Reviewed and updated October 2, 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.
Nelson County is a county in North Dakota with about 3,000 residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). Its public records are not in one place: court cases, jail bookings, deeds, property values and records requests each belong to a different office. This guide names the office that holds each kind of record, links to its own website and gives the phone number and address where the office publishes them. SearchSystems verified 5 county office pages for Nelson County, every one opened and checked.
In this guide: Where the records live, Jail and arrests, Court records, County Clerk, Deeds and property, Vital records, State's Attorney, Records requests, Statewide sources, More directory links, Cities and towns, Other counties and Questions.
Where Nelson County public records live
Each kind of Nelson County record is kept by a different office. The list below names the office SearchSystems verified for each one; the sections that follow give its phone, address and hours where the office publishes them.
- Arrests and jail bookings: nelsonco.org/departments/sheriff/index.php (details)
- County records: ndcourts.gov/court-locations/nelson-county (details)
- Deeds and recorded documents: nelsonco.org/departments/recorder_clerk_of_court.php (details)
- Property values and parcels: nelsonco.org/departments/tax_director/index.php (details)
- Criminal prosecutions: ndcourts.gov/lawyers/07840 (details)
- Birth and death certificates: the North Dakota state vital records office, hhs.nd.gov/vital/birth (details)
Arrests, jail and inmate lookups in Nelson County
A person arrested in Nelson County is booked into the jail, and the booking record (name, charges, bond and the next court date) is public in most cases. The office below is the one SearchSystems verified for jail and inmate information in Nelson County.
- Website: nelsonco.org/departments/sheriff/index.php (page title: Nelson County North Dakota)
- Checked: September 24, 2026, the page answered.
Jail rosters usually show the people in custody now. Once a person is released, the case continues in the court records below.
Court records and case lookups in Nelson County
Civil, criminal, family, probate and traffic cases filed in Nelson County are kept by the clerk of the court that heard them. Many courts offer an online case search; the page below is the one SearchSystems verified for Nelson County.
SearchSystems has not yet verified an online case search for Nelson County. The statewide court search below covers the state courts.
- Statewide court case search: ndcourts.gov/public-access
County Clerk of Nelson County
The county clerk is the county's record keeper. What the office holds differs by state: in some states it files marriage licenses and vital records, in others deeds, court papers or the meeting records of the governing board. Its own website below says what it holds in Nelson County.
- Website: ndcourts.gov/court-locations/nelson-county (page title: North Dakota Court System | Nelson County)
- Phone: (701) 247-2462
- Checked: September 24, 2026, the page answered.
Deeds, land records and property values in Nelson County
Two offices share property records. The recording office files deeds, mortgages, liens and the other documents that affect title to land in Nelson County. The assessment office sets the taxable value of each parcel and usually offers a free parcel search by address or owner name.
Recorded documents: County Recorder
- Website: nelsonco.org/departments/recorder_clerk_of_court.php (page title: Nelson County North Dakota)
- Phone: (701) 247-2433
- Hours: Monday through Friday 8:00 AM - 12:00 Noon 1:00 PM - 4:30 PM
- Checked: September 24, 2026, the page answered.
Property values: Tax Equalization
- Website: nelsonco.org/departments/tax_director/index.php (page title: Nelson County North Dakota)
- Phone: (701) 247-2840
- Hours: Monday through Friday 8:30 AM - 12:00 Noon 12:30 PM - 4:30 PM
- Checked: September 30, 2026, the page answered.
Birth, death and marriage records in Nelson County
In North Dakota, certified birth and death certificates are ordered from the state vital records office rather than a county office. Marriage license records are kept locally; the county clerk listed above can say where in Nelson County.
- North Dakota state vital records office: hhs.nd.gov/vital/birth
State's Attorney for Nelson County
The State's Attorney is the office that prosecutes criminal cases in Nelson County. The case files themselves are court records (above); the prosecutor's office handles victim services and questions about pending prosecutions.
- Website: ndcourts.gov/lawyers/07840 (page title: North Dakota Court System)
- Phone: 701-968-4340
- Checked: September 30, 2026, the page answered.
Public records requests to Nelson County
Every state has a public records law that applies to county offices. A record that is not posted online is requested from the office that holds it. Many counties run one request page for every department; it is listed below when SearchSystems verified one for Nelson County.
