Criminal Offender Record Information, usually called CORI, is Massachusetts’ official name-based criminal-record system. It is administered by the Department of Criminal Justice Information Services (DCJIS) and can return qualifying Massachusetts arraignment information based on a person’s name and date of birth. CORI is not a nationwide FBI check, is not fingerprint-supported, and does not show the same information to every requester. This guide explains how CORI works, what different access levels reveal, how to request your own record, how to see who checked it, how to correct errors, and when you should use court dockets or fingerprint records instead.
What does Criminal Offender Record Information mean?
In Massachusetts, Criminal Offender Record Information is commonly abbreviated as CORI. DCJIS administers the state system used to obtain name-based Massachusetts criminal-record information.
A CORI search uses identifying information such as a person’s name and date of birth and compares it with Massachusetts court information to identify possible criminal records.
Massachusetts only
A normal name-based CORI does not function as a nationwide criminal-history search.
Name-based
CORI uses name and date-of-birth information rather than fingerprints.
Not everyone sees the same record
The amount of CORI returned depends on who is requesting it and the legal purpose for the request.
CORI is different from a court docket, arrest record and fingerprint check
| Record type | Main source | What it is best for | Important limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| CORI | Massachusetts DCJIS | Name-based Massachusetts criminal-record screening. | Massachusetts only; not fingerprint-supported. |
| Trial-court docket | Massachusetts Trial Court | Public case events, docket details and court history. | Different access rules apply; not a CORI report. |
| Arrest record | Law-enforcement / fingerprint systems | Arrest information associated with fingerprint submissions. | May contain information that is not reflected in CORI. |
| Fingerprint check | DCJIS / SAFIS / FBI-connected systems when authorized | Positive identity and broader arrest/criminal-history checks for authorized purposes. | Availability depends on legal authority and purpose. |
| FBI Identity History Summary | FBI | A person’s own nationwide fingerprint-based FBI history. | Separate federal process; not iCORI. |
How to request your own Massachusetts CORI
Individuals can request a personal CORI through the Massachusetts iCORI system. Personal access is broader than the information available to an ordinary public requester.
Go to Massachusetts iCORI
Start from the official Massachusetts CORI page and choose the option to register as an individual.
Choose a Personal CORI request
During individual registration, indicate that you want to request your own Personal CORI.
Verify identity
Online personal requests require a valid Massachusetts driver’s license or Massachusetts ID. If you do not have one, use the paper Personal Request Form and follow the mailing instructions.
Pay the current fee or request a waiver
The current personal CORI fee is $25. A person who cannot afford the fee may submit an Affidavit of Indigency under the state’s waiver process.
Review the completed CORI carefully
DCJIS states that requests can take up to 10 business days, although many are completed sooner. Review case status and dispositions rather than assuming every entry represents a conviction.
Current Massachusetts CORI fees
| Request | Current fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Personal CORI | $25 | Request for your own Massachusetts CORI. |
| Open-access CORI | $50 | Public-request category with narrower information. |
| Affidavit of Indigency | $0 | Used to request waiver of the personal CORI fee when eligible. |
| CORI self-audit | Free once every 90 days | Additional self-audit requests within the same 90-day period currently cost $25 each. |
What is an open-access CORI request?
Open access is the category available to a member of the general public who does not have a special statutory or organizational access level.
Open access is considerably narrower than personal access or many authorized employer/government access levels.
Examples of information that may be returned
- certain recent misdemeanor convictions;
- certain recent felony convictions;
- qualifying serious convictions subject to longer disclosure rules;
- information permitted under the current statutory access rules.
Massachusetts currently describes open access as including, among other qualifying records:
- certain misdemeanor convictions within one year
- certain felony convictions within two years
- certain serious felony convictions for longer periods
- certain murder, manslaughter and sex-offense convictions regardless of age, unless sealed
Massachusetts CORI access levels explained
The same person’s CORI can look different depending on who requested it. Massachusetts currently recognizes personal access, multiple required-access levels, standard access and open access.
| Access level | Typical requester | General scope |
|---|---|---|
| Personal access | Person requesting their own CORI | Broad access to adult/youthful-offender convictions, non-convictions, pending cases, civil and non-incarcerable offenses, subject to exclusions such as sealed records. |
| Standard access | Many ordinary employers, landlords and organizations | Includes qualifying pending cases and conviction information within current statutory time windows. |
| Required 1-4 | Organizations with specific statutory or regulatory authority | Progressively broader access depending on the law governing the requester. |
| Open access | General public | Narrower category covering only specified public conviction information. |
The official access chart lists the exact records returned for each category and identifies which organizations qualify for standard or required access.
CORI vs. Massachusetts Trial Court Case Access
If your real goal is to inspect a Massachusetts court docket, you may not need to purchase CORI. Massachusetts Trial Court Case Access provides public online docket searching for qualifying court records.
Go to Massachusetts Trial Court Case Access
Open the public court-record search at MassCourts.
Select the court department
Choose the appropriate court department, division and court location.
Search the available public docket
Use the supported search fields and review the docket information returned.
