Start with the record you actually need
Georgia criminal records are split across several official systems. The Georgia Crime Information Center maintains the statewide criminal-history repository; Georgia Felon Search provides public access to reported Georgia felony convictions; local sheriffs and police departments can provide Georgia criminal-history checks under applicable rules; state and superior courts maintain the actual case files; and the Georgia Department of Corrections operates a separate offender locator.
Georgia uses different systems for different criminal records
Public felony convictions
A public name-based statewide service for reported Georgia felony convictions.
State criminal history
The statewide repository for arrest, prosecution, disposition and qualifying custodial data.
Local criminal-history checks
Most sheriff and police departments can provide copies of Georgia criminal-history records, subject to their local requirements and state law.
Criminal case files
Filed charges, docket entries, pleas, court orders, dispositions and certified case documents.
Prison and offender records
State correctional information maintained by the Georgia Department of Corrections.
Sex-offender records
Public information from Georgia’s statewide sexual offender registry.
How to use Georgia Felon Search
Georgia Felon Search is an official state service operated through the Georgia Technology Authority and the Georgia Crime Information Center.
It is designed to verify whether an individual has a reported Georgia felony conviction.
Open Georgia Felon SearchOpen the official state search
Use the Georgia.gov or services.ga.gov Felon Search page.
Enter the person’s identifying information
The service requires first and last name, date of birth and sex.
Confirm your search criteria
Review the spelling and DOB carefully before paying because even a no-record result incurs the search charge.
Pay the transaction fee
Georgia currently charges $15 for each search/record viewed through the public service.
Compare possible matches
The result can contain possible matches. Do not assume the first returned record belongs to the person you intended to search.
What Georgia Felon Search includes — and what it does not
| Record type | Georgia Felon Search | Better source if missing |
|---|---|---|
| Reported Georgia felony conviction | Yes | Relevant court for verification. |
| Georgia misdemeanor | No | Local court or broader lawful criminal-history check. |
| Arrest without felony conviction | No | Local law enforcement / court. |
| Juvenile felony history | No | Juvenile access is separately restricted. |
| Restricted / sealed information | No | Not publicly available through this service. |
| Out-of-state conviction | No | Other state’s repository or FBI record where authorized. |
The current cost is $15 per search. A no-record result is still charged. If multiple possible matches appear, Georgia may charge another $15 for each additional rap sheet selected for viewing.
Can you obtain another person’s Georgia criminal history?
Yes, but the level of information depends on consent and the type of request.
Felony conviction information
Georgia law permits public access to qualifying felony conviction records without the subject’s consent. Georgia Felon Search is the most practical statewide public route.
Broader Georgia criminal history
Private persons and businesses may request another person’s Georgia criminal-history record through a local law-enforcement agency using the signed consent required by Georgia law.
GBI states that the consent form must include identifying information such as the person’s full name, address, Social Security number and date of birth.
How to obtain your own Georgia criminal-history record
GBI says you can obtain a copy of your Georgia criminal history from most sheriff’s offices or police departments.
Contact a local sheriff or police department
Ask whether the agency provides Georgia criminal-history checks and what identification, consent and payment it requires.
Bring valid identification
Local agencies set their own practical procedures, so confirm acceptable identification before visiting.
Request your Georgia history
Ask specifically for a copy of your Georgia criminal-history record rather than just an incident report.
Review every arrest cycle and disposition
Look for missing court outcomes, wrong identifiers and arrest entries that may qualify for restriction.
What information can appear in a Georgia criminal-history record?
GBI says a Georgia criminal-history record can include:
- name and identifying data
- date of birth
- sex and race
- height and weight
- Social Security number where maintained
- arresting agency
- arrest date
- arrest charges
- final judicial disposition
- prosecutor or court submissions
- custodial information
- Georgia correctional information where applicable
Use Georgia courts for the actual criminal case
A Georgia criminal-history record is a statewide summary. The underlying court file contains the actual case docket and filed documents.
Georgia Courts maintains an E-Access to Court Records page linking participating state and superior courts to their electronic case-access providers.
Find Georgia court recordsCommon criminal court paths
Felony cases
Superior courts generally handle felony criminal cases and other matters within their jurisdiction.
Misdemeanor cases
State courts in many counties handle misdemeanors and other cases authorized by Georgia law.
