Clay County Public Records
Clay County public records are managed by county offices and state agencies based in and around Moorhead, the county seat on the Red River in western Minnesota. The county holds court filings, property documents, arrest records, and related data across several departments at the courthouse on 11th Street. If you need to search a court case, look up a property deed, or request a criminal history report tied to Clay County, this guide walks through the main sources, which tools are free, and how to contact the right office when an in-person or written request is required.
Clay County Overview
Clay County Court Records
Court records in Clay County fall under the 7th Judicial District. The Court Administrator's office is at 807 N 11th Street, Moorhead, MN 56560, and can be reached by phone at 218-299-5065. The office manages civil, criminal, family, and probate cases. Staff can confirm what documents are on file for a specific case and explain the current copy fee structure.
The Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO) portal is the free starting point for most court record searches in Clay County. You can look up cases by name, case number, or citation without creating an account. MCRO shows case types, hearing dates, and docket entries. It does not display every document filed in a case, but it gives a useful overview of what exists and when things were filed. For sealed records or full document copies, you need to contact the court directly or appear in person at the Moorhead courthouse.
Certified document copies have a per-page fee set by state rules. Walk-in requests are generally handled the same day when staffing allows. Mail requests take longer to process. The Minnesota Government Data Practices Act, Chapter 13, makes most court case data available to the public unless a judge has sealed it. The court office can clarify what is restricted before you request copies.
Note: Juvenile records and certain family court filings in Clay County are not public and require a court order or legal standing to access.
Clay County Property Records
Property records in Clay County are handled by two offices. The County Assessor, at 218-299-7641, is responsible for property valuations and tax assessment data. The County Recorder, at 218-299-5031, maintains recorded documents such as deeds, mortgages, liens, and plat maps. Both offices are located at 807 N 11th Street, Moorhead, MN 56560.
Documents are indexed by party name and parcel number and go back many years. The Clay County official website links to property lookup tools and GIS maps. The online tools let you search parcel ownership, boundaries, and assessed values. For certified copies of recorded documents, contact the Recorder directly. Fees vary by page count and document type. Most property records are public under state law, so no special approval is needed to view them.
If you need a chain of title or want to trace ownership history on a parcel, the Recorder can help pull older recorded instruments. Tax records and assessment notices are also public documents. These are frequently used for title research, legal work, and property dispute cases.
Criminal History in Clay County
Minnesota's Bureau of Criminal Apprehension maintains a statewide criminal history database. A BCA criminal history search costs $8 and returns conviction records from across the state, not just Clay County. This is the most thorough way to check someone's record in Minnesota.
For local arrest records and incident reports in Clay County, contact the Clay County Sheriff's Office at 218-299-5151. Arrest data is generally available to the public under Minnesota Statute 13.82, which requires law enforcement to release specific data on request. That includes the name and address of the person arrested, the time and place of the arrest, and the charges. Not all incident details are public, so being specific when you request records helps. The Sheriff's office can explain what they can and cannot release before you submit a formal request.
The state's free Predatory Offender Registry, maintained under Minnesota Statute 243.166, lets you search registered offenders by name or address. You can search for offenders in Moorhead and other parts of Clay County at no cost. The Department of Corrections inmate search is also free and covers people currently in state custody.
Vital Records in Clay County
Birth and death certificates for events in Minnesota are issued by the Minnesota Department of Health Vital Records office. These records are held at the state level. You must request them from MDH, not from Clay County. Requests can be made online, by mail, or in person at MDH's St. Paul office. Fees apply and differ by record type.
Marriage licenses in Clay County are issued by the Court Administrator at 807 N 11th Street in Moorhead. After the ceremony, the signed license is returned to the court by the officiant. Copies of marriage records can be requested from the court or from MDH for older records. Divorce decrees are court records, filed with the Court Administrator. You can search for divorce case information through MCRO and request document copies from the Clay County court office directly.
Note: Minnesota birth records are restricted for 100 years and death records for 50 years. Certified copies during those periods are only available to eligible parties.
How to Access Clay County Public Records
Clay County public records are available online, in person, or through written requests. MCRO covers most court record searches for free. Property records are accessible through the county website. Criminal history checks go through the BCA. For records not available online, the county offices at 807 N 11th Street in Moorhead are open during regular business hours.
When submitting a written request, include the full name of the subject, the record type you need, and an approximate date range. Under the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act, any government agency must tell you what data it holds and respond to requests within a set timeframe. If a request is denied, the agency must put the reason in writing. If you need help with a records request and can't afford an attorney, LawHelpMN provides free legal resources and referrals for low-income Minnesotans.
Fees in Clay County vary by record type. Court copies, recorder documents, and vital records all have separate fee schedules. There is no flat rate for public records access, and costs depend on the number of pages and the office processing the request.
| Office | Clay County Court Administrator |
|---|---|
| Address | 807 N 11th Street, Moorhead, MN 56560 |
| Phone | 218-299-5065 |
| Sheriff | 218-299-5151 |
| Assessor | 218-299-7641 |
| Recorder | 218-299-5031 |
| Judicial District | 7th District |
The Clay County website at claycountymn.gov has department links, online search tools, and contact information for each office. It is a good first stop if you are not sure which office holds the records you need.
The screenshot below shows the Minnesota Court Records Online portal, which is the primary free search tool for Clay County court case information.
MCRO works for all case types filed in Clay County and across the state. No account is needed to search, and results load quickly by name or case number.
For criminal background checks, the BCA portal shown below is the official state resource. It covers all conviction records in Minnesota.
At $8 per search, the BCA tool is the most complete option for checking criminal history on anyone with ties to Clay County or elsewhere in the state.
Cities in Clay County
Clay County's largest city is Moorhead, which serves as the county seat and sits on the North Dakota border directly across from Fargo. Other communities in the county include Barnesville, Dilworth, and Glyndon. None of these cities meet the 100,000-population threshold for a dedicated public records page on this site.
Nearby Counties
Clay County borders several other Minnesota counties, each with their own court and records offices.