North Dakota, county records

Williams County, North Dakota Public Records

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

Start here

Most requested Williams County records

Every card below goes to the government office responsible for that record. Use the category buttons to narrow the list.

Filter by type

Showing 8 official sources

Official

County court

North Dakota Federal Cases

The U.S. District Court for the District of North Dakota sits in Bismarck and Fargo and hears federal civil and criminal cases. Dockets are searched through PACER; state cases through the North Dakota Courts.

ndd.uscourts.gov
Open official site North Dakota Federal Cases
Official

Vital records

North Dakota Death Records

North Dakota Health and Human Services Vital Records sells certified death records in three versions: complete, facts of death, and informational. Order online, by mail or by appointment.

hhs.nd.gov
Open official site North Dakota Death Records

Local record guide

About public records in Williams County

County profile

Williams County at a glance

State
North Dakota
County seat
Williston
Population
40,950
Area
2,148 sq mi
Founded
1891
Cities and towns
10

Williams County offices and records

Sheriff & Law Enforcement. Williams County Sheriff's Office is responsible for maintaining law and order in the unincorporated areas of Williams County. The office is also involved in community outreach programs and has specialized divisions such as the K-9 unit and narcotics task force.

Police Departments. In addition to Williams County Sheriff's Office, law enforcement in Williams County is provided by municipal police departments, including the Williston Police Department and the Tioga Police Department. They coordinate with the Sheriff's Office on major crimes and regional law enforcement initiatives.

Law Enforcement & Arrests. Williams County Sheriff's Office, located at 222 East Broadway in Williston, ND 58801, is the primary law enforcement agency for unincorporated areas of Williams County and provides countywide services including civil process, court security, and jail operations. Williams County Correctional Center, adjacent to the Sheriff's Office, houses pre-trial detainees and sentenced inmates. Inmate lookup services are available through the Sheriff's Office website or by calling the jail directly, where staff can provide information on current inmates, booking dates, charges, and bond information. Arrest records and booking information in Williams County are considered public records under North Dakota Century Code Chapter 44-04, the state's open records law.

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

Mugshots & Booking Photos. Mugshots in Williams County are taken and retained by Williams County Sheriff's Office during the booking process at Williams County Correctional Center. These booking photos are part of the public record and can be accessed through the Sheriff's Office or online databases.

Abandoned mine records

Old mine workings in Williams County

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

From the old mine records

What is on record in Williams County

Old mine sites
3
Still producing
4
Main minerals
construction sand and gravel
Holes drawn on the old survey maps
189
Shafts and tunnels
6
What they are
gravel pit, scoria pit, adit, mine shaft
Maps surveyed
1948 to 1997

Is an old working under a property here?

The mine records hold 7 named mine sites inside the county, 3 of them worked out or abandoned; the old survey maps add 189 holes drawn inside the county, 6 of them shafts or tunnels. The mineral the records name is construction sand and gravel.

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. The PSC asks anyone building in a historic lignite mining town to ask the AML program first.

Williams 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.
North Dakota mine map and abandoned mine records
Named workings recorded in Williams County (15 shown, 181 unnamed on the map)

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

Williams County public-records FAQs

Open only the answer you need.

Where can I find mugshots or booking photos in Williams County, North Dakota?

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

How do I get a criminal background check in Williams County, North Dakota?

The North Dakota criminal history record comes from the North Dakota Attorney General, Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI). Name based or fingerprint based check on anyone: mail the signed request form with the full name and Social Security number or fingerprints, and a check or money order payable to ND Attorney General, or drop it off at the BCI office in Bismarck. Fee: $15 per Request for Criminal History Record Information.

How can I look up sex offenders in Williams County, North Dakota?

Search the North Dakota Sex Offender Registry (Offender Search, North Dakota Attorney General), or every state at once on the National Sex Offender Public Website run by the U.S. Department of Justice.

How do I vote in Williams County, North Dakota?

Register with the county auditor or through the North Dakota Secretary of State. North Dakota has no online voter registration. North Dakota is the only state without voter registration; you vote with a valid form of ID after living in North Dakota for 30 days before Election Day.

How do I look up property records in Williams County, North Dakota?

Deeds and other recorded land documents in Williams County are kept by the Williams 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 Williams County, North Dakota?

Certified birth and death certificates for North Dakota come from the North Dakota Health and Human Services, Vital Records. Online through the Vital Records order site, or by mail with the form, fee and identification to Vital Records, 600 E. Boulevard Ave. Dept 325, Bismarck, ND 58505-0250. Fee: $15.00 per certified birth record; $15.00 for the first certified death record and $10.00 for each added copy ordered at the same time.

How do I find business license records in Williams County, North Dakota?

Business entity filings are searched with the North Dakota Secretary of State. The Secretary of State says you may need added licenses depending on your business, and that city, county and state licensing or permit requirements may apply.

Same county

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.