Start your Georgia criminal records search with the right government system
Georgia criminal records are spread across several systems. Trial-court cases are usually searched through the county and court that handled the case, statewide criminal-history information is maintained by the Georgia Crime Information Center, recent arrest and incident records generally come from the arresting police or sheriff’s office, and state-prison records come from the Georgia Department of Corrections. This guide explains which official source to use, what each source contains, and what to try when a search does not return the record you expected.
Which Georgia agency has the record you are looking for?
A criminal case can generate records in several places. An arresting agency may have an incident and booking record, a prosecutor may maintain prosecution records, the clerk maintains the court case, GCIC receives arrest and disposition information for Georgia’s criminal-history system, and the Department of Corrections may later maintain custodial information.
Criminal court case
Use for case filings, charges, docket entries, hearings, dispositions, orders and copies of court records.
Georgia criminal history
GCIC maintains Georgia’s statewide computerized criminal-history repository containing identification, arrest, disposition and qualifying custodial information.
Arrest and incident record
Start with the law-enforcement agency that created the arrest, incident, citation or investigative record.
Current local custody
County detention records and recent jail bookings are generally maintained locally rather than through GDC.
State offender record
Use GDC’s official offender search for people serving sentences in Georgia Department of Corrections facilities.
Appealed criminal case
Appeals may appear in the Georgia Court of Appeals or Supreme Court of Georgia rather than the trial-court search.
Understand Georgia’s court system before searching
Georgia has six classes of trial-level courts: Superior, State, Juvenile, Probate, Magistrate and Municipal. Criminal records can appear in different courts depending on the offense and stage of the proceeding.
| Court | Criminal role | When it matters for a records search |
|---|---|---|
| Superior Court | Broad criminal jurisdiction; felony trials. | Start here for felony prosecutions and many serious criminal cases. |
| State Court | Misdemeanors, traffic violations, preliminary matters and warrants. | Important for misdemeanor and traffic-related criminal records. |
| Magistrate Court | Warrants, preliminary criminal matters and some minor offenses. | A warrant or preliminary proceeding may appear here even when the felony later moves to Superior Court. |
| Municipal Court | Traffic, local ordinance cases and certain misdemeanor matters in some cities. | Useful when the arrest/citation was handled by a city rather than a county court. |
| Juvenile Court | Cases involving juveniles and delinquency matters. | Public access is much more restricted than ordinary adult criminal cases. |
| Probate Court | Primarily probate matters; some probate courts also handle traffic matters. | Less common for general criminal searches, but local jurisdiction can vary. |
Georgia’s two appellate courts are the Georgia Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court of Georgia. The Court of Appeals handles many criminal appeals, while the Supreme Court reviews cases within its jurisdiction.
View Georgia’s official court-system guideHow to search Georgia criminal court cases
Unlike some states, Georgia does not give the public one universal trial-court search covering every county and court through a single public database. The Judicial Council/Administrative Office of the Courts maintains an official E-Access to Court Records directory that links participating Superior and State Courts to the provider used for their electronic case records.
Identify the county
Determine where the case was filed. If you only know the city, identify the county serving that location.
Identify the likely court class
Felony cases usually point toward Superior Court. Misdemeanors may be in State Court. City ordinance or traffic cases may be in Municipal Court.
Open Georgia Courts E-Access
Select the county and court from the official statewide directory. You may be redirected to PeachCourt, Odyssey, another court-record provider, or a county-specific system.
Search the available fields
Search options vary, but commonly include party name, case number, filing date or other identifiers.
Review the disposition
Do not stop at the charge. Look for plea information, dismissal, acquittal, conviction, sentence, probation or another final disposition.
Contact the clerk when online access is incomplete
Older records, sealed documents, certified copies or records not published by the provider may require a request directly to the clerk of the relevant court.
The Georgia Courts Directory can also help locate court personnel and clerk contact information.
Georgia Courts DirectoryWhat to do when a Georgia court search returns nothing
An empty search result is not enough to conclude that a case does not exist. Georgia’s decentralized court structure makes search troubleshooting especially important.
