You can search many Ohio criminal court and correctional records without paying a commercial background-check website, but Ohio does not provide one free statewide defendant database containing every trial-court criminal case. Felony cases are generally searched through county Courts of Common Pleas, misdemeanors through Municipal or County Courts, local arrests through sheriffs or police, and state corrections records through the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction. An official Ohio BCI criminal-history check is different: it is fingerprint based and is not a free public database.
Can you search Ohio criminal records for free?
Yes — but only certain record types. Many Ohio trial courts and Clerks of Courts provide public online criminal case dockets at no charge. ODRC also provides a free offender search. Many county sheriffs provide free inmate or booking searches.
What Ohio does not provide is one free statewide public BCI database where you can type any person’s name and receive their complete official Ohio criminal history.
Usually free
- county Common Pleas criminal docket searches
- Municipal / County Court case searches
- Ohio DRC Offender Search
- many county jail / inmate lookups
- Supreme Court of Ohio case docket search
- online Ohio appellate opinions
Usually not free
- official BCI fingerprint-based criminal-history check
- certified court copies
- paper copies where a court charges copying fees
- some fingerprinting / WebCheck vendor fees
- mailing or special records-production costs
Which Ohio court holds the criminal case?
Ohio’s trial courts are decentralized. The Supreme Court of Ohio maintains directories and statewide judicial administration resources, but it does not collect the individual trial-case records from every Ohio court into one statewide defendant-search database.
Felony cases
General Division Courts of Common Pleas handle felony criminal cases.
Misdemeanors / preliminary felony matters
Municipal Courts handle misdemeanors and can handle preliminary stages of felony cases within their jurisdiction.
Local criminal cases
In jurisdictions without a Municipal Court covering the matter, a County Court can handle qualifying misdemeanor and related cases.
How to search Ohio felony criminal records for free
A felony case is normally searched through the Court of Common Pleas, General Division in the county where the prosecution was filed.
Identify the county
Determine where the alleged offense was prosecuted, not merely where the person currently lives.
Find that county’s Common Pleas Court
Use the Supreme Court of Ohio’s official Trial Courts directory instead of guessing a court URL.
Open the Clerk of Courts case search
Look for terms such as Case Search, Court Records, Criminal Docket, Public Access or Clerk Records.
Search by case number when available
A case number is more precise than a common defendant name and makes later copy requests easier.
Read every charge and disposition
A felony case can contain multiple counts that end differently. Do not stop at the first charge listed.
How to search Ohio misdemeanor criminal records
Misdemeanors are commonly handled in Ohio Municipal Courts or County Courts. Which court applies depends on the locality and territorial jurisdiction.
That means a search for a misdemeanor in Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, Akron, Toledo, a smaller city or a rural county can lead to different court systems.
Use the Supreme Court of Ohio directory to find the right local court
The Supreme Court of Ohio provides an official Ohio Trial Courts & Local Rules directory.
It lists courts county by county, including:
- Courts of Common Pleas
- Municipal Courts
- County Courts
- Domestic Relations divisions
- Juvenile divisions
- Probate divisions
For an adult criminal-record search, the most relevant entries are usually Common Pleas General Division, Municipal Court and County Court.
Ohio is expanding online access to criminal court documents
Ohio Revised Code § 2303.12 now requires Clerks of Courts to make qualifying criminal dockets and individual case-file documents available for remote public access for criminal cases covered by the statute.
The law still preserves restrictions for information that a court has ordered restricted under Ohio’s Rules of Superintendence and for other legally confidential material.
How to read an Ohio criminal court result
| Case item | What it generally means | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Case number | The court’s identifier for the case. | Keep it for future searches and copy requests. |
| Charge | The offense alleged in court. | A charge is not proof of conviction. |
| Degree | Felony or misdemeanor classification. | Check the final charge because charges can be amended. |
| Docket | Chronological filings, hearings and court activity. | Review later entries for amended charges and final judgment. |
| Disposition | How a particular charge was resolved. | Conviction, dismissal, acquittal, plea or another result. |
| Sentence | Court-ordered consequence following a qualifying conviction. | Prison, jail, community control, fines or other terms. |
Free Ohio arrest and county jail searches
Recent arrest and booking records are normally maintained locally rather than by one universal public statewide jail database.
