Start with the right Las Vegas court or records office
A Las Vegas criminal-record search can lead to several different government systems. City misdemeanor cases may be in Las Vegas Municipal Court, Justice Court criminal matters use the Las Vegas Justice Court system, felony and gross-misdemeanor District Court cases are maintained by the Eighth Judicial District Court, local arrest and SCOPE history is handled by LVMPD, and statewide Nevada criminal-history records are maintained by the Nevada State Police Records, Communications and Compliance Division.
Which Las Vegas criminal-record system should you search?
The easiest way to avoid a dead end is to match the record to the agency that created it. A court docket, police arrest report, jail booking and Nevada criminal-history record are not interchangeable.
| What you need | Best official starting point | What it can show | Important limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| City misdemeanor / municipal case | Las Vegas Municipal Court | Docket, scheduled events, defendant case history and court-specific warrant status. | Only matters within Municipal Court jurisdiction. |
| Las Vegas Township Justice Court case | Las Vegas Justice Court Records Inquiry | Criminal cases, court calendar and public case information. | Sealed cases and exempt information are not displayed. |
| Clark County felony / District Court case | Eighth Judicial District Court Portal | Criminal case information and many records from 1990 forward. | Older records may require a manual records search. |
| LVMPD arrest / incident report | LVMPD Records & Fingerprint Bureau | Qualifying arrest reports, incident reports and related police records. | Availability depends on the record, requester and disclosure law. |
| LVMPD local background check | LVMPD SCOPE | Arrests/incidents within LVMPD jurisdiction. | Not a statewide Nevada or nationwide criminal-history report. |
| Current Clark County custody | Clark County Detention Center | Current in-custody status, charges, case and booking information. | Charges displayed are not proof of conviction. |
| Your statewide Nevada criminal history | Nevada Criminal History Repository | Fingerprint-linked Nevada criminal-history information maintained by the state. | Does not include other states or FBI records. |
| Nevada prison inmate | Nevada Department of Corrections | NDOC offender information, booking, parole/release and location data. | NDOC says its online data should not be treated as an official record. |
| Nevada Supreme Court / Court of Appeals case | Nevada Appellate Courts Public Portal | Case docket and many appellate documents. | Separate from Clark County trial-court portals. |
| Federal criminal case | PACER / U.S. District Court, District of Nevada | Federal dockets and publicly accessible case documents. | Registration and PACER access rules apply. |
Search Las Vegas Municipal Court criminal cases
Las Vegas Municipal Court has jurisdiction over criminal misdemeanor offenses, municipal-code matters, traffic violations and certain civil ordinance infractions occurring within the City of Las Vegas.
The court provides both a case-docket search and a defendant case-history search. The defendant search currently requires a last name and date of birth, with additional search fields available to narrow results.
Open Municipal Court docket search Open defendant portalConfirm the case belongs to Municipal Court
If you have a citation, court notice or case number, check the named court first. Do not assume every Las Vegas-area case belongs to Las Vegas Municipal Court.
Use the case number when available
A known case number is usually the fastest path. If you do not have one, use the defendant case-history search.
Search the defendant history
Enter the last name, date of birth and any additional identifying information requested by the portal. Review possible matches carefully.
Read the docket rather than only the charge
Look for disposition, plea, judgment, sentencing and later case events before deciding how the matter ended.
Las Vegas, NV 89101
Phone: 702-382-6878
Hours: Monday–Thursday, 7:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
P.O. Box 3950
Las Vegas, NV 89127
The court also publishes records-research, transcript, audio and record-sealing resources.
Search Las Vegas Justice Court criminal records
Las Vegas Justice Court is separate from Las Vegas Municipal Court. Its official public-access system provides Las Vegas Justice Court civil and criminal case information, a court calendar and other public records.
Open Justice Court records inquiry Las Vegas Justice Court websiteMicro-guide: find a Justice Court criminal case
Requesting Justice Court criminal records
Las Vegas Justice Court’s public-access policy requires requests to identify the record with enough detail for staff to locate it, such as the name, case caption, case number or identifiable document.
