Illinois Public Criminal Records: Criminal Records Guide

Q: How much does an Illinois State Police name-based criminal record search cost?

The current Illinois State Police fee schedule lists a UCIA name-based inquiry at sixteen dollars for a manual paper request and ten dollars for an electronic request.

Q: Is there one statewide Illinois court case search?

Illinois criminal court records are maintained by county Circuit Clerks. Electronic public access varies among counties and circuits, so the Illinois Courts Circuit Clerk directory should be used to identify the correct official court source.

Q: How can I obtain my own complete Illinois criminal-history record?

Use the Illinois State Police Access and Review process. Fingerprints are submitted through an authorized law-enforcement, correctional or licensed fingerprint provider and ISP returns the subject's criminal-history transcript or a no-record statement.

Q: Can I use FOIA to get an Illinois criminal background check?

Illinois State Police directs criminal-background requests to its established criminal-history services when those records are reasonably available there. FOIA remains available for other qualifying ISP public records subject to statutory exemptions.

Q: Can sealed or expunged records disappear from public searches?

Yes. An Illinois expungement or sealing order can restrict or remove qualifying criminal-history and court records from ordinary public access depending on the relief granted and applicable law.

Q: How do I correct an Illinois criminal-history error?

Obtain your fingerprint-based Access and Review transcript and use the Record Challenge process supplied by the Illinois State Police. Supporting records from the court or reporting agency may be needed.

Illinois official-records guide

Illinois public criminal history and court records are two different searches

Illinois public criminal-record research usually involves at least two systems. The Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification is the state’s central criminal-history repository and can release qualifying conviction information under the Uniform Conviction Information Act. The actual criminal court file, however, is maintained by the Circuit Clerk in the county where the case was filed. Jail, prison, police-report and sex-offender information are handled through still other systems.

Coverage: Illinois statewide Information checked: October 2, 2026 Primary sources: ISP, Illinois Courts and IDOC

Best starting point: If you want public statewide conviction information, use the Illinois State Police Uniform Conviction Information Act (UCIA) process. If you want charges, court dates, docket entries, dismissals, pleas, sentences or certified documents, identify the correct county and use that county’s Circuit Clerk. If you are checking your own complete Illinois record, use ISP’s fingerprint-based Access and Review process.

Public conviction check Illinois State Police UCIA conviction information.

ISP route →

Find a criminal case Locate the Circuit Clerk that maintains the actual court file.

Court route →

Check your own record Fingerprint-based Access and Review including non-conviction information.

Personal review →

Find prison custody Illinois Department of Corrections individual-in-custody search.

IDOC route →

Clear a record Official statewide expungement and sealing forms.

Record relief →

Start by identifying the Illinois record you actually need

Searching the wrong agency is one of the easiest ways to miss a record. Illinois criminal-history information is distributed among state police, courts, local police and sheriffs, corrections agencies and federal courts.

Illinois State Police

State criminal history

ISP’s Bureau of Identification maintains the statewide criminal-history repository. Public disclosure under UCIA is limited to conviction information.

Circuit Clerk

Criminal court case

Charges, docket activity, hearings, judgments, dispositions and court documents are maintained locally by Circuit Clerks.

Police / Sheriff

Arrest or incident report

The law-enforcement agency that created the report is normally the first records custodian for arrest and investigative material.

County jail

Local custody

Jail rosters and recent booking information generally remain with county sheriffs or local corrections agencies.

IDOC

State prison record

Use the Illinois Department of Corrections when the question concerns state incarceration, fugitives or certain supervision information.

Federal courts

Federal criminal case

Illinois state systems do not replace PACER for federal district or appellate criminal cases.

Arrest is not conviction. Public criminal-history searches, police records and court records can contain different information. Always review the final court disposition before describing a filed charge or arrest as a conviction.

Illinois public criminal history is governed by the UCIA

Illinois’ Uniform Conviction Information Act took effect on January 1, 1991. The Illinois State Police explains that the law requires criminal-history conviction information maintained by the Bureau of Identification to be made available to the public.

Important limitation: the UCIA public request is not a person’s complete Illinois criminal-history transcript. Public UCIA dissemination is limited to conviction information. A subject reviewing their own record through Access and Review can receive broader conviction and non-conviction information associated with their fingerprints.

