Collinston, Utah Public Records

For small claims cases (up to $15,000) and class B and C misdemeanors, Collinston residents may appear before the Box Elder Justice Court, also located at 48 South Main Street, Brigham City, UT 84302, phone (435) 734-3343. Traffic citations issued in the Collinston area by Box Elder County Sheriff's deputies are typically processed through the Box Elder Justice Court. Utah offers comprehensive online access to court records through the Utah Courts' public case search portal at https://www.utcourts.gov/records/, where users can search by party name, case number, or attorney to view case information, docket entries, hearing schedules, and judgments for both district and justice court cases statewide. Most records are available free of charge online, though certified copies of court documents require in-person or mail requests and payment of fees. The First District Court charges $15 for certified copies of court documents, $44 for filing small claims cases, $360 for divorce filings, and varying fees for other civil filings. Court records under GRAMA and court rule are generally public unless sealed by court order or involving protected categories such as juvenile matters or certain domestic violence cases.

The Assessor's website provides a free online property search tool where users can search by property address, parcel number, or owner name to view current assessed values, property characteristics (square footage, year built, acreage), tax district information, and sales history. Box Elder County also offers a comprehensive GIS mapping system accessible through the Assessor's website, allowing users to view interactive parcel maps, aerial imagery, zoning designations, and property boundaries. The Box Elder County Recorder's Office, located at 1 South Main Street, Brigham City, UT 84302, phone (435) 734-3321, website https://www.boxeldercounty.org/recorder/, is responsible for recording and maintaining official land records including warranty deeds, quit claim deeds, mortgages and deeds of trust, reconveyances, liens (mechanics liens, judgment liens, tax liens), easements, plats, subdivision maps, and other documents affecting real property title. Utah law requires recording of real property conveyances to establish priority and provide constructive notice. The Recorder's Office offers online document search and viewing through a subscription-based system, with images of recorded documents available dating back many decades. Walk-in users can search and print documents for a per-page fee. Recording fees vary by document type, typically starting at $30 for standard documents. All recorded documents become public records under GRAMA unless specifically exempted by statute.

Due to Collinston's very small population (estimated at fewer than 200 residents) and lack of commercial development, there are no major corporate employers or industrial facilities within the community itself. Most working residents commute to nearby towns such as Tremonton (about 7 miles west), Garland, or Brigham City (15 miles east) for employment. Tremonton, the closest commercial center, hosts manufacturing facilities, retail businesses, and service industries. Box Elder County overall has a diverse economy including agriculture, manufacturing (particularly defense contracting and aerospace near Brigham City), and services. Major employers in the broader county include ATK/Northrop Grumman (aerospace), Nucor Steel, Autoliv (automotive safety), and various school districts and government agencies. Median household income in rural western Box Elder County areas like Collinston tends to be lower than the county average of approximately $69,000 (2020 Census data), with agricultural household incomes varying significantly based on commodity prices and crop yields. Recent years have seen some residential growth as families seeking affordable rural lifestyles and larger properties have moved to areas like Collinston while commuting to jobs in larger towns. The community benefits from proximity to Interstate 15 (approximately 10 miles to the east) and State Route 13, which provides direct access to both Tremonton and Brigham City. Collinston maintains its agricultural character with limited pressure for subdivision or commercial development, preserving the rural landscape that defines the western Box Elder County region.

Collinston, as an unincorporated community, does not have its own municipal police department. Law enforcement services for Collinston and the surrounding area are provided exclusively by the Box Elder County Sheriff's Office, headquartered at 48 South 200 West, Brigham City, UT 84302. The Sheriff's Office can be reached at (435) 734-3800, and their website is located at https://boxeldersheriff.com/. The Sheriff's Office maintains patrol deputies who respond to calls for service throughout the unincorporated areas of Box Elder County, including Collinston, and handles criminal investigations, traffic enforcement, civil process service, and search and rescue operations. Residents seeking police reports, incident records, or accident reports must contact the Sheriff's Office directly by phone, in person at the Brigham City office, or through a written records request. Utah's Government Records Access and Management Act (GRAMA), specifically Utah Code §63G-2-201 through §63G-2-206, establishes the framework for requesting law enforcement records, with certain records such as ongoing investigations or confidential informant information protected from disclosure. The Box Elder County Sheriff's Office also operates the Box Elder County Jail at the same Brigham City location. Arrest and booking records, inmate rosters, and current incarceration information can be searched online through the Box Elder County Sheriff's website inmate search feature, typically showing mugshots, booking dates, charges filed, bond amounts, scheduled court dates, and projected release dates. For historical arrest records or more detailed criminal history information, requesters may need to submit formal GRAMA requests to the Sheriff's Office Records Division or contact the Utah Bureau of Criminal Identification. The Utah Courts website at https://www.utcourts.gov/ also provides access to criminal case records once charges have been formally filed.