Contact the court for documents not available online
Online docket information and certified or complete courthouse records can require separate court access.
When a fingerprint-supported criminal-record check is better than CORI
Massachusetts distinguishes between name-based CORI checks and fingerprint-supported criminal-record checks.
A fingerprint-supported check can return arrest information associated with fingerprints and, depending on the legal authorization and requester type, can include Massachusetts, out-of-state, federal or other information not found in an ordinary CORI.
CORI
Uses identifying information such as name and DOB. Designed around Massachusetts court information.
SAFIS / authorized fingerprint check
Uses fingerprints to establish identity and may access broader arrest/criminal-history information when legally authorized.
How to see who has checked your CORI
Massachusetts provides a CORI self-audit. A self-audit identifies background-check inquiries made by another person or organization for your CORI, except criminal-justice inquiries that are excluded from the audit.
A self-audit may currently be requested free once every 90 days. Additional self-audit requests within that 90-day period currently cost $25 each.
How to read a CORI report without misinterpreting it
CORI reports can contain arraignments, case status information and dispositions. The most important rule is to read the final case outcome rather than treating the presence of an entry as proof of conviction.
| Item | What it means | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Arraignment | A defendant was formally brought before the court on a criminal charge. | Do not assume the arraignment resulted in conviction. |
| Pending | The case has not reached a final disposition. | Look for current court docket activity. |
| Conviction | The matter resulted in a conviction. | Check date, offense and sentence. |
| Non-conviction | The case did not end in conviction. | Look for dismissal, not guilty, nolle prosequi or another disposition. |
| Sealed | The record is restricted under Massachusetts sealing law. | Sealed information is generally excluded from ordinary CORI access. |
DCJIS provides assistance with interpreting CORI, and Massachusetts also publishes educational materials explaining common CORI terminology.
How to correct inaccurate Criminal Offender Record Information
If your CORI appears wrong, the correct fix depends on the source of the error. DCJIS disseminates CORI, but it is not necessarily the agency that created the underlying court information.
Request your personal CORI
Work from the actual report rather than a third-party background-check summary.
Identify the exact problem
Examples include a closed case shown as open, incorrect disposition, mistaken identity, duplicated matter or incorrect identifying information.
Contact the source agency
For a court-status or disposition problem, Massachusetts instructs people to contact the court or Office of the Commissioner of Probation office associated with the case.
Ask DCJIS for assistance when needed
DCJIS can help explain the correction process and identify the appropriate next step.
Civil Background Screening Services Unit:
617-660-4640
Email:
icori.info@mass.gov
Massachusetts CORI rules for employers
Massachusetts places significant restrictions on how criminal-history information can be requested and used in employment.
Ban-the-Box restrictions
Most Massachusetts employers cannot ask about criminal history on the initial job application, although specific statutory exceptions exist.
CORI authorization
Employers using the state CORI system must obtain the person’s written authorization through the required CORI acknowledgement process.
Applicant must get a chance to review
Before taking an adverse employment action based on CORI, the employer must follow required notice and correction procedures.
Before questioning an applicant about CORI
Massachusetts regulations require covered employers to provide the applicant with a copy of the criminal-history information and disclose the source before questioning the person about it.
Before an adverse employment decision
An employer relying on CORI must generally:
- notify the applicant of the potential adverse decision
- provide a copy of the CORI
- identify the information being relied on
- provide the applicable CORI policy when required
- give the applicant an opportunity to dispute accuracy
- provide information about how to correct CORI
CORI rules for landlords and housing providers
Housing providers can conduct criminal-background screening, but Massachusetts imposes authorization and notice requirements when CORI is used.
- written permission is required before accessing CORI through the state system
- housing providers cannot require an applicant to provide their own CORI
- additional rules apply if a consumer reporting agency is used
- adverse housing decisions can trigger notice and record-copy requirements
Important CORI compliance rules for organizations
Massachusetts CORI law does not only regulate who can obtain criminal records; it also governs storage, internal access, dissemination and adverse-action procedures.
Five or more criminal-background checks per year
Current DCJIS regulations require a person or entity that conducts five or more criminal-background investigations annually, whether obtained from DCJIS or another source, to maintain a written CORI policy containing at least the requirements of the DCJIS Model CORI Policy.
Need-to-know access
Organizations must limit CORI access to authorized staff with a legitimate need to know. Regulations require a current need-to-know list and periodic updates.
Secondary dissemination
CORI should not be casually forwarded or shared. Massachusetts regulations govern when CORI may or must be disseminated and require organizations to document certain secondary disclosures.
How sealed Massachusetts criminal records affect CORI
A sealed criminal record is generally removed from ordinary CORI disclosure. Sealing does not mean the historical event never existed, but Massachusetts law restricts how the record is disclosed and how a person may answer qualifying criminal-history questions.
Massachusetts currently provides sealing procedures through the courts and the Office of the Commissioner of Probation.
