Iowa Background Check Resources
Background checks are governed by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). Most state laws concerning public records and background checks are very liberal and straightforward. In the State of Iowa, public records are readily available to anyone wishing to obtain them through appropriate official state agency channels. Background checks are instrumental in the parties' ability to enter into various legally binding contracts, and as such, are always a good idea. Background checks generally require a written permission prior to performing the inquiry. Occasionally, it is possible to obtain such reports without permission, but the results may lack in-depth details.
If the background check adversely affects the consumer, the party accessing public records must provide a copy of the report and a summary of the consumer's rights under FCRA, and allow the consumer reasonable time to contest the report. Due to the increasing threat of identity theft, some states (i. e. California) may now require the employer to provide a copy of the background check report to the consumer regardless of its content.
Call the telephone numbers listed below (or visit the listed websites) to learn how to access the specific background check information you're seeking. Public information may be accessible online or by phone, mail or in person.
It's always best to call before sending written inquiries in order to obtain exact addressing/ordering information.
IOWA STATE INFORMATION HOT LINE:
(515)281-5011
IOWA STATE WEB SITE:
www.iowa.gov
Attorney General's Office
Legislative Records
State Archives
Criminal Records
Division of Criminal Investigations
Bureau of Identification
Wallace State Office Building
Des Moines IA 50319
(515) 281-4776
(515) 242-6876 (fax)
www.state.ia.us/government/dps/dci/crimhist.htm
Iowa Criminal History Records Access Info
Driving Records
Department of Transportation
Driver Service Records Section
PO Box 9204
Des Moines IA 50306-9204
(515) 244-9124
(515) 237-3152 (fax)
www.state.ia.us/mvd/ods
Vehicle Ownership Information
Department of Transportation
Office of Vehicle Services
PO Box 9278
Des Moines IA 50306
(515) 244-9124
(515) 237-3152 (fax)
www.state.ia.us/mvd/ods
Vital Statistics
(birth, death, marriage) [divorce records available only at country level]
Department of Public Health
Vital Records
321 E. 12th St.
Des Moines IA 50319-0075
(515) 281-4944
(fax number not provided)
www.idph.state.ia.us
Business/Corporate Records
Secretary of State
Corporation Division
1st Floor
Lucas Bldg.
Des Moines IA 50319
(515) 281-5204
(515) 242-5953
www.sos.state.ia.us
Workers Compensation Information
Iowa Workforce Development
Division of Industrial Services
1000 E. Grand Ave.
Des Moines IA 50319
(515) 281-5387
(515) 281-6501 (fax)
www.state.ia.us/iwd/wc
UCCs and Federal Tax Liens
(state tax liens available only at county level)
Secretary of State
UCC Division
Hoover Building, 14th and Walnut
Des Moines IA 50319
(515) 281-5204
(515) 242-5953 (fax)
www.sos.state.ia.us
Call the telephone numbers listed below (or visit the listed websites) to learn how to access the specific background check information you're seeking. Public information may be accessible online or by phone, mail or in person.
It's always best to call before sending written inquiries in order to obtain exact addressing/ordering information.
Note: Government agencies are continually updating and expanding online access to their records; consequently, this page is continually updated and expanded. Check back for the latest information!
City-County Cross Index
All County Courts (Civil, Criminal, Probate, Traffic)