Regional Justice Center
200 Lewis Avenue, 2nd Floor
Las Vegas, NV 89101
Criminal Division: 702-671-3201
General court line: 702-671-3116
Criminal records fax: 702-382-4708
Email for criminal case record requests:
Records.Criminal@clarkcountynv.gov
The court currently lists its customer-service lobby as open Monday–Thursday, 7:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Clark County felony and District Court criminal records
The Eighth Judicial District Court maintains Clark County District Court criminal records. The Clerk lists criminal actions involving felonies or gross misdemeanors, criminal appeals, writs and related criminal matters among the records it maintains.
Most District Court records from 1990 to the present can be searched online. The Clerk maintains court records dating back to September 1909.
Search District Court portal Records & copy instructionsOpen the Eighth Judicial District Court Portal
The public Portal is used to search Clark County District Court case information. Sealed cases and exempt information do not appear publicly.
Use Smart Search
Search with the case number when possible. If you only have a person’s name, compare the result carefully with the filing year and other case identifiers.
Review events and hearings
Read the docket chronologically. A charge at the beginning of a case may not be the same offense reflected in a later disposition.
Order copies when necessary
If you need an official, certified or historical record, use the Clerk’s Records Division instead of relying only on an online case summary.
200 Lewis Ave., 3rd Floor
Las Vegas, NV 89101
Records/Clerk phone: 702-455-2590
Hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Email: recordsrequest@clarkcountycourts.us
Clerk of Court, Attn: Records200 East Lewis Avenue
Las Vegas, NV 89155
How to find older Clark County criminal court records
A missing online result does not automatically mean that the criminal case never existed. Clark County’s Clerk of the Court maintains records from September 1909 forward, but most records available through online search are from 1990 forward.
Start online
Search the Eighth Judicial District Court Portal first.
Request a manual search
The Clerk says these records must generally be searched through an in-person or mailed request.
Different historical source
The Clark County Clerk states records prior to 1909 must be obtained from Lincoln County.
If a case number cannot be found in the current case-management system, provide the complete party names and approximate filing year. Clerk staff may need to use a microfilm index to locate it.
Get an LVMPD arrest or incident report
For police records created within Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department jurisdiction, use the LVMPD Records & Fingerprint Bureau rather than a court portal.
LVMPD accepts requests for qualifying Incident Reports, Traffic Collision Reports and Arrest Reports online, in person or by U.S. mail.
LVMPD report-copy instructionsHave these details ready
- LVMPD event number, if known
- full name and date of birth
- phone number
- valid email address
- names of involved persons
- incident date and time
- incident address or location
- valid government-issued photo ID when required
In-person LVMPD records office
400 S. Martin Luther King Blvd., Building C
Las Vegas, NV 89106
Customer-service line: 702-828-3271
LVMPD main line: 702-828-3111
Current bureau hours are Monday–Friday, 7:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m., and weekends/holidays, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., with holiday exceptions.
LVMPD SCOPE background checks: what they cover
LVMPD issues a local background check commonly referred to as a SCOPE record. It can be requested for purposes such as employment, housing, immigration, personal review and record sealing.
The key limitation is geographic: LVMPD says a SCOPE contains arrests/incidents within LVMPD jurisdiction only.
Local record
Useful for identifying LVMPD arrests/incidents and for some Clark County record-sealing research.
State criminal history
Fingerprint-based Nevada criminal-history information maintained by the state’s Central Repository.
Case and disposition
Use the correct Municipal, Justice or District Court to confirm the filed case and final result.
Current SCOPE fee
Effective July 1, 2026, LVMPD’s current service-fee schedule lists the SCOPE background check at $13.
Official SCOPE instructionsRequest your statewide Nevada criminal-history record
Nevada’s statewide Criminal History Repository is maintained by the Nevada State Police Records, Communications and Compliance Division. This is different from an LVMPD SCOPE and different from searching a Clark County court docket.
The Repository’s current public guidance says an individual can request their own State of Nevada criminal-history record or a notice that no Nevada criminal-history record was found.
Nevada criminal-history request pageChoose manual or electronic submission
Nevada currently provides a manual request process and an electronic request option that is limited to requests submitted from inside Nevada.
Obtain fingerprint impressions
The standard manual process requires a complete rolled ten-print fingerprint card. Fingerprinting can be completed through a law-enforcement agency or authorized fingerprint service.