Boston, MA 02108
Phone: 617-727-5300
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Expungement is different from sealing
Massachusetts explains that an expunged criminal record is permanently destroyed so that it is no longer accessible by the court or other state, municipal or county agencies. That is different from sealing, which restricts access while the underlying record remains.
Massachusetts recognizes both time-based and non-time-based expungement procedures, subject to detailed eligibility rules.
Eligibility depends on offense and record history
Massachusetts imposes limits involving the type of offense, number of records, seriousness of the offense and applicable waiting periods.
Fraud, error or decriminalized conduct
Certain records created through identity fraud, specified errors or conduct that is no longer criminal may qualify under a separate expungement path.
Are juvenile records included in CORI?
Juvenile and youthful-offender information is governed by different access rules. A personal CORI and required statutory access can differ significantly in what juvenile-related information is returned.
Ordinary public or standard CORI access should not be assumed to include juvenile records. Massachusetts’ official access-level chart should be used when a requester has a legally authorized juvenile-record screening purpose.
Does CORI include federal or out-of-state criminal records?
A normal Massachusetts CORI is a Massachusetts name-based criminal-record check. It does not function as a nationwide criminal-history search.
CORI
Use iCORI for Massachusetts name-based criminal-record information.
PACER
Use PACER when you need public federal court case records rather than Massachusetts CORI.
FBI Identity History Summary
Individuals seeking their own nationwide FBI fingerprint-based history should use the FBI process.
Massachusetts DCJIS contact information
Department of Criminal Justice Information Services
200 Arlington Street, Suite 2200Chelsea, MA 02150
Main phone:
617-660-4600
TTY:
617-660-4606
Fax: 617-660-4613
Civil Background Screening Services Unit
Phone:
617-660-4640
Email:
icori.info@mass.gov
Published hours: Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Map: DCJIS administrative office
The map identifies the agency’s administrative location only. CORI service should be handled through the official online, mail or telephone procedures unless DCJIS specifically instructs otherwise.
Practical CORI search tips
Know whether you need CORI or a docket
If you only want public court-case information, MassCourts may be more useful than purchasing CORI.
Your CORI is broader than open access
Do not expect a $50 open-access search to show everything available on a person’s own CORI.
Check the disposition
An arraignment on CORI does not automatically mean the case ended in conviction.
Use a self-audit if access worries you
Massachusetts lets you see many non-criminal-justice CORI inquiries made about you.
Correct the source record
If a case status is wrong, DCJIS may direct you to the court or Commissioner of Probation because DCJIS is not always the source of the error.
Do not confuse name checks with fingerprint checks
CORI and fingerprint records can differ because they are built from different source systems.
Employers should not ask you to buy your own CORI
Massachusetts prohibits covered employers from requiring applicants to provide their own CORI.
Sealed is not the same as expunged
Sealing restricts access; expungement destroys qualifying records under Massachusetts law.
CORI is not nationwide
For federal or out-of-state history, determine which separate official record system applies.
Criminal Offender Record Information: frequently asked questions
1. What does CORI stand for?
CORI stands for Criminal Offender Record Information. In Massachusetts it refers to the criminal-record information system administered by the Department of Criminal Justice Information Services.
2. Is CORI a nationwide criminal-background check?
No. A normal name-based Massachusetts CORI contains Massachusetts information and is not a nationwide fingerprint-supported criminal-history search.
3. How much does it cost to request my own CORI?
Massachusetts currently charges $25 for a personal CORI request. A fee-waiver process is available for qualifying individuals who cannot afford the fee.
4. How much does an open-access CORI request cost?
The current open-access CORI fee is $50 per request.
5. How long does a CORI request take?
DCJIS states that CORI requests may take up to 10 business days, although many are processed sooner.
6. Can I see who checked my CORI?
Yes. You can request a CORI self-audit. A self-audit is currently free once every 90 days, while additional requests within that period may carry a fee.
7. Can an employer require me to provide my own CORI?
Massachusetts guidance says employers are not permitted to require an applicant to provide a copy of their own CORI or arrest record.
8. What should I do if my CORI is wrong?
Request and review your personal CORI, identify the incorrect entry, and follow the official correction process. A court-status error may need to be corrected through the court or Office of the Commissioner of Probation rather than DCJIS itself.
9. Is a sealed record the same as an expunged record?
No. Sealing restricts access to a record. Massachusetts describes expungement as permanently destroying a qualifying record so that it is no longer accessible by state, municipal or county agencies.
10. Where can I search Massachusetts court dockets instead of CORI?
Use Massachusetts Trial Court Case Access through MassCourts for public docket searching. CORI and court-docket access are separate systems.
Official Massachusetts sources used for this guide
- Massachusetts Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI)
- Request CORI as an Individual
- Levels of Name-Based Criminal Record Check Access
- CORI Self-Audit and Fee Waiver
- Request and Correct CORI
- Massachusetts Criminal Record Checks
- 803 CMR 2.00 — Criminal Offender Record Information
- Massachusetts Employment and Housing Criminal Records Guide
- Seal Your Criminal Record
- Expunge Your Criminal Record
- Massachusetts Trial Court Docket Search
- Department of Criminal Justice Information Services