Reviewed and updated October 9, 2026 by the SearchSystems.net editorial team. The arrest counts are the ones each agency reported to the FBI, as the FBI held them on October 8, 2026. The jail figures are from the Vera Institute of Justice's Incarceration Trends data. Every office link was opened and checked against the office's own site between September 23, 2026 and October 2, 2026.
Cook County, Minnesota, has about 5,600 residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). A DWI arrest in Cook County starts two cases, a criminal case in the Cook County District Court and a license case before Driver and Vehicle Services, and leaves three records. This guide follows the arrest from the roadside to the court file and the driving record.
This guide covers the law, the arrest, booking, the court case, the license case, the records and common questions.
Related guides: Cook County public records, Cook County arrest records, Cook County warrants, Cook County inmate search, Cook County criminal records, Minnesota arrest records and Minnesota inmate search.
The DWI Law in Minnesota
In Minnesota the offense is DWI, and the limit is 0.08.
Driving in Minnesota is consent to a breath or blood test when an officer has cause to suspect DWI; the license case that follows a refusal or a failed test is run by Driver and Vehicle Services, separately from the criminal case.
For charging and sentencing, Minnesota counts prior offenses within 10 years.
Who Makes DWI Arrests in Cook County
The Cook County Sheriff's Office makes the DWI arrests in Cook County.
The Cook County Sheriff's Office reported 28 arrests to the FBI for 2025, all offenses together; the FBI's count for Cook County does not break DWI out.
Booking After a DWI Arrest in Cook County
A driver arrested for DWI and kept in custody goes to the county jail, whichever agency made the arrest. The jail, run by the Cook County Sheriff's Office, held about 0 people on an average day in 2021 by the Vera Institute of Justice's count and has a custody page SearchSystems verified at cookcountymn.gov/government/departments/sheriff/jail_roster.php, phone 218-387-3030. The Cook County inmate search guide covers the jail in full.
The Court Case
A DWI charge from Cook County is brought by the County Attorney in the Cook County District Court.
The County Attorney's page SearchSystems verified is at cookcountymn.gov, phone (218)387-3670.
The court records page SearchSystems verified for the county is at publicaccess.courts.state.mn.us/CaseSearch, phone (651) 793-2400.
Statewide, Minnesota Court Records Online is the Minnesota Judicial Branch's free statewide case search.
The License Case
A DWI arrest starts two cases: the criminal one above and an administrative one over the license, run by Driver and Vehicle Services. The driving record, kept by the Minnesota Driver and Vehicle Services, carries the result of both.
The Records a DWI Leaves
- The arrest report: from the agency that made the arrest, under the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act.
- The court file: from the Cook County District Court, kept by the court administrator.
- The driving record: from the Minnesota Driver and Vehicle Services.
More on each: Cook County arrest records, Cook County police reports and Cook County court records.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the DWI limit in Minnesota?
0.08 percent blood alcohol.
Where is a DWI case from Cook County heard?
In the Cook County District Court, brought by the County Attorney. The court records page SearchSystems verified for the county is at publicaccess.courts.state.mn.us/CaseSearch.
Where is a person arrested for DWI in Cook County held?
At the county jail, run by the Cook County Sheriff's Office, if kept in custody.
Who handles the license after a DWI arrest in Minnesota?
Driver and Vehicle Services, in an administrative case separate from the court case.
How long does a DWI count as a prior in Minnesota?
10 years.
Is this the official Cook County website?
No. SearchSystems.net is an independent public records guide, online since 1997. It links to the official county, court and state offices described above and does not hold records, charge for them or take requests.