North Dakota has two especially important statewide criminal-record systems, and they should not be confused. The North Dakota Courts Records Inquiry system provides free public access to many criminal, traffic and petty-misdemeanor court cases, while the Bureau of Criminal Investigation provides the state’s official criminal-history record check using broader law-enforcement data. Arrest reports, jail information, correctional records and federal cases can require still other sources.
Which North Dakota Criminal Record System Should You Use?
North Dakota’s official sources answer different questions. A court docket is not the same thing as a BCI criminal-history report, and neither is the same as a police incident report.
Court case record
Use NDCRI to search publicly accessible criminal, traffic and petty-misdemeanor court cases, court calendars and related case information.
Criminal-history record
BCI compiles qualifying arrest, prosecution, court, custody and other criminal-history information submitted by criminal-justice agencies.
Arrest or incident record
Arrest reports and incident records usually originate with the law-enforcement agency that handled the event and may be requested under North Dakota open-records law.
Local custody record
Recent jail bookings can be held by county sheriffs or local detention facilities rather than DOCR.
State correctional record
Use Resident Lookup for qualifying individuals currently incarcerated in a North Dakota DOCR facility.
Federal criminal case
Federal prosecutions in North Dakota use PACER and the U.S. District Court for the District of North Dakota.
North Dakota Courts Records Inquiry: Free Statewide Court Search
The official North Dakota Courts Records Inquiry system—often called NDCRI—provides free online access to qualifying court-case information.
The system covers publicly accessible:
- criminal cases
- traffic cases
- petty misdemeanors
- qualifying municipal court cases
- court calendars
- civil, family and probate records through separate search options
Open the official court search
Use the North Dakota Judicial Branch site rather than a commercial criminal-record directory.
Select “State of North Dakota” for a statewide search
If you do not know the county, choose the statewide location rather than guessing where the case was filed.
Choose Criminal/Traffic
The criminal search includes publicly accessible criminal, traffic and petty-misdemeanor records.
Select your search method
Search by defendant, case number, cross-reference number, citation, attorney or filing date.
Open the matching case
Review the case number, parties, charges, events, disposition and other public information.
Contact the clerk for the official record
NDCRI itself warns that online data do not constitute the official court record.
How to Search North Dakota Criminal Cases by Defendant Name
Defendant is the default criminal-search method in NDCRI.
North Dakota’s search instructions specifically recommend checking a maiden name when applicable.
Soundex and wildcard searching
NDCRI provides additional searching tools when spelling is uncertain. Its public search instructions allow use of Soundex and wildcard searching.
Searching North Dakota Criminal Records by Case Number
A known case number is usually the most precise way to locate a criminal case. North Dakota’s search help gives this example:
09-2009-CR-00001
NDCRI allows the user to omit dashes and leading zeros. The same case may therefore be entered in forms such as:
NDCRI also supports searches by case cross-reference number and citation number.
How to Interpret a North Dakota Criminal Court Search Result
| Item | What it tells you | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Case number | Unique court identifier for the matter. | Keep it for courthouse or copy requests. |
| Case status | Whether the case is open or closed. | Closed does not automatically mean conviction. |
| Charge | The offense alleged in court. | Check how each charge was eventually resolved. |
| Docket / register events | Chronological activity in the case. | Look for plea, dismissal, judgment and sentencing entries. |
| Disposition | How the case or charge ended. | Do not confuse filing with conviction. |
| Sentence | Penalty or conditions ordered by the court. | Review custody, probation, fines and restitution separately. |
Why a North Dakota Criminal Case May Be Missing or Restricted Online
NDCRI does not display restricted case information. North Dakota law and court rules can limit access to particular records, documents or information.
A particularly important North Dakota procedure allows a defendant whose criminal charges were dismissed or who was acquitted to ask a state district court to prohibit remote public access to the electronic case record.
A restricted online result can display language such as: “Internet Access Prohibited under N.D.Sup.Ct.Admin.R. 41.”
Searching North Dakota Criminal Records at the Courthouse
Each North Dakota county courthouse must have a public-access terminal for statewide court records stored in the Odyssey court system.
Courthouse access is particularly useful when:
- a needed record is not available remotely
- internet access has been restricted but courthouse access remains available
- you need to inspect the official case file
- you need a certified copy
- an old record needs clerk assistance
- you need to verify information from an online result
A request can generally be made orally or in writing to the clerk. The request should identify the record clearly enough that staff can locate it without conducting extensive research.
Find a North Dakota CourtNorth Dakota Court Record Copy and Certification Fees
After locating a public court record, you can request copies from the clerk.
| Service | Current fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ordinary court-record copy | $0.10 per page | North Dakota court guidance lists this rate effective July 1, 2025. |
| Certified copy of judgment, order or other document | $10 per certified document | No separate per-page charge when a certified copy is provided. |
| Additional certified copy of same document in one request | $5 each | Applies after the first certified copy of the same document. |
North Dakota BCI Criminal History Record Check
The North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) is the state’s central repository for criminal-history information.
