Choose PATCH, court records or Access & Review based on what you actually need
Pennsylvania has several different criminal-record systems. The Pennsylvania State Police PATCH service provides statewide criminal-history background checks, while the Unified Judicial System portal provides public court-case and docket information. If you want to inspect your own complete Pennsylvania State Police criminal history—including non-conviction information—you need the separate Individual Access and Review process. These services answer different questions and should not be treated as interchangeable.
Start by choosing the correct Pennsylvania record system
Pennsylvania criminal records are spread across law-enforcement, court, corrections and federal systems. The most common mistake is expecting one search to contain everything.
PATCH
Standard Pennsylvania criminal-history background check against records maintained by the State Police Central Repository.
UJS Web Portal
Court cases, docket information, scheduled hearings and public case information from Pennsylvania’s judicial system.
Access & Review
A subject’s fuller PSP criminal-history record, including convictions and non-convictions.
PA DOC
Information about incarcerated individuals and parolees within Pennsylvania’s state correctional system.
Megan’s Law
Public information concerning qualifying registered sexual offenders in Pennsylvania.
FBI / PACER
Federal fingerprint-based background checks and federal court cases are separate from PATCH.
How the Pennsylvania PATCH criminal-history check works
Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History (PATCH) is operated by the Pennsylvania State Police. The identifying information submitted by the requester is compared against criminal-history information maintained in the PSP Central Repository.
Open official PATCHPennsylvania allows criminal-history checks to be requested for several purposes, including checking your own public record, screening a potential employee where legally appropriate, volunteering, adoption, fostering and some visa-related purposes.
Run a Pennsylvania PATCH check step by step
Open the official EPATCH website
Go directly to the Pennsylvania State Police PATCH system and select Submit a New Record Check for an ordinary request.
Choose the correct request type
Do not choose the volunteer option unless the request actually qualifies as a volunteer background check under Pennsylvania requirements.
Enter requester information
Non-registered users enter their requester name, mailing address and payment information each time they use PATCH.
Enter the subject’s identifying information carefully
Use the person’s correct full name and date of birth. Additional identifying information can reduce confusion when names are common.
Save the PATCH control number
This number is essential if the result is not immediately available and you need to check the status later.
Read the response carefully
PATCH may return a completed No Record response or place the request Under Review for manual verification.
Print the final certificate
PATCH now places responsibility on the requester to print online Record and No Record responses from the website rather than waiting for an online-request certificate to arrive by mail.
Pennsylvania criminal background check fees
| Request type | Current fee | Important detail |
|---|---|---|
| Standard criminal-history check | $22 | Available online through PATCH or by mail using Form SP 4-164. |
| Notarized standard check | $27 total | $22 check plus $5 notarization; notarized requests must be submitted by mail. |
| Volunteer criminal-history check | Free | For qualifying volunteer requests. Cannot be notarized. |
| Individual Access & Review | $20 | Mail only; subject’s own fuller record; not for employment. |
Payment methods
Online PATCH users can currently pay with Visa, Mastercard, Discover or American Express. Mail-in requests require the payment method specified on the current PSP form—typically a certified check or money order. Do not send cash or a personal check when the form instructs otherwise.
What “No Record,” “Record” and “Under Review” mean
PATCH responses can be misunderstood, especially the phrase Request Under Review.
No Record
The submitted identifying information did not match criminal-history information in the PSP Central Repository that produces a Record response for that request.
Under Review
Submitted identifiers matched information requiring manual PSP review. This does not automatically mean the person has a criminal record.
Record
PSP completed the review and determined that criminal-history information responsive to the request is reportable.
When a request requires manual review, PSP’s PATCH overview says the status can take up to approximately two weeks in many cases, while broader PSP service guidance cautions that some investigations may take around two to four weeks.
How to check a Pennsylvania PATCH request status
Return to the PATCH website and choose Check the Status of a Record Check.
Keep these details available:
- PATCH control number
- subject’s name as originally entered
- date the request was submitted
The same status system can be used to validate a completed Record or No Record certificate by locating the request and opening the certification information.
