Guide
How to Search County Records
Select Your County
Choose a county from the grid below to access that county's official public records portal, court system, and government offices.
Identify the Record Type
Decide what you need: court records, property deeds, vital records, business filings, or tax assessment records, each is held by a different county office.
Search Online or In Person
North Dakota court records are searchable free at publicsearch.ndcourts.gov, county recorders keep deeds with 50 counties on the NDRIN subscription site, and vital records are ordered online, by mail or in person from Vital Records in Bismarck.
Pay Any Required Fees
A North Dakota birth or death certificate costs $15 for the first copy and $10 for each additional copy; open records copies are 25 cents a page for standard paper.
Verify Identity if Required
Open records need no ID. Vital records requests include a photocopy of one unexpired photo ID, and birth certificates go only to the person named if 16 or older, the parents on the record or someone with a court order.
Guide
What Records Are Available
- Court RecordsCivil, criminal, family court, probate, traffic cases
- Property RecordsDeeds, mortgages, tax assessments, liens, transfers
- Vital RecordsBirth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates
- Business RecordsBusiness licenses, DBAs, UCC filings, permits
- Voter RegistrationRegistered voters, party affiliation, districts
- Tax RecordsProperty tax assessments, payment history, exemptions
Guide
Select a County in North Dakota
Back to North Dakota Public Records
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Straight answers
North Dakota County Public Records, questions
Are county records public information?
Yes. North Dakota's open records law, N.D.C.C. 44-04-18, makes all records of public entities open unless a specific law closes them, and a denial must be put in writing on request. Court records, recorder documents and property data are open. Birth records go only to the person named if 16 or older, the parents on the record and others with a court order, becoming public after 125 years; death records are available to immediate relatives. Juvenile and sealed court files are closed.
How much do certified copies cost?
A certified North Dakota birth certificate costs $15 for the first copy and $10 for each additional copy, and death certificates follow the same $15 and $10 pricing; the office issues no uncertified copies. Online orders through the state's secure application add a vendor fee, and the NDRIN land records site is subscription based. Agencies may charge for copies, 25 cents a page for letter or legal paper, and may require payment of estimated charges in advance.
Can I search county records online?
North Dakota court records are searchable statewide and free at publicsearch.ndcourts.gov, which covers district court cases and some municipal courts. County recorders keep deeds and mortgages, and 50 counties upload their records to NDRIN, a subscription site, while individual recorders such as Cass County help with the last deed of record. Vital records are ordered online, by mail or in person from Vital Records in Bismarck, not searched.
What identification do I need?
Open records need no ID. North Dakota vital records requests must include a legible photocopy of one unexpired primary photo ID showing full name, date of birth and expiration date, such as a state ID card, a tribal ID with both sides or a U.S. military ID. Birth certificates are issued only to the person named if at least 16, the mother or father on the record, or someone with a court order, and death certificates to immediate relatives such as parents, children and grandparents, not siblings or cousins.
How long does it take to receive records?
Vital Records in Bismarck mails most certificates 3 to 5 business days after receiving a request, or 5 to 7 business days under its current notice, and web orders with pickup are usually ready in under two hours; requests with FedEx or UPS return shipping go out the next business day. Court record searches are immediate.