Try the other court class
A misdemeanor may be in State Court while a felony is in Superior Court. A warrant may originate in Magistrate Court.
Confirm the county
The arrest may have happened in one city while the prosecution was filed in the county court system.
Try name variations
Search legal name, middle name or initial, former surname and spelling variants where the provider supports them.
Use the case number
A known case number is usually more reliable than a broad name search.
Look at Municipal Court
A city citation or misdemeanor matter may never appear in the county provider you first searched.
Ask the clerk
Older and non-digitized records may require an in-person, telephone, mail or records-counter request.
Georgia criminal history records: what GCIC actually maintains
The Georgia Crime Information Center (GCIC), a division of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, is Georgia’s central criminal-history repository.
A Georgia criminal-history record can contain information such as:
- identifying information
- date of birth and other identifiers
- arresting agency
- date of arrest
- arrest charges
- court or prosecutor disposition data
- custodial information when applicable
- Georgia correctional information reported to the system
Court case search
Answers: What happened in this specific court case?
Use the clerk/court-record provider for docket events, filings, hearings and disposition.
GCIC criminal history
Answers: What Georgia criminal-history information has been reported into the statewide repository?
This is not simply a copy of the courthouse docket.
Georgia Felon Search: statewide felony conviction lookup
Georgia provides an official online service called Georgia Felon Search. It submits a request through GCIC to determine whether an individual has Georgia felony-conviction information available through the service.
| Record type | Georgia Felon Search? | Important limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Georgia felony conviction | Yes | Only conviction information reported to GCIC and available through the service. |
| Misdemeanor record | No | The official Felon Search is not a general misdemeanor-search service. |
| Arrest without felony conviction | No | A no-record result does not prove the person was never arrested. |
| Juvenile felony history | No | Juvenile felony history is excluded from this public service. |
| Sealed / restricted information | No | Restricted information is not returned through ordinary public felony search. |
| Other-state conviction | No | Georgia Felon Search is not a nationwide criminal-history search. |
Because the search is name-based, Georgia specifically warns that a positive identity cannot be guaranteed without fingerprint comparison.
Open official Georgia Felon SearchHow to obtain your own Georgia criminal history record
The GBI says individuals can obtain a copy of their Georgia criminal-history record through most local sheriff’s offices or police departments. Requirements and local fees can differ, so contact the agency before visiting.
Contact a participating sheriff or police department
Ask whether the agency provides personal Georgia criminal-history record checks and what identification is required.
Confirm the agency’s fee and hours
GBI does not publish one statewide local-agency fee because local procedures can differ.
Review the report carefully
Check arrest date, agency, charges and final disposition. Missing disposition information is especially important to investigate.
Challenge an error when necessary
If information is inaccurate or identity information has been misused, GCIC provides a fingerprint-based challenge process.
Fingerprint-based Georgia background checks through GAPS
Georgia Applicant Processing Service, usually called GAPS, is the state’s electronic fingerprint-processing system for authorized non-criminal-justice background checks.
Effective February 3, 2025, the GBI identifies Idemia as the GAPS vendor. Applicants register through the current GAPS/IdentoGO system and visit an authorized fingerprint location.
Agency-sponsored check
Employers, licensing agencies and other authorized organizations generally use their GAPS account/service process.
Stronger match
Fingerprints reduce the mistaken-identity problem that can occur with name-based criminal-history searches.
Electronic results
GBI says authorized results are typically available to the requesting agency within about 24–48 hours after submission.
A valid photo ID is required at the fingerprint location. Current fees and available locations should be checked directly through the GAPS site because they can vary by service type.
Open Georgia Applicant Processing ServiceHow to find Georgia arrest and police records
Georgia Felon Search is not an arrest-search database. If you need an arrest report, incident report, police report, citation, booking information or another law-enforcement record, the best starting point is usually the agency that created the record.
Georgia Open Records Act: the practical way to request police records
Georgia’s Open Records Act, O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70 et seq., generally makes existing public-agency records available for inspection and copying unless a specific law, exemption or court order limits disclosure.