Check PATCH statusHow to request a Pennsylvania criminal-history check by mail
Use Form SP 4-164 — Request for Criminal Record Check for an ordinary mail-in Pennsylvania criminal-history request.
Download the current SP 4-164
Use the version currently published by the Pennsylvania State Police rather than an old form saved on a third-party site.
Complete requester information
Provide your name, mailing address and telephone number so PSP can return the result.
Enter subject information
Provide the subject’s identifying information as accurately and completely as possible.
Choose ordinary or notarized request
The current form lists $22 for an ordinary individual/noncriminal-justice request and $27 for the notarized version.
Include the required payment
Follow the payment instructions printed on the current form. PSP states not to send cash or personal checks for the mail-in request.
Mail SP 4-164 to
Pennsylvania State PoliceCentral Repository – 164
1800 Elmerton Avenue
Harrisburg, PA 17110-9758
Qualifying Pennsylvania volunteer checks are free
Pennsylvania State Police provides a separate criminal-history request for qualifying volunteers. The volunteer check can be submitted online through PATCH or by mail using the applicable volunteer form.
A volunteer check cannot be notarized. If you need a notarized criminal-history certificate, use the standard mail-in request process instead.
Start a volunteer PATCH checkNeed a notarized Pennsylvania criminal-record check?
PATCH currently states that all notarized criminal-record check requests must be submitted by mail.
The current PSP fee structure is:
- $22 standard criminal-history check
- $5 additional notarization fee
- $27 total for the notarized request
- mail submission required
To see your full Pennsylvania record, request Individual Access & Review
An ordinary PATCH certificate is not the same thing as reviewing your own complete criminal-history information.
Pennsylvania State Police defines Access & Review as a review of an individual’s entire criminal record maintained by the Central Repository, including convictions as well as non-convictions.
Use Form SP 4-170 — Request for Individual Access and Review.
What to include
- completed SP 4-170 form
- copy of government-issued photo ID
- $20 certified check or money order
- legal affidavit or representation letter if applicable
Mail Individual Access & Review requests to
Pennsylvania State PoliceCentral Repository – RCPU
1800 Elmerton Avenue
Harrisburg, PA 17110-9758
Use Pennsylvania court records when you need the actual case
PATCH tells you about criminal-history information maintained by PSP. It does not replace the underlying court docket.
The Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System Web Portal provides public access to Pennsylvania court-case information.
Open UJS Web PortalPublic court searches can be useful for finding:
- criminal case numbers
- participant names
- charges and offense information
- docket entries
- court dates and calendars
- case disposition information
- county and judicial district
- appellate or trial-court case relationships
Read the court docket before drawing conclusions from PATCH
Criminal-history information should always be interpreted in context. A docket can show how the matter moved through the court and whether a charge resulted in conviction, dismissal, diversion, acquittal or another disposition.
| Term | What it generally indicates | What to check next |
|---|---|---|
| Arrest / charge | A criminal proceeding was initiated or charges were filed. | Do not treat this alone as a conviction. |
| Guilty plea | The defendant entered a guilty plea. | Review sentence and later court activity. |
| Nolo contendere | A no-contest plea was entered. | Review disposition and sentencing details. |
| Nolle prosequi | The prosecution elected not to continue that charge. | Check whether other charges remained. |
| Dismissed | The charge or proceeding was dismissed. | Check the complete docket if multiple counts existed. |
| Acquitted | The defendant was not convicted of that charge after adjudication. | Do not describe the count as a conviction. |
| ARD / diversion | A qualifying diversionary resolution may have been used. | Review eligibility, completion and later expungement implications. |
County court records can fill gaps that a statewide background check cannot
Pennsylvania criminal cases are handled through county Courts of Common Pleas and Magisterial District Courts depending on the matter and stage of the proceeding.
If you need an official certified court document, an older file, a charging document or a docket correction, contact the court where the case was filed.
