Use WORCS for criminal history and WCCA for the actual court case
Wisconsin criminal-history information is split between several government systems. The Wisconsin Department of Justice maintains the state’s fingerprint-supported Centralized Criminal History database and provides public background checks through the Wisconsin Online Record Check System (WORCS). Wisconsin Circuit Court Access (WCCA), commonly called CCAP, is the separate statewide court-case search. Understanding that difference is the quickest way to find the right record.
Wisconsin has two major public searches that answer different questions
A Wisconsin criminal-history search and a Wisconsin court-case search are related, but they are not interchangeable.
WORCS
The Wisconsin Online Record Check System returns adult criminal-history information maintained by the Wisconsin Department of Justice Crime Information Bureau.
WCCA / CCAP
Wisconsin Circuit Court Access provides statewide public case information from Wisconsin circuit courts.
Official case file
The clerk of circuit court maintains the underlying court record and provides public case documents and certified copies when available.
How the Wisconsin Online Record Check System works
Wisconsin DOJ provides public access to adult Criminal History Record Information through the Wisconsin Online Record Check System (WORCS).
Wisconsin DOJ states that anyone may request adult Wisconsin criminal-history information after paying the applicable fee. The subject does not have to be the requester.
Open Wisconsin WORCSRegistered WORCS users can sign in to manage requests and retrieve prior results. Wisconsin DOJ currently keeps online search results available through WORCS for six months after submission.
Step-by-step: run a Wisconsin criminal background check
Open WORCS
Use the official Wisconsin DOJ site rather than a private people-search service.
Select a new background request
An occasional public user can submit a request without creating a full billing account. Registered users can manage requests through their account dashboard.
Enter the person’s identifying information carefully
Use the complete legal name, sex, race and date of birth when known. Supplying accurate identifiers helps reduce false matches.
Pay the required search fee
Wisconsin law sets a criminal-history search fee. WORCS routes online payment through its payment processor.
Save your order-reference number
This is especially important for an unregistered search. It allows you to return to WORCS and retrieve the result after processing is complete.
Read the entire response
Do not assume that every returned record belongs to the person searched. Compare all available identifiers before relying on the match.
Verify important cases in WCCA
Use the statewide court system to inspect the related circuit-court case and check the final disposition.
Wisconsin criminal-history search fees
Wisconsin Statute section 165.82 establishes the search fee structure used by the Crime Information Bureau.
| Request | Current base / form amount | Important detail |
|---|---|---|
| Standard name-based criminal-history check | $7 base search fee | The statutory criminal-history search fee for a non-fingerprint search. |
| Paper result | $5 surcharge | Wisconsin law adds a paper-copy surcharge to applicable criminal-history searches. |
| General public mail request | $12 | The current DJ-LE-250 form reflects the $7 search plus $5 paper surcharge. |
| Police Certificate | $20 | The current DOJ mail form requires a fingerprint card and is used for purposes such as immigration or adoption. |
| Criminal-history challenge | No Wisconsin DOJ challenge fee | A local agency may charge you to take fingerprints. |
Fees and payment-processing charges can change. Confirm the amount shown by WORCS or the current Wisconsin DOJ form before submitting payment.
What the Wisconsin Centralized Criminal History database contains
Wisconsin DOJ’s Crime Information Bureau maintains the state’s Centralized Criminal History (CCH) database.
DOJ describes CCH as a fingerprint-supported repository containing information such as:
- arrests reported to the state repository
- arrest charges
- prosecution information
- court findings and dispositions
- sentencing information
- DNA-registration information
- Wisconsin DOC admissions
- Wisconsin DOC release information
A Wisconsin DOJ search is not every criminal record that may exist
Wisconsin DOJ expressly warns that its repository may not contain every record held by local police departments, courts or federal agencies.
Agency records
Incident reports, investigative records and some arrest information can remain with the police or sheriff that created the record.
Court case
Court filings, docket events, judgments and case documents are maintained by the courts, not solely by DOJ.
Federal criminal case
Federal prosecutions use federal systems such as PACER rather than Wisconsin WCCA or WORCS.
Do not assume the Wisconsin record belongs to the person you searched
Wisconsin DOJ places unusually clear warnings on this point: a name-based search uses non-unique identifiers and can produce a record belonging to another person.
