Yellowstone County

Major landmarks include the Rimrocks, distinctive sandstone cliffs that overlook Billings, Pictograph Cave State Park featuring prehistoric cave paintings, and the historic Moss Mansion. Yellowstone County's geography ranges from rolling prairie land to rugged badlands and river valleys. Key county agencies managing public records include Yellowstone County Clerk & Recorder located at 217 North 27th Street in Billings, Yellowstone Montana Department of Revenue's Office at 2825 3rd Avenue North, and Yellowstone County Treasurer also at 2825 3rd Avenue North.

Yellowstone County is a regional medical, retail, and transportation center for Montana and the northern Rocky Mountain region. Agriculture, energy production, healthcare, and logistics form the backbone of the local economy, while Yellowstone County maintains extensive public records systems accessible to residents and researchers.

The inmate roster typically includes booking information, charges, bond amounts, and housing location within the facility. Municipal law enforcement is provided by the Billings Police Department for the city of Billings, and smaller departments serve Laurel and other incorporated municipalities within Yellowstone County. Arrest records in Yellowstone County are considered public records under Montana's Constitutional Right to Know provision (Article II, Section 9 of the Montana Constitution) and the Montana Public Records Act (MCA Title 2, Chapter 6, Part 10).

Yellowstone County does not have tribal police jurisdiction within its boundaries, though the Crow Indian Reservation borders Yellowstone County to the southeast. Special jurisdiction agencies include Montana Highway Patrol for state highways and Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks enforcement officers for wildlife-related matters.

Montana's public access to court records is governed by the Montana Constitutional Right to Know and Supreme Court Rules including Rule 4 of the Rules for Access to Judicial Records. The Montana Judicial Branch operates an online case search portal at montanacaseinfo.gov where users can search District Court cases by party name, case number, or attorney. Justice Courts are located throughout Yellowstone County including facilities in Billings at 2825 3rd Avenue North.

The Billings Municipal Court handles traffic violations and city ordinance violations within city limits. Most court records are public unless sealed by court order or protected by statute, such as juvenile proceedings or certain adoption records.

The Recorder's Office preserves and provides access to real property documents including warranty deeds, quitclaim deeds, mortgage instruments, deeds of trust, satisfaction of mortgages, mechanic's liens, judgment liens, easements, rights-of-way, subdivision plat maps, and condominium declarations. Montana law requires recording of real property conveyances to provide constructive notice and establish chain of title. Yellowstone County offers an online document search system through the mix system where users can search recorded documents by grantor/grantee name, legal description, document type, or recording date and book/page.

Images of recorded documents are available for viewing and printing. Property tax information is maintained by Yellowstone Montana Department of Revenue's Office at 2825 3rd Avenue North, Suite 3100, Billings, Montana 59101, phone 406-256-2760. The Assessor maintains property tax rolls, parcel ownership information, assessed valuations, property characteristics, and appeals data.

An online GIS parcel viewer is available through Yellowstone County's website allowing property searches by owner name, parcel number, or address, with access to parcel boundaries, aerial photography, and basic property information.

Applicants must provide valid photo identification and demonstrate a direct and tangible interest in the record as required by Montana Code Annotated 50-15-120 through 50-15-124. Yellowstone County Clerk & Recorder's Office at 217 North 27th Street, Billings, Montana 59101, issues marriage licenses and maintains marriage records for ceremonies performed in Yellowstone County. Marriage license applications require both parties to appear in person with valid identification and proof of age.

Divorce decrees and dissolution records are maintained by the Thirteenth Judicial District Court at the same address, phone 406-256-2785, and are considered public court records unless sealed. Birth records less than 100 years old and death records less than 25 years old have restricted access limited to family members and legal representatives.

For formal business entity formation including corporations, limited liability companies, limited partnerships, and nonprofit organizations, registration is required with the Montana Secretary of State's Business Services Division. The Secretary of State maintains a full online Business Entity Search at biz.sos.mt.gov where users can search by business name, registered agent, or filing number to access articles of incorporation, annual reports, registered agent information, and entity status. Professional and occupational licenses are issued by Montana's Department of Labor and Industry for regulated professions including contractors, healthcare providers, and various trade occupations.

Local business licenses within Billings city limits are administered by the City of Billings Finance Department at 406-657-8287. Building permits, construction permits, and zoning compliance are handled by Yellowstone County Planning & Community Services at 2825 3rd Avenue North, Suite 2100, Billings, Montana 59101, phone 406-256-2771. The Billings Chamber of Commerce, located at 815 South 27th Street, Billings, Montana 59101, website billingschamber.com, provides business resources and economic information though it does not maintain official licensing records.

Montana does not impose a general sales tax, but local resort taxes may apply in specific jurisdictions.

Voter registration in Montana is available through multiple channels including online registration at my.mt.gov, in-person registration at Yellowstone County elections office, by mail using the state voter registration form, or through automatic voter registration when conducting transactions with the Montana Motor Vehicle Division. Montana allows same-day voter registration, meaning eligible citizens can register and vote on Election Day at their polling place or the election office, though late registration deadline is noon the day before Election Day for those wishing to receive an absentee ballot. Voters must be U.S.

Citizens, Montana residents, and at least 18 years old by Election Day. Polling place locations for Yellowstone County voters can be found using the polling place lookup tool on Yellowstone County elections website or by contacting the election office directly. Yellowstone County operates numerous polling places throughout Billings and in communities including Laurel, Broadview, and Worden.

Election records considered public in Montana include voter registration lists (with certain personal information redacted), campaign finance disclosure reports filed with the Montana Commissioner of Political Practices, candidate filing information, election results by precinct, and ballot issue materials. In the 2024 general election, Yellowstone County experienced voter turnout of approximately 66%, consistent with Montana's historically strong participation rates. The next major election on November 3, 2026 will include U.S.

House and Senate races, Montana statewide offices, legislative seats, county offices, and local ballot measures. Voters may return ballots by mail, at secure drop boxes located throughout Yellowstone County, or in person at the election office. Montana's election transparency is governed by state law Title 13 MCA which mandates public access to most election records while protecting voter privacy for ballot selections.

The energy industry maintains significant presence through oil refineries including the Cenex Harvest States refinery and Exxon Mobil's Billings Refinery, plus support services for coal mining and oil production in Yellowstone County. Agriculture remains fundamental to Yellowstone County's economy with cattle ranching, sugar beet cultivation, wheat farming, and barley production throughout Yellowstone County's rural areas. Transportation and logistics companies use Billings as a regional distribution hub given its strategic location along Interstate 90 and rail corridors.

The unemployment rate typically tracks below the national average, ranging between 2.5% and 4.0% in recent years. Economic development efforts focus on advanced manufacturing, technology sector growth, and entrepreneurship support through organizations like Big Sky Economic Development. Yellowstone County benefits from retail trade serving a regional market area of over 500,000 people across the trade territory.

Tourism contributes through proximity to Yellowstone National Park, Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, and outdoor recreation throughout Yellowstone County.