Choose the right Pennsylvania criminal-record system before you search
Pennsylvania court cases, criminal-history checks, arrest records, county-jail records, warrants and state correctional records are maintained through different government systems. The free Unified Judicial System portal is useful for court dockets, while an official statewide criminal-history background check comes from the Pennsylvania State Police through PATCH. Knowing that difference can save a lot of time—and prevent a court charge from being mistaken for a conviction.
First identify what kind of record you are looking for
Pennsylvania’s justice system does not store every criminal record in one public database. Different agencies may hold different pieces of the same event.
Court case
Use for docket sheets, charges filed in court, court dates, dispositions, financial information and docket activity.
Criminal history
PATCH searches the Pennsylvania State Police Central Repository and is the official statewide criminal-history background-check service.
Arrest or incident report
Start with the law-enforcement agency that investigated the incident. Public access can be limited by investigative-record laws.
County jail record
County detention records are usually maintained locally. The Pennsylvania DOC locator does not include people held in county facilities.
State inmate / parolee
Use the Department of Corrections locator for state-sentenced incarcerated individuals and parolees under DOC supervision.
Federal criminal case
Federal cases are separate from Pennsylvania state court cases and generally use PACER.
Understand Pennsylvania’s criminal court structure
Pennsylvania’s Courts of Common Pleas are the state’s trial courts and are organized into 60 judicial districts. Major criminal cases are heard there. Many criminal matters, however, begin one level lower.
Magisterial District Courts
These courts handle minor criminal matters and many preliminary stages of criminal cases, along with traffic, non-traffic, civil and landlord-tenant matters.
Courts of Common Pleas
Major criminal cases are adjudicated in the county-level Courts of Common Pleas.
Appellate courts
Pennsylvania appellate docket information includes the Superior, Commonwealth and Supreme Courts through the same UJS Case Search system.
Find county courts through the official Individual County Courts directory.
Pennsylvania Courts also provides an official Magisterial District Court locator and map to identify the correct local court.
How to search Pennsylvania criminal court cases for free
The Unified Judicial System Case Search provides free public access to docket sheets.
Public docket information is available for:
- Criminal Courts of Common Pleas
- Magisterial District Courts
- Philadelphia Municipal Court
- Supreme Court appeals
- Superior Court appeals
- Commonwealth Court cases
Open Case Search
Public docket searches do not require a paid subscription. Choose the appropriate court or search type.
Start with the strongest identifier
If you already know the docket number, use it. Otherwise search with the participant’s name and narrow the results with county or other supported fields.
Open the docket sheet
Review the court, docket number, charges, case events, financial information and disposition-related entries.
Follow the case across court levels when necessary
A criminal matter may begin in a Magisterial District Court and later proceed to a Court of Common Pleas.
Contact the court for filed documents
The public docket lists filings, but the underlying filed documents generally are not downloadable from the docket sheet.
Use Pennsylvania’s advanced court-search fields when a name is not enough
The UJS search is much more powerful than a basic first-and-last-name lookup. Depending on the court type selected, available fields can include:
Docket number
Usually the cleanest way to identify one specific court proceeding.
OTN
An Offense Tracking Number can be especially useful for matching criminal cases.
Citation number
Useful for cases that began with a citation.
Participant name
Search by first and last name, then narrow using other information.
County
Helpful when the person’s name produces many results statewide.
Arresting agency
Supported in relevant criminal search modes.
Incident number
Can help connect a known law-enforcement incident to a court case.
Complaint number
Another useful criminal-case identifier when available.
How to read a Pennsylvania criminal docket sheet
A docket sheet is a summary of case activity. It is not itself an official statewide criminal-history background check.
| Docket information | What it tells you | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Docket number | The court’s identifying number for the case. | Check that you have the correct county and court level. |
| Charges | The offenses alleged or prosecuted. | A listed charge does not automatically mean conviction. |
| Calendar events | Scheduled hearings and court events. | Recent changes may not immediately appear online. |
| Docket entries | A chronological list of filings and actions. | Look for plea, trial, dismissal, sentencing and appeal events. |
| Disposition | How a charge or case ended. | Read the final outcome rather than relying on the original charge. |
| Financial information | Court costs, fines or payments appearing on the docket. | Do not confuse a financial entry with the criminal disposition itself. |
Philadelphia criminal cases have an extra search layer
Philadelphia differs from most Pennsylvania counties. The UJS portal explains that the Philadelphia Municipal Court has initial jurisdiction in processing every criminal arrest in Philadelphia and handles misdemeanor trials and preliminary hearings in felony cases.
