Arrest records in North Dakota flow through a unified statewide system rather than 53 separate county silos. Criminal case filings and docket entries are publicly searchable through North Dakota Courts Public Access, a single portal covering every district court in the state. Booking records and jail logs sit with each county’s Sheriff and Clerk of Court. Anyone currently in state prison appears in the North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation resident lookup. Access to these records is governed by NDCC 44-04-18.1, North Dakota’s open-records statute.
If someone you know was just booked tonight, our North Dakota inmate search page has phone-first contact info for locating them.
Search North Dakota Arrest Records by Name
A nationwide name search can surface records across North Dakota’s 53 counties and beyond in one pass. The preliminary scan is free; a full report requires registration. Use it alongside the official North Dakota sources described below for the most complete picture.
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How to look up arrest records in North Dakota
North Dakota Courts Public Access is the fastest route to statewide criminal case records. The portal indexes every district court filing across all 53 counties — charges, case numbers, hearing dates, and dispositions where entered. Search by name, case number, or date range. No account is required to run a basic name search.
The portal shows court-side records: what was charged, how the case moved, and what the court decided. It does not show raw booking data from a county jail. Those booking entries — arrest date, arresting agency, initial charges before any court filing — live with the Sheriff’s Office and Clerk of Court in the county where the arrest happened.
If the person you’re researching is currently serving a state prison sentence, the North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation resident lookup at its inmate search confirms custody status, facility, and projected release date. DOCR tracks state-sentenced inmates only. County jail detainees are tracked separately by each county Sheriff.
The North Dakota Highway Patrol maintains statewide criminal-history records and handles background-check requests for certain licensing and employment purposes. Its role is distinct from the court portal: the North Dakota Highway Patrol holds the official criminal-history repository, while North Dakota Courts Public Access holds the court docket. For a certified criminal-history report, contact the Highway Patrol directly — the portal alone may not satisfy a formal background-check requirement.
The county layer matters for booking-level detail. Each of North Dakota’s 53 elected Sheriffs maintains a jail roster and booking log. The Clerk of Court for each county holds local case files, including paper documents not yet digitized into the statewide portal. Fees, hours, and request procedures vary by county. The county arrest page for your specific county — listed in the index below this article — carries the Clerk’s name, phone number, current fees, and any online-access instructions specific to that office. Use the statewide portal to confirm a case exists, then go to the county page for the local contact details.
A few practical notes on North Dakota’s system: the statewide portal is updated as courts enter data, so very recent arrests may not yet appear. Charges filed at the initial appearance sometimes differ from the charges at booking. If the portal shows no record but you have a booking date, call the county Sheriff directly — the arrest may predate the court filing by days.
Are arrest records public in North Dakota?
North Dakota’s open-records framework defaults to public access. NDCC 44-04-18.1 establishes that government records — including criminal case records — are open unless a specific statutory exception applies. Arrest records held by law enforcement and court records held by the Clerk of Court both fall under this framework.
Several categories of records are withheld or restricted by default. Juvenile records are confidential under North Dakota law and are not accessible through North Dakota Courts Public Access or county Sheriff systems. Victim identifying information is redacted from publicly released documents. Records sealed under NDCC 12.1-32-07.2 are removed from public view — a sealed record does not appear in the statewide portal or in response to a public-records request.
An arrest record is not a conviction record. North Dakota Courts Public Access will show an arrest-linked case even if charges were later dismissed or the defendant was acquitted. The disposition field, when populated, reflects the outcome. If you see a case with no disposition entered, the case may still be pending — or the court may not yet have updated the portal.
Mugshot release is discretionary in North Dakota. No statewide statute requires or prohibits Sheriffs from publishing booking photos. Individual Sheriff’s Offices set their own policies. Some post booking photos on county websites; others release them only on formal request. Check the county arrest page for your county to learn that office’s current practice, or call the Sheriff directly.
Law enforcement agencies retain access to sealed records even after a court order removes them from public view. Prosecutors and courts can also access sealed records in subsequent proceedings. The public — including most employers and landlords — cannot.
What’s in a North Dakota arrest record?
What you see depends on which system you’re looking at. The two primary systems — North Dakota Courts Public Access and the county Sheriff’s booking log — hold different fields and serve different purposes.
North Dakota Courts Public Access shows the court-side record. Expect to find the defendant’s name, case number, filing date, charges as formally filed by the prosecutor, attorney of record (if entered), scheduled hearing dates, and disposition. The portal does not display booking photos, physical descriptors, or the arresting officer’s name. It reflects what the court received, not what happened at the jail.
A county Sheriff’s booking record contains the arrest-side data. That typically includes booking date and time, arresting agency, charges as written at booking (which may differ from the formal charges filed later), bail or bond amount, physical descriptors, and — depending on the county’s policy — a booking photo. Some counties post this information online; others require a written or in-person request to the Sheriff’s Office or Clerk of Court.
A complete picture of an arrest usually requires pulling from both systems. The court portal confirms what was charged and how the case resolved. The Sheriff’s booking record confirms when and why the arrest occurred. For cases that never resulted in a court filing — an arrest where no charges were filed — only the Sheriff’s booking record may exist.
Fees for copies of physical court documents vary by county Clerk. Check North Dakota Courts Public Access for digital records first; many documents are available at no cost through the portal. For certified copies or documents not yet digitized, contact the Clerk of Court in the originating county — the county arrest page below has that contact information.