Use Pennsylvania DOC for state inmate and parole information
If you are trying to determine whether someone is currently incarcerated in Pennsylvania state prison or under qualifying state supervision, use the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections inmate locator.
Locate a Pennsylvania inmateDOC information should also not be treated as a substitute for the criminal court docket. Court records remain the better source for charges, pleas and formal disposition details.
Pennsylvania Megan’s Law registry is a separate public search
Pennsylvania State Police maintains the Commonwealth’s public Megan’s Law Website for qualifying registered sexual offenders.
Open Pennsylvania Megan’s Law searchThe registry is intended as a public-safety resource. PSP specifically cautions that:
- information may sometimes be outdated or inaccurate
- the website is not every person who has ever committed a sexual offense
- fingerprint comparison is the reliable method for positive identity
- harassment or misuse of registry information may carry criminal or civil consequences
PATCH does not include federal criminal records
Pennsylvania State Police explicitly states that PATCH checks Pennsylvania law-enforcement criminal-history records and do not function as an FBI nationwide background check.
Federal court case
Use PACER to search federal criminal court cases.
FBI fingerprint background check
Some Pennsylvania employment, licensing, foster/adoptive and volunteer situations require a separate FBI fingerprint-based background check rather than PATCH alone.
Employment background checks may require more than PATCH
PATCH is frequently used for employment-related Pennsylvania criminal-history checks, but the exact clearance package depends on the job and governing law.
Some roles may require:
- Pennsylvania State Police PATCH clearance
- FBI fingerprint background check
- Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance
- professional licensing background checks
- industry-specific statutory checks
Working with children can trigger additional Pennsylvania clearances
Pennsylvania schools, childcare organizations and other covered programs may require multiple clearances rather than a single criminal-record check.
For example, Pennsylvania education guidance identifies the Pennsylvania State Police PATCH clearance as one required background check for specified school employees and contractors who have direct contact with children.
What to do if Pennsylvania criminal-history information appears wrong
Start by determining which system contains the error.
State Police criminal history
Obtain your own Access & Review record so you can identify precisely what PSP has in the Central Repository.
Court-data error
Contact the court where the case was filed to request correction of erroneous public docket information.
Megan’s Law information
PSP publishes a dedicated contact route for information believed to be outdated or incorrect.
Expungement, Clean Slate and limited access can change what the public sees
Pennsylvania provides several forms of criminal-record relief. They are not all the same.
Record removal in qualifying cases
Pennsylvania State Police provides a process beginning with SP 4-170 so the applicant can obtain the arrest record needed to work with the court on an expungement petition.
Public visibility restriction
Qualifying records can be sealed from most public access while remaining available to criminal-justice agencies and other authorized recipients.
Automatic sealing
Pennsylvania law provides automatic sealing for qualifying categories of records after statutory conditions are satisfied.
PSP expungement workflow
A Right-to-Know request is not a workaround for PATCH
Pennsylvania State Police accepts public-record requests under the Right-to-Know Law, but PSP specifically lists criminal-history records among the records that should not be requested through the ordinary PSP Right-to-Know process.
Use:
- PATCH for criminal-history background checks
- Access & Review for your own fuller PSP record
- UJS for public court records
- separate PSP processes for crash reports or audio/video records
Pennsylvania PATCH and criminal-record contact information
Criminal History Requests
Phone: 1-888-QUERY-PA (1-888-783-7972)
Use the automated options for status, accounting, registered-user setup and criminal-history request assistance.
Mailing location
Pennsylvania State Police1800 Elmerton Avenue
Harrisburg, PA 17110
Use the specific unit suffix shown on the form you are submitting, such as Central Repository–164 or Central Repository–RCPU.
Pennsylvania State Police Central Repository location
The Pennsylvania State Police criminal-history forms identify the Central Repository at 1800 Elmerton Avenue, Harrisburg, PA 17110. Use the exact mailing address printed on your specific form because the unit and ZIP extension can differ by request type.
