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.
Washington County, Minnesota, has about 284,000 residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). A DWI arrest in Washington County starts two cases, a criminal case in the Washington 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: Washington County public records, Washington County arrest records, Washington County warrants, Washington County inmate search, Washington County criminal records, Minnesota arrest records and Minnesota inmate search.
The DWI Law in Minnesota
Drunk driving is charged as DWI in Minnesota, at a blood alcohol level of 0.08 or more.
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 Washington County
The Washington County Sheriff's Office and the agencies that report for Woodbury, Cottage Grove, Oakdale, Forest Lake, Stillwater, St. Paul Park and two more cities make the DWI arrests in Washington County.
Together, the nine agencies in Washington County with all twelve months of 2025 on file reported 3,944 arrests to the FBI that year, all offenses together; the FBI's count for Washington County does not break DWI out.
The Hastings Police Department and the White Bear Lake Police Department are each listed by the FBI across several counties including Washington County, so their arrests are not broken out for Washington County here.
Booking After a DWI Arrest in Washington 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 Washington County Sheriff's Office, held about 190 people on an average day in 2019 by the Vera Institute of Justice's count and has a custody page SearchSystems verified at washingtoncountymn.gov/3220/Daily-Jail-Booking-Report, phone 651-430-7900. The Washington County inmate search guide covers the jail in full.
The Court Case
The County Attorney files the charge, and the case is heard in the Washington County District Court.
The County Attorney's page SearchSystems verified is at washingtoncountymn.gov/411/County-Attorney, phone 651-430-6115.
The court records page SearchSystems verified for the county is at mncourts.gov/find-courts/washington, phone (651) 413-8030.
Statewide, Minnesota Court Records Online is the Minnesota Judicial Branch's free statewide case search.
The License Case
The court case is only half the record. Driver and Vehicle Services runs a separate administrative case over the license, which can suspend it before the criminal case is decided, and the Minnesota Driver and Vehicle Services keeps the driving record the conviction goes on.
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 Washington County District Court, kept by the court administrator.
- The driving record: from the Minnesota Driver and Vehicle Services.
More on each: Washington County arrest records, Washington County police reports and Washington County court records.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the DWI limit in Minnesota?
0.08 percent blood alcohol.
Where is a DWI case from Washington County heard?
In the Washington County District Court, brought by the County Attorney.
Where is a person arrested for DWI in Washington County held?
At the county jail, run by the Washington 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 Washington 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.