BCI receives information from:
- local law-enforcement agencies
- state’s attorneys
- courts
- parole and probation
- correctional agencies
- other criminal-justice sources
Current public-record-check fee
The current fee is $15 per criminal-history record check.
BCI says processing generally takes approximately 7-10 business days.
Official North Dakota BCI Record CheckWhat a North Dakota Public BCI Criminal History Check Includes
North Dakota’s public criminal-history rules are unusually specific about how long different categories remain on the general public report.
| Record | General public BCI report | Important rule |
|---|---|---|
| North Dakota convictions | Included | Convictions are reported regardless of how old they are, subject to applicable restrictions. |
| Dismissed / nonconviction charges | Limited | Generally reported when less than three years old. |
| Charges with no court disposition | Limited | Generally reported when less than three years old. |
| Jail or prison custody records | Limited | Generally reported when less than three years old. |
| Federal records | Not included | Use federal/FBI resources where appropriate. |
| Other-state records | Not included | A North Dakota-only BCI search does not become a national search. |
| Tribal records | Not included | Tribal criminal records are separate. |
| Juvenile records | Not included | Juvenile records are excluded from the BCI public record check. |
| Most traffic offenses | Not included | The Attorney General directs users to the North Dakota Department of Transportation for most traffic history. |
Name-Based vs. Fingerprint-Based North Dakota Criminal History Searches
North Dakota allows both name-based and fingerprint-based criminal-history checks.
Convenient, but alias-sensitive
A name search may miss a record if the person was arrested under a different name that was not supplied with the request.
Stronger identity match
BCI explains that a fingerprint-based search can identify arrest records even when the person used an unknown alias.
BCI public request information
The public request currently asks for:
- full name
- maiden and former names
- known aliases
- date of birth
- Social Security number or fingerprints
- current address or signed authorization
A requester who needs the BCI response certified or notarized should attach a written request to the criminal-history request form.
How to Request North Dakota Police and Arrest Records
North Dakota’s open-records law generally applies to state and local government agencies, including law-enforcement entities, unless a specific law makes the requested information confidential, exempt or closed.
The Attorney General explains that anyone can request public records, regardless of where they live.
Also remember that North Dakota courts are not subject to the state’s ordinary open-records law. Court files are accessed under Judicial Branch rules instead.
North Dakota Open Records GuidanceNorth Dakota Warrant Information
North Dakota’s secure CJIS system contains the state’s Central Warrant Information System, but the ND CJIS Portal is restricted to authorized criminal-justice users. It is not a public statewide warrant-search website.
If you know the related criminal case, the public court docket may provide useful case activity, but the docket itself should not be treated as a guaranteed real-time warrant database.
North Dakota DOCR Resident Lookup
The North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Resident Lookup provides public information about qualifying individuals currently incarcerated in a North Dakota DOCR facility.
Important limitations
DOCR specifically states that the lookup only shows individuals currently incarcerated in a North Dakota correctional facility who fit its coverage rules.
- currently incarcerated North Dakota DOCR residents may appear
- a North Dakota-sentenced person housed out of state may not appear
- a person incarcerated in North Dakota but sentenced by another state may not appear
- county-jail custody may require a local sheriff or detention search
Search North Dakota Supreme Court Criminal Appeals
If a district-court criminal case was appealed, the North Dakota Supreme Court provides a separate public appellate-record portal.
North Dakota’s new Appellate Case System went live on April 8, 2024. Public users do not need to register to search available appellate records.
Search options include:
- case search
- party search
- calendar search
- document search
- publications and opinions
Sealing North Dakota Criminal Records
North Dakota law provides a process for sealing certain criminal records under N.D.C.C. Chapter 12-60.1.
Current North Dakota Judicial Branch research guidance explains that qualifying people may include:
Three-year period
A person with an eligible misdemeanor conviction may petition when they have not been convicted of a new crime for at least three years before filing.
Five-year period
A person with an eligible felony conviction may petition when they have not been convicted of a new crime for at least five years before filing.
Unconditional pardon
A person granted an unconditional gubernatorial pardon may also fall within the sealing statute.
The petition is generally filed in the existing criminal case in a North Dakota municipal or state district court.
North Dakota Criminal Record Self-Help ResourcesDismissed or Acquitted North Dakota Criminal Cases
North Dakota provides a separate procedure for defendants whose charges were dismissed or who were acquitted. They may ask the district court to prohibit remote public access to the electronic criminal case record.
North Dakota also has statutory provisions for closing certain nonconviction records under Chapter 12-60.1. The precise remedy depends on the facts and record involved.
