To find out whether someone has a criminal record in the United States, start with official court records in the states and counties where the person has lived, then check the state’s criminal-history repository when public access is available. Add county jail, corrections, federal court and sex-offender searches only when relevant. There is no single free public database that reliably contains every state, local and federal criminal record for every person.
How to find out if someone has a criminal record: 7-step method
Confirm the person’s identity
Start with the full legal name, approximate age or date of birth, middle name or initial, and previous names when reliably known.
List the states and counties connected to the person
Criminal trial records are usually filed where the alleged offense occurred, not necessarily where the person currently lives.
Search the official court system
Use state judiciary or county clerk websites for criminal docket searches. Search by case number when one is known.
Check the final disposition
Do not label a person convicted simply because a case contains an arrest, complaint or charge.
Search the state’s criminal-history repository
Many states offer official state police, bureau of investigation or public safety background checks. Access, fees and record coverage vary by state.
Add jail, corrections and federal searches if relevant
Recent arrests may be easier to find through sheriffs; state prison records through departments of corrections; federal cases through PACER.
Verify the identity before relying on the result
Compare age, DOB, location, middle name and other available identifiers. Never assume two people with the same name are the same person.
Information to collect before searching
A criminal-record search becomes much more accurate when you know more than a person’s first and last name.
Legal name
Include middle name or initial where known.
Date of birth / age
Helpful for distinguishing people with common names.
States and counties
Search places where the person has lived, worked or allegedly encountered law enforcement.
Former names
Maiden names, prior married names and documented legal name changes can matter.
Case number
The strongest way to locate one known court case.
Approximate year
Useful for filtering older records and archived court files.
Step 1: Search official state and county criminal court records
Court records are usually the best first source because they show the actual prosecution: the case number, filed charges, court events and disposition.
Depending on the state, you may search through:
- state judiciary case-search portal
- county Clerk of Court
- county District Court
- Superior / Circuit Court
- Common Pleas Court
- Municipal / County Court
- Justice Court
- local court public terminals
How do you know which court website to search?
Court structures differ across states, but a practical rule is: start with the state judiciary website and follow its directory to the county or trial court.
| What you know | Best next step |
|---|---|
| Exact county | Search the county Clerk or trial court criminal docket. |
| Only the state | Start with the state judiciary’s official case-search or court directory. |
| Exact case number | Search directly by case number in the responsible court. |
| Only a person’s name | Use official participant/party-name search where offered; confirm identity carefully. |
| Federal case suspected | Use PACER rather than a state court website. |
Step 2: Check the state’s official criminal-history repository
Many states maintain a central criminal-history repository through a:
- State Police agency
- Bureau of Investigation
- Department of Public Safety
- Department of Justice
- Criminal Justice Information Services division
Public-access rules differ sharply. Some states permit online name-based searches. Others provide only fingerprint-based records, limit access to the individual, or release only convictions and other statutorily public information.
Step 3: Search recent arrests and jail bookings
A very recent arrest may appear first in a local booking or jail system before a detailed court docket is available.
Search the official:
- county sheriff inmate search
- county jail roster
- city detention center
- arresting police department
Useful search labels include:
- Inmate Search
- Who’s in Jail
- Jail Roster
- Booking Search
- Arrest Inquiry
- Current Inmates
Step 4: Search state prison and corrections records
State Departments of Corrections frequently provide public offender-locator tools.
Depending on the state, these systems may show:
- incarcerated person’s name
- DOC/offender number
- facility
- offense
- sentencing county
- sentence information
- release eligibility
- probation or parole status
Step 5: Search the national public sex-offender website when relevant
The U.S. Department of Justice operates the Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Website (NSOPW).
It lets the public search participating sex-offender registries from:
- all 50 states
- District of Columbia
- U.S. territories
- participating Indian Country jurisdictions
Searches can be conducted by name and, where supported by the jurisdiction, by location.
Search official NSOPWStep 6: Search federal criminal cases through PACER
State and county searches do not include all federal prosecutions. Federal criminal cases are filed in U.S. District Courts.
The official federal court system is PACER.
If you know the federal court, search that court directly. If you do not know where the case was filed, use the PACER Case Locator, which searches a nationwide index of federal cases.
Search federal court casesCan you search someone’s FBI “rap sheet”?
The FBI’s public Identity History Summary process is primarily for a person to obtain their own fingerprint-based FBI record.
It is not a public website where anyone can type another person’s name and receive their complete FBI criminal history.
Identity History Summary
Current FBI fee: $18. Fingerprints are required. Additional fingerprint/channeler charges can apply.
Official FBI information: Identity History Summary Checks.
How to verify that a criminal record belongs to the right person
False matches are one of the biggest risks in public-record research. A common name can produce court records belonging to several unrelated people.