How to seal or expunge an arrest record in North Dakota
North Dakota’s sealing statute is NDCC 12.1-32-07.2. It covers sealing of criminal records — not deletion, but removal from public access. After a successful petition, the record no longer appears in North Dakota Courts Public Access or in response to public-records requests. Law enforcement retains access.
Eligibility depends on the outcome of the case and the time elapsed since. If charges were dismissed or you were acquitted, you may petition immediately — dismissed and acquitted cases often have a more direct path to sealing than conviction cases. For cases that resulted in a conviction, a waiting period applies and your record during that period must remain clean. The specific waiting period and eligibility criteria are set out in NDCC 12.1-32-07.2; check the statute text or consult an attorney for your specific situation.
The petition is filed with the Clerk of Court in the county where the original case was heard. That is the originating county — not necessarily where you live now. The Clerk’s office has the petition forms. Filing fees apply, though an indigency waiver is available if you cannot afford the fee. Ask the Clerk about the fee waiver process when you pick up the forms.
You can file the petition yourself without an attorney. The process is procedural: complete the petition, file it with the Clerk, serve the required parties, and attend any hearing the court schedules. If your case is straightforward — a dismissed charge with no complications — self-filing is manageable. If the case involved multiple charges, a conviction, or a contested outcome, attorney assistance reduces the risk of a procedural error that delays or defeats the petition.
To find a licensed North Dakota attorney, search the North Dakota Courts lawyer directory. If cost is a barrier, a public defender may be able to assist with post-conviction sealing matters — contact the Clerk of Court in your county to ask about public defender availability for sealing petitions.
After sealing, the record is not destroyed. It remains in restricted court files accessible to law enforcement and prosecutors. It will not appear on a standard background check run by an employer or landlord. If you are asked on a job application whether you have been convicted of a crime, a sealed record generally does not need to be disclosed — but confirm this with an attorney for your specific application context, since some licensing boards have different rules.
| Resource | What it confirms | What it cannot confirm | Next step |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Dakota Courts Public Access | Statewide criminal case filings, charges, dispositions, hearing dates across all 53 counties | Booking photos, jail roster status, records sealed under NDCC 12.1-32-07.2 | Search by name or case number on the portal |
| North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation | Current state prison custody, facility location, projected release date | County jail detainees, charges not resulting in state sentence | Use the resident lookup on the DOCR site |
| North Dakota Highway Patrol | Official criminal-history repository; certified background-check reports for licensing and employment | Real-time booking data, court docket entries | Contact the Highway Patrol for certified history requests |
| NDCC 44-04-18.1 | Statutory basis for public access to government records in North Dakota | Not a searchable database — a statute text | Read the statute to understand what is and is not public |
| NDCC 12.1-32-07.2 | Eligibility rules and procedure for sealing a North Dakota criminal record | Not a searchable database — a statute text | Read the statute, then file a petition with the Clerk of Court in the originating county |
| Nationwide Criminal Background Check | Multi-state name search aggregating records across jurisdictions including North Dakota | Sealed records, juvenile records, real-time booking data | Run the name search above |
Related North Dakota record searches
- North Dakota warrant search — to check for an active warrant statewide.
- North Dakota inmate search — to locate someone in custody.
Arrest record pages for each of North Dakota’s 53 counties — with local Clerk contact details, Sheriff phone numbers, and county-specific procedures — are listed in the index below.
Sources & official North Dakota records systems
Page verified 2026-06-15 by the ND Arrests Editorial Team.
- North Dakota Courts Public Access — statewide criminal case and docket search across all North Dakota district courts.
- North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation — state prison inmate lookup and DOCR agency information.
- North Dakota Highway Patrol — statewide criminal-history repository and certified background-check requests.
- NDCC 44-04-18.1 — North Dakota Open Records Statute governing public access to government records.
- NDCC 12.1-32-07.2 — North Dakota Sealing of Criminal Records statute, including eligibility and petition procedure.
- North Dakota Courts Lawyer Directory — searchable directory of licensed attorneys in North Dakota.
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Frequently asked questions
How do I look up an arrest record in North Dakota?
Search North Dakota Courts Public Access by name or case number to find statewide court filings and dispositions. For booking-level detail — arrest date, initial charges, booking photo — contact the Sheriff’s Office or Clerk of Court in the county where the arrest occurred. If the person is in state prison, use the North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation resident lookup. The county arrest page for your county, listed below, has the local contact information you need.
How do I get a North Dakota arrest record sealed or expunged?
File a petition to seal under NDCC 12.1-32-07.2 with the Clerk of Court in the county where the original case was heard. Dismissed and acquitted cases can often be petitioned immediately. Conviction cases require a waiting period and a clean record during that time. Filing fees apply, with an indigency waiver available. You can file without an attorney, though legal help reduces the risk of procedural errors. Search the North Dakota Courts lawyer directory to find an attorney if needed.
Are North Dakota arrest records free to search?
North Dakota Courts Public Access is free to search for basic case and docket information. Certified copies of court documents from the Clerk of Court carry a fee that varies by county. The DOCR resident lookup is free. The preliminary scan through the nationwide name-search tool above is free; a full multi-state report requires registration.