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Last reviewed: June 04, 2026 · Methodology: all Union County record-source URLs verified against the official local and South Dakota state publishers on the review date. 6 primary .gov / official sources cited below.

Union County — Key Numbers (2026)

Population, demographics, and county-seat data for Union County, South Dakota — verified against U.S. Census 2024 estimates.
17,402
Population
Census estimate
6,967
Households
Census estimate
$82,036
Median income
Annual household
$254,900
Median home value
Census ACS
Elk Point
County seat
In South Dakota
Union County Records Availability Map
Criminal records
2 sources
Court records
2 sources
Wants & warrants
2 sources
Property records
2 sources
Vital records
see state portal
Voter records
2 sources
Professional licenses
see state portal
Recorded documents
2 sources
Count of verified official sources per record type. Multiple sources   One source   Use state portal

Union County Records at a Glance

Record typeUnion County verified sources
Court recordsHome | South Dakota Unified Judicial System
Union County, South Dakota | Auditor
Criminal recordsUnion County, South Dakota | Sheriff's Office
Union County Warrants
Wants & warrantsSouth Dakota Unified Judicial System - SD.gov
Public Access to Court Records | South Dakota Unified Judici…
Property recordsUnion County, South Dakota | Director of Equalization
O - Union County, South Dakota
Vital recordsNo verified source — see Union County state portal below
Voter recordsElections & Voting: South Dakota Secretary of State
Register to Vote Update Voter Registration Cancel ...
Professional licensesNo verified source — see Union County state portal below
Recorded documentsRecordsRequest - Union County, South Dakota
Register of Deeds | Union County
Union County — Verified Record Sources by Type (2026)
Court records2Criminal records2Wants & warrants2Property records2Vital records0Voter records2Licenses0Recorded docs2
Count of officially verified .gov / .us record sources cataloged for Union County. Data verified June 04, 2026.

What Changed in 2026 — Union County Records

2026
Union County court records portal verified
State court system links for Union County verified against the South Dakota judiciary portal in 2026.
2026
Union County criminal records access
State criminal records repository for Union County (statewide system, not county-specific) confirmed active in 2026.
2026
Union County property records online
Union County property assessment and recorder office online portal active in 2026.
2026
FBI Identity History Summary (federal complement)
For records that may exist outside South Dakota, the FBI Identity History Summary at fbi.gov complements all county-level state records.

The 4-Step Union County Records Pathway

1
Step 1 — Start at the Union County clerk/courthouse
For most local records (court cases, property deeds, marriage licenses), the Union County clerk's office is the first stop.
2
Step 2 — Use the South Dakota statewide systems
Criminal background, court case search, voter registration, and professional licensing are all run at the South Dakota state level — not by the county.
3
Step 3 — Federal sources for federal records
Federal court cases (PACER), federal tax liens (IRS), military records (NPRC), and immigration data (ICE) are all federal — not held by the county.
4
Step 4 — Cross-check before relying on data
Most county portals lag 24-48 hours behind the courthouse. For time-sensitive verification, call the clerk directly.

Five Things People Get Wrong About Union County Records

❌ Myth: "Union County maintains all criminal records."
✓ Truth: False. Criminal records for Union County are held by the South Dakota state repository, NOT the county. The county sheriff has only the local arrest log.
❌ Myth: "Records sealed in Union County are gone everywhere."
✓ Truth: False. Sealing removes records from public search but they still exist at the courthouse and may appear in FBI records (Identity History Summary).
❌ Myth: "Free 'instant background' sites have Union County data."
✓ Truth: False. Only the official South Dakota state repository has verified, current Union County data. Free sites often have stale data.
❌ Myth: "The Union County assessor's value is what I'll sell my home for."
✓ Truth: False. The Union County assessor's value is for property tax purposes only — usually below market value.
❌ Myth: "All county records older than 50 years are public."
✓ Truth: Partially false. Public-records rules vary by record type AND state. Court records and deeds are usually older-public; vital records remain restricted longer (often 75-125 years).

Primary Sources (All Verified)

Related — Union County & South Dakota Records

For records not specific to Union County, use South Dakota's statewide system or the national hub.
📍 South Dakota statewide record systems:
🇺🇸 National hubs:
Related Public Records
Other counties in South Dakota: Pennington · Sully · Yankton

About Union County, South Dakota

Union County is located in South Dakota. The county seat is Elk Point.

  • Population: 17,402
  • Households: 6,967
  • Median household income: $82,036
  • Median home value: $254,900
  • Below poverty line: 8.2%
  • Land area: 460.8 sq mi
  • Population density: 37.8 people / sq mi
  • Public libraries indexed: 4
  • NCES schools indexed: 13
Page 1 of 63 Union County Sheriff's Office active Warrant List 5
Official Free
Union County Sheriff's Office · active Warrant List 5 · Printed on February 2, 2024 · Last, First Name · Age · Charge · Aamenson, Mark · 60 · BW:FTA NO VALID DL · Aasen, Sonya · 47 · BW:FTA Speeding · Abbe, Thomas · 62 · Unauthorized Ingestion of CS, Use or ·
CT
Home | South Dakota Unified Judicial System
Official Free
Trying to find information city, county or circuit. Our goal at the South Dakota Unified Judicial System is to help you navigate the courts and legal system in South Dakota
CT
Union County, South Dakota | Auditor
Official Free
Official website of Union County, South Dakota. Find Commission Minutes, County Ordinances, and contact information.
CT
PACER Information | District of South Dakota | United States District Court
Criminal & Court Records
.gov

Federal court electronic records (Public Access to Court Electronic Records).