Adair County
County Courthouse
P.O. Box L
Greenfield, IA 50849-1290
(641) 743-2445
Adams County
P.O. Box 484
Corning, IA 50841
(641) 322-4711
Allamakee County
P.O. Box 248
Waukon, IA 52172-0248
(563) 568-6351
Appanoose County
Clerk of District Court
P.O. Box 400
Centerville, IA 52544
(641) 856-6101
Audubon County
318 Leroy
Audubon, IA 50025
(712) 563-4275
Benton County
P.O. Box 719
Vinton, IA 52349
(319) 472-2766
Black Hawk County
316 E. 5th St., 3rd Floor
Waterloo, IA 50703-4712
(319) 833-3331
ONLINE: Black Hawk County Property Records
www.co.black-hawk.ia.us/depts/bhentry.htm
Boone County
County Courthouse
201 S. State
Boone, IA 50036-4898
(515) 433-0561
Bremer County
P.O. Box 328
Waverly, IA 50677-3536
(319) 352-5661
Buchanan County
210 5th Ave. NE, P.O. Box 259
Independence, IA 50644-1929
(319) 334-2196
Buena Vista
215 E. 5th Street, P.O. Box 1186
Storm Lake, IA 50588-1186
(712) 749-2546
Butler County
P.O. Box 307
Allison, IA 50602-0307
(319) 267-2487
Calhoun County
416 4th Street, P.O. Box 273
Rockwell City, IA 50579
(712) 297-8122
Carroll County
P.O. Box 867
Carroll, IA 51401-0867
(712) 792-4327
Cass County
5 West 7th St.
Atlantic, IA 50022-1492
(712) 243-2105
Cedar County
P.O. Box 111
Tipton, IA 52772
(563) 886-2101
Cerro Gordo County
220 N. Washington
Mason City, IA 50401-3254
(641) 424-6431
Cherokee County
Drawer F, 520 W. Main
Cherokee, IA 51012
(712) 225-6744
Chickasaw County
P.O. Box 467
New Hampton, IA 50659-0467
(641) 394-2106
Clarke County Courthouse
100 S. Main St.
Osceola, IA 50213-1299
(641) 342-6096
Clay County
215 W. 4th St.
Spencer, IA 51301-3818
(712) 262-4335
Clayton County
P.O. Box 418
Elkader, IA 52043
(563) 245-2204
Clinton County
612 N. 2nd St., P.O. Box 2957
Clinton, IA 52733-2957
(563) 243-6213
Crawford County
1202 Broadway
Denison, IA 51442-0546
(712) 263-2242
Dallas County
801 Court St.
Adel, IA 50003-1485
(515) 993-5816
Davis County
100 Courthouse Square
Bloomfield, IA 52537-1600
(515) 664-2011
Decatur County
207 N. Main St.
Leon, IA 50144-1647
(641) 446-4331
Delaware County
301 E. Main, P.O. Box 527
Manchester, IA 52057-0527
(563) 927-4942
Des Moines County
P.O. Box 158
Burlington, IA 52601-0158
(319) 753-8262
Dickinson County
P.O. Drawer ON
Spirit Lake, IA 51360
(712) 336-1138
Dubuque County
720 Central Ave.
Dubuque, IA 52001
(563) 589-4418
Emmet County
609 1st Ave. N.
Estherville, IA 51334-2254
(712) 362-3325
ONLINE: Property
www.emmet.org/pmc
Fayette County
P.O. Box 458
West Union, IA 52175-0458
(563) 422-5694
Floyd County
101 S. Main St.
Charles City, IA 50616-2756
(641) 228-7777
Franklin County
P.O. Box 28.