The DOJ response may use a master name, meaning the name used by the fingerprinted person when fingerprints were first submitted. Alias and fraudulent names can also appear.
Compare as many identifiers as the result provides:
- exact date of birth
- first, middle and last name
- sex
- race
- height and weight
- place of birth
- available photograph
- known arrest or court location
How to request Wisconsin criminal history by mail
People who do not want to use WORCS can use Form DJ-LE-250 for one person or DJ-LE-250A for multiple people.
The current single-subject form asks for:
- full name
- sex
- race
- date of birth
- optional Social Security number
- request purpose
- requester type
- payment
- return-address information
Mail criminal-history requests to
Wisconsin Department of JusticeCrime Information Bureau
Attn: Record Check Unit
P.O. Box 2688
Madison, WI 53701-2688
DOJ instructs mail requesters to include a self-addressed, postage-paid envelope. The current form asks users to allow approximately 10 business days for CIB processing plus postal delivery time.
Wisconsin DOJ Criminal History FormsSearch Wisconsin criminal court cases with WCCA / CCAP
Wisconsin Circuit Court Access (WCCA) provides online public case information for circuit courts across Wisconsin. The technology is administered through the court system’s Consolidated Court Automation Programs, which is why many users informally call the site “CCAP.”
Open Wisconsin Circuit Court AccessWCCA can be particularly useful for:
- finding a Wisconsin criminal court case
- checking the filing county
- reviewing charges
- checking court dates
- reviewing docket activity
- checking disposition information
- identifying the judge
- finding the case number for a copy request
How to read a Wisconsin criminal case correctly
The presence of a criminal case on WCCA does not by itself tell you whether the person was convicted.
| Case information | What it tells you | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Filed charge | The criminal allegation brought in court. | Do not describe it as a conviction unless the disposition supports that. |
| Case history | Chronological hearings, filings, orders and other events. | Look at the most recent entries and final outcome. |
| Disposition | How a charge was resolved. | Review every count separately. |
| Sentence | Court-imposed consequence after a qualifying outcome. | Confirm which count the sentence belongs to. |
| Case status | Whether the matter remains open or has concluded. | An open case should not be described as a final conviction unless a conviction already occurred. |
WCCA does not provide ordinary circuit-court documents online
This is an important Wisconsin-specific limitation. WCCA displays case information, but the Wisconsin Court System states that public users generally cannot open the actual electronically filed circuit-court documents on WCCA.
To see items such as a criminal complaint, judgment, sentencing document or other public filing, go to or contact the clerk of circuit court in the county where the case was filed.
Public access is also available at Wisconsin county courthouses
The Wisconsin Court System says every county provides courthouse access to statewide circuit-court information through Courthouse WCCA.
At the courthouse where a case is filed, the public can also access qualifying case documents available for public inspection.
This route is useful when:
- you need the underlying court documents
- a record is easier to identify locally
- you need a certified copy
- online WCCA information is insufficient
- you need help locating an older case
Search Wisconsin criminal appeals separately with WSCCA
A circuit-court criminal case can later produce an appeal. Wisconsin maintains a separate public system called Wisconsin Supreme Court and Court of Appeals Case Access (WSCCA).
WSCCA provides public case status for appeals in the Wisconsin Supreme Court and Court of Appeals. The court says the database generally includes appeals that were open from the end of 1993 forward.
Unlike ordinary circuit-court WCCA, WSCCA also makes many appellate briefs available online. Electronically filed briefs are available for filings made on or after July 1, 2009, subject to confidentiality and availability rules.
Search Wisconsin AppealsUse Wisconsin DOC for prison and supervision information
The Wisconsin Department of Corrections provides a public Person in Our Care or Client Search.
This is the correct path when your question concerns a person currently in Wisconsin DOC custody or under DOC community supervision.
Wisconsin has a separate Sex Offender Registry
Wisconsin DOC maintains the state’s public sex-offender registry for qualifying registrants.
The registry is a specialized public-safety database and should not be treated as a general criminal-history search.
Wisconsin Sex Offender RegistryRecent arrest and police records may require the local agency
Wisconsin DOJ’s criminal-history repository is built from criminal-justice information submitted to the state, but local agencies can retain additional records.
For a recent incident or police report, identify the department that created the record:
Police department
Use the city police department when its officers handled the arrest or investigation.
Sheriff’s office
Use the sheriff for county jail, sheriff arrests and records generated by that agency.