Municipal / magistrate matters
Some citations, warrants and local offenses may involve municipal or magistrate courts.
Georgia court search workflow when you find a criminal-history match
Identify the county
Use the county shown in the criminal-history result, known arrest information or court paperwork.
Identify the court
Determine whether the matter was filed in superior, state, magistrate or municipal court.
Use the court’s online provider
Georgia Courts links many participating courts to their electronic records provider.
Read the final disposition
Confirm whether the charge resulted in conviction, dismissal, nolle prosequi or another outcome.
Request a certified copy if needed
Contact the clerk of the court that maintains the original criminal case.
Georgia arrest, booking and police records
Arrest reports and booking records are usually maintained by the law-enforcement agency that created them. That can be a county sheriff, city police department or other Georgia agency.
Under Georgia’s open-record framework, initial arrest and incident records are generally treated differently from protected active investigative files.
Practical path for a recent arrest
- identify the arresting agency
- check its jail or booking page if available
- request the initial arrest or incident report
- identify the court where charges were filed
- check the final court disposition later
Fingerprint background checks use Georgia Applicant Processing Service
Georgia uses the Georgia Applicant Processing Service (GAPS) for many fingerprint-based noncriminal-justice background checks involving employment, licensing, adoption, immigration and other authorized purposes.
GBI states that effective February 3, 2025, Idemia became the GAPS vendor. Applicants use the state IdentoGO portal to register for qualifying fingerprint services.
Georgia GAPS / IdentoGOCurrent Georgia GCIC criminal-history fees
| Service | GCIC fee | Current GAPS amount where listed |
|---|---|---|
| Georgia employment/licensing/noncriminal-justice check | $30 | $39.99 |
| Georgia + FBI check | $42 | $51.99 |
| Volunteer Georgia-only check | $28 | $37.99 |
| Volunteer Georgia + FBI check | $38 | $47.99 |
| Record restriction | $25 | Not applicable |
| Record inspection/challenge with fingerprints already provided | $10 | Not applicable |
| Record inspection/challenge with fingerprints taken at GBI headquarters | $25 | Not applicable |
| GCIC fingerprint service at GBI headquarters | $15 | Not applicable |
These are the GCIC fee amounts currently published by GBI. Always verify the live fee sheet before paying, because vendor or government fees can change.
Search Georgia state-prison records with GDC
The Georgia Department of Corrections operates a free offender-search service.
The official search supports lookups by:
- name
- offender ID
- case number
- age or descriptive information
Georgia Sex Offender Registry
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is the central repository for the state’s sexual-offender registry. The registry receives information from local agencies and changes frequently.
Georgia Sex Offender RegistryGeorgia record restriction is different from simply deleting a record
Georgia uses the term record restriction for qualifying criminal-history information. Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37, qualifying arrest information can be restricted from ordinary public and private dissemination while remaining available to criminal-justice agencies for authorized purposes.
Arrest date matters
Contact the prosecutor
GBI says there is generally no separate application process through the arresting agency. Contact the prosecutor to request restriction.
Application may be required
GBI states that older arrests generally require the Request to Restrict Arrest Record process beginning with the arresting agency.
Examples of dispositions that may qualify
- dismissed
- not presented to grand jury
- no further action anticipated
- nolle prossed / nolle prosequi
- dead docket
- no record on file
Georgia First Offender cases need careful interpretation
Georgia’s First Offender Act can allow eligible defendants who successfully complete the sentence to be discharged without an adjudication of guilt under the applicable statute.
First Offender treatment does not mean that every public-record question has the same answer at every stage. The record should be read in context, including whether the person successfully completed the applicable First Offender sentence and whether the record has been updated or restricted as required.
How to challenge an inaccurate Georgia criminal-history record
GCIC provides a formal process when you believe your Georgia criminal-history record is inaccurate or incomplete.
GBI requires fingerprints for identity comparison when challenging the record or when another person’s criminal record may have been associated with your identity.
If you cannot visit GCIC in person
GBI says a mailed challenge generally requires:
- a signed written request
- an explanation of the information being challenged
- your full return address
- two completed applicant fingerprint cards
- rolled and flat fingerprint impressions
- a copy of the identification shown to the fingerprinting agency
- required fee
If another person used your identity
If your identifying information appears in another person’s Georgia criminal-history record, GBI treats this as more than a simple spelling error.
Fingerprint comparison is required so GCIC can determine whether the criminal event actually belongs to you.
