Scott County Public Records

What Are Public Records in Scott County?

Public records in Scott County, Minnesota, are government-held documents and data that members of the public are entitled to access under state law. Pursuant to the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act, Minn. Stat. § 13.01 et seq., all government data collected, created, received, maintained, or disseminated by a government entity is presumed public unless classified otherwise by statute, federal law, or temporary classification. Scott County, as a political subdivision of the State of Minnesota, is fully subject to this framework.

The following categories of records are currently maintained and available through various Scott County offices:

Court records — Civil, criminal, probate, and family court case files are maintained by the Minnesota Tenth Judicial District, which serves Scott County
Property records — Deeds, mortgages, liens, plats, and easements are recorded and housed by the Scott County Land Records Department; members of the public may search for land documents by parcel number, document number, or related document type
Vital records — Birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates are maintained by the Minnesota Department of Health and, for local filings, the Scott County Vital Records office
Business records — Licenses, permits, and assumed name (fictitious business name) filings are available through the county and the Minnesota Secretary of State
Tax records — Property tax statements and assessment records are maintained by the Scott County Assessor and Auditor-Treasurer
Voting and election records — Voter registration data and election results are administered by the Scott County Auditor-Treasurer/Elections Division
Meeting minutes and agendas — County Board of Commissioners meeting minutes, agendas, and supporting documents are published on the official Scott County website
Budget and financial documents — Annual budgets, audited financial statements, and expenditure reports are publicly available through the county's finance division
Law enforcement records — Arrest logs and incident reports are available to the extent permitted under Minn. Stat. § 13.82, which governs law enforcement data
Land use and zoning records — Zoning maps, conditional use permits, and variance applications are maintained by the Scott County Community Development Department

Is Scott County an Open Records County?

Scott County fully complies with Minnesota's open records framework, which establishes a strong presumption in favor of public access to government data. Under the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act, Minn. Stat. § 13.03, all government data is public unless a specific statute, federal law, or temporary classification renders it private, confidential, or protected nonpublic. This statute requires government entities to respond to data requests promptly and in the most accessible format reasonably available.

Key provisions of the Act relevant to Scott County residents include:

Government entities must respond to requests for public data within a reasonable time, and in no case may they deny access without citing a specific statutory authority for the classification
Individuals have the right to inspect public data free of charge; fees may only be charged for copies or for the actual cost of retrieving data stored in a manner that requires programming or special retrieval
The Act applies to all county departments, boards, and agencies, including law enforcement, health, and social services divisions

Scott County's data practices policies are administered through the county's Data Practices Compliance Official. Members of the public seeking to understand the county's specific data classifications or submit a formal request may access the county's data request portal for guidance and submission forms. Minnesota's open records law is further reinforced by the state's Open Meeting Law, Minn. Stat. § 13D.01, which requires most government body meetings to be open to the public.

How to Find Public Records in Scott County in 2026

Members of the public may access Scott County public records through several channels, depending on the record type sought. The following steps outline the standard process currently in effect:

Identify the record type and the responsible office. Property records are held by the Land Records Department; court records are held by the District Court Administrator; vital records are held by the Minnesota Department of Health or the county vital records office; law enforcement records are held by the Scott County Sheriff's Office.
Search online portals first. Scott County provides online access to many record categories. Members of the public may use the county's document search tool to locate recorded land instruments, or access Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO) for civil and criminal case information.
Submit a written data request if records are not available online. Requests may be submitted through the county's official data request portal, by mail, or in person at the relevant department's public counter.
Provide sufficient identifying information. Requestors should include the name of the subject, relevant dates, parcel numbers, case numbers, or other identifying details to facilitate efficient retrieval.
Await the agency's response. Under current law, the county must acknowledge the request promptly and provide access or a written denial with statutory justification within a reasonable timeframe.
Appeal if access is denied. Requestors who believe a denial is improper may file a complaint with the Minnesota Department of Administration's Information Policy Analysis Division (IPAD).

How Much Does It Cost to Get Public Records in Scott County?

Scott County applies a fee structure consistent with the cost limitations established under Minn. Stat. § 13.03, subd. 3, which governs the charges government entities may impose for public data. Current fees vary by record type and the office responsible for maintaining the data.

