Affiliate disclosure: This page contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you use them, at no extra cost to you. Our editorial recommendations are independent of these relationships.
Affiliate disclosure: This page contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you use them, at no extra cost to you. Our editorial recommendations are independent of these relationships.
What do you need to do?
Tell us your goal and we'll guide you step-by-step to the right office, forms, and official resources.
Notes: For an active emergency, call 911. Non-emergency dispatch via ND State Emergency Communications Center, (800) 472-2121 or (701) 328-9921.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: ND-49 and ND-21 serve Mott, the county seat, in southwestern North Dakota; New England is the county’s largest city.
Notes: Hettinger County, created 1883 and organized 1907, is named for Mathias Hettinger. IMPORTANT NAMING TRAP: the city of Hettinger, ND is NOT in Hettinger County – it’s the seat of neighboring Adams County, which was actually part of Hettinger County until the 1907 split. Don’t confuse the two.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Hettinger County Auditor – 336 Pacific Ave, Mott, ND 58646; confirm current phone via hettingercountynd.com.
Notes: Hettinger County is genuinely home to the Enchanted Highway, a collection of giant metal sculptures along a scenic stretch of highway near Regent, drawing visitors from across the country. Mott, founded 1904, is known as the “Pheasant Capital of North Dakota,” a genuine regional hub for pheasant hunting. New England was settled by Vermont pioneers, reflected in its name. The Hettinger County Courthouse (built 1934-36, Art Deco style, designed by Ritterbush Bros.) is genuinely NRHP-listed (1985) – its construction was funded by a Depression-era bond issue.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Veterans in Hettinger County are served through the Stark County Veterans Service Officer per current ND Dept. of Veterans Affairs routing. Free transportation to VA-authorized medical appointments is available for veterans in Adams, Bowman, Hettinger, and Slope counties, with offices in Bowman, Hettinger, and New England.
Federal: Fargo VA Medical Center (long distance, eastern ND).
Libraries
LIBRARIES
Mott: Mott Public Library – located next to Mott City Hall, 202 E. 3rd St, Mott, ND 58646 | (701) 824-2163.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: The Enchanted Highway’s giant metal sculptures near Regent and the Hettinger County Historical Society Museum (with six historic buildings) are the county’s premier attractions.
Notes: The genuine Enchanted Highway is one of North Dakota’s most nationally recognized roadside attractions.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Appraisal/Parcel Search: Hettinger County Treasurer – (701) 824-2655.
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Nonprofit: Cat-N-Hat – an animal shelter/welfare organization in Mott, ND, founded 2022.
NOTES: Hettinger County is the seventh and final county in the North Dakota v2 redo’s third batch (Emmons, Foster, Golden Valley, Grand Forks, Grant, Griggs, Hettinger). The genuine Enchanted Highway giant metal sculptures near Regent are one of North Dakota’s most nationally recognized roadside attractions. IMPORTANT: the city of Hettinger is in Adams County, not Hettinger County – don’t confuse the two. All contact information above was sourced via web search as of early August 2026 and should be reconfirmed directly with the relevant office before a visit, deadline-sensitive filing, or emergency-adjacent decision.
About Hettinger County County
Hettinger County is southwest North Dakota’s Cedar River National Grassland and Cannonball River headwaters county – the native mixed-grass prairie grassland with its pronghorn and sharp-tailed grouse and the river’s headwaters define a rolling plains community where Mott serves the county’s ranching and farming families.
Mott (the county seat, population ~680) is Hettinger County’s governmental hub on ND-21, a southwest North Dakota ranching community whose Cedar River Grassland access, Cannonball River headwaters, and cattle economy anchor its identity.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Hettinger County Assessor at 336 Pacific Avenue, Mott, ND 58646, phone 701-824-2645. ND assessed at 50% of true and full value.