Hampton, IA 50441
(641) 456-5626
Fremont County
P.O. Box 549
Sidney, IA 51652-0549
(712) 374-2232
Greene County
114 N. Chestnut
Jefferson, IA 50129-2114
(515) 386-2516
Grundy County
706 G Ave.
Grundy Center, IA 50638-1499
(319) 824-5229
Guthrie County
200 N. 5th St.
Guthrie Center, IA 50115-1300
(641) 747-3415
Hamilton County
P.O. Box 845
Webster City, IA 50595-0845
(515) 832-9600
Hancock County
P.O. Box 70
Garner, IA 50438
(641) 923-2532
Hardin County
P.O. Box 495
Eldora, IA 50627
(641) 858-2328
Harrison County
111 N. 2nd Ave.
Logan, IA 51546-1331
(712) 644-2665
Henry County
P.O. Box 176
Mount Pleasant, IA 52641
(319) 385-2632
Howard County
137 N. Elm St.
Cresco, IA 52136-1522
(563) 547-2661
Humboldt County
203 Main, P.O. Box 100
Dakota City, IA 50529
(515) 332-1806
Ida County
401 Moorehead St.
Ida Grove, IA 51445
(712) 364-2628
Iowa County
P.O. Box 266
Marengo, IA 52301-0266
(319) 642-3914
Jackson County
201 W. Platt St.
Maquoketa, IA 52060
(563) 652-4946
Jasper County
101 1st St. N., Rm. 104
Newton, IA 50208
(641) 792-3255
Jefferson County
P.O. Box 984
Fairfield, IA 52556-0984
(641) 472-3454
Johnson County
P.O. Box 2510
Iowa City, IA 52244
(319) 356-6060
Jones County
P.O. Box 19
Anamosa, IA 52205-0019
(319) 462-4341
Keokuk County
101 S. Main
Sigourney, IA 52591
(641) 622-2210
Kossuth County
114 W. State St.
Algona, IA 50511-2613
(515) 295-3240
Lee County
P.O. Box 1443
Fort Madison, IA 52627-1443
(319) 372-3523
Linn County
P.O. Box 1468
Cedar Rapids, IA 52406
(319) 398-3411
City of Cedar Rapids - Assessor, Property
www.cedar-rapids-assessor.org/pmc
Louisa County
P.O. Box 268
Wapello, IA 52653-0268
(319) 523-4541
Lucas County
916 Braden Ave.
Chariton, IA 50049-1258
(641) 774-4421
Lyon County
206 S. 2nd Ave.
Rock Rapids, IA 51246
(712) 472-2623
Madison County
P.O. Box 152
Winterset, IA 50273-0152
(515) 462-4451
Mahaska County
P.O. Box 1168
Oskaloosa, IA 52577
(641) 673-7786
Marion County
P.O. Box 497
Knoxville, IA 50138-0497
(641) 828-2207
Marshall County
17 E. Main St.
Marshalltown, IA 50158
(641) 754-1603
Mills County
418 Sharp St.
Glenwood, IA 51534
(712) 527-4880
Mitchell County
County Courthouse
508 State St.
Osage, IA 50461
(641) 732-3726
Monona County
P.O. Box 14
Onawa, IA 51040-0014
(712) 423-2491
Monroe County
County Courthouse
10 Benton Ave. E.
Albia, IA 52531
(641) 932-5212
Montgomery County
P.O. Box 469
Red Oak, IA 51566
(712) 623-4986
Muscatine County
P.O. Box 8010
Muscatine, IA 52761
(563) 263-6511
O'Brien County
County Courthouse, Box 430
Primghar, IA 51245
(712) 757-3255
Osceola County
County Courthouse
P.O. Box 156
Sibley, IA 51249
(712) 754-3595
Page County
P.O. Box 263
Clarinda, IA 51632
(712) 542-3214
Palo Alto County
P.O. Box 387
Emmetsburg, IA 50536-0387
(712) 852-3603
Plymouth County
Clerk of Court
215 4th Ave. S.E.
Le Mars, IA 51031-2190
(712) 546-4215
Pocahontas County
County Courthouse
99 Court Square
Pocahontas, IA 50574
(712) 335-4208
Polk County
500 Mulberry St.
Des Moines, IA 50309-4238
(515) 286-3772
Pottawattamie County
P.O. Box 476
Council Bluffs, IA 51502-0476
(712) 328-5604
Poweshiek County
P.O. Box 218
Montezuma, IA 50171-0218
(641) 623-5644
Ringgold County
County Courthouse
P.O. Box 523
Mount Ayr, IA 50854-1299
(641) 464-3234
Sac County
P.O. Box 368
Sac City, IA 50583-0368
(712) 662-7791
Scott County
416 W. 4th St.
Davenport, IA 52801-1187
Shelby County
P.O. Box 431
Harlan, IA 51537-0431
(712) 755-5543
Sioux County
P.O. Box 47
Orange City, IA 51041
(712) 737-2286
Story County
P.O. Box 408
Nevada, IA 50201
(515) 382-7410
Tama County
P.O. Box 306
Toledo, IA 52342-0306
(641) 484-3721
Taylor County
County Courthouse
405 Jefferson St.
Bedford, IA 50833-1388
(712) 523-2095
Union County
300 N. Pine St.
Creston, IA 50801-2430
(641) 782-7315
Van Buren County
P.O. Box 495
Keosauqua, IA 52565-0495
(319) 293-3108
Wapello County
101 West 4th St.
Ottumwa, IA 52501-2518
(641) 683-0060
Warren County
P.O. Box 379
Indianola, IA 50125-0379
(515) 961-1033
Washington County
P.O. Box 391
Washington, IA 52353-0391
(319) 653-7741
Wayne County
County Courthouse
P.O. Box 424
Corydon, IA 50060
(641) 872-2264
Webster County
701 Central Ave.
Fort Dodge, IA 50501-3813
(515) 576-7115
ONLINE: Property Data
www.webstercountyia.org
Winnebago County
P.O. Box 468
Forest City, IA 50436-0468
(641) 585-4520
Winneshiek County
201 W. Main St.
Decorah, IA 52101-1775
(563) 382-2469
Woodbury County
620 Douglas St., Room 101
Sioux City, IA 51101-1248
(712) 279-6624
Worth County
P.O. Box 243
Northwood, IA 50459
(641) 324-2840
Wright County
P.O. Box 306
Clarion, IA 50525-0306
(515) 532-3113