Standard fees currently applicable include:

Paper copies: Typically $0.25 per page for standard black-and-white copies, consistent with state guidelines
Certified copies of recorded documents: The Scott County Land Records Department charges a per-document fee for certified copies of deeds, mortgages, and other recorded instruments; current recording and copy fees are posted on the department's official fee schedule
Certified vital records copies: Fees for certified birth, death, and marriage certificates are set by the Minnesota Department of Health and are subject to change; currently, certified copies are $13.00 per copy through the state office
Electronic data: Fees for electronic data compilations reflect the actual cost of retrieval, including any necessary programming time, as permitted under state statute
Court records: Fees for copies of court documents are set by the Minnesota Judicial Branch and vary by document type

Accepted payment methods vary by office but generally include cash, check, and credit or debit card at in-person counters. Fee waivers are not broadly available under Minnesota law, though government entities and certain nonprofit organizations may qualify for reduced fees in specific circumstances. Inspection of public data — viewing records without obtaining copies — is available at no charge under current law.

Does Scott County Have Free Public Records?

Members of the public are entitled under Minnesota law to inspect public government data at no cost. Free access to Scott County records is currently available through the following government-operated resources:

In-person inspection: Any member of the public may visit the relevant county office during public counter hours to inspect public data without charge
Scott County online document search: The county's land records document search tool allows free online access to recorded property instruments by parcel number or document number
Minnesota Court Records Online: The MCRO case search portal provides free online access to basic court case information for cases filed in Minnesota district courts, including Scott County
Scott County Land Records portal: The Scott County Land Records page provides free access to information about recorded real estate documents and related property data
County website: Meeting minutes, agendas, budgets, and other administrative documents are published at no cost on the official Scott County website

Who Can Request Public Records in Scott County?

Under the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act, any person — regardless of residency, citizenship, or stated purpose — may request access to public government data maintained by Scott County. The Act does not restrict access to Minnesota residents, and non-residents retain the same rights as county or state residents with respect to public data.

Specific eligibility provisions currently in effect include:

No residency requirement: Requestors are not required to be residents of Scott County or the State of Minnesota
No identification requirement for public data: Members of the public are generally not required to provide identification to inspect or obtain public data, though identification may be required when requesting private data about oneself
No purpose requirement: Requestors are not required to state a reason or purpose for seeking public data; government entities may not condition access on the disclosure of the requestor's intended use
Requesting your own records: Individuals seeking private data about themselves must verify their identity; upon doing so, they are entitled to access their own private data under Minn. Stat. § 13.04
Restrictions for specific record types: Certain categories of data — including juvenile records, active investigative data, and health records — are restricted regardless of who is requesting them, and access is governed by specific statutory provisions

What Records Are Confidential in Scott County?

Not all government data maintained by Scott County is available to the public. The Minnesota Government Data Practices Act establishes several classifications of non-public data, and additional federal laws impose independent confidentiality requirements on certain record types. The following categories are currently exempt from public disclosure:

Sealed court records: Records sealed by judicial order are not accessible to the general public
Juvenile records: Data relating to juvenile delinquency proceedings is classified as private or confidential under Minnesota law
Active law enforcement investigative data: Data compiled during active criminal investigations is classified as protected nonpublic or confidential under Minn. Stat. § 13.82 until the investigation is inactive
Personal identifying information: Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, and similar identifiers are protected from disclosure
Medical and health records: Health data is classified as private under Minn. Stat. § 13.3805 and is further protected by federal HIPAA regulations
Adoption records: Adoption files are sealed by statute and accessible only under specific court-ordered circumstances
Child welfare and protective services records: Data relating to child abuse and neglect reports and child protection proceedings is classified as private or confidential
Personnel records: Employee personnel data is generally private, with limited exceptions for certain categories of public employees
Trade secrets and proprietary business information: Data submitted to the county that constitutes a trade secret may be protected from disclosure upon proper designation
Security and infrastructure plans: Data relating to security systems, emergency response plans, and critical infrastructure is classified as nonpublic to protect public safety

Minnesota law does not apply a formal balancing test for most exemptions; rather, the classification of data as private, confidential, or protected nonpublic is determined by specific statutory provisions. Government entities that deny a data request must cite the specific statute authorizing the classification.

Scott County Recorder's Office: Contact Information and Hours

The Scott County Land Records Department serves as the county's primary recording office for real property documents and related instruments. Members of the public may visit the office in person, submit requests by mail, or access records online through the county's official portals.

Scott County Land Records Department 200 Fourth Avenue West, Shakopee, MN 55379 (952) 496-8150 Public Counter Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Scott County Land Records

Scott County Government Center (General County Services) 200 Fourth Avenue West, Shakopee, MN 55379 (952) 445-7750 Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Scott County, MN

Scott County District Court (Tenth Judicial District) 200 Fourth Avenue West, Shakopee, MN 55379 (952) 496-8200 Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Minnesota Judicial Branch – Scott County

Scott County Sheriff's Office 301 Fuller Street South, Shakopee, MN 55379 (952) 445-1411 Scott County Sheriff's Office