ISP allows UCIA requests using either a name-based inquiry or a fingerprint-based inquiry.

Illinois State Police Criminal History

Current Illinois State Police criminal-history fees

ISP’s current fee schedule includes changes effective October 1, 2026. These are the relevant current charges published by the Bureau of Identification.

Request	Paper / manual	Electronic / Live Scan	Notes
UCIA name-based inquiry	$16	$10	Public conviction-information request.
UCIA fingerprint inquiry	$20	$15	Fingerprint-based conviction-information request.
State-only applicant check	$20	$15	Used for qualifying applicant purposes.
FBI-only applicant check	$15	$15	Requires authorized fingerprint process.
State + FBI applicant check	$35	$30	Used where a qualifying statewide and federal check is authorized.
Access and Review / Record Challenge	No ISP fee	No ISP fee	The fingerprint provider may charge its own service fee.
ISP court order to expunge or seal	$60		This is separate from any court or local filing costs.

Fees and vendor charges can change. Confirm the current amount directly on the ISP Bureau of Identification Fee Schedule before submitting payment.

How an Illinois name-based conviction check works

A UCIA name-based request can be used by an individual or organization to request qualifying public conviction information without submitting fingerprints.

ISP’s guidance says only one name can be submitted per UCIA name-based request. A maiden name must be submitted separately when using a name search.

Use the official UCIA process

Obtain the appropriate original ISP UCIA name-based request form or use an authorized electronic route where applicable.

Enter the person’s identifying information carefully

Follow the required fields exactly. An incomplete request can be returned unprocessed.

Record the TCN/DCN

ISP forms carry a unique Transaction Control Number or Document Control Number. Keep it because it is used when checking the status or retrieving a response.

Submit the current required fee

The current ISP schedule lists $16 for a paper UCIA name inquiry and $10 for an electronic inquiry.

Verify any possible match with the court

Once a conviction is identified, locate the Circuit Clerk in the county of conviction if you need the official court file or certified disposition.

Name-based checks can confuse people with similar identities. When identity accuracy is critical, a fingerprint-based check is stronger than relying on a name alone.

Fingerprint-based UCIA searches provide stronger identity matching

Illinois also permits fingerprint-based UCIA conviction-information requests. Fingerprints reduce the risk of mixing records between people who share similar names or dates of birth.

ISP requires Illinois fingerprint transactions to be submitted electronically through a licensed Live Scan fingerprint vendor.

ISP Fingerprint Background Checks

Employment or licensing check? ISP advises applicants to obtain the correct instructions from the requesting employer, licensing agency or authorized organization before going to a Live Scan vendor. Different statutory checks require different submission information.

What CHIRP is — and why ordinary users can misunderstand it

CHIRP stands for Criminal History Information Response Process. ISP uses CHIRP for electronic name-based criminal-history inquiries and response retrieval.

However, direct CHIRP access is not simply an unrestricted anonymous public search box. The current CHIRP authentication page explains that system access is limited to law-enforcement agencies or organizations that have an appropriate user agreement with ISP.

Practical takeaway: the public right to obtain Illinois conviction information under UCIA does not mean that every member of the public receives unrestricted direct access to the same secure electronic interface used by participating agencies.

ISP says CHIRP users retrieve a submitted response using the Transaction Control Number (TCN) generated when the search was initiated.

ISP Name-Based Background Checks

How to obtain your own complete Illinois criminal-history transcript

If you need to see what the Illinois State Police actually has associated with your identity, use the Access and Review process rather than a public UCIA conviction check.

ISP states that the Access and Review transcript can contain conviction and non-conviction information reported to the Bureau for the subject.

1 Find a fingerprint provider Use an Illinois law-enforcement/correctional facility or licensed fingerprint vendor.

2 Request Access and Review Tell the provider that you want your ISP criminal-history transcript.

3 Submit fingerprints Your fingerprints and identifying information are forwarded to ISP.

4 Review the transcript ISP sends your transcript or a statement that no criminal history was located.

ISP processing fee: Illinois State Police does not charge a processing fee for Access and Review or a Record Challenge. The agency or fingerprint vendor taking your fingerprints may charge its own service fee.