Compare as many lawful identifiers as the record provides:
- full first, middle and last name
- date of birth or age
- former names
- county / city
- case filing year
- physical identifiers where lawfully published
- case number
- known address history where appropriate and lawful
How to tell whether the person was actually convicted
| Record term | What it generally means | Conviction? |
|---|---|---|
| Arrest | Law enforcement took the person into custody. | No |
| Charge / complaint | An offense was alleged or formally filed. | No |
| Indictment | A grand jury or charging process formally accused the person. | No |
| Dismissed | The charge was terminated without a conviction on that count. | No |
| Acquitted / not guilty | The defendant was not convicted of that charge. | No |
| Guilty plea / guilty finding | The person pleaded guilty or was found guilty. | Generally yes, subject to state-specific procedures |
| Convicted | The court entered a criminal conviction. | Yes |
What if you search and find no criminal record?
“No result” should be interpreted carefully. It can mean the person has no public record in that database, but it can also mean:
- you searched the wrong county
- you searched only one state
- the person used another legal name
- the case is too old for the online index
- the court has not digitized the file
- the record is sealed or expunged
- the case is juvenile/confidential
- the event was federal rather than state
- the database does not expose non-conviction records
Sealed, expunged and restricted criminal records
Every state has its own rules for sealing, expungement, set-asides, vacation of convictions, Clean Slate programs and restricted-access records.
A qualifying case can therefore disappear from ordinary public search even though criminal-justice agencies retain some information.
How to search someone who has lived in multiple states
If the person has moved around, a single county search is rarely enough.
List known states
Include previous long-term residences and locations connected with known arrests or court activity.
Search each state’s judiciary
Use the official state court portal or county court directory.
Search each official state criminal-history repository where appropriate
Some states provide public name searches; others impose different access restrictions.
Add PACER
Search federal records independently because state systems do not cover federal prosecutions.
Checking someone’s record for employment is different
Public-record research for personal information is not automatically the same as a compliant employment background check.
When an employer obtains a criminal/background report from a company that compiles consumer information, the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) applies.
Federal requirements can include:
- written disclosure to the applicant
- written permission before obtaining the report
- pre-adverse-action notice where required
- copy of the consumer report
- FCRA rights notice
- post-adverse-action notice
State and local law can impose additional restrictions on when and how employers consider criminal history.
FTC employment background-check guidanceCommon criminal-record search mistakes
Searching only Google
Search engines can surface news and scraped records, but the official court docket is stronger evidence.
Using one county only
The person may have cases in another county or state.
Confusing arrest with conviction
A person can be arrested and never convicted.
Ignoring middle names and DOB
This is how same-name records get assigned to the wrong person.
Skipping federal court
A state search will not reveal every federal prosecution.
Assuming no result means no history
Sealing, expungement, old records and database limitations can affect visibility.
A practical search example
Suppose you are trying to check a person named John A. Smith who is approximately 42 and previously lived in Tampa, Florida and Columbus, Ohio.
- Search the relevant Florida county Clerk of Court using the full name.
- Search the applicable Ohio Common Pleas / Municipal court systems.
- Compare dates of birth, age and middle initial on any matches.
- Open each case and read the final disposition.
- Check Florida and Ohio state criminal-history options if broader verification is required.
- Search relevant sheriff/jail systems if you are investigating a recent arrest.
- Use PACER if a federal prosecution is possible.
Finding someone’s criminal record: frequently asked questions
1. Can I find out if someone has a criminal record for free?
Often, yes. Many state and county courts provide free public docket searches, and many corrections and jail systems provide free lookup tools. Official statewide criminal-history reports may charge a fee.
2. Is there one website that shows everyone’s U.S. criminal record?
No. State courts, county courts, state criminal-history repositories, local law-enforcement agencies, corrections departments and federal courts maintain different records.
3. What is the best place to start?
Start with official criminal court records in the state and county where the person lived or where the alleged offense occurred.
4. Can I search another person’s FBI criminal record?
The FBI’s public Identity History Summary process is designed for a person to obtain their own fingerprint-based FBI record. It is not a general public name-search system for checking anyone.
5. How do I check federal criminal records?
Use PACER. If you know the federal court, search that court directly. Otherwise use the PACER Case Locator to search the nationwide federal case index.
6. Does an arrest mean someone has a criminal conviction?
No. An arrest shows a law-enforcement event. Check the court disposition to determine whether charges were filed and whether a conviction occurred.
7. Why can’t I find an old criminal case online?
The record may be archived, undigitized, sealed, expunged, restricted, filed under a different name or located in another court or jurisdiction.
8. Can I search sex-offender registries nationwide?
Yes. The U.S. Department of Justice’s NSOPW searches participating public sex-offender registries across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, U.S. territories and participating Indian Country jurisdictions.
9. Can I use a public court search to screen an employee?
Employment screening can involve federal, state and local legal requirements. If an employer obtains a consumer background report from a screening company, the Fair Credit Reporting Act imposes disclosure, authorization and adverse-action requirements.
10. What should I do if two people have the same name?
Compare date of birth, age, middle name, location, case dates and other lawful identifiers. Do not attribute a criminal case to someone based only on a matching name.