A felony matter can therefore have both a Philadelphia Municipal Court docket and a later Court of Common Pleas docket relating to the same incident.
Find Pennsylvania criminal court dates online
The UJS Web Portal provides a public calendar feature for scheduled events in Criminal Courts of Common Pleas and Magisterial District Courts.
This is useful if you already found a case and need to confirm the date or location of an upcoming public proceeding.
Search UJS court calendarsAlways confirm time-sensitive hearings with the court because recent changes may not immediately appear in online docket information.
The docket is online, but the filed court documents usually are not
Pennsylvania Courts explains that a web docket sheet lists documents filed in a case, but the actual pleadings and filings generally cannot be downloaded from the public docket.
For the underlying criminal-case documents, contact the county Clerk of Courts or other filing office that maintains the official case record.
For Magisterial District Court paper records, Pennsylvania Courts instructs users to contact the particular Magisterial District Court office directly. Complex requests may require the statewide public-record request form.
Court public-record forms Find the county courtHow much can court photocopies cost?
Under the statewide case-record public-access policy, ordinary duplication by photocopying or printing generally may not exceed $0.25 per page unless another applicable law authorizes a different fee. Viewing records at a court facility is not itself subject to a viewing fee under that policy.
Court-record requests are different from ordinary Right-to-Know requests
This is an important Pennsylvania-specific distinction.
Judicial case record
Courts, court administrative staff and Clerks of Court are judicial agencies. Access to judicial case records is handled under Pennsylvania’s judicial public-access policies and related constitutional/common-law rules.
Use the UJS public-record process rather than assuming an ordinary Right-to-Know request is the correct procedure.
Executive / local agency record
The Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law generally governs public records held by Commonwealth and local agencies, subject to statutory exemptions.
Police investigative information can be restricted even when other agency records are public.
Request an official Pennsylvania criminal-history check through PATCH
The Pennsylvania State Police operates Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History (PATCH).
PATCH checks the identifying information provided by the requester against criminal-history information in the Pennsylvania State Police Central Repository.
| Request type | Current fee | How to request | Important detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard criminal-history check | $22 | PATCH online or Form SP 4-164 by mail | Checks Pennsylvania law-enforcement criminal-history records only. |
| Notarized standard check | $27 total | Mail request | Includes the additional $5 notarization fee. |
| Volunteer check | Free | PATCH or volunteer form | Cannot be notarized. |
| Individual Access & Review | $20 | Form SP 4-170 by mail only | For the individual’s own fuller criminal-history record. |
What “No Record,” “Record” and “Under Review” mean in PATCH
No Record
The information provided did not match information returned as a public criminal-history record through the PATCH process.
Record
The search resulted in public Pennsylvania criminal-history information associated with the submitted identity information.
Request Under Review
This does not automatically mean that the person has a criminal record. PSP performs manual review before issuing the final result.
Pennsylvania State Police says many “No Record” results can be returned immediately. Searches requiring review can take longer, and official guidance advises that some reviewed requests may take approximately two to four weeks.
PATCH Help Line: 1-888-783-7972.
Need your own complete Pennsylvania criminal history?
A standard PATCH public check is different from an Individual Access and Review request.
Pennsylvania State Police defines Access and Review as a review of an individual’s own complete criminal record, including convictions and non-convictions maintained in the Central Repository.
Download Form SP 4-170
Use the Pennsylvania State Police Request for Individual Access and Review form.
Complete the form carefully
The information is mailed to the requester. Include the required identity information.
Include the $20 payment
PSP currently requires a certified check or money order payable to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Mail it to the Central Repository
Pennsylvania State Police, Central Repository – RCPU, 1800 Elmerton Avenue, Harrisburg, PA 17110-9758.
How to look for Pennsylvania arrest and police records
Pennsylvania does not provide one unrestricted statewide public portal containing every police incident report or arrest report.
If you know which agency made the arrest or investigated the incident, start with that agency:
- Pennsylvania State Police troop or station
- city police department
- borough police department
- township police department
- county sheriff where relevant
- other investigating law-enforcement agency
For PSP records, begin with the official State Police Records Request page.
Police body-camera or other audio/video records use a separate process
Pennsylvania State Police says requests for its qualifying audio or video recordings are handled through a dedicated procedure rather than an ordinary Right-to-Know request.
