Find St. Paul Public Records

St. Paul public records span court filings, police incident reports, property documents, and vital records maintained by city, county, and state offices. As Minnesota's capital city, St. Paul has its own open data portal and police records system alongside the county-level resources through Ramsey County. This guide covers the main sources for public records in St. Paul and walks you through how to get them, whether you prefer to search online, visit in person, or submit a written request.

St. Paul Court Records

Court records for St. Paul are filed with the Ramsey County District Court, which is part of the 2nd Judicial District. The Court Administrator's office handles civil, criminal, family, probate, and housing cases filed in St. Paul. Ramsey County District Court is located at 15 W Kellogg Boulevard, St. Paul, MN 55102. You can call the court administrator at 651-266-8266 for general inquiries about case information and document requests.

The Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO) portal gives free access to basic case data across all Minnesota courts, including Ramsey County. You can search by name, case number, or citation and see filing dates, case type, hearing schedule, and docket entries. MCRO does not include every document in a case file, but it confirms whether a case exists and what happened at each stage. For certified copies or full document access, contact the Ramsey County court directly or visit in person.

Under the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act, Chapter 13, court records are public unless a judge has ordered them sealed. Juvenile case files and some family court records are restricted by default.

St. Paul Property Records

Property records in St. Paul are maintained by Ramsey County, not the city. The Ramsey County Assessor handles property valuations, tax assessment data, and homestead status. The County Recorder maintains recorded documents like deeds, mortgages, liens, and easements. Both offices are part of Ramsey County government. The county's online property search tool lets you search by address, owner name, or parcel ID to find ownership details, assessed value, tax history, and recorded document summaries.

Certified copies of recorded documents are available from the Recorder's office for a per-page fee. Most property records are public and do not require a formal approval process to view. If you are researching ownership history for a St. Paul property, the Recorder can provide chain-of-title documents going back many years. This is commonly needed for title work, estate matters, or legal disputes involving property in the city.

Police Records in St. Paul

The St. Paul Police Department manages public records requests for police reports, arrest records, incident data, 911 transcripts, and body camera footage. The Records Unit is at 367 Grove Street, St. Paul, MN 55101, and is open Monday through Friday, 8am to 4pm. For non-emergency matters, call 651-291-1111. The department's full records page is at stpaul.gov police records.

St. Paul charges set fees for some records. Standard document copies cost $0.25 per page. Body camera video is $30 per CD. Transcripts of 911 calls are $25 per hour of staff time. These fees are set under city policy and are consistent with Minnesota Data Practices rules for compiling and producing records. Under Minnesota Statute 13.82, arrest data including name, address, time of arrest, and charges are public records that must be released on request.

St. Paul also maintains the Open Information Portal, which publishes datasets on crime statistics, city contracts, budget data, and other government records. This is a good starting point if you want to look at crime trends or browse available city data before making a formal request. The crime statistics page on the city's police department website provides regular updates on reported crime in St. Paul by neighborhood and crime type.

For a statewide criminal history check, the BCA criminal history search costs $8 per name. The Predatory Offender Registry is free online and searchable by name or location under Minnesota Statute 243.166. The Department of Corrections inmate search is also available at no cost for people currently in state custody.

The screenshot below is from the St. Paul Police Department crime statistics page, which shows reported crime data for St. Paul by area and type.

The crime statistics page is updated regularly and is a useful source for understanding recent trends in reported crime across different parts of the city.

Vital Records in St. Paul

Birth and death certificates for events in St. Paul are issued by the Minnesota Department of Health Vital Records office. MDH is the state-level agency responsible for all Minnesota vital records. Requests are accepted online, by mail, or in person at the MDH office, which is located in St. Paul. Fees and processing times vary by the type of record and the service level selected.

Marriage licenses in St. Paul are issued through the Ramsey County Court Administrator's office. After the ceremony is performed, the officiant files the completed license with the court. Copies of marriage records can be requested from the court or from MDH for historical records. Divorce records are court filings handled by Ramsey County District Court and are searchable through MCRO.

How to Access St. Paul Public Records

St. Paul public records are accessible through multiple channels. Court records go through the Ramsey County District Court or the free MCRO portal. Police records go through the SPPD Records Unit or the city's open data portal. Property records go through Ramsey County. Vital records go through the Minnesota Department of Health.

For records that are not available online, you can visit the St. Paul City Clerk's office at City Hall, 15 W Kellogg Boulevard, St. Paul, MN 55102. The City Clerk handles city government documents, council minutes, ordinances, and official city filings. The phone number is 651-266-8510. For county records, the Ramsey County Government Center is at the same address and serves as the central hub for court and property records.

Written requests should state the full name of the subject, the record type, and the date range. Under the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act, agencies must respond within a set timeframe and provide a written reason if they withhold any records. If a denial seems improper, LawHelpMN offers free legal resources for Minnesotans who need help with records access.

St. Paul's open information portal at information.stpaul.gov provides access to published city datasets and is a useful tool before submitting a formal request.

The open information portal covers a wide range of city data categories including crime data, permits, contracts, and budget records, all available for free download or search.

Nearby Cities

Other qualifying cities near St. Paul also have public records pages on this site.