Start here: what can you actually search for free?
There is no single official U.S. website that gives the public every person’s complete nationwide criminal record for free. Criminal information is divided among state courts, county and municipal courts, state criminal-history repositories, police and sheriff departments, correctional agencies and federal courts.
The fastest approach is to identify the type of record first, then use the government agency that actually maintains it.
What a free criminal records search really means
“Free criminal records search” can describe several very different things. Some government websites let anyone search basic case or custody information without charge. Other agencies permit free inspection but charge for copies. Some official criminal-history reports require payment even when related court information can be searched online for free.
| Record source | Often free? | What you may find | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| State court website | Depends on state | Case number, charges, events, disposition, hearing information | Documents or certified copies may cost money |
| County / municipal court | Depends | Local criminal, ordinance, misdemeanor or traffic-related cases | Coverage varies widely |
| County jail / sheriff roster | Often free | Current custody, booking date, charges, bond or release information | Usually covers one county only |
| State DOC offender locator | Usually free | State prison or supervision information | Does not normally include every county jail detainee |
| BOP Inmate Locator | Free | Federal inmate records from 1982 to present | Does not cover ordinary state or county custody |
| NSOPW | Free | Public sex-offender registry data from participating jurisdictions nationwide | It is not a general criminal-record search |
| PACER online | Fee rules apply | Federal district, appellate and bankruptcy cases | Online searches/documents can create PACER charges |
| FBI Identity History Summary | Not free | Your fingerprint-based FBI Identity History Summary | Current FBI fee is $18 |
Know which criminal record you are actually looking for
Criminal court case
A court file can contain charges, docket activity, hearings, pleas, judgments, sentences and final dispositions.
Arrest record
Information created when a law-enforcement agency takes a person into custody. An arrest does not establish guilt.
Booking record
Usually reflects current or recent custody and may include booking date, listed charges, bond and release information.
Criminal-history record
Information assembled by a state criminal-history or identification bureau. Public access rules differ by state.
Prison / offender record
Information about people in a state or federal correctional system, and sometimes people on supervision.
Warrant information
Availability varies. Some courts and sheriffs publish warrant information; others restrict active or unexecuted warrants.
How to search criminal records for free: practical workflow
Identify the state and county
State and county location matter because most U.S. criminal cases are filed in state or local courts rather than one national court database.
Start with the official court system
Use the state judiciary’s official case-search system when available. Search by full name, case number, citation number or other supported identifiers.
Check the county if the state portal is incomplete
Some county, municipal or lower courts maintain separate search tools. USAGov notes that local courts may handle petty offenses, traffic matters and local-law violations.
Check the state criminal-history repository
A state identification bureau, state police agency, department of public safety or similar repository may maintain criminal-history information separate from court records.
Check jail or corrections systems when custody matters
Search the county sheriff or jail for recent local custody and the state department of corrections for state prison or supervision records.
Use federal systems only for federal records
PACER is for federal court cases. The Bureau of Prisons locator is for federal inmates. Neither system replaces a state criminal-record search.
Verify the identity and final disposition
Match more than a name whenever lawful identifiers are available and read the case outcome before drawing conclusions about a person.
Free state and local criminal court record searches
State criminal-court access is decentralized. Some states operate a statewide judicial case-search portal. Others divide online access by county, judicial district or court. Some provide basic case information for free but charge for images, copies or certified records.
Start with the official USAGov federal, state, territory, county and municipal courts directory. It helps users identify the court system serving a particular state or location.
What you may be able to search
- criminal case number
- defendant name
- filing date
- charge information
- court events
- hearing dates
- judgment or disposition
- sentencing information
- public docket entries
- publicly available documents
If the online court search shows nothing
A missing result does not necessarily mean there is no record. Possibilities include:
- the case is filed in another county;
- the person’s name is stored differently;
- the case is too old for the online database;
- the court requires a case number for certain searches;
- the matter is pending and name-search access is restricted;
- the file is sealed, confidential or expunged;
- the matter is federal rather than state;
- the record remains available only through the clerk or courthouse.
State criminal-history repositories
Court files and state criminal-history repositories are not interchangeable. State repositories may be operated by the state police, department of public safety, bureau of investigation, attorney general or another centralized identification agency.
The FBI maintains an official State Identification Bureau directory covering every state and the District of Columbia, with agency names and contact information.
Public-access rules differ considerably. Depending on the jurisdiction, a state may offer:
- free online public searches
- fee-based name searches
- fingerprint-based record reviews
- personal record-review requests
- certified background checks
- restricted access available only for authorized purposes
Free arrest records and county jail searches
Recent arrest and booking information usually originates with a local police department, sheriff’s office, detention center or county jail rather than with the FBI.
If you know where the arrest occurred, use this order:
Arresting agency
Check the police or sheriff agency that made the arrest.
