a police report in West Des Moines?
Request it from the West Des Moines police records unit at wdm.iowa.gov, phone 515-222-3320. Reports on open investigations and the names of victims and juveniles are usually withheld or redacted.
Where do I find West Des Moines city council minutes and ordinances?
From the City Clerk at wdm.iowa.gov, phone 515-222-3603. The office keeps the official agendas and minutes, ordinances and resolutions.
Where do I find court records or jail bookings for West Des Moines?
West Des Moines cases are heard by the courts that serve Polk County, and people arrested in West Des Moines are usually booked into the county jail. Both are covered in the Polk County public records guide on SearchSystems.
How do I request a public record from West Des Moines?
From the office that holds it: the City Clerk for council and city records, the police records unit for police reports and the department that issued a permit or license for its records. Iowa public records law applies to city governments.