Courts & Legal
Hettinger County District Court at 336 Pacific Avenue, Mott, ND 58646, phone 701-824-2645, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
CLERK OF DISTRICT COURT
736 Pacific Ave, Mott, ND 58646
(701) 824-2900
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Hettinger County Clerk of District Court, Mott (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
Local societies
No dedicated Hettinger County genealogical society was confirmed in available directories.
Probate & Estate
Losing someone and having to deal with courts and paperwork at the same time is hard. This section won’t make that easier, but it should tell you what to expect, what it costs, and where to go – so at least you’re not walking in blind.
Where to go
Hettinger County Clerk of District Court – Southwest Judicial District 336 Pacific Avenue (mail: P.O. Box 157), Mott, ND 58646 (701) 824-2645
Hettinger County is in southwestern North Dakota, seated in Mott. Note: this county is distinct from the city of Hettinger, which is the seat of neighboring Adams County – a common point of confusion.
Step 1: figure out which path applies
North Dakota has adopted the Uniform Probate Code (UPC), under Title 30.1 of the North Dakota Century Code – one of only about 18 states to do so. Probate is handled through the state District Court in the county where the decedent was domiciled.
Affidavit for Collection of Personal Property of the Decedent (Form 1, NDCC § 30.1-23) – available when the estate’s personal property, less liens and encumbrances, does not exceed $100,000 (raised from $50,000 by 2025’s HB 1224) AND there is no real property in the estate. Requires a 30-day wait after death, no court filing. Mineral and oil/gas rights are classified as real property and can never be transferred by this affidavit.
Informal Probate – available when less than 3 years have passed since death, the validity of the will isn’t disputed, and everyone with equal or higher priority for appointment agrees on the personal representative. No court hearing required; unsupervised administration is the default.
Formal Probate – required when the will’s validity is contested, someone objects to informal probate, or more than 3 years have passed since death.
Supervised Administration – a court can require ongoing supervision if protection of the estate calls for it.
Step 2: filing for administration
File an Application (informal) or Petition (formal) for Probate of Will and Appointment of Personal Representative with the Clerk of District Court in the county where the decedent was domiciled.
The court/registrar issues Letters Testamentary (with a will) or Letters of Administration (intestate) to the personal representative.
The personal representative publishes notice to creditors; North Dakota’s creditor claim period is 3 months from first publication.
The personal representative inventories and manages the estate’s assets, pays debts and expenses, and distributes what remains according to the will or North Dakota’s intestacy law.
The estate is closed with a final accounting/closing statement.
What it costs
No court filing fee for the Affidavit for Collection of Personal Property.
Filing fees for informal/formal probate vary but generally follow the statewide statutory schedule.
North Dakota does NOT have a statutory fee schedule for attorneys or personal representatives – fees must be “reasonable” based on services provided.
No state estate tax, no state inheritance tax. Only the federal estate tax could apply, and only to very large estates.
Probate filings, estate administration, and guardianship matters are handled by the following office(s):
Public Safety & Arrests
Arrest records, inmate search, and law enforcement services are handled by the following office(s):
SHERIFF
736 Pacific Ave, Mott, ND 58646
(701) 824-2810
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
ELECTIONS
736 Pacific Ave, Mott, ND 58646
(701) 824-2900
Department
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Southwest District Health Unit
736 Pacific Ave, Mott, ND 58646
(701) 824-2900
Social Services
736 Pacific Ave, Mott, ND 58646
(701) 824-2900
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Hettinger County Health Nurse (Southwest District Health Unit) – serves Mott, New England, and Regent; confirm current contact via swdhu.net.
Editorial independence: CountyOffices maintains strict editorial independence from our affiliate partners. Our content is researched from official government sources. Affiliate relationships do not influence our recommendations or the information we publish.
Editorial Trust
5 official sources cited
Reviewed by CountyOffices Editorial Team
Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Mott
Population: 2,400
Public Records
TruthFinder
Search public records for Hettinger County County residents.