Federal criminal cases are separate from Georgia state records
A federal prosecution filed in Georgia is not searched through Georgia Felon Search or an ordinary state-court portal.
Use PACER for federal district and appellate criminal cases.
A person seeking their own nationwide FBI Identity History Summary should use the FBI’s official fingerprint-based process.
Search federal court cases FBI Identity History SummaryGeorgia Crime Information Center contact information
GCIC Help Desk
Phone: (404) 244-2639
GBI currently routes criminal-history, restriction, applicant and identification questions through menu options on this number.
CCH / Identification Services
Georgia Crime Information CenterCCH/Identification
P.O. Box 370808
Decatur, GA 30037-0808
Georgia Bureau of Investigation
3121 Panthersville RoadDecatur, GA 30034
Main: (404) 244-2600
Appointment required
GCIC states its lobby office is appointment-only for record inspections and fingerprint services. Same-day appointments are not available.
Georgia Bureau of Investigation map
If you have an appointment for a GCIC record inspection or fingerprint-related service, verify the appointment instructions before traveling.
Georgia criminal-record search tips that prevent common mistakes
Felon Search is not a full rap sheet
It returns reported Georgia felony convictions, not every arrest, misdemeanor or non-conviction case.
Use the exact DOB
A correct date of birth sharply reduces false name-based matches.
Always verify the court case
The original court file gives the most reliable disposition and case-document trail.
Recent arrest? Start locally
Check the arresting police or sheriff agency before expecting the event to appear everywhere statewide.
County jail is not GDC
Local jail detainees may require a county sheriff search rather than the state corrections locator.
Review your record before restriction
Confirm every charge has a final disposition before beginning the restriction process.
July 1, 2013 matters
Georgia’s record-restriction procedure differs depending on whether the arrest occurred before or after this date.
Fingerprint checks serve different purposes
Employment/licensing GAPS checks are not the same thing as a public Georgia Felon Search.
No result is not absolute proof
A missing felony-search result does not prove there is no misdemeanor, arrest, restricted record or out-of-state case.
Questions people commonly ask about Georgia criminal records
1. Is there a statewide Georgia criminal-record search?
Georgia Felon Search provides statewide public access to reported Georgia felony convictions. It is not a complete search of every criminal-history event.
2. How much does Georgia Felon Search cost?
The current charge is $15 per search/record viewed. A no-record result is still charged.
3. Does Georgia Felon Search show misdemeanors?
No. The public Georgia Felon Search is focused on reported Georgia felony convictions.
4. Can I obtain someone else’s Georgia criminal history?
Georgia law permits public access to qualifying felony conviction information without consent. Broader criminal-history access by a private person or business generally requires signed consent and is typically handled through local law enforcement.
5. How do I obtain my own Georgia criminal-history record?
GBI states that copies can be obtained from most sheriff’s offices or police departments. Contact the local agency first for its identification, fee and request procedures.
6. Where do I search the actual criminal court case?
Use the Georgia court or clerk that handled the case. Georgia Courts provides an E-Access page linking many participating state and superior courts to their case-access systems.
7. How do I search someone in Georgia state prison?
Use the Georgia Department of Corrections Find an Offender tool. County-jail inmates should be searched through the relevant county’s jail or sheriff website.
8. Can an arrest be restricted from public Georgia criminal history?
Certain qualifying arrest charges can be restricted under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37. The procedure differs for arrests before and after July 1, 2013.
9. What do I do if my Georgia criminal-history record is wrong?
Use GCIC’s record-inspection and challenge process. Fingerprints are required when contesting record identity or accuracy. Missing court dispositions should also be addressed with the court.
10. Does Georgia criminal history include federal cases?
Georgia state criminal-history services do not replace federal court records. Use PACER for federal cases and the FBI Identity History Summary process for your own nationwide fingerprint-based FBI record.
Official Georgia resources used for this guide
- Georgia Bureau of Investigation — Criminal History
- GBI — Obtaining Criminal History Record Information FAQ
- Georgia.gov — Georgia Felon Search
- Official Georgia Felon Search Portal
- Georgia Courts — E-Access to Court Records
- GBI — Georgia Applicant Processing Service
- GBI — Georgia Criminal History Record Restrictions
- Georgia.gov — Find an Offender
- GBI — Georgia Sex Offender Registry