The request generally needs enough information to identify the recording, including the date, time and location of the recorded event and the requester’s relationship to it.
PSP currently lists a $150 fee per granted recording. Requests can still be denied where disclosure would expose evidence, criminal-investigation information, confidential material or victim information, among other statutory reasons.
PSP audio/video request instructionsCan you run a public statewide Pennsylvania warrant search?
Pennsylvania’s UJS system maintains statewide warrant information for authorized secure users, but the statewide warrants service is part of the secure UJS services rather than an unrestricted public warrant-search tool.
Public users should instead use the known court docket, county court office, sheriff or other responsible law-enforcement agency when trying to verify warrant-related information.
Search Pennsylvania state inmates and parolees
The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections Inmate/Parolee Locator covers state-sentenced incarcerated individuals and parolees.
The DOC says the system is updated daily.
County probation records are not the same as DOC parole records
Pennsylvania DOC maintains state parole information, but county probation and parole offices generally operate separately.
The Department of Corrections publishes an official County Probation and Parole directory with county contact information.
Pennsylvania Megan’s Law records use a separate State Police database
Pennsylvania State Police maintains the official Megan’s Law Public Website for qualifying published registered sexual offenders.
The registry can contain information about registrants who reside, are transient, work, attend school or carry on a vocation in Pennsylvania, subject to applicable law.
PSP provides the Megan’s Law Section toll-free number 1-866-771-3170 for concerns about inaccurate or outdated registry information.
Was the criminal case appealed?
Pennsylvania appellate court docket sheets are also available through the UJS portal. For appellate matters, select the appellate search option or search by docket number.
Criminal appeals commonly move through the Superior Court of Pennsylvania, with further review potentially involving the Supreme Court.
Search appellate docketsPennsylvania Judicial Center
601 Commonwealth AvenueHarrisburg, PA 17106
The building houses Pennsylvania appellate judicial offices, including offices of the Supreme, Superior and Commonwealth Courts.
Juvenile records have different public-access rules
Pennsylvania juvenile delinquency records are not automatically open in the same manner as ordinary adult criminal cases.
State law and juvenile-court rules control who can inspect juvenile records and when specified information can become public. Law-enforcement juvenile records also have separate restrictions.
Clean Slate can make older Pennsylvania cases disappear from public Case Search
Pennsylvania’s UJS Help Center states that cases which have been sealed, expunged or given limited-access status under Clean Slate are not visible to the public through Case Search.
Pennsylvania expanded Clean Slate through Act 36 of 2023. Among other changes, the expanded law provides limited-access treatment for additional qualifying records, including certain nonviolent drug felony convictions after applicable waiting periods, and reduced the waiting period for qualifying summary convictions.
The 2024 implementation also created automatic clearing procedures for qualifying records following an unconditional pardon.
How Pennsylvania’s criminal-record expungement process starts
Pennsylvania State Police directs people beginning an expungement review to obtain their complete criminal history using the SP 4-170 Individual Access and Review process.
Request your full PSP record
Complete Form SP 4-170, include the current $20 fee and required identification, and mail it to the Central Repository.
Review the arrest and disposition information
Confirm the county, charges, dates and final outcomes before preparing a court filing.
Contact the county Clerk of Courts
PSP instructs requesters to follow up with the Clerk of Courts in the county where the arrest or case occurred for the applicable court petition procedure.
Follow the court’s eligibility and filing process
Eligibility depends on Pennsylvania law and the particular case history.
What if the Pennsylvania court or criminal-history record is wrong?
Error on a UJS web docket
Pennsylvania Courts provides a form for a party or the party’s attorney to request correction of a clerical data error appearing on an electronic docket sheet.
Submit the correction request to the court where the case was filed.
UJS correction and record formsError in Pennsylvania State Police criminal history
If the issue concerns information in the PSP Central Repository, begin by obtaining your own Access and Review record so you can identify exactly what information is being reported.
The PSP Criminal Records & Identification Division can also provide guidance on criminal-history questions and corrections.
Federal criminal cases require a separate search
Pennsylvania UJS and PATCH do not replace the federal court-record system.
Use PACER for federal court cases.
Pennsylvania State Police criminal-record contact location
Pennsylvania State Police
1800 Elmerton AvenueHarrisburg, PA 17110
Headquarters phone:
717-783-5599
Published headquarters hours:
Monday-Friday, 7:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m., excluding observed holidays.