A request should normally be directed to the custodian or designated Open Records Officer of the agency that actually maintains the record.
What to put in a Georgia open-records request
- name of the agency
- type of record requested
- incident or case number if known
- date or date range
- location of the event
- name of the person involved where appropriate
- whether you want inspection or copies
- preferred electronic format where available
How quickly must Georgia agencies respond?
Georgia agencies generally must respond within three business days. This does not mean every large request must be fully produced within three days. If records exist but cannot immediately be produced, the agency can provide information about availability, timing and estimated cost.
Open-records fees
Georgia law allows agencies to charge reasonable search, retrieval, redaction and production costs. The first 15 minutes of qualifying staff time are generally not charged. For ordinary letter/legal-size paper copies where no separate fee statute applies, state guidance cites a maximum of 10 cents per page. Other media or specifically priced records can use different authorized charges.
Georgia State Patrol reports, citations and incident records
If the Georgia Department of Public Safety or Georgia State Patrol created the record, DPS operates an Open Records Unit and an electronic EPORTS process for many records.
| Record | Published DPS fee | Practical note |
|---|---|---|
| Crash report | $5 each | DPS publishes this amount on its current charging chart. |
| Incident report | $2 each | Additional production/redaction costs may apply in unusual circumstances. |
| Warrant | $2 each | Applies to DPS-held responsive warrant records. |
| Photos | $5 per downloadable set | Published DPS schedule; additional media/mailing costs can apply. |
DPS Open Records Unit:
Phone: 404-624-7591
Address: 959 United Avenue SE, Atlanta, GA 30316
Georgia jail bookings and county inmate records
There is no single Georgia public county-jail roster that replaces every sheriff’s jail database. If someone is in a county detention facility, search the sheriff or county detention center for that county.
Useful information in local jail systems may include:
- booking date
- booking number
- listed charges
- bond information
- custody status
- release date where published
- scheduled court information in some systems
- housing or facility information where public
Georgia Courts provides a statewide Georgia Sheriff’s Directory link that can help you locate the correct county sheriff.
How to search for warrants in Georgia
Georgia’s court structure means warrant records can involve multiple local sources. State Courts and Magistrate Courts can issue warrants, and local sheriffs commonly execute or maintain information about outstanding warrants.
Check the sheriff
Look for an official warrant unit, wanted-person page or contact number on the county sheriff’s website.
Check the court
Review the docket and clerk records for warrant entries where those records are publicly accessible.
DPS Open Records
Georgia DPS publishes a warrant-record fee in its own open-records fee schedule for responsive DPS records.
Georgia Department of Corrections offender search
The Georgia Department of Corrections Find an Offender service is the official free statewide tool for offenders currently serving through Georgia’s state correctional system.
Georgia says the search can use identifying information such as:
- name
- Georgia Department of Corrections ID
- case number
- age
- other available identifiers
Requesting additional GDC records
GDC also accepts Georgia Open Records Act requests through its official portal. The department states that it provides an initial response within three business days. Some offender institutional files, medical records, security material, investigations and other protected information can be exempt from public release.
Georgia Department of Corrections Open Records RequestGeorgia parole records and parolee search
Georgia’s State Board of Pardons and Paroles provides both an inmate parole-status lookup and a public parolee database.
Since July 1, 2015, supervision of Georgia parolees is handled by the Department of Community Supervision, while the Parole Board continues to make parole decisions and provide public parole-related services.
Georgia State Board of Pardons and ParolesSome Parole Board records are confidential under Georgia law and will not be obtainable through a general open-records request.
How to find Georgia criminal appeals
A trial-court search does not always tell the whole story. If a conviction or other criminal ruling was appealed, search Georgia’s appellate courts as well.
Georgia Court of Appeals
The Court of Appeals is the first reviewing court for many Georgia civil and criminal cases. Search its official docket/case resources when a Superior or State Court case was appealed.
Open Georgia Court of AppealsSupreme Court of Georgia
The Supreme Court maintains an official docket search and publishes opinions, orders and case information.