Complete the state’s request form
Follow the current RCCD instructions for the Nevada criminal-history request. Out-of-state requesters should use the manual process identified by RCCD.
Submit to the Central Repository
Make sure your identifying information and mailing address are accurate before sending the request because criminal-history responses contain sensitive information.
Records, Communications and Compliance Division
333 West Nye Lane, Suite 100
Carson City, NV 89706
Records Bureau: 775-684-6262
What to do if a Las Vegas or Nevada criminal record is wrong
Do not treat an inaccurate arrest, missing disposition or mistaken identity as the same problem. The agency that should fix it depends on where the error appears.
| Problem | Where to start | Useful supporting document |
|---|---|---|
| LVMPD arrest has no final disposition | LVMPD Criminal History Update | Certified or official court disposition |
| Wrong information belongs to you | LVMPD Records Challenge | ID plus documents showing the error |
| Record belongs to another person / identity problem | LVMPD Records Challenge | Identification and supporting evidence |
| Nevada Repository record is inaccurate | RCCD Criminal History Challenge | Fingerprint card, final disposition, arrest report or complaint as appropriate |
| Court docket itself is wrong | Court maintaining the case | Case number and documentation supporting correction |
LVMPD currently provides a no-fee criminal-history update process for items such as adding a court disposition or updating a name. It separately provides a Records Challenge process for inaccurate information or information that does not belong to the requester.
LVMPD criminal-history update LVMPD record challengeNevada RCCD also provides a formal criminal-history challenge form. The current state challenge instructions say fingerprint identification is used and that the Repository may forward the dispute to the agency that originally supplied the information.
Search current Las Vegas and Clark County jail custody
A jail search answers a different question from a criminal-case search: Is this person currently in custody?
Clark County’s official inmate search states that most people arrested by LVMPD may be taken to either the Las Vegas City Jail or Clark County Detention Center depending on the jurisdiction where the offense occurred.
Clark County inmate search Las Vegas-area custody optionsClark County Detention Center search options
- inmate last name
- inmate ID
- Justice Court case number
- phone assistance at 702-671-3900
The online Clark County search does not display people under age 18 or people under protective custody. For the most current information, the detention center directs users to call 702-671-3900.
Search Nevada state-prison offender records
If the person is serving a Nevada state-prison sentence rather than being held in a local jail, use the Nevada Department of Corrections inmate search.
NDOC inmate searchNDOC currently allows searches by offender ID or demographic information such as first and last name. The system also provides downloadable offender data categories including demographic, alias, booking, parole and release information.
For local pretrial custody, continue to use the appropriate county/city detention search instead.
How to check Las Vegas warrant status
There is not one universal Las Vegas warrant page that reliably substitutes for every court and jurisdiction. The Clark County District Attorney advises people who believe they may have a warrant to contact the court jurisdiction that may have issued it.
Municipal warrant
Use the Municipal Court warrant/status resources or contact the court.
Warrants: 702-229-2067
Justice Court warrant
Search the court case and contact the Justice Court Criminal Division for case-specific guidance.
Criminal line: 702-671-3201
Do not rely on Municipal Court
Municipal Court explicitly says warrants issued by another jurisdiction do not appear in its search.
Nevada public-record requests for police and government records
Nevada’s Public Records Act, NRS Chapter 239, generally provides access to nonconfidential public books and records held by governmental entities. This can be relevant to police, administrative and other government records, but it should not be confused with the separate rules used by courts for judicial case records.
Nevada Public Records Act
Use the agency’s public-record process for an identifiable existing record that is not confidential.
Court access rules
Request criminal case records from the court itself using that court’s records procedure.
NRS Chapter 179A
State criminal-history dissemination and personal inspection have their own statutory framework.
How to make a useful LVMPD public-record request
Identify an existing record
LVMPD explains that a public-record request should identify an existing record, such as an incident crime report, arrest report, body-worn-camera video, voluntary statement or aggregate data.
Be specific
Include an event number, date, address, involved names, report type or other detail that helps staff identify the requested record.
Ask for inspection or a copy
Nevada public-record procedures distinguish inspecting a record from receiving a reproduced paper, electronic or certified copy.
Watch for confidentiality/redaction
A record can contain information that cannot legally be released even when other portions are public.