SearchSystems has not yet verified a central records request page for Nelson County. Send the request to the office that holds the record, using the contact details above.
Statewide North Dakota sources
Some records are kept by the state rather than the county. These are the North Dakota state offices SearchSystems verified; each link opens the state office's own page.
- Statewide court case search: ndcourts.gov/public-access
- State prison inmate locator: docr.nd.gov/resident-lookup
- Sex offender registry: sexoffender.nd.gov/offender/search
- State vital records office: hhs.nd.gov/vital/birth
- State criminal history records: attorneygeneral.nd.gov/public-safety/criminal-history-records
- Business entity search: apps.nd.gov/sc/busnsrch/busnSearch.htm
- Unclaimed property search: unclaimedproperty.nd.gov
More Nelson County links from the SearchSystems directory
These links come from the SearchSystems directory for Nelson County and were opened again on October 2, 2026. Each one still answers.
- Nelson County Warrants (nelsonco.org)
- North Dakota Business Search (firststop.sos.nd.gov)
- North Dakota Court System (ndcourts.gov)
- North Dakota Court System - Criminal Case Records Searches (ndcourts.gov)
- To vote for the candidate of your choice, you (vip.sos.nd.gov)
- Vital Records | Health and Human Services North Dakota (hhs.nd.gov)
- Vital Records: Birth, Death, Marriage, and Divorce - State Archives - State Historical Society of North Dakota (history.nd.gov)
- Voter Lookup (vip.sos.nd.gov)
Cities and towns in Nelson County
Nelson County has 7 incorporated cities and towns (2024 Census Bureau count, population in parentheses). City records such as council minutes, permits, business licenses and police reports are kept by each city; the records on this page are county records whatever the city.
- Lakota (687)
- McVille (387)
- Michigan City (260)
- Aneta (235)
- Petersburg (159)
- Tolna (133)
- Pekin (75)
Other counties in North Dakota
SearchSystems has a guide like this one for every county in North Dakota.
- Barnes County
- Benson County
- Billings County
- Bowman County
- Burke County
- Burleigh County
- Cass County
- Cavalier County
- Dunn County
- Foster County
- Grand Forks County
- Griggs County
- Kidder County
- LaMoure County
- McHenry County
- McIntosh County
- McKenzie County
- McLean County
- Mercer County
- Morton County
- Mountrail County
- Oliver County
- Pembina County
- Pierce County
- Ramsey County
- Ransom County
- Richland County
- Rolette County
- Sargent County
- Sheridan County
- Slope County
- Stark County
- Steele County
- Stutsman County
- Towner County
- Walsh County
- Ward County
- Wells County
- Williams County
Nelson County Arrest Records
The Nelson County arrest records guide names the agency that reports arrests to the FBI here and the 59 arrests it reported for 2025. It also says where a person arrested here is held, how to find out about an arrest and how to get a copy of the report.
Nelson County Records Guides
SearchSystems has three more guides to Nelson County, each written from the county's own offices and figures: Nelson County warrants (who issues and serves them, where a person arrested on one is held, how to check for one), Nelson County inmate search (the jail page of the Nelson County Sheriff's Office, the jail numbers and who books people) and Nelson County police reports (which agency holds a report and what the North Dakota Open Records Law requires).
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this the official Nelson County website?
No. SearchSystems.net is an independent public records directory, online since 1997. It links to the official offices listed above; SearchSystems does not hold records, charge for them or take requests.
How do I find out if someone is in jail in Nelson County?
Use the jail or inmate page SearchSystems verified for Nelson County at nelsonco.org/departments/sheriff/index.php. Rosters usually show the people in custody now; after release, the case continues in the court records.
Who records deeds in Nelson County?
The County Recorder, at nelsonco.org. Deeds, mortgages and liens on land in Nelson County are filed there.
How do I get a birth or death certificate for Nelson County?
From the North Dakota state vital records office at hhs.nd.gov/vital/birth, which issues certified copies for every event in the state.
How do I request a public record from Nelson County?
From the office that holds it: the court for case files, the County Recorder for deeds, the sheriff for jail records, and so on. Every state has a public records law that applies to county offices.