Shelby, IA Public Records
Shelby is an incorporated city in Shelby County, Iowa, with an estimated population of 730 (U.S. Census Bureau, July 2024 estimate) and 2.1 square miles of land.
🏢 Shelby City Hall
Shelby's own city government keeps its local records: council or board meeting minutes, local ordinances and resolutions, local permits and licenses, and its own budget and contracts. Requests for those records go to the city clerk under Iowa's Open Records Law (Iowa Code Chapter 22). Birth and death certificates, marriage records, deeds and court files are generally kept by county and state offices rather than by the city; see the offices below.
📇 Shelby Contact on File
| Government | City Of Shelby |
| Contact listed | Mayor |
| Mailing address | PO Box 186, Shelby, IA 51570 |
| Phone | Not stated |
| Official website | www.shelbyia.com |
| Source | U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments: Government Units listing ↗ |
This is the mailing address the government reported to the U.S. Census Bureau; it may be a post office box or the office of an elected official rather than a public counter, and the source does not list a phone number. The website was reported by the government and was answering when we last checked. Call or check the official website before you visit.
↑ Back to record types🏛️ County Courthouse & Records Office for Shelby
Shelby is in Shelby County (with parts in Pottawattamie County). In Iowa, deeds, mortgages and other land records are recorded by the County Recorder. Divorce cases in Iowa are heard by the District Court in each county. Wills and estates in Iowa are handled by the District Court in each county.
📍 Shelby County at a Glance
| County | Shelby County |
| County population (2024 est.) | 11,821 Source: www2.census.gov ↗ |
| Also partly in | Pottawattamie County |
⚖️ Shelby County Clerk of District Court
| Address | 612 Court Street, Harlan, IA 51537 |
| Directions | Get directions ↗ |
| Phone | (712) 217-6737 |
| Hours | Not stated |
| Records available | Iowa District Court case records for the county (civil, criminal, family, probate, small claims, juvenile, traffic) |
| Official website | Not stated |
| Sources | iowacourts.gov/…/shelby ↗ |
| Last verified | October 17, 2026 |
See the full Shelby County records page →
↑ Back to record types📋 Where to Get Records for Shelby
Where to get the most-requested public records for people and property in Shelby, IA:
📋 Shelby Records Guide
| Birth & death certificates | Iowa Department of Health and Human Services – Vital RecordsIn Iowa, certified birth and death certificates can also be ordered from the County Recorder. |
| Deeds & property records | In Iowa, deeds, mortgages and other land records are recorded by the County Recorder. |
| Court cases & divorce | Shelby County courthouse. Divorce cases in Iowa are heard by the District Court in each county. |
| Wills & estates | Wills and estates in Iowa are handled by the District Court in each county. |
| State court system | Iowa Judicial Branch |
| Sex offender registry | Iowa Sex Offender Registry (Iowa Department of Public Safety) |