A practical free search sequence is:
Identify the arresting county
Determine where the person was arrested or booked.
Find the county sheriff or city jail
Look for Jail Roster, Inmate Search, Current Inmates, Booking Search or Arrest Records.
Record the court case number if shown
Use it to move from the booking record to the official criminal court case.
Verify the final court outcome
A jail entry is not evidence that the person was convicted.
How to search Ohio warrant information
Ohio does not provide one public website that should be treated as a complete statewide list of every active arrest warrant issued by every Ohio court.
Warrant information can instead be maintained by:
- county sheriff offices
- Municipal Courts
- County Courts
- Common Pleas Courts
- local police departments
- probation / corrections agencies
Request Ohio police reports and arrest records under the Public Records Act
Ohio Revised Code § 149.43 generally requires public offices to make public records available for inspection and copying, subject to statutory exemptions.
Routine incident records can be public, while parts of a criminal investigation can be protected as confidential law-enforcement investigatory records or specific investigatory work product.
A useful request should identify:
- incident / report number
- person’s name
- date of incident
- location
- arresting agency
- specific document requested
- preferred electronic or paper format
- approximate time period
Free Ohio prison and supervision search
The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction Offender Search is a free official state resource.
It covers qualifying people who are:
- currently incarcerated in an Ohio prison
- currently under Adult Parole Authority supervision
- judicially released
- listed as violators at large
You can search using information such as:
- last name
- first name
- offender number
- county of commitment
- residential county for qualifying supervision records
- ZIP code for qualifying supervision records
- offender status
- next parole-board hearing month
What an ODRC result can show
Depending on the record, results can include an offender number, institution, admission date, sentencing county, docket number, offense information, sentence details, release/parole eligibility information and supervision status.
Ohio BCI criminal history is not a free public name-search database
The Ohio Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) is Ohio’s central repository for computerized criminal-history information.
However, the Attorney General states that BCI computerized criminal-history records are not public records. Public access is therefore very different from a free Clerk of Courts docket search.
Free public court research
Search individual Ohio trial-court dockets and public court documents through local court/clerk systems.
Official BCI criminal history
Fingerprint-based process with authorization and a state fee. Individuals can request their own record for review.
How to request your own Ohio BCI criminal record
Ohio allows a person to obtain their own computerized criminal history from BCI to review it for accuracy and completeness.
The current request requires:
- complete name
- current address
- other identifying information
- a complete set of fingerprints
- signed consent
- required BCI payment
$22
The Ohio Attorney General currently lists a $22 fee for the individual’s Ohio computerized criminal-history request. A WebCheck or fingerprinting provider can charge an additional service/convenience fee.
BCI Civilian Background Check inquiries: 877-224-0043
Ohio AG — Request Your Own Criminal RecordWhat to do if your Ohio criminal history is wrong
The Ohio Attorney General says a person who receives their own BCI criminal history can challenge information that appears incorrect.
The important point is that BCI may not be the agency that originally created the incorrect entry. The correction can involve the source agency, such as:
- county sheriff
- local police department
- Municipal Court
- County Court
- Court of Common Pleas
Ohio Court of Appeals and Supreme Court criminal cases
A criminal appeal moves beyond the original trial court. Ohio has 12 District Courts of Appeals, and the Supreme Court of Ohio maintains a separate docket for cases filed in the state’s highest court.
The Supreme Court’s official Courts of Appeals directory provides district contact information, counties served, local rules and links to online opinions.
Find an Ohio Court of AppealsFor a case filed in the Supreme Court of Ohio, use the Court’s online docket.