County jail
Look for an official inmate, jail roster or booking search.
Criminal court
Check whether formal charges were filed after the arrest.
Records request
Use the agency’s public-records process if the information is not published online.
Public information can vary by state. An online jail roster may show current detainees only, recent releases, or a limited booking window. An arrest entry also does not prove that prosecutors filed charges or that the person was convicted.
Can you search warrants for free?
Sometimes. Warrant publication rules are highly local. Some county sheriff departments or courts publish searchable warrant lists, while other jurisdictions restrict active or unexecuted warrants.
There is no official public nationwide database containing every active state, county and municipal arrest warrant.
Federal criminal case files also have access restrictions. U.S. Courts policy specifically excludes certain unexecuted warrants from the public federal case file.
Federal criminal records: PACER and free courthouse access
Federal criminal cases are separate from state court cases. The official federal electronic system is Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER).
PACER covers federal district courts, courts of appeals and bankruptcy courts. If you do not know the federal court, the PACER Case Locator can search a nationwide federal-case index.
| PACER access | Current rule |
|---|---|
| Account registration | Free |
| Online case information | $0.10 per billable page |
| Single case-specific document | Generally capped at $3.00 |
| Quarterly charges of $30 or less | Currently waived |
| Viewing records at courthouse public terminal | Free to view; printing fees can apply |
| Federal court opinions | Can be accessed without PACER document charges through available free opinion resources |
U.S. Courts states that case files retained at a federal courthouse can be viewed on a public-access terminal without an electronic-access charge, although printing currently costs 10 cents per page.
PACER does not provide state or county court records.
What PACER may not show
Public PACER access does not include everything. Examples include sealed documents, sealed indictments and certain restricted criminal documents. Some personal identifiers are also redacted from public federal filings.
Open official PACER case searchFree federal inmate search
The Federal Bureau of Prisons Inmate Locator is free and can locate federal inmates whose records are available from 1982 to the present.
You can search by:
- first, middle and last name
- BOP register number
- FBI number
- DCDC number
- INS number where applicable
- age, race or sex filters
BOP also warns that displayed release dates can change because sentences may be recalculated.
Free nationwide public sex-offender registry search
The Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Website (NSOPW) is operated as a U.S. Department of Justice public resource.
It searches public sex-offender registry information supplied by all 50 states, the District of Columbia, U.S. territories and participating tribal jurisdictions. The service is free and does not require membership.
Registry information is maintained by the individual jurisdictions rather than centrally created by DOJ, so questions about a specific listing should be directed to the jurisdiction responsible for that record.
Can you get an FBI criminal record for free?
Not through the ordinary FBI Identity History Summary process.
The FBI offers individuals a fingerprint-based Identity History Summary Check, sometimes informally called an FBI “rap sheet.”
The current FBI fee is $18.
Fingerprint-based
The FBI requires fingerprints to establish positive identity for the request.
Personal review
The FBI process can be used to review your own Identity History Summary and challenge inaccuracies.
$18 FBI fee
Additional fingerprinting or approved-channeler charges may apply depending on the method used.
How to find older criminal records that are not online
Online case-search systems often do not contain every historical file. Older records may remain in courthouse archives, records centers, microfilm, paper files or government archival collections.
Older state or county case
- Identify the court where the case was filed.
- Search the court’s current online database.
- Contact the clerk if the case predates online coverage.
- Ask whether the file is onsite, archived or transferred to another repository.
- Request an uncertified or certified copy if needed.
Older federal case
The U.S. Courts states that most federal files created before widespread electronic filing may require contact with the original court or a Federal Records Center.
The National Archives federal court records program holds historical federal district, appellate and other judicial records.
NARA also provides a process for ordering copies of archived federal criminal case files.
Criminal records you may not be able to see
Public-record laws do not make every criminal-justice record available to every person. Depending on the jurisdiction and case, access may be limited for:
- sealed court files
- expunged records
- juvenile matters
- unexecuted warrants
- active-investigation material
- grand-jury records
- victim-sensitive information
- presentence reports
- protected personal identifiers
- certain diversion or deferred matters
Federal court policy, for example, excludes several categories of criminal-case material from ordinary public electronic access, including unexecuted warrants, juvenile records, presentence reports and sealed documents.
How to make sure you found the right person
A common name is not enough to identify somebody reliably.
When the government system lawfully displays them, compare identifiers such as:
- full legal name
- middle name or initial
- former or maiden name
- date of birth
- county or state
- case number
- court location
- offense date
What to do when a criminal record is wrong
Start with the agency that maintains the incorrect information. A court record, state criminal-history record and FBI Identity History Summary can have different correction procedures.
Contact the court clerk
Keep the case number and supporting court documents that show the correct disposition or information.
Contact the state repository
The FBI maintains an official State Identification Bureau directory to help locate the appropriate state agency.
