North Dakota Criminal Records Search: Cases & Public Records
North Dakota Criminal Records Search: Court Cases, BCI Background Checks & Public Records
Looking for a North Dakota criminal case? Start with the state’s official Odyssey Public Access court search. If you need an actual North Dakota criminal-history check, use the Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) instead.
This guide explains how to search by name, case number or citation; read court results; find official documents; request a $15 BCI record check; and locate appellate, correctional, registry and federal records.
How Do You Search North Dakota Criminal Records?
North Dakota has separate systems for public court records, official criminal-history checks and correctional information. Choose based on your purpose rather than assuming one search covers everything.
Public criminal court cases
Search North Dakota Courts Records Inquiry for publicly available criminal, traffic and qualifying municipal case information.
Cost: Public online case search is free.
Open court search ↗Official North Dakota history
Request the state criminal-history record from the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation.
Standard public request: $15.
Open BCI instructions ↗Appeal or Supreme Court record
Use the North Dakota Appellate Case System for public appellate dockets and available documents.
Search appellate records ↗Currently incarcerated person
Use the North Dakota DOCR Resident Lookup. It does not include every person in a county jail or every person ever convicted.
Open resident lookup ↗How to Search North Dakota Criminal Court Cases Online
North Dakota uses an Odyssey-based public court inquiry system. It can display publicly accessible criminal and traffic cases from participating courts, but access to some records is restricted and historical coverage varies.
What to do after opening Odyssey Public Search
- Choose the correct location.
Select the court, county or the available State of North Dakota location if you need a broader search. Selecting a single county restricts the search to that location.
- Choose Criminal/Traffic.
From the case-record search options, select the criminal and traffic case search. Civil, family, probate and judgment searches are separate options.
- Select your search type.
The official criminal search supports Defendant, Case, Citation, Attorney and Date Filed searches, depending on your available information.
- Enter a name or complete case identifier.
For Defendant, enter last and first names. Where available, add date of birth, case status or case type only when needed to narrow results.
- Review the possible matches.
Compare county, court, case number, filing date, offense description and case status. Do not assume everyone with the same name is the same person.
- Open the case number.
Review the case details, hearings, event history and available document index. Look for later entries before treating a charge or preliminary event as the final outcome.
- Record the document index number.
If you need a document copy, note the case number and Index Number for the entry. Provide both to the Clerk of Court when requesting a copy.
- Verify consequential information.
For certified orders, judgments or official court records, contact the Clerk of Court in the county where the case was filed.
Choose the search that matches your information
| What you know | Choose in Odyssey | Practical advice |
|---|---|---|
| Complete criminal case number | Case → Case Number | The official guide permits omitting dashes and leading zeros in case-number searches. |
| Defendant’s name | Defendant | Use first and last names; try a maiden name or Soundex if spelling is uncertain. |
| Citation number | Citation | Enter the complete number and narrow by date or status if appropriate. |
| Attorney name or bar number | Attorney | Choose the corresponding Name or Bar Number option. |
| Approximate filing period | Date Filed | Use the filing-date range and relevant case types to limit results. |
09-2009-cr-00001 and their shortened equivalents. Preserve the complete case number for later contact with court staff.
Why North Dakota Odyssey Search May Not Show Every Case
North Dakota’s Courts on Odyssey guidance warns that county coverage began at different times. Some data reaches back to the early 1990s, while some counties have shorter electronic histories. A case closed before a county adopted Odyssey may not appear unless later activity caused it to be included.
Historical records
Do not assume a case was never filed because the public system returns no result. Check when the county began using Odyssey, especially for older cases.
Restricted records
Sealed, confidential, juvenile and other access-restricted information is not necessarily available through ordinary public online search.
Recent events
The public inquiry screen states data is current through the end of the previous business day. Recent filings may not appear immediately.
Municipal cases
Certain municipal court cases can be included, but not every municipality necessarily provides identical public online coverage.
North Dakota BCI Criminal History Background Check
The North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) is the state’s central criminal-history repository. BCI records draw on criminal justice information reported by participating law-enforcement agencies, prosecutors, courts and other authorized agencies.
BCI distinguishes between ordinary public record searching and an official criminal-history record check. Its verification process uses identifying information beyond a name-only court lookup.
$15
Standard public criminal-history record request fee per check.
7–10 business days
Approximate processing time stated by BCI, excluding postal delivery.
$5
Reduced fee for eligible nonprofit charitable organizations after BCI approval.
What you need before submitting a BCI request
BCI’s public request instructions require identifying details. The information generally includes the subject’s full name, maiden or former names and aliases, date of birth, Social Security number or fingerprints, plus the subject’s address or an appropriate signed authorization.