Search Supreme Court docketHow to request Georgia criminal court records and certified copies
If a document cannot be downloaded from an online provider, contact the clerk of the court where the case was filed. Copy charges, certification fees and request procedures can vary by court and county.
Before contacting the clerk, gather:
- full case name
- court case number
- county
- court class
- approximate filing year
- specific document needed
- whether certification is required
- preferred delivery method
Plain copy
Useful when you only need to read or retain a copy of the public court document.
Certified copy
Includes court certification and may be required by another agency, employer, licensing body or legal process.
Older paper record
Older matters may require archive retrieval even when the basic case index is available electronically.
Georgia record restriction: what used to be called expungement
Georgia commonly uses the term record restriction for restricting eligible criminal-history information from access for non-criminal-justice purposes. The controlling process is found in O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37.
Arrest before July 1, 2013
The Georgia Courts and GBI instructions say the person generally applies for restriction through the arresting agency.
The arresting agency may charge a processing fee of up to $50.
Arrest July 1, 2013 or later
Georgia states that there is generally no separate application process like the older-arrest procedure. The prosecutor handles restriction eligibility under the statutory process.
Older-arrest application workflow
Complete Section One
The applicant fills out the Request to Restrict Arrest Record. One form covers one date of arrest, although that arrest may include multiple charges.
Arresting agency completes Section Two
The agency verifies the arrest information and sends the request through the restriction process.
Prosecutor reviews the request
The prosecuting attorney approves or denies restriction under Georgia law.
GCIC applies the restriction where required
If the prosecutor cannot enter the restriction directly through the criminal-history system, an approved application may need to be forwarded to GCIC.
Record Restrictions
P.O. Box 370808
Decatur, GA 30037-0808
What to do if your Georgia criminal history is wrong
Missing dispositions, incorrect arrest information and mistaken identity can cause serious problems. The GBI provides a process for challenging inaccurate Georgia criminal-history information.
Missing or incorrect case information
GCIC says it cannot simply rewrite information without documentation or authorization from the criminal-justice agency that submitted the data. Courts, prosecutors, law-enforcement agencies and correctional agencies may need to transmit corrections to GCIC.
Someone else’s record appears under your identity
If you believe your identification information has been used in another person’s Georgia criminal history, GCIC requires fingerprints for comparison.
Criminal History Records assistance: 404-244-2639
GBI Criminal History Records contact pageGeorgia juvenile criminal records are different
Juvenile delinquency proceedings are handled through Georgia’s Juvenile Courts and do not follow the same public-access rules as ordinary adult criminal cases.
Georgia Felon Search specifically excludes juvenile felony-history information. Do not assume that a lack of public search results means no juvenile proceeding existed.
Federal criminal records in Georgia require federal court systems
A federal prosecution occurring in Georgia is not a Georgia Superior Court case and will not be found simply by searching a county clerk or Georgia Felon Search.
PACER
PACER provides electronic public access to federal district, appellate and bankruptcy court records. Use the PACER Case Locator when you do not know the specific federal court.
Open PACER Case LocatorFBI Identity History Summary
Individuals seeking their own FBI Identity History Summary should use the FBI’s official fingerprint-based process.
FBI Identity History SummaryGeorgia Bureau of Investigation headquarters and GCIC assistance
Georgia Bureau of Investigation
3121 Panthersville RoadDecatur, GA 30034
Main: 404-244-2600
Criminal History Records: 404-244-2639
GCIC states that its lobby is available by appointment only for record inspections and fingerprint services. Same-day appointments are not available.
GCIC criminal-history updates / restriction mail
Georgia Crime Information CenterCCH/Identification
P.O. Box 370808
Decatur, GA 30037
Call the criminal-history unit before mailing sensitive or fee-based material so you can confirm the correct form, amount and destination for your specific request.
The map is provided for trip planning. Confirm appointment requirements directly with GCIC before traveling.
Practical Georgia criminal-record search tips
Do not start with GCIC for every question
If you want a specific court case, start with the court. If you want an arrest report, start with the arresting agency.
