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Marion County, Iowa Public Records

Find the right office in Marion County. Court cases, deeds and parcels, sheriff and jail records, vital records and county filings, each linked to the office that keeps them.

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Most requested Marion County records

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Showing 5 official sources

Official

County court

Iowa Federal Cases

Iowa has two federal trial courts, the Northern District at Cedar Rapids and Sioux City and the Southern District at Des Moines; their case files are searched through PACER.

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Official

Vital records

Iowa Death and Vital Records

Iowa HHS Vital Records issues certified birth, death and marriage records filed since July 1, 1880, by mail, in person or through VitalChek, for a fee per copy.

hhs.iowa.gov
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Local record guide

About public records in Marion County

County profile

Marion County at a glance

State
Iowa
County seat
Knoxville
Population
33,414
Area
571 sq mi
Founded
1845
Cities and towns
8

Marion County offices and records

Sheriff & Law Enforcement. Marion County Sheriff's Office is responsible for law enforcement in the unincorporated areas of Marion County.

Police Departments. Marion County is served by several law enforcement agencies, including Marion County Sheriff's Office and municipal police departments. Each department is responsible for maintaining public safety within its jurisdiction, handling local crime, and coordinating with the Sheriff's Office on larger investigations.

Law Enforcement & Arrests. Marion County Sheriff's Office, located at 2891 Highway 156, Knoxville, IA 50138, provides primary law enforcement services for unincorporated areas and contracts with some smaller municipalities. Marion County Jail, operated by the Sheriff's Office at the same location, houses inmates awaiting trial and those serving sentences up to one year. Inmate information can be obtained by calling the jail directly at during business hours; however, Marion County does not currently maintain a full online inmate roster, requiring phone inquiries for current custody status. Municipal law enforcement agencies include the Knoxville Police Department (215 E Montgomery St, Knoxville, serving Marion County seat with approximately 7,000 residents), the Pella Police Department (which serves portions of the city that extend into Marion County), and the Pleasantville Police Department (202 N 2nd St, Pleasantville). Arrest records and booking information are public records under Iowa Code Chapter 22, Iowa's Open Records Law, which presumes that all government records are public unless specifically exempted.

Arrest Records. Arrest records in Marion County are maintained by Marion County Sheriff's Office. Residents and attorneys can request arrest records by contacting the Sheriff's Office directly, following the procedures outlined under the Iowa Open Records Law.

Mugshots & Booking Photos. Mugshots in Marion County are taken and retained by Marion County Sheriff's Office during the booking process. These booking photos are part of the public record and can be accessed through the Sheriff's Office website or by request.

Business licensing and registration in Marion County, Iowa, involves both county-level and state-level processes depending on the type of business and activity. Marion County Recorder's office at 214 E Main Street, Knoxville, IA 50138 (641-828-2214) accepts filings for trade names and fictitious business names (DBA - Doing Business As). Marion County Treasurer's office (phone: 641-828-2217) handles property tax collection and provides tax payment history. Marion County Assessor's office, located at 214 E Main Street, Suite 10, Knoxville, IA 50138 (phone: 641-828-2244), maintains property assessment records, valuations, and ownership information for tax purposes. 309 E Main Street, Knoxville, IA 50138 • Phone: (641-828-7555

Abandoned mine records

Old mine workings in Marion County

Where the workings are, and the office that holds the mine maps.

From the old mine records

What is on record in Marion County

Old mine sites
26
Sites with no status in the records
1
Still producing
6
Worked underground, in the mine records
1
Main minerals
construction sand and gravel; crushed stone; Zinc
Holes drawn on the old survey maps
37
Shafts and tunnels
0
What they are
gravel pit, sand pit, strip mine, quarry
Maps surveyed
1965 to 1982

Is an old working under a property here?

The mine records hold 33 named mine sites inside the county, 26 of them worked out or abandoned; the old survey maps add 37 holes drawn inside the county, 0 of them shafts or tunnels. The minerals the records name are construction sand and gravel; crushed stone; Zinc.

A point in either file is a location, not a property line: the sheet shows the opening on the surface, not the rooms under it. The record that shows what runs under a parcel is the mine map. The OSMRE National Mine Map Repository holds scanned underground mine maps and answers requests for a named mine or an area. Coal was mined in Iowa from the 1840s to 1994.

1 mile
Marion County: the boundary from the Census Bureau, and one dot for each old mine or hole on record inside it. The purple dots come off the old survey maps and the darkest of those are shafts and tunnels; the red, green and orange ones are mine records. Hover a dot for its name.
Iowa mine map and abandoned mine records
Named workings recorded in Marion County (32 shown, 31 unnamed on the map)

Rows taken off the old survey maps open the USGS record of what sits at that spot, because no single feature on those maps has a page of its own. Rows from the mine records open their own USGS page.

Disclaimer: The mine information here is for general information only. Old mine records can be incomplete, outdated or wrong, and finding nothing here does not mean there is nothing there. Check with the mine map office named here before you rely on it, and have a qualified engineer look at any ground you are worried about. PublicRecordCenter.com assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors, omissions, or consequences arising from the use of this information.

Straight answers

Marion County public-records FAQs

Open only the answer you need.

Where can I find mugshots or booking photos in Marion County, Iowa?

Booking photos are kept by the agency that made the arrest, such as the Marion County Sheriff or a city police department in Marion County. Ask that agency for its record.

How do I get a criminal background check in Marion County, Iowa?

The Iowa criminal history record comes from the Iowa Department of Public Safety, Division of Criminal Investigation. Name based request by mail, fax, email or in person with first name, last name and exact date of birth; the online request site is down for an upgrade and phone requests are not taken. Fee: $15 per last name.

How can I look up sex offenders in Marion County, Iowa?

Search the Iowa Sex Offender Registry, or every state at once on the National Sex Offender Public Website run by the U.S. Department of Justice.

How do I register to vote in Marion County, Iowa?

Register with the county auditor or through the Iowa Secretary of State. You can also register online with the state online registration. Pre registration closes 15 days before the election; you may also register and vote on election day at the polling place for your address with proof of identity and residence.

How do I look up property records in Marion County, Iowa?

Deeds and other recorded land documents in Marion County are kept by the Marion County recorder. Property values are set by the local assessor, and tax bills come from the county treasurer. Source: official state page.

How do I get a birth or death certificate in Marion County, Iowa?

Certified birth and death certificates for Iowa come from the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, Bureau of Health Statistics. County Recorders can issue certified copies of all Iowa births from 1986 to the present and of deaths and marriages from 1954 to the present; earlier records come from the county where the event occurred. By mail or in person at Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, Bureau of Health Statistics, Lucas State Office Building, 1st Floor, 321 E. 12th Street, Des Moines, Iowa 50319-0075, at a County Recorder, or online through VitalChek, the only authorized third party vendor. Fee: $20.00 for each certified copy.

How do I find business license records in Marion County, Iowa?

Business entity filings are searched with the Iowa Secretary of State. Iowa does not have a general business license; licensing depends on the nature of the business or occupation.

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Cities, towns and neighboring counties

Use the city page when a record was created by a municipal police department or city office; use the county page for courts, deeds, vital records and jail custody.