ISP — View My Record

How to challenge an inaccurate Illinois State Police record

Your Access and Review packet includes a Record Challenge form. Use it when you believe information in the ISP transcript is inaccurate or incomplete.

Review the full ISP transcript

Identify the exact arrest, charge, disposition or identifying information you believe is wrong.

Locate the source record

If the issue is a missing court disposition, obtain documentation from the Circuit Clerk that handled the criminal case.

Complete the Record Challenge

Follow the instructions included with the Access and Review transcript.

Wait for ISP’s written determination

ISP states that it will respond in writing regarding action taken to correct the record or advise that no correction was made.

Keep the court case number. It is often the fastest bridge between an ISP criminal-history entry and the court source needed to verify how the case actually ended.

Illinois criminal court records are maintained county by county

Illinois does not require every Circuit Clerk to provide one identical statewide public electronic case-search interface.

The Office of the Illinois Courts explains that the Circuit Court is the court of original jurisdiction and that each county’s elected Circuit Clerk preserves court files, documents and complete case records.

Important difference: ISP answers the statewide criminal-history question. The Circuit Clerk answers the court-file question. If you need an indictment, information, motion, docket, judgment, sentencing order or certified disposition, contact the court—not the State Police background-check unit.

Illinois’ electronic-access policy allows local circuit courts to provide online access, but it does not require every clerk to make every court record available electronically. Official court records remain available for inspection according to court access rules.

How to find the correct Illinois Circuit Clerk

Start with the county where the case was filed or where the alleged offense occurred. The Illinois Courts website maintains an official directory of Circuit Clerks.

Find an Illinois Circuit Clerk Illinois Courts Directory

Identify the county

Use the county associated with the arrest, prosecution or conviction rather than only the person’s current home county.

Open the official clerk listing

Locate the county’s Circuit Clerk and follow the link to its official website where available.

Look for criminal case search

Terms vary by county: Case Search, Court Records, Public Access, Docket Search, Criminal Case Lookup or Online Records.

Contact the clerk when the file is not online

Older records, sealed information and some documents may require an in-person or formal copy request.

Cook County needs its own local search path

Cook County is a single-county judicial circuit and handles a very large share of Illinois court filings. The official Illinois Courts directory currently lists the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County at:

50 W. Washington Street
Suite 1001
Chicago, IL 60602

Phone: 312-603-5030

For a Cook County criminal matter, use the Cook County Circuit Clerk’s official systems rather than assuming another Illinois county portal covers Chicago cases.

Statewide article, local reality: Illinois criminal court research becomes much more accurate once you know the county. A statewide ISP conviction record can point you toward the local Circuit Clerk that holds the actual case.

What to do when an old Illinois case does not appear online

Electronic court access and the official court record are not always the same thing. Illinois’ court-access policy specifically distinguishes electronic access from records maintained by the Circuit Clerk.

If an old criminal case is missing online:

confirm the county where the case was filed
contact that county’s Circuit Clerk
ask whether the file is archived, paper-only or stored offsite
provide the full name and approximate case year
provide the case number if you have it
ask about copy and certification charges

Do not interpret “not online” as “no record exists.” A public paper court file may still be maintained even when electronic access is unavailable.

Arrest reports and police records come from the agency that created them

Illinois State Police criminal-history records should not be confused with an arrest report, incident report, body-camera record or investigative file created by a police department or sheriff.

If the Chicago Police Department made the arrest, start with Chicago’s records process. If a county sheriff made the arrest, use that sheriff. If Illinois State Police investigated the incident, ISP’s FOIA process may be relevant.

Local research shortcut: identify the agency name on the arrest report number, citation, booking entry or court paperwork. That agency is normally the best starting point for the underlying police record.

How to request qualifying Illinois State Police records under FOIA

ISP accepts Freedom of Information Act requests for qualifying agency records such as certain field reports, investigative files, forensic records and other public records subject to legal exemptions.

ISP specifically advises requesters to be precise rather than asking for “any and all records,” because extremely broad requests can create delays or be considered unduly burdensome.