Use the FBI challenge process
The FBI accepts challenges to Identity History Summary information believed to be inaccurate or incomplete.
The FBI says there is currently no fee for challenging an Identity History Summary. Supporting documentation such as court records or an expungement order can help identify the disputed entry.
Public records are not automatically an employment or tenant background check
Searching public court information for informational purposes is different from obtaining a consumer report from a background-screening company for employment, housing, credit or another regulated eligibility decision.
The Federal Trade Commission explains that employers using reports supplied by a company in the business of compiling background information must comply with Fair Credit Reporting Act requirements.
Those requirements can include notice, authorization and procedures before and after an adverse employment decision. State and local laws may add additional requirements or restrictions.
Practical tips for finding public criminal records
Start with jurisdiction
State and county are often more useful than beginning with a broad nationwide name search.
Use case numbers
A court case number is generally more precise than a common first and last name.
Try name variations
Search with and without a middle name, former surname or common alternate spelling when permitted.
Recent arrest? Search locally
A county jail or arresting police agency may have information before a court database does.
Look beyond the first result
Review the disposition and later docket entries rather than stopping at the original charge.
Separate state and federal
State judiciary portals do not normally contain federal prosecutions. Use PACER for federal cases.
Check neighboring counties
A person’s residence does not necessarily identify the county where a case was filed.
Know the online cutoff
Older files may require a clerk, courthouse terminal or archives request.
Use official domains first
Prefer courts, sheriffs, police, corrections agencies, DOJ, FBI and other government sources.
Official nationwide starting points
| Official resource | Use it for | Cost status |
|---|---|---|
| USAGov Courts | Finding federal, state, territory and local court systems | Free directory |
| FBI State Identification Bureau Listing | Finding the state agency responsible for criminal-history records | Free directory |
| PACER | Federal court cases and documents | Usage fees may apply |
| BOP Inmate Locator | Federal inmate location and custody information | Free |
| National Sex Offender Public Website | Participating public sex-offender registries nationwide | Free |
| FBI Identity History Summary | Fingerprint-based review of your FBI Identity History Summary | $18 FBI fee |
| National Archives Court Records | Historical federal court records and archived case files | Research/copy fees can vary |
Free criminal records search FAQs
1. Is there a completely free nationwide criminal records search?
No single official government website provides every person’s complete nationwide criminal history free of charge. Public information is divided among state courts, local courts, state criminal-history agencies, jails, correctional systems and federal agencies.
2. What is the best free place to start a criminal record search?
If you know the state and county, start with the official state judiciary or local court that handles criminal cases. For recent custody, check the official county jail or sheriff website.
3. Can I search federal criminal cases for free?
Federal courthouse public terminals can be used to view available federal case records without the ordinary PACER electronic-access charge. PACER online access can create charges, although fees are currently waived when a user’s quarterly charges are $30 or less.
4. Is PACER a free criminal records website?
PACER registration is free, but electronic searches and documents can generate fees. The current rate is generally $0.10 per billable page, with a $3 cap for many case-specific documents and quarterly-fee waivers for accounts with $30 or less in charges.
5. Can I get my FBI criminal record for free?
The ordinary FBI Identity History Summary Check is not free. The FBI currently charges $18, and separate fingerprinting or approved-channeler charges may also apply.
6. Are arrest records the same as criminal convictions?
No. An arrest means a person was taken into custody. Charges may never be filed, and filed charges may later be dismissed or result in acquittal or another non-conviction disposition.
7. Where can I search jail records for free?
Many county sheriff and jail websites provide free current-inmate or booking searches. Coverage is local, so identify the county where the person was arrested or detained.
8. How do I find a federal inmate for free?
Use the Federal Bureau of Prisons Inmate Locator. It provides searchable federal inmate information for records available from 1982 to the present.
9. Why can’t I find an old criminal case online?
The case may predate the court’s online database, exist only in archived or paper files, be stored under another name, have been transferred to an archives facility, or be sealed, expunged or otherwise restricted from public access.
10. Can free public criminal records be used for employment background checks?
Public records can be researched for informational purposes, but employment screening can involve federal, state and local legal requirements. When an employer obtains a consumer report from a background-reporting company, Fair Credit Reporting Act requirements apply.
Primary government sources
Criminal-record rules, fees and portal coverage can change. Verify important information directly with the government agency that maintains the original record.
- USAGov — Federal, State, Territory, County and Municipal Courts
- U.S. Courts — Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER)
- U.S. Courts — Find a Case
- FBI — Identity History Summary Checks
- FBI — State Identification Bureau Listing
- Federal Bureau of Prisons — Inmate Locator
- U.S. Department of Justice — National Sex Offender Public Website
- National Archives — Federal Court Records
- Federal Trade Commission — Background Checks and the FCRA