Practical Pennsylvania criminal-record check tips
Save your control number
You need it when a request is not immediately completed and you have to return to PATCH later.
Under Review is not Record
Do not treat a manual-review status as evidence that a person has a criminal history.
Need details? Search the docket
PATCH gives the background-check result; UJS gives far more context about the court case.
Your own complete record?
Use SP 4-170 Access & Review instead of assuming the ordinary PATCH certificate shows everything.
Need notarization?
Use the mail route from the beginning; EPATCH states notarized checks must be submitted by mail.
Working with children?
Confirm whether FBI fingerprint and Child Abuse clearances are required in addition to PATCH.
Check county records
If an outcome is unclear, use the court docket and Clerk of Courts rather than guessing from PATCH alone.
Federal case?
PATCH will not answer it. Search PACER or use the specific FBI check required for your purpose.
Wrong information?
Identify whether the error is in PSP criminal history or the court docket before asking the wrong agency to fix it.
Questions people commonly ask about Pennsylvania criminal-record checks
1. What is PATCH in Pennsylvania?
PATCH stands for Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History. It is the Pennsylvania State Police online system used to request criminal-history background checks against records maintained by the PSP Central Repository.
2. How much does a Pennsylvania State Police criminal-record check cost?
The current fee is $22 for a standard individual criminal-history check. Qualifying volunteer checks are free. A notarized standard check is $27 and must be requested by mail.
3. Does PATCH search FBI and out-of-state criminal records?
No. Pennsylvania State Police states that PATCH checks Pennsylvania law-enforcement criminal-history records. Federal and other-state records require separate searches or authorized background-check procedures.
4. Does “Request Under Review” mean the person has a criminal record?
No. PSP explicitly states that an Under Review response does not mean a criminal record exists. The information requires manual review and the final result can become either No Record or Record.
5. How long does a PATCH check take?
Many No Record results are available immediately. Requests requiring manual review can take longer. PSP’s PATCH guidance says many are resolved within about two weeks, while broader service guidance cautions that some reviews may take two to four weeks.
6. Can I check another person’s Pennsylvania criminal history?
Pennsylvania State Police permits standard criminal-history background-check requests through PATCH, including checks for permitted screening purposes. Use the information lawfully and remember that PATCH is not a substitute for every employment, licensing or consumer-reporting requirement.
7. How do I obtain my complete Pennsylvania criminal record?
Use Form SP 4-170 for Individual Access and Review. PSP defines this process as review of your entire Central Repository criminal record, including convictions and non-convictions. The current fee is $20 and the request must be mailed.
8. Where can I find the actual Pennsylvania court case?
Use the Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System Web Portal or PAeDocket to find public court cases, dockets and scheduled events. Contact the court or county Clerk of Courts for official copies and older records.
9. Can a sealed or expunged Pennsylvania record disappear from public searches?
Yes. Expungement, limited access and Clean Slate sealing can affect public access to qualifying records. These forms of relief have different legal effects and do not necessarily remove every record from every law-enforcement or federal system.
10. Can I use Pennsylvania’s Right-to-Know Law to request someone’s criminal history?
PSP specifically directs criminal-history requests to the criminal-history background-check process rather than the ordinary Right-to-Know process. Use PATCH or the applicable Access and Review procedure instead.
Official Pennsylvania resources used for this guide
- Pennsylvania State Police — PATCH
- Pennsylvania State Police — Request a Criminal History Background Check
- Pennsylvania State Police — PATCH Overview
- PSP Form SP 4-164 — Request for Criminal Record Check
- PSP Form SP 4-170 — Individual Access and Review
- Pennsylvania Judiciary Web Portal
- Pennsylvania UJS — Case Information
- Pennsylvania Department of Corrections — Inmate Locator
- Pennsylvania State Police — Megan’s Law Website
- Pennsylvania State Police — Criminal Record Expungement
- Pennsylvania State Police — Right-to-Know Requests
- Pennsylvania State Police — Contact Information
- PACER — Federal Court Records