Search Supreme Court of Ohio casesGetting official or certified Ohio criminal court records
Free online docket access may be enough for ordinary research. If an agency, employer, licensing body or legal proceeding needs an authenticated court record, contact the Clerk of Courts for the court that maintains the case.
Before requesting a copy, collect:
- defendant’s full name
- case number
- court name
- filing year
- specific document needed
- whether certification is required
Ohio record sealing and expungement
Ohio law distinguishes sealing from expungement. Current Ohio law allows qualifying conviction records to be sealed or, in some circumstances, expunged.
Under Ohio Revised Code § 2953.32, eligibility depends on factors such as:
- offense type
- felony degree
- number and relationship of convictions
- completion of the sentence
- applicable waiting period
- whether another criminal proceeding is pending
- whether the offense falls into a statutory exclusion
Current general sealing waiting periods
| Conviction category | General sealing waiting period after final discharge |
|---|---|
| One or two eligible third-degree felonies | 3 years |
| Eligible fourth- or fifth-degree felonies | 1 year |
| Eligible misdemeanors | 1 year |
| Minor misdemeanor | 6 months |
Application fee
Current Ohio law sets a $50 application fee for a conviction sealing/expungement application unless the applicant submits a poverty affidavit showing indigence. A local court may also impose an additional local fee of up to $50 where authorized.
Dismissed, not-guilty and no-bill Ohio cases
Ohio provides a separate relief path for criminal cases that ended without conviction.
Under Ohio Revised Code § 2953.33:
- a person found not guilty can apply after the finding
- a person whose case was dismissed can apply subject to statutory requirements
- a grand-jury no-bill can qualify after the statutory waiting period
- certain pardoned cases can also qualify for sealing
New Ohio marijuana / hashish expungement option in 2026
Ohio added a specific expungement provision effective March 20, 2026 for certain qualifying historical marijuana or hashish possession cases.
Ohio Revised Code § 2953.321 allows qualifying people to apply to the sentencing court for expungement of specified possession records that fall within the statute.
$50
The statute currently provides a $50 filing fee for eligible applications unless another applicable rule changes the amount.
Ohio juvenile records are different from adult criminal records
Juvenile matters are not searched and disclosed under exactly the same rules as ordinary adult criminal cases. Ohio courts have separate juvenile divisions, and juvenile records can be subject to confidentiality, sealing and expungement provisions that differ from adult cases.
Ohio BCI contact information and map
Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation — London
1560 State Route 56 SWLondon, OH 43140
BCI main line:
855-224-6446
London office:
740-845-2000
Background-check questions:
877-224-0043
BCI Identification Division
Ohio Bureau of Criminal InvestigationP.O. Box 365
London, OH 43140
Ohio also operates BCI locations in Bowling Green, Richfield, Boardman and Athens, with services varying by location.
Map is lazy-loaded so it does not block the initial article render.
Supreme Court of Ohio contact
Supreme Court of Ohio
65 South Front StreetColumbus, OH 43215-3431
Main phone:
614-387-9000
Clerk’s Office:
614-387-9530
The Supreme Court’s own docket search covers cases filed in the Supreme Court. It is not a statewide search of every local criminal trial case.
Federal criminal records in Ohio are separate
Ohio state court and BCI resources do not replace the federal court system. Federal criminal prosecutions are filed in U.S. District Courts and are generally searched through PACER.
For your own nationwide fingerprint-based FBI Identity History Summary, use the FBI’s official process.
FBI Identity History SummaryFree public search vs. employment background check
A free Common Pleas or Municipal Court docket search is not automatically the same thing as the fingerprint-based BCI background check required for many Ohio jobs, licenses, schools, childcare positions, healthcare positions or other regulated purposes.
Ohio BCI commonly receives fingerprints electronically through approved WebCheck providers.
Ohio free criminal-record search tips that save time
Find the county first
Ohio trial cases are local. Knowing the county can eliminate most wrong-court searches.