Nevada generally limits ordinary copy charges to the governmental entity’s actual cost unless another statute or regulation sets a specific fee.
LVMPD public-record requests Nevada Public Records ActCopies, certified records and research fees
The correct copy procedure depends on which court holds the case. A screenshot or online case summary is not the same thing as a certified court record.
Eighth Judicial District Court copy costs
| District Court service | Current listed amount | Practical note |
|---|---|---|
| Photocopy | $0.50 per page | Applies to reproduced court documents under the Clerk’s listed fee schedule. |
| Certification of photocopied document | +$3 per document | Certification requires the original to be on file with the Clerk. |
| Exemplification of photocopied document | +$6 per document | Higher authentication than an ordinary certified copy. |
| Certify copy you supply | $5 | Subject to Clerk requirements. |
| Exemplify copy you supply | $9 | Subject to Clerk requirements. |
| Pre-1990 record search | $0.50 per year, per name | Used when historical indexing/microfilm research is required. |
Las Vegas Municipal Court records research
The Municipal Court’s published records-research form lists research charges including $0.50 per page, $1 per year, $1 per case and $3 per certification, with possible mailing charges. The form instructs requesters not to prepay; the court provides an invoice.
Municipal Court records resourcesWhy a Las Vegas criminal case may disappear from public search
Nevada permits eligible criminal records to be sealed under NRS Chapter 179. A sealed case can therefore be absent from a public court portal even though a case once existed.
The Clark County District Court explicitly states that sealed criminal cases do not appear through its public Internet portal. Las Vegas Justice Court likewise excludes sealed cases from its public system.
Current Nevada waiting-period examples
Nevada’s current NRS 179.245 includes different eligibility periods depending on the conviction. Examples include:
- certain Category A felonies / crimes of violence: 10 years
- many Category B, C or D felonies: 5 years
- Category E felonies: 2 years
- many gross misdemeanors: 2 years
- certain misdemeanor DUI / domestic-violence convictions: 7 years
- certain battery, harassment or stalking misdemeanors: 2 years
Municipal Court cases must be handled through the appropriate municipal jurisdiction. Clark County’s District Attorney specifically notes that its stipulation process cannot cover arrests or convictions handled under Municipal Court jurisdiction.
Search Nevada Supreme Court and Court of Appeals records
If a Las Vegas criminal case was appealed, do not stop with the Clark County trial-court docket. Nevada’s appellate courts provide a separate public case portal.
Nevada appellate case lookupThe appellate portal allows searches by case number, case caption or participant name. Recent public appellate documents can be opened from docket entries, and closed cases may require unchecking the portal’s “Exclude Closed Case” option.
Federal criminal cases filed in Las Vegas
Federal criminal prosecutions are separate from Nevada state and Clark County cases. The U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada has a Las Vegas courthouse, and public federal case records are accessed through PACER.
Las Vegas, NV 89101
Phone: 702-464-5400
Hours listed by PACER: Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m., excluding federal holidays.
If you know the District of Nevada case, search that specific federal court. If you do not know where a federal case was filed, PACER’s Case Locator searches a nationwide index.
Regional Justice Center: where many Las Vegas court records are handled
The Regional Justice Center is one of the most useful physical locations for Las Vegas criminal-court research because Las Vegas Justice Court and the Eighth Judicial District Court both operate there.
Las Vegas, NV 89101
District Court records: 3rd Floor
Las Vegas Justice Court Criminal Division: 2nd Floor
Las Vegas criminal-record search tips that prevent false dead ends
Do not search only “Las Vegas Municipal”
A Las Vegas postal address can be in unincorporated Clark County. Confirm the court jurisdiction.
Follow a felony from Justice Court to District Court
A serious case may have early Justice Court activity and later District Court proceedings.
Use the case number whenever possible
It is much safer than assuming that two people with the same name are the same defendant.
SCOPE is not statewide
LVMPD’s SCOPE record covers LVMPD jurisdiction, not every Nevada agency.
Recent arrest? Check custody first
A detention-center search may show useful current information before the final court record develops.
Old District Court case?
Pre-1990 records can require manual microfilm/index research rather than an online search.
Read the disposition
Arrest, filing and charge information do not tell you whether the person was convicted.