Step-by-step BCI criminal-history request
- Open the official BCI request page.
Visit the North Dakota Attorney General’s page titled Requesting a Criminal History Record Check.
- Download the public request form.
Select Public Request for Criminal History Record Information (SFN 50744), then review its instructions.
- Complete the requester details.
Provide the requester name, mailing or response information and the subject’s required identifying information.
- Include authorization or the subject’s current address.
Use the official personal authorization process when appropriate. Without authorization, BCI generally sends notice to the subject when a record is released.
- Include the correct payment.
For a standard mailed public request, include the $15 fee by check or money order payable to the North Dakota Attorney General. Follow the current official instructions for in-person payment.
- Submit to BCI.
Mail the signed form and required materials to the Criminal Records Section. For delivery confirmation, use tracked mail or another suitable tracked delivery method.
- Review the response.
Allow approximately 7–10 business days for ordinary BCI processing. If you need certification or notarization, include the required written request.
North Dakota BCI — Criminal Records Section
Mailing address: PO Box 1054, Bismarck, ND 58502-1054
Physical office: 1720 Burlington Drive, Suite B, Bismarck, ND 58504
Phone: (701) 328-5500
North Dakota Criminal Records Search Fees
| Service | Cost / availability | Important detail |
|---|---|---|
| Odyssey public court search | Free online | Publicly accessible court case information, not complete criminal history. |
| BCI standard record check | $15 | Requires the official request process and required identifiers. |
| Eligible nonprofit BCI request | $5 after approval | Fee reduction requires qualifying organization status and approval. |
| Written criminal court-record search by clerk | $10 per name and record type | Under the court’s written-record-search procedure; distinguish this from simply asking whether a case exists. |
| Court document copies/certification | Varies by request | Ask the Clerk of Court for document-specific charges. |
| DOCR current resident lookup | Free public lookup | Limited to qualifying currently incarcerated residents. |
| Public sex-offender registry | Free public lookup | Not a complete criminal-history search. |
| PACER federal records | Usage-based charges may apply | Check current federal PACER fees and waiver terms. |
Fees are based on published agency guidance reviewed October 16, 2026. Check the official agency before submitting payment.
How to Get Official North Dakota Criminal Court Records and Certified Copies
The electronic case search is convenient, but it is not necessarily the official court record. For certified judgments, sentencing orders, filed documents, older cases or clerk verification, contact the court maintaining the case.
- Find the case in Odyssey.
Save the case number, court, county and document details.
- Open the North Dakota Court Locations directory.
Select the county where the case was filed. North Dakota’s district courts provide services across all 53 counties.
- Contact the Clerk of Court.
Explain whether you need an ordinary copy, certified judgment, sentencing order, disposition, complete case file or a written search.
- Provide the document index.
Where Odyssey shows an Index Number for the requested document, include it with your case number.
- Confirm the fee and delivery method.
Ask whether documents can be collected, mailed or otherwise supplied. Do not assume every document is downloadable from the public portal.
North Dakota Criminal Courts: District, Municipal, Appellate and Federal
Searching the wrong court can make a valid record appear missing. North Dakota’s district courts generally handle criminal trial proceedings. Certain municipal matters use municipal courts, state appeals use the Supreme Court system, and federal cases use federal courts.
Finding records by county
North Dakota has 53 counties. The public Odyssey portal permits location-based searching, while the official court-locations directory helps users reach the correct clerk for local records.
Cass County
For cases filed in Cass County, use the corresponding location in Odyssey; contact the clerk for certified documents.
Burleigh County
Use Burleigh County case search for local filings associated with the Bismarck area.
Grand Forks County
Select the Grand Forks County location for district-court case research.
Ward County
For Minot-area district cases, begin with the Ward County search location.
Williams County
Use Williams County case search for local trial-level records in the Williston area.
Stark County
For Dickinson-area cases, choose Stark County when the filing location is known.
The county examples above are navigation guidance rather than individual background-check databases. The authoritative search entry is the official North Dakota court portal.
How to Search North Dakota Supreme Court Criminal Appeals
The North Dakota Appellate Case System began operating in April 2024. It provides a public portal for Supreme Court case information and available appellate documents, with no registration needed for public searches.
- Open the official appellate docket search.
Use North Dakota Courts’ Search Appellate Records page.
- Choose Case Search or Party Search.
Use the appellate case number if known. Otherwise search with case title or party details.
- Use available filters.
Case category, filing date and originating court case number can help narrow results.
- Open the matching appeal.
Verify the appellate case number, case title, lower-court case reference and docket events.
- Check the latest activity.
