Ramsey County Background Check Records

A background check in Ramsey County draws on some of the most active public records systems in Minnesota. The county seat is St. Paul, Minnesota's capital city, which generates a high volume of criminal and court cases. The BCA's free online tool covers statewide conviction records. The Ramsey County District Court holds all case filings. The Ramsey County Sheriff's Office provides a Criminal History Unit with specific services for arrest report requests. This guide covers every key source and how to use them.

BCA Criminal History Search

The BCA Criminal History Search is the starting point for most Ramsey County background checks. Run by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, this free tool returns Minnesota conviction records when you enter a name and date of birth. Results cover convictions going back 15 years from the date of sentence discharge. Arrests without a conviction are not shown.

Given Ramsey County's population and case volume, the BCA database is especially active with records from St. Paul and surrounding cities. Under Minnesota Statute 13.87, conviction data is public for 15 years after discharge. No account is needed to run a search. The BCA system covers all Minnesota counties, so Ramsey County convictions appear here alongside records from every other county in the state. The tool is fast, free, and works well as a first step before digging deeper into court filings.

Mail-in requests cost $15 and require a notarized consent form. Send to 1430 Maryland Avenue E, St. Paul, MN 55106. Allow about two weeks. Call 651-793-2400 for questions.

Ramsey County District Court

The Ramsey County District Court is located in downtown St. Paul and is part of Minnesota's Second Judicial District. As one of the busiest courts in the state, it handles a large volume of criminal, civil, family, and probate cases. Case records here include criminal complaints, sentencing orders, civil judgments, probate filings, and more.

The clerk's office can search records by name or case number. In-person visits are allowed during business hours. Certified copies carry a per-page fee. Bring photo ID. For older case records that predate the electronic system, paper files exist at the courthouse and require a direct clerk request. Given the high volume of cases handled here, calling ahead before a visit is a good idea to understand current wait times and procedures.

The Ramsey County courthouse is centrally located in downtown St. Paul and accessible by public transit. Court parking can be limited, so plan accordingly if you're driving. The clerk's office is generally equipped to handle a high number of records requests efficiently.

Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO)

The Minnesota Court Records Online system gives free public access to court documents from all Minnesota counties, including Ramsey. You can search by party name, case number, attorney, or judge. Documents filed from July 2015 forward are viewable and downloadable. Older records may appear as docket entries without attached files.

For Ramsey County, MCRO is highly active with St. Paul case records and is one of the most practical tools for accessing court documents remotely. Common names will return many results; filtering by filing year or case type helps narrow the list. Criminal, civil, and probate cases all appear in the system. MCRO is free, requires no account, and works from any web browser. It's the best option when you need actual document text rather than just a confirmation that a case exists.

The screenshot above shows the Ramsey County court page on the Minnesota Judicial Branch site, which includes contact information and access to the court's case records tools.

Ramsey County Sheriff's Office

The Ramsey County Sheriff's Office in St. Paul provides law enforcement services across the county and maintains extensive arrest and criminal history records. Under Minnesota Statute 13.82, arrest data is public. That includes the time and place of an arrest, the arresting officer, charges filed, and the final disposition. The sheriff's Criminal History Unit offers additional services for accessing arrest reports.

Criminal History Arrest Reports can be obtained in person at the sheriff's office or by mail. You need to provide the full name and date of birth of the subject, along with your reason for the request. Mail requests should be directed to the Criminal History Unit at 425 Grove Street, St. Paul, MN 55101, or sent by email to CriminalHistory@co.ramsey.mn.us. The Adult Detention Center at the same address can be reached at 651-266-9350 for questions about current custody status.

Under Minnesota Statute 299C.10, the Ramsey County Sheriff fingerprints people arrested for felonies, gross misdemeanors, and certain misdemeanors. Those prints go to the BCA and become part of the statewide criminal history database. The sheriff's fingerprint submissions are a core part of how Ramsey County arrest data flows to the state level.

The screenshot above shows the Ramsey County Sheriff's Office website, which includes contact details for the Criminal History Unit and information about requesting arrest reports.

MPA Remote and Older Court Records

The Minnesota Public Access Remote (MPA Remote) system shows docket-level information for older court cases. It doesn't provide downloadable documents but gives you a quick way to check whether a case exists before requesting full records. For Ramsey County cases filed before MCRO's 2015 coverage start, MPA Remote is the best online option.

MPA Remote and MCRO complement each other. MCRO is better for recent filings and document access. MPA Remote handles older docket lookups. Using both tools together gives you the broadest possible view of Ramsey County court history. For very old records, paper files at the courthouse remain the only option.

DOC Offender Locator

The Minnesota Department of Corrections' Offender Locator is a free public tool for checking DOC supervision status. Search by name, date of birth, or offender ID. The tool shows current incarceration, supervised release, or DOC probation status. It does not display full criminal history.

Ramsey County residents in state DOC custody appear in this system. The data updates on a regular basis. It's one of the fastest checks available when you need to confirm current DOC status without calling the corrections department. People in county jail at the Adult Detention Center do not appear here; only state DOC cases are reflected.

Minnesota Data Practices Act

The Minnesota Data Practices Act at Statute Chapter 13 governs public access to government records across the state. The law presumes all government data is public unless a specific statute classifies it otherwise. You do not need to state a reason for requesting public records. No government agency can demand a justification before releasing data that is already legally public.

Under the Act, criminal conviction data is public for 15 years after discharge (Statute 13.87). Arrest data is public under Statute 13.82. Juvenile records are not public. Records sealed through expungement under Statute 609A are removed from general public access. Non-compliant predatory offenders are publicly listed under Statute 243.166. These rules apply in Ramsey County just as they do throughout Minnesota. Ramsey County offices, including the sheriff's Criminal History Unit and the district court clerk, follow these data practices requirements.

If any Ramsey County office denies a records request that seems to be for public data, you can ask which statute authorizes the denial. If no valid statute is cited, the denial may be improper under the Data Practices Act, and you may file a complaint with the state Department of Administration.

Requesting Records by Mail

To get a certified BCA criminal history result by mail, send $15 and a notarized consent form to 1430 Maryland Avenue E, St. Paul, MN 55106. Allow about two weeks for processing. Questions go to 651-793-2400 before you mail your request.

For Ramsey County court records by mail, contact the District Court clerk at 651-266-8267. The clerk can tell you what to include in a written request and what fees apply. For arrest history reports from the sheriff, contact the Criminal History Unit at 651-266-9585 or email CriminalHistory@co.ramsey.mn.us. You'll need to provide the subject's full name, date of birth, and reason for the request. The unit can process requests both in person and by mail.

Additional State Resources

The DPS background check information page covers how Minnesota's statewide criminal records system works and how to submit requests. It's a helpful overview of what data the BCA maintains and who can access it.

The Minnesota Court Directory lists every county court with addresses, phone numbers, and hours. You can navigate directly to the Ramsey County listing from there. For searches that cross into neighboring counties, the directory gives you contact info for those courts as well.

Communities in Ramsey County

St. Paul is the county seat and largest city in Ramsey County. It has a dedicated background check page with information specific to records searches in the city. St. Paul background check records covers courthouse access, local resources, and how residents can search criminal and court records in the city.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Ramsey County and have their own district court and background check pages.

• Anoka County
• Washington County
• Dakota County
• Hennepin County