pacer.gov
CR
Union County, South Dakota | Sheriff's Office
Official Free
Union County has 10 full-time and 4 part-time jailers .
CR
Union County Warrants
Official Free
Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) is an electronic public access service that allows users to obtain case and docket information from federal appellate, district and bankruptcy courts, and the PACER Case Locator via the Internet . PACER is provided by the federal Judiciary in ...
CR
Computerized Criminal History (CCH)
Official Free
These criminal history records are 100% fingerprint-based and are available 24 hours daily to criminal justice entities via telecommunication . Since 1994, the DCI system has interfaced with the Unified Judicial System (courts) to receive sentencing information electronically which vastly improves ...
WW
South Dakota Unified Judicial System - SD.gov
Official Free
Public Access Record Search South Dakota Unified Judicial System · ANYONE ACCESSING PUBLIC INFORMATION FROM THIS INTERNET PORTAL SHOULD REVIEW THE FOLLOWING DISCLAIMER:
WW
Public Access to Court Records | South Dakota Unified Judicial System | SD UJS
Official Free
Easily find statewide criminal and civil court case information through UJS Public Access Record System. Submit your request today!
WW
Sioux Falls Police Department Officer Involved Shooting Summary
Official Free
Following a vehicle pursuit with On April 1st, 2025, the Minnehaha County Warrant / Fugitive Task Force was attempting to locate Samir · Yasser Albaidhani . Albaidhani was a wanted parole absconder and had several active warrants for his
VT
Elections & Voting: South Dakota Secretary of State
Official Free
Select a box and SCROLL DOWN · Request Public Records | Privacy Policy | Information Accuracy | State Homepage | Accessibility Policy
VT
Register to Vote Update Voter Registration Cancel ...
Official Free
Select a box and SCROLL DOWN · How to register: Print the Voter Registration Form, fill-out the form, sign it and then submit it to your County Auditor . Your Voter Registration form with an original signature must be received by the auditor ...
VR
South Dakota Secretary of State, Monae L. Johnson
Official Free
If a person completes a registration the county auditor must register that person's party affiliation as no party affiliation. **OTHER – This category is for voters who write any other political party on their voter registration form that is not currently a recognized political party in South Dakota
RD
RecordsRequest - Union County, South Dakota
Official Free
Union County, South Dakota · You must be logged in to post a comment
RD
Register of Deeds | Union County
Official Free
Deeds, mortgages, and other documents regarding land in Union county are filed at the office. DBA's (fictitious business names) and liens are filed at the office. Marriage licenses and vital records occurring in South Dakota can be purchased.
RD
Recordings - Union County Clerk
Official Free
Registration is simple and secure, requiring only your name and email. Once registered, DOCALERT will send you an alert whenever a mortgage or deed bearing your name is recorded, so you can stay informed and act swiftly in the case of any unauthorized filings.
BZ
Union County
Official Free
Field notes are the narrative record of the cadastral survey . They are written in tabular format and contain the detailed descriptions of entire survey process including the instrumentation and procedures utilized, calling all physical evidence evaluated in the survey process, and listing all ...
BZ
Union County, South Dakota | County Ordinances
Official Free
UCC #2021-006 An Ordinance to amend the 2008 revised zoning regulations for Union County, South Dakota, to rezone certain property from Agricultural (AG) to Commercial (C).
BZ
Union County, South Dakota | Treasurer
Official Free
You may acquire the permit at the Union County Treasurer’s office, or you may purchase it online directly from the state. The county does not issue them by mail. To apply online, click the link below. You will need to e-sign the application and upload the required documents. Please allow 2 weeks for processing online. [South Dakota Department of Revenue] Non-Resident Off-Road Vehicle Permit App Form 1030 (seamlessdocs.com)
BZ
South Dakota Secretary of State Monae L. Johnson - Business
Business, Voter & Other
.gov

SD SOS business search.

sosenterprise.sd.gov
PR
Union County, South Dakota | Director of Equalization
Official Free
You can search our property data by Address, Parcel ID, or Section/Township/Range.
PR
O - Union County, South Dakota
Official Free
Extension Office & Union County Fair · Highway Department · Planning & Zoning · Courthouse Buildings & Ground · Register of Deeds · Sheriff · Treasurer · Veteran Services · Weed & Pest · Commission · County Commissioners · Commission Minutes · Commission Agendas ·
VR
Union County, South Dakota | Register of Deeds
Official Free
Union County births records before 1905 were destroyed in a fire, but some information has been recovered. Births records are available statewide from 1905 to present . Deaths records are statewide from 1960 to present. Marriages are statewide from 1950 to present.
LC
South Dakota Real Estate License Verification
Official Free
Search the online verification system using one of the options below to see a roster of currently licensed real estate brokers, broker associates, salespersons, auctioneers, property managers, residential rental agents, home inspectors and timeshare agents in South Dakota.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I look up court cases in Union County?
Union County court cases are searchable through the Home | South Dakota Unified Judicial System portal: https://ujs.sd.gov/. South Dakota also operates a state-level case lookup through the SD UJS system. For federal matters, see PACER.
What's the difference between sealing and expunging a record in South Dakota?
In South Dakota, a sealed record is hidden from public view but still exists and remains visible to law enforcement, licensing boards, and some employers. An expunged record is treated by South Dakota law as if it never happened — though FBI and federal records may persist regardless of state action. The relief process runs through the sentencing court.
Can I find out if someone is divorced in South Dakota?
Yes. Search the court case index for the person's name in the county where they lived. Most South Dakota counties offer free online case-search portals. The state vital records office also issues divorce verifications for a fee.
How do I find someone in ICE custody?
Use the ICE Online Detainee Locator System (locator.ice.gov). You can search by A-number (alien registration number) or by biographical information (name, country of birth, date of birth). The system covers adult detainees currently in ICE custody.