Include as much of this information as possible

specific record type
report or case number
location of incident
names of people involved
subject date of birth when relevant
date or date range

ISP currently states that ordinary FOIA responses are due within five business days, subject to a lawful extension of up to five additional business days in qualifying circumstances.

Illinois State Police FOIA

Email: ISP.FOIA.Officer@illinois.gov

Illinois State Police
Freedom of Information Officer
801 South 7th Street, Suite 1000-S
Springfield, IL 62703

FOIA is not a substitute for UCIA. ISP lists criminal background records among information that should generally be obtained through the specific criminal-history service rather than submitting a generic FOIA request when the established service is reasonably accessible.

ISP FOIA Instructions

Use IDOC for Illinois state-prison and custody information

If your question is whether someone is currently in Illinois state custody, use the Illinois Department of Corrections rather than treating ISP criminal history as an inmate locator.

IDOC Individual in Custody Search

IDOC also maintains public resources for:

individuals in custody
wanted fugitives
certain parolee sex registrants
community-notification information

County jail vs. IDOC: someone awaiting trial or serving a local jail sentence may not appear in IDOC’s state-prison search. Check the county sheriff or local jail system separately.

Illinois sex-offender information requires a separate registry search

The Illinois State Police operates the public Illinois Sex Offender Registry.

The registry can be searched using identifiers including:

first and last name
date of birth
city
ZIP code
county
compliance status

ISP says the public database is updated daily and also provides geographic searching.

The registry is not a complete criminal-history search. ISP expressly warns that the information concerns qualifying sex-offender registration and may not reflect the person’s entire criminal history.

For additional conviction information about a listed registrant, ISP directs users to the Circuit Clerk in the county of conviction or to a UCIA criminal-history request.

Criminal appeals are separate from the original Circuit Court file

If a conviction was appealed, the appellate record may contain later opinions or orders that changed, affirmed or reversed aspects of the trial-court result.

Use the Illinois Courts Directory to identify the appropriate appellate district and official court source.

Check the chronology. A trial-level conviction may not be the final legal outcome if an appellate court later reversed, remanded or otherwise modified the case.

Federal criminal cases in Illinois are not Illinois Circuit Court cases

Illinois has federal judicial districts, and federal prosecutions use the U.S. court system. Search those matters separately using PACER.

Search Federal Cases with PACER

If you do not know which federal district handled the prosecution, PACER’s Case Locator can search the nationwide federal index.

ISP public conviction information is state criminal history. It is not a replacement for a federal court search or an FBI Identity History Summary.

Illinois expungement and sealing can change what the public can see

The Office of the Illinois Courts publishes statewide forms that every Illinois court must accept for qualifying expungement and sealing requests.

The current form suite was updated again in 2026 and includes:

How to Clear Your Criminal Record guide
Request to Expunge and/or Seal Criminal Records
Case List for the request
additional arrest/case pages
orders granting or denying relief
separate juvenile expungement forms

Illinois Expungement & Sealing Forms

Expungement and sealing are not identical. The result depends on the offense, disposition, eligibility and court order. A sealed record can remain available to entities that retain access under Illinois law even when ordinary public access is restricted.

ISP’s current fee schedule lists no ISP charge for filing a petition but a $60 ISP fee for processing a court order to expunge or seal criminal history. Separate local court charges may apply.

Juvenile records should not be searched like ordinary adult criminal cases

Illinois juvenile information receives stronger confidentiality protections and may not appear through the same public criminal-history or court-access channels used for adult convictions.

The Illinois Courts publishes a separate statewide juvenile-expungement form suite, updated in 2026.

Do not assume a missing juvenile result means no record exists. Public access, court access, law-enforcement access and expungement rules differ substantially for juvenile matters.

Public conviction searches and employment background checks are not automatically the same thing

Illinois public conviction information may be available under UCIA, but employment, professional licensing and other regulated checks may require specific fingerprint-based procedures or additional legal safeguards.

ISP’s UCIA guidance says that when a UCIA request is made for employment purposes, the applicant’s signature is required, the employer must retain that signature for two years, and the employer must provide the applicant with a copy of the response.

