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 24, 2026 and October 1, 2026.
Williston, North Dakota, in Williams County, has about 29,000 residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). A DUI arrest in Williston starts two cases, a criminal case in the Williams County District Court and a license case before the Department of Transportation, 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: Williston public records, Williams County DUI, Williston arrest records, Williston warrants, Williston inmate search, Williston criminal records, North Dakota arrest records and North Dakota inmate search.
The DUI Law in North Dakota
Drunk driving is charged as DUI in North Dakota, at a blood alcohol level of 0.08 or more.
Driving in North Dakota is consent to a breath or blood test when an officer has cause to suspect DUI; the license case that follows a refusal or a failed test is run by the Department of Transportation, separately from the criminal case.
Who Makes DUI Arrests in Williston
The Williams County Sheriff's Office and the agency that reports for Williston (filed by the FBI as Williston Police Department) make the DUI arrests in and around Williston.
Together, the three agencies in Williams County with all twelve months of 2025 on file reported 3,730 arrests to the FBI that year, all offenses together; the FBI's count for Williams County does not break DUI out.
Booking After a DUI Arrest in Williston
A driver arrested for DUI and kept in custody goes to the county jail, whichever agency made the arrest. The jail, run by the Williams County Sheriff's Office, held about 76 people on an average day in 2021 by the Vera Institute of Justice's count and has a jail page SearchSystems verified at williamsnd.com/correctional-center, phone (701) 577-4585. The Williston inmate search guide covers the jail in full.
The Court Case
The State's Attorney files the charge, and the case is heard in the Williams County District Court.
The State's Attorney's page SearchSystems verified is at ndcourts.gov.
The court records page SearchSystems verified for the county is at ndcourts.gov/court-locations/williams-county, phone (701) 774-4374.
Statewide, North Dakota Courts Records Inquiry is the North Dakota courts' free statewide case search.
The License Case
A DUI arrest starts two cases: the criminal one above and an administrative one over the license, run by the Department of Transportation. The driving record, kept by the North Dakota Department of Transportation, carries the result of both.
The Records a DUI Leaves
- The arrest report: from the agency that made the arrest, under the North Dakota Open Records Law.
- The court file: from the Williams County District Court, kept by the Clerk of District Court.
- The driving record: from the North Dakota Department of Transportation.
More on each: Williston arrest records and Williston court records.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the DUI limit in North Dakota?
0.08 percent blood alcohol.
Where is a DUI case from Williston heard?
In the Williams County District Court, brought by the State's Attorney. The court records page SearchSystems verified for the county is at ndcourts.gov/court-locations/williams-county.
Where is a person arrested for DUI in Williston held?
At the county jail, run by the Williams County Sheriff's Office, if kept in custody.
Who handles the license after a DUI arrest in North Dakota?
The Department of Transportation, in an administrative case separate from the court case.
Is this the official Williston website?
No. SearchSystems.net is an independent public records guide, online since 1997. It links to the official city, county, court and state offices described above and does not hold records, charge for them or take requests.