Felony? Start with Common Pleas
The General Division of the county Court of Common Pleas is usually the key felony court.
Misdemeanor? Check Municipal / County Court
Do not assume every criminal record will appear in Common Pleas.
Use case numbers
They greatly reduce false matches between people with similar names.
Recent arrest? Search the sheriff
A local jail roster may update before the court docket contains much detail.
Use ODRC for state prison
ODRC results can also provide the sentencing county and docket number for deeper court research.
BCI is not free public lookup
The official BCI criminal-history process is fingerprint based and separately regulated.
Search every relevant court level
One person can have felony, misdemeanor and appellate records in different court systems.
Check sealing / expungement
A record that once appeared publicly may later become sealed or expunged under Ohio law.
Ohio free criminal records: frequently asked questions
1. Can I search Ohio criminal records for free?
Yes. Many Ohio Common Pleas, Municipal and County Courts provide free public online docket searches. Ohio DRC also provides a free Offender Search. There is not, however, one free statewide public BCI database containing every person’s complete Ohio criminal history.
2. Is there one statewide Ohio criminal court case search?
No single statewide defendant-search portal replaces all local Ohio trial courts. The Supreme Court of Ohio provides an official trial-court directory, while individual courts and Clerks of Courts maintain case records.
3. Where can I search an Ohio felony case?
Start with the Court of Common Pleas, General Division, in the county where the felony case was filed. Use the county’s official Clerk of Courts case-search system.
4. Where can I search Ohio misdemeanor records?
Misdemeanor cases are commonly handled by Ohio Municipal or County Courts. Use the Supreme Court of Ohio trial-court directory to identify the correct court.
5. Is an Ohio BCI background check free?
No. The Ohio Attorney General currently lists a $22 state fee for an individual’s BCI computerized criminal-history request. Fingerprinting or WebCheck providers may charge additional service fees.
6. Can I request someone else’s complete BCI criminal history as a public record?
Ohio BCI states that computerized criminal-history records maintained by BCI are not public records and their release is restricted. Public court dockets should be used for ordinary public-record research.
7. Where do I search Ohio prison records?
Use the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction Offender Search. It includes qualifying people who are incarcerated, under APA supervision, judicially released or listed as violators at large.
8. Can an Ohio criminal record be sealed or expunged?
Yes, some qualifying records can be sealed or expunged under Ohio Revised Code Chapter 2953. Eligibility depends on the offense, conviction history, waiting period and other statutory requirements.
9. Can dismissed or not-guilty Ohio cases be sealed or expunged?
Ohio Revised Code § 2953.33 provides relief procedures for qualifying not-guilty findings, dismissals, no-bills and certain pardoned cases, subject to the statute’s requirements.
10. Does a free Ohio court search include federal criminal cases?
No. Federal prosecutions are separate from Ohio state and local court systems. Use PACER for federal court cases and the FBI’s official Identity History Summary process for your own nationwide fingerprint-based FBI record.
Official Ohio sources used for this guide
- Supreme Court of Ohio — Trial Courts & Local Rules
- Supreme Court of Ohio — Courts of Appeals
- Supreme Court of Ohio — Case Docket Search
- Ohio Revised Code § 2303.12 — Clerk / Online Criminal Docket Access
- Ohio Revised Code § 149.43 — Public Records Act
- Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction — Offender Search
- Ohio Attorney General — Requesting Your Own Criminal Records
- Ohio Attorney General — Background Checks
- Ohio BCI — Identification Division
- Ohio BCI — Contacts & Locations
- Ohio Revised Code § 2953.31 — Sealing / Expungement Definitions
- Ohio Revised Code § 2953.32 — Conviction Sealing / Expungement
- Ohio Revised Code § 2953.33 — Dismissed / Not-Guilty Records
- Ohio Revised Code § 2953.321 — Marijuana / Hashish Expungement
- Ohio Legal Help — Sealing a Criminal Record
- PACER — Federal Court Records
- FBI — Identity History Summary Checks