Use-purpose matters. An ordinary public criminal-record lookup should not automatically be treated as a compliant employment, tenant, licensing or other regulated background-check process. Federal and Illinois requirements can apply depending on who performs the check and how it is used.

Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification contact information

The Bureau of Identification is the central Illinois State Police unit responsible for criminal-history record collection, maintenance and dissemination.

Bureau of Identification

Joliet facility

Illinois State Police
Bureau of Identification
260 North Chicago Street
Joliet, IL 60432

Customer Support: 815-740-5160

Email: ISP.BOI.Customer.Support@illinois.gov

Visit policy

Appointment required

ISP identifies the Bureau of Identification as a restricted-access facility. Members of the public must schedule an appointment before entering.

Current appointment hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m..

Do not drive to Joliet without arranging access first. ISP restricted public entry to the BOI facility beginning in 2025 and currently requires an appointment through Customer Support.

Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification map

This is the Bureau of Identification facility in Joliet. An appointment is required for public access, so contact the Bureau before traveling.

Illinois criminal-record search tips that save time

Tip 01

Know conviction vs. case

UCIA is for ISP conviction information. The Circuit Clerk holds the actual criminal case file.

Tip 02

Find the county first

Illinois court access is much easier once you know which county handled the prosecution.

Tip 03

Save the TCN

ISP uses the Transaction Control Number to track criminal-history submissions and responses.

Tip 04

Maiden name?

ISP says name-based UCIA requests require maiden names to be searched separately.

Tip 05

Your own record?

Use fingerprint Access and Review rather than a public conviction-only request.

Tip 06

Old case missing?

Contact the Circuit Clerk. Electronic access does not necessarily represent the full official file.

Tip 07

Police report?

Request it from the agency that created the report, not automatically from ISP.

Tip 08

Prison question?

Use IDOC rather than a UCIA criminal-history request.

Tip 09

Registry search is separate

Illinois sex-offender information is not automatically included as a registry search within a standard CHRI request.

Illinois public criminal-record questions answered

1. Are Illinois criminal records public?

Illinois law makes qualifying conviction information maintained by the Illinois State Police available to the public under the Uniform Conviction Information Act. Court records are maintained separately by county Circuit Clerks and have their own public-access rules.

2. Does an Illinois public background check show arrests that did not result in conviction?

A public UCIA request is limited to conviction information. A person reviewing their own fingerprint-based ISP transcript through Access and Review may receive both conviction and non-conviction information reported to ISP.

3. How much does an Illinois State Police name-based criminal record search cost?

The current ISP fee schedule lists a UCIA name-based inquiry at $16 for a manual/paper request and $10 for an electronic request.

4. Is there one statewide Illinois court case search?

Illinois court records are maintained by county Circuit Clerks. Electronic access varies among circuits and counties, so the official Illinois Courts Circuit Clerk directory is the safest way to find the appropriate local court source.

5. How can I obtain my own complete Illinois criminal-history record?

Use the Illinois State Police Access and Review process. A law-enforcement or correctional facility or licensed fingerprint vendor takes your fingerprints and submits them to ISP, which then sends your criminal-history transcript or a no-record statement.

6. Does Illinois State Police charge for Access and Review?

ISP does not charge a processing fee for Access and Review or Record Challenge. The agency or licensed fingerprint vendor taking the fingerprints may charge its own service fee.

7. Where do I find an Illinois prison inmate?

Use the Illinois Department of Corrections Individual in Custody Search for people in state correctional custody. County-jail detainees should be searched through the relevant county sheriff or local jail system.

8. Can I use FOIA to get an Illinois criminal background check?

ISP directs criminal-background requests to its established criminal-history services rather than ordinary FOIA when the record is reasonably available through those services. FOIA remains available for other qualifying ISP public records subject to exemptions.

9. Can sealed or expunged records disappear from public searches?

Yes. A valid Illinois expungement or sealing order can change public access to qualifying criminal-history and court records. The legal effect depends on the order and the type of relief granted.

10. How do I correct an Illinois criminal-history error?

Obtain your fingerprint-based Access and Review transcript, identify the inaccurate information, and use the Record Challenge form included with the ISP response. Supporting court or agency documentation may be needed depending on the error.