Search Superior and State Court separately
A county may have separate systems or separate indexes for these court classes.
Check Magistrate Court for warrants
An arrest warrant or preliminary matter may originate in Magistrate Court before a felony case proceeds elsewhere.
Felon Search is intentionally narrow
It is not a complete arrest, misdemeanor, juvenile or nationwide background-check tool.
A recent booking may appear first
For a very recent arrest, the county jail or arresting agency may update before a court-record provider does.
Use exact case numbers when possible
A case number is usually much stronger than searching a common Georgia name.
Check final disposition
Never treat an arrest or original charge as the final result of a criminal case.
Use fingerprints for identity disputes
Georgia warns that name-based matches cannot provide the same identity certainty as fingerprint comparison.
Ask for existing records, not answers
Under the Open Records Act, agencies provide existing records; they generally do not have to create a new report to answer your question.
Employment, licensing and housing searches require extra care
A public Georgia court record or Georgia Felon Search result is not automatically the same thing as a legally compliant consumer background report.
Employment, housing, licensing, credit and other eligibility decisions may be governed by the Fair Credit Reporting Act, Georgia law, agency-specific rules or other requirements depending on who performs the search and how the information is used.
Georgia criminal records: frequently asked questions
1. Is there one free statewide Georgia criminal court case search?
No single public trial-court portal covers every Georgia county and court in one uniform interface. Georgia Courts provides an E-Access directory that routes participating Superior and State Courts to their electronic record provider. Some providers require an account.
2. How much does Georgia Felon Search cost?
The official Georgia Felon Search currently costs $15 per search or rap sheet viewed. The $15 fee applies even if the result says no record found, and additional possible-match records selected for viewing can generate additional $15 charges.
3. Does Georgia Felon Search show misdemeanors?
No. Georgia Felon Search is designed to return qualifying Georgia felony-conviction information. It does not function as a complete misdemeanor, arrest, juvenile or nationwide criminal-history database.
4. How can I get my own Georgia criminal history?
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation says copies of a person’s Georgia criminal-history record can generally be obtained through most local sheriff’s offices or police departments. Contact the agency first to confirm identification requirements, hours and fees.
5. How do I find a recent arrest in Georgia?
Start with the arresting police department, county sheriff or detention center. A recent arrest may appear in a jail or agency record before the related court case becomes easy to locate online.
6. How long does a Georgia Open Records Act request take?
Georgia agencies generally must provide an initial response within three business days. Large or complex requests may take longer to produce, but the agency should communicate availability, timing and applicable costs.
7. Can I search Georgia state prison inmates for free?
Yes. Georgia provides a free Department of Corrections offender search. People held in county jail should instead be searched through the relevant county’s sheriff or jail system.
8. What is record restriction in Georgia?
Record restriction limits eligible Georgia criminal-history information from being available for non-criminal-justice purposes. Procedures differ depending on factors including the date of arrest and disposition. Restriction does not necessarily erase every record from every court, government agency or private source.
9. What should I do if someone else’s criminal record is attached to my identity?
Contact the Georgia Crime Information Center. GCIC requires fingerprint comparison when a person contests a criminal-history record because their identification data may have been used by someone else.
10. Are federal criminal cases included in Georgia court searches?
No. Federal criminal cases use the federal judiciary. PACER is the primary electronic federal court-record system, while individuals seeking their own FBI Identity History Summary should use the FBI’s official fingerprint process.
Official Georgia sources for further verification
- Georgia Courts — E-Access to Court Records
- Georgia Courts — Navigating the Courts
- Georgia Courts Directory
- Georgia Bureau of Investigation — Criminal History
- GBI — Obtaining Criminal History Record Information FAQ
- Georgia.gov — Georgia Felon Search
- GBI — Georgia Applicant Processing Service
- Georgia Attorney General — How to Make an Open Records Request
- Georgia Department of Public Safety — Open Records Unit
- Georgia Department of Corrections — Find an Offender
- Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles
- Georgia Courts — Record Restrictions / Expungement
- Supreme Court of Georgia — Docket Search