Birth certificates cost $20 for the first certified copy and $10 for each additional copy ordered at the same time, with processing typically taking 4-6 weeks for mail requests. Online expedited ordering is available through VitalChek at https://www.vitalchek.com/ for an additional service fee, with delivery in approximately 5-10 business days. Utah restricts birth certificate access to the person named on the certificate (if age 18+), parents, legal guardians, legal representatives, or persons with a direct tangible interest as defined by Utah Code §26B-8-113. Death certificates are also issued by the Utah Office of Vital Records at the same address and phone number, costing $20 for the first certified copy and $10 for additional copies. Death records are public 50 years after the date of death; more recent death certificates are restricted to immediate family members, legal representatives, or others demonstrating a direct interest. Marriage licenses for Collinston residents are issued by the Box Elder County Clerk's Office at 1 South Main Street, Brigham City, UT 84302, phone (435) 734-3341. Marriage licenses cost $60 if both applicants complete premarital education, or $110 without education, and are valid for 30 days from issuance. Certified copies of marriage certificates cost $18. Divorce decrees are court records obtained through the First District Court in Brigham City where the divorce was granted, not through the Clerk's Office. Utah vital records are governed by Utah Code Title 26B, Chapter 8.

For formal business entity formation, Utah businesses register with the Utah Department of Commerce, Division of Corporations and Commercial Code. The Division maintains a free online business entity search at https://secure.utah.gov/bes/ where anyone can search for corporations, LLCs, limited partnerships, trademarks, and trade names registered in Utah. The database shows entity name, registration number, status (active, expired, dissolved), registered agent name and address, principal office address, formation date, and names of officers or managers for most entities. New business entities can be registered online through the same portal, with filing fees of $70 for LLCs and $69 for corporations. Annual renewal reports are required for most entity types. Assumed name (DBA) filings in Utah are registered with the Division of Corporations as trade names, searchable through the same database. UCC financing statements (security interest liens on personal property and business assets) are also filed with the Utah Department of Commerce UCC Division and searchable at https://secure.utah.gov/ucc-search/. For business personal property tax obligations, owners of business equipment, inventory, and fixtures in Collinston must report such property to the Box Elder County Assessor's Office by May 15 each year for assessment and taxation. Commercial real property tax assessments are viewable through the Box Elder County Assessor's website property search at https://www.boxeldercounty.org/assessor/. Specific business types may require additional licenses from state agencies, such as the Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Services for liquor licenses, Utah Department of Agriculture and Food for food establishments, or Utah Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing for contractors, cosmetologists, and numerous other professions.

Collinston voters are served by the Box Elder County Clerk's Office, which administers all elections for the unincorporated community. The Box Elder County Clerk/Auditor's Office is located at 1 South Main Street, Brigham City, UT 84302, phone (435) 734-3341, website https://www.boxeldercounty.org/clerk/. Utah residents can register to vote online through the state portal at https://secure.utah.gov/voterreg/index.html or by submitting a paper voter registration form to the County Clerk. Registration must be completed by 11 days before an election (online or by mail) or 7 days before an election (in person at the Clerk's office). Utah requires voters to provide their Utah driver license number or the last four digits of their Social Security number when registering. As an unincorporated community, Collinston has no municipal government, mayor, or city council, so residents do not vote in city elections. Instead, Collinston voters participate in Box Elder County commission races, state legislative elections, statewide offices, and federal elections. Box Elder County is governed by a three-member Board of County Commissioners elected to four-year staggered terms. Collinston falls within Utah State House and Senate districts represented by legislators from northern Utah. Polling place assignments for Collinston residents can be found using the Utah voter information lookup tool at https://votesearch.utah.gov/voter-search/search/search-by-voter/voter-info, where voters enter their name and date of birth to view their registration status, assigned polling location, ballot information, and election dates. Utah offers several voting methods: in-person on Election Day, early voting at designated sites (typically 14 days before Election Day through the Saturday before), and vote-by-mail. Utah has conducted all elections primarily by mail since 2020, with ballots automatically mailed to all active registered voters approximately 14-21 days before each election. Voters can return ballots by mail (must be postmarked by day before Election Day), at official drop boxes located throughout the county, or at vote centers on Election Day. To request a replacement ballot or update vote-by-mail status, voters contact the Box Elder County Clerk. In the November 2024 general election, Box Elder County reported approximately 62% voter turnout, with roughly 20,500 ballots cast out of approximately 33,000 registered voters, continuing the county's pattern of strong Republican performance in presidential and statewide races. The November 3, 2026 general election will feature critical races including the Utah gubernatorial election (Governor Spencer Cox's term expires 2025, so 2024 was the gubernatorial year; the next governor election is 2028), U.S. House of Representatives for Utah's 1st Congressional District (which includes Box Elder County), Utah State Senate District 2, Utah State House District 1 or 3 (depending on Collinston's specific legislative district assignment following redistricting), Box Elder County Commission seats (one seat is typically up every two years on a rotating basis), county offices such as Sheriff, Clerk/Auditor, Assessor, Treasurer, Recorder, and Attorney (each elected to four-year terms on staggered cycles), and various local school board and special district positions. Public election records in Utah include voter registration lists (available under Utah Code §20A-2-201 to candidates and political parties, with restrictions on commercial use), campaign finance disclosure reports (searchable at https://cfr.utah.gov/ for candidates, PACs, and political parties), candidate filings and declarations, precinct-level election results, and ballot language for initiatives and referendums—all accessible through the County Clerk or Utah Lieutenant Governor's Elections Office at https://elections.utah.gov/.