Check whether the case was sealed
Sealed criminal cases will not appear in ordinary public Internet portals.
Separate local, state and federal records
LVMPD, Nevada RCCD and PACER answer three different criminal-history questions.
Using these records for employment, housing or other eligibility decisions
A public court search is not automatically the same thing as a consumer background report. If a third-party background-screening company provides criminal or other information for employment, housing, credit or another eligibility purpose, federal Fair Credit Reporting Act requirements may apply.
Employers using consumer reports for employment decisions can have disclosure, authorization, pre-adverse-action and adverse-action duties. State and local rules may also apply.
FTC background-check guidanceFrequently asked questions about Las Vegas criminal records
1. What is the best free place to search a Las Vegas criminal court case?
It depends on the court. Use Las Vegas Municipal Court for qualifying city misdemeanor matters, Las Vegas Justice Court for Justice Court criminal cases, and the Eighth Judicial District Court Portal for Clark County District Court criminal cases. There is no single public portal that replaces all three.
2. Is the Las Vegas Strip inside Las Vegas Municipal Court jurisdiction?
Do not assume so merely from the “Las Vegas” mailing address. Paradise and Winchester are unincorporated Clark County areas, and the Las Vegas Township covers several unincorporated communities. Confirm the actual court named on the citation, arrest or case record.
3. Can I search Las Vegas Justice Court criminal cases online?
Yes. Las Vegas Justice Court operates an official public Records Inquiry system for criminal and other cases. Sealed cases and certain exempt information are excluded from public access.
4. How far back do Clark County District Court criminal records go?
The Clerk of the Court maintains records from September 1909 to the present. Most records dating from 1990 forward can be searched online. Records from 1909 through 1990 may require an in-person or mailed search request and historical index research.
5. What is an LVMPD SCOPE background check?
A SCOPE is a local LVMPD criminal-history/background record. LVMPD says it covers arrests or incidents within LVMPD jurisdiction only, so it should not be confused with a statewide Nevada criminal-history record.
6. How much is an LVMPD SCOPE check in 2026?
LVMPD’s service-fee schedule effective July 1, 2026 lists the SCOPE background check at $13. Check the official fee page before requesting because fees can change.
7. Where do I get my statewide Nevada criminal-history record?
Use the Nevada State Police Records, Communications and Compliance Division’s Criminal History Repository. The state provides manual and qualifying electronic request procedures, and the traditional request process uses fingerprint identification.
8. How do I find someone currently jailed in Las Vegas?
Start with the Clark County Detention Center inmate search. LVMPD also provides a page linking to the Clark County, Las Vegas City, North Las Vegas and Henderson detention systems. The correct facility depends on the arresting jurisdiction and custody placement.
9. Why did a Las Vegas criminal case disappear from an online search?
Possible reasons include record sealing, a different court jurisdiction, an older record that is not indexed online, incorrect search information, or information that is legally exempt from public Internet access. Contact the court holding the official case file when the online result is incomplete.
10. Where do I search a federal criminal case filed in Las Vegas?
Use PACER for U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada records. The federal courthouse in Las Vegas is at 333 S. Las Vegas Blvd. Federal cases do not appear as ordinary Clark County state-court cases.
Official sources and verification links
These are the primary government resources used to build and maintain this guide. Fees, hours, portal behavior and access rules can change, so use the linked agency page before making a time-sensitive records request.
- City of Las Vegas — Municipal Court
- Las Vegas Municipal Court defendant portal
- Las Vegas Justice Court
- Las Vegas Justice Court Records Inquiry
- Eighth Judicial District Court Portal
- Eighth Judicial District Court — Records Search and Viewing
- LVMPD Records & Fingerprint Bureau
- LVMPD Background Checks / SCOPE
- LVMPD Police Report Copies
- Clark County Detention Center Inmate Search
- Nevada State Police — Criminal History Records Request
- Nevada Department of Corrections Inmate Search
- Nevada Appellate Courts Case Lookup
- Nevada Revised Statutes Chapter 239 — Public Records
- Nevada Revised Statutes Chapter 179A — Criminal History
- Nevada Revised Statutes Chapter 179 — Record Sealing
- PACER — Federal Court Records