Records & Identification
1800 Elmerton AvenueHarrisburg, PA 17110
PATCH Help Line:
1-888-783-7972
Individual Access & Review requests use the Central Repository mailing address at this location.
Use the map for location reference. Mail criminal-history forms to the exact unit and address printed on the current PSP form rather than addressing mail only to general headquarters.
Practical Pennsylvania criminal-record search tips
Do not confuse UJS with PATCH
UJS is a court docket search. PATCH is the State Police criminal-history service.
Search both court levels
A serious case may begin in Magisterial District Court before moving to Common Pleas.
Use the OTN when available
Pennsylvania’s UJS search supports the Offense Tracking Number and other criminal identifiers.
Philadelphia needs cross-court checking
Review the cross-court docket field to connect Philadelphia Municipal and Common Pleas cases.
Want documents? Call the county
UJS docket sheets list filings but generally do not provide downloads of those filed documents.
Recent entries can lag
UJS warns that recent court-office activity may not immediately appear on the public docket.
Old MDJ case missing?
If an official Magisterial District Court record was destroyed under retention rules, its public web docket may also no longer be accessible.
Clean Slate changes visibility
Sealed, expunged and limited-access cases are not publicly displayed in UJS Case Search.
County jail is separate from DOC
Search the county facility for local custody; use DOC for state-sentenced inmates and parolees.
Using Pennsylvania criminal records for employment or screening
Pennsylvania Courts explicitly warns that docket-sheet information should not be used in place of a Pennsylvania State Police criminal-history background check.
Employment, housing, licensing and other eligibility decisions can also involve the Pennsylvania Criminal History Record Information Act, federal Fair Credit Reporting Act requirements and other laws.
Common questions about Pennsylvania criminal records
1. Can I search Pennsylvania criminal court cases for free?
Yes. Pennsylvania’s Unified Judicial System provides free public docket searches for qualifying Common Pleas, Magisterial District, Philadelphia Municipal and appellate cases.
2. Is a UJS docket the same as a Pennsylvania criminal background check?
No. UJS provides court-case docket information. The official Pennsylvania statewide criminal-history background check is provided by Pennsylvania State Police through PATCH.
3. How much does a Pennsylvania PATCH criminal-history check cost?
A standard PATCH check currently costs $22. A notarized mailed check adds $5. Volunteer checks are free. Online credit-card PATCH transactions have a 2% transaction fee effective April 22, 2026.
4. Can I download criminal court documents from the UJS docket?
Generally no. The docket identifies documents filed in the case, but the underlying filings are obtained from the county Clerk of Courts or other office maintaining the official case file.
5. Where do Pennsylvania felony cases appear?
Major criminal cases are heard in Courts of Common Pleas, but many cases begin in Magisterial District Court. Search both levels when the procedural history requires it.
6. How do I obtain my own complete Pennsylvania criminal record?
Use the Pennsylvania State Police SP 4-170 Individual Access and Review process. It currently costs $20 and is submitted by mail.
7. Where can I search Pennsylvania state inmates?
Use the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections Inmate/Parolee Locator. People held in county facilities are not included and must be searched through the relevant county.
8. Can I see Clean Slate or expunged cases in UJS Case Search?
No. Pennsylvania Courts states that sealed, expunged and Clean Slate limited-access cases are not visible to the public through Case Search.
9. Can I use Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law to get any police investigation file?
No. Investigative records can be exempt from disclosure. Pennsylvania State Police specifically states that investigative reports are not available through its ordinary Right-to-Know process.
10. Does PATCH include federal criminal cases or other states?
No. PSP states that PATCH checks Pennsylvania law-enforcement criminal-history information. Federal and out-of-state records require separate sources.
Official Pennsylvania sources used for this guide
- Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania — Case Search
- Pennsylvania Courts — Court Case Information
- Pennsylvania Courts — Public Records Policies
- Pennsylvania Courts — Public Records Forms
- Pennsylvania Courts — Courts of Common Pleas
- Pennsylvania Courts — Minor Courts
- Pennsylvania State Police — PATCH
- PSP — Criminal History Background Check
- PSP — Criminal Record Expungement
- PSP — Records Requests
- Pennsylvania Office of Open Records — Judicial Agencies
- Pennsylvania DOC — Locate an Inmate or Parolee
- Pennsylvania State Police — Megan’s Law Public Website
- PACER — Federal Court Records