Review decisions, orders, later proceedings and any available documents before concluding that the appeal has ended.
North Dakota DOCR Resident Lookup
The North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation offers an official Resident Lookup for qualifying persons currently incarcerated in North Dakota correctional facilities.
- Open the Resident Lookup.
Use the official
docr.nd.govservice. - Enter a last name.
You can enter the full last name or its beginning letters as directed by the search page.
- Review matching results.
Compare available identifying information instead of relying solely on a matching name.
- Check the search’s scope.
The database does not include everyone in a North Dakota county jail, everyone ever incarcerated or every person sentenced by a North Dakota court.
North Dakota Sex Offender Registry Search
The North Dakota Attorney General maintains the state’s public sex-offender information system. Registration requirements depend on qualifying offenses and applicable law.
What the registry can help with
- Public searches for qualifying registrants
- Searching names and geographic areas
- Reviewing available registry details
- Understanding registration and risk-level information
What it cannot replace
- An official BCI criminal-history check
- A complete court-record search
- A certified judgment of conviction
- A complete history of all criminal offenses
Registry information is provided for lawful public-safety purposes. Do not misuse it to harass, threaten or retaliate against anyone.
Federal Criminal Records in North Dakota
Federal prosecutions in the U.S. District Court for the District of North Dakota are separate from state cases. North Dakota’s Odyssey court search does not replace PACER.
- Open PACER.
Use the federal judiciary’s Find a Case page.
- Sign in or create an account.
Review registration, access and fee requirements.
- Select the District of North Dakota.
If you know the federal court, search its records directly.
- Use PACER Case Locator if unsure.
The national locator helps identify which federal court may have the case.
- Review the complete docket.
Check the case number, filed documents, dispositions and subsequent activity before relying on a result.
Why Your North Dakota Criminal Record Search Shows No Results
| Problem | Possible reason | Next action |
|---|---|---|
| No case under person’s name | Different spelling, maiden name or wrong location | Try Soundex, alternative names and statewide location where available. |
| Old case missing | County joined Odyssey after the original case closed | Read Courts on Odyssey coverage and contact the clerk. |
| Recently filed case missing | Update delay or incomplete public indexing | Check after the next business-day update or contact the court. |
| No court documents available | Public portal may show index data rather than document copies | Request the case and document index numbers from the Clerk of Court. |
| Background check required | Odyssey is not an official BCI criminal-history response | Submit the appropriate BCI request. |
| Person not in resident lookup | County jail, release, different jurisdiction or exclusion from DOCR scope | Check the relevant correctional authority and court case. |
| Federal case missing | Federal records are outside state Odyssey access | Search PACER. |
Restricted Records, Expungement, Screening and Accuracy
North Dakota public records access is governed partly by court Administrative Rule 41. Certain records or information may be confidential or restricted, and some records require a different access process.
Restricted access
Juvenile information, sealed materials, specified protection-related records, confidential personal identifiers and other protected documents may not appear in general public results.
BCI identity verification
BCI may use fingerprints or multiple identifiers to distinguish people with identical or similar names. A name-only internet result cannot provide the same assurance.
Employment and housing
Employment or tenant screening can involve FCRA and state-law requirements. Use legally appropriate processes and do not treat this informational guide as a consumer report.
Correcting information
For errors in court records, contact the maintaining court. For criminal-history data problems, contact BCI and follow its official guidance.
North Dakota Criminal Records Search FAQs
1. How can I search North Dakota criminal records for free?
2. Does North Dakota have a statewide criminal court search?
3. How much does a North Dakota BCI criminal-history check cost?
4. How long does a North Dakota BCI background check take?
5. Can I search North Dakota criminal cases using a person’s name?
6. Where can I obtain certified North Dakota criminal court records?
7. Why is an old North Dakota criminal case missing from Odyssey?
8. Does North Dakota DOCR Resident Lookup show county jail inmates?
9. How do I search North Dakota Supreme Court criminal appeals?
10. Is an Odyssey criminal court search the same as a BCI background check?
Official North Dakota Criminal Records Sources
These sources are maintained by courts, government agencies or the federal judiciary. Use the original resources for current procedures and final actions.
- North Dakota Court System — Public Access
- North Dakota Courts Records Inquiry
- Official Criminal Case Search Instructions
- Courts on Odyssey — Historical Coverage
- Public Court Records Access and Written Searches
- North Dakota Court Locations
- BCI Criminal History Request Instructions
- BCI: Background Check vs. Criminal History Check
- North Dakota Supreme Court Appellate Records
- North Dakota DOCR Resident Lookup
- North Dakota Sex Offender Registry
- PACER Federal Court Records