North Dakota Juvenile Criminal Records
Juvenile records should not be treated like ordinary adult criminal records.
BCI’s public criminal-history guidance specifically states that juvenile records are not included in the North Dakota public criminal-history record check.
Juvenile court and law-enforcement records can also be restricted by separate North Dakota statutes.
Federal Criminal Records in North Dakota
Federal prosecutions are separate from North Dakota state court records. The federal trial court is the U.S. District Court for the District of North Dakota.
Use PACER to search federal court records.
If you do not know which federal court handled a case, PACER’s nationwide Case Locator can search the national federal case index.
North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation Location
Bureau of Criminal Investigation
Criminal Records SectionNorth Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation
1720 Burlington Drive, Suite B
Bismarck, ND 58504
Phone: 701-328-5500
Public criminal-history requests can be mailed to:
BCI Criminal Records SectionP.O. Box 1054
Bismarck, ND 58502-1054
North Dakota Supreme Court
State Capitol600 E Boulevard Avenue
Bismarck, ND 58505-0530
Clerk: 701-328-2221
Supreme Court business hours are generally Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Map is provided for orientation. Confirm current public-counter availability, payment rules and office instructions with BCI before traveling.
North Dakota Criminal Record Search Tips That Save Time
Search statewide first
Select “State of North Dakota” in NDCRI when you do not know the filing county.
Use DOB for common names
Date of birth can help distinguish multiple defendants sharing the same name.
Try maiden names
North Dakota’s own search instructions recommend checking maiden names when applicable.
Use Soundex
Soundex can help when you know the person’s name but are uncertain about the spelling.
Remember the one-business-day lag
A case filed today may not appear until the public system updates.
NDCRI is not BCI
Court searching and official criminal-history checking are separate processes.
Fingerprint check is stronger
Fingerprints can find records connected with aliases that were not supplied in a name-only request.
Restricted online does not always mean destroyed
Some dismissed or acquitted cases can remain available at the courthouse after remote access is restricted.
Recent jail booking? Search locally
County custody is different from DOCR state correctional incarceration.
Background Checks, Employment and Other Screening Uses
The North Dakota Attorney General expressly distinguishes an ordinary public-record background check from an official North Dakota criminal-history record check.
An online court search may rely primarily on name matching and can contain information about people with similar names. BCI uses additional identifiers and, when requested, fingerprints to improve identity matching.
North Dakota Criminal Records: Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is North Dakota’s online criminal court search free?
Yes. North Dakota Courts Records Inquiry is available to the general public free of charge.
2. Can I search criminal cases statewide in North Dakota?
Yes. In NDCRI, choose “State of North Dakota” from the location menu to search qualifying publicly accessible records across available locations.
3. How current are North Dakota online court records?
The public court-search system states that data are current through the end of the previous business day.
4. How much does a North Dakota BCI criminal-history record check cost?
The current public-request fee is $15 per North Dakota criminal-history record check.
5. How long does a North Dakota BCI record check take?
BCI currently says processing generally takes approximately 7-10 business days after receiving the request.
6. Does a North Dakota public criminal-history check include dismissed charges?
General public BCI reports can include dismissed charges, nonconviction charges and charges without a disposition when they are less than three years old. Older nonconviction information is generally excluded from the general public report.
7. Do North Dakota convictions disappear from a public BCI report after three years?
No. BCI states that convictions are included in the general public criminal-history record regardless of age, subject to applicable legal restrictions.
8. Can a dismissed North Dakota criminal case be removed from internet access?
A defendant whose charges were dismissed, or who was acquitted, may ask the district court to prohibit remote public access to the electronic criminal case record. If granted, the underlying record can still remain available through an in-person courthouse request.
9. Where can I search for someone in a North Dakota state correctional facility?
Use the North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Resident Lookup. It covers qualifying people currently incarcerated in a North Dakota DOCR facility and does not represent every county-jail or out-of-state placement.
10. Does a North Dakota criminal-history check include federal and other-state records?
No. The ordinary North Dakota BCI public criminal-history check does not include federal, other-state or tribal records. Federal court cases can be searched through PACER.
Official North Dakota Sources Used for This Guide
- North Dakota Courts Records Inquiry
- North Dakota Court System — District Court Case Search
- North Dakota Court System — Criminal Case Search Help
- North Dakota Courts — Court Record Data Access
- North Dakota Court Locations
- North Dakota Attorney General — Criminal History Records
- North Dakota BCI — Request a Criminal History Record Check
- North Dakota BCI — Understanding Criminal History Results
- North Dakota Attorney General — Requesting Public Records
- North Dakota DOCR — Resident Lookup
- North Dakota Supreme Court — Appellate Records Search
- North Dakota Courts — Prohibit Remote Public Access in Criminal Cases
- North Dakota Century Code Chapter 12-60.1 — Sealing Criminal Records
- PACER — Federal Court Records