Clerk of circuit court
Use the court once a criminal prosecution has been filed.
Wisconsin public-records requests are different from a WORCS background check
Wisconsin’s public-records law can be used to request qualifying records from government authorities. Wisconsin DOJ accepts ordinary public-record requests through its Office of Open Government.
DOJ says no special form is required. Requests can currently be submitted:
- using DOJ’s online request form
- by email to opengov@wisdoj.gov
- by telephone at 608-267-2220
- by written mail request
Wisconsin DOJ Office of Open Government
Wisconsin Department of JusticeOffice of Open Government
P.O. Box 7857
Madison, WI 53707-7857
Possible public-record request fees
Wisconsin law permits authorities to charge actual, necessary and direct costs for certain activities such as reproduction, locating qualifying records, photography and mailing. DOJ states that locating fees may be charged only when the locating cost reaches at least $50. Prepayment may be required when estimated costs exceed $5.
How to challenge a Wisconsin criminal-history false match
If a Wisconsin DOJ criminal-history search appears to return another person’s record, use the DOJ criminal-history challenge process.
The current process requires:
- Wisconsin Criminal History Challenge Form DJ-LE-247
- an applicant fingerprint card, Form FD-258
- full name
- sex and race
- date of birth
- reason fingerprinted, such as record challenge
- information about the official who took the fingerprints
CIB compares the submitted fingerprints against the prints associated with the disputed criminal-history record.
Wisconsin DOJ Challenge InstructionsFixing an incorrect conviction or missing disposition
A record can belong to the correct person but still contain incomplete or inaccurate case information.
Wisconsin DOJ instructs people disputing conviction information to obtain a certified copy of the judgment of conviction from the court where the case was handled.
For a missing dismissal or non-prosecution result, useful supporting documentation can include:
- certified judgment of conviction
- court order of dismissal
- letter from the prosecutor confirming the matter was not prosecuted
- completed DJ-LE-247 challenge form
Some Wisconsin arrest information may qualify for removal from the state repository
Wisconsin DOJ explains that arrest fingerprint information may qualify for removal from the state criminal-history repository in certain circumstances.
Examples DOJ currently identifies as potentially eligible include situations where the person:
- was released without charges being filed
- was not prosecuted by the district attorney
- had the qualifying charges dismissed
- was acquitted by the court
Requests are reviewed individually. Wisconsin DOJ provides Form DJ-LE-250B — Fingerprint Record Removal Request.
Court expungement does not always remove the DOJ criminal-history entry
Wisconsin’s use of the word “expungement” can cause confusion. A court-ordered expungement of a case does not necessarily require the Wisconsin DOJ Crime Information Bureau to erase the underlying arrest information from the state criminal-history repository.
Wisconsin DOJ currently explains that a court expungement is not, by itself, a reason to remove an arrest event when the event does not otherwise qualify for removal. The state criminal-history record can instead be updated to note the expungement.
If a specific case has been expunged, verify what appears separately in WCCA and in a fresh WORCS result rather than assuming every government record was physically destroyed.
Wisconsin juvenile criminal-history information is not generally public through WORCS
The Wisconsin DOJ’s criminal-history request instructions state that Wisconsin adult criminal-history information is public, but juvenile information is not released unless disclosure is specifically authorized by law.
Employers should not treat a name-based match as automatic proof
Wisconsin DOJ specifically warns employers and other users that name-based criminal-history responses can potentially return a record belonging to a different person.
When criminal-history information is being used for employment, housing or another eligibility decision, additional state or federal requirements can apply depending on the source and purpose of the check.
A consumer report supplied by a background-screening company can also trigger Fair Credit Reporting Act procedures that are separate from an ordinary public WORCS or WCCA search.
Wisconsin DOJ Crime Information Bureau contacts
Crime Information Bureau
Phone: (608) 266-7314
Email: cibrecordcheck@doj.state.wi.us
Published hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Record Check Unit
Crime Information BureauAttn: Record Check Unit
P.O. Box 2688
Madison, WI 53701-2688
Criminal History Challenge
Use the current DJ-LE-247 form and follow the address shown on the challenge form. Do not fold the fingerprint card when mailing it.
Department of Corrections
3099 East Washington Ave.Madison, WI 53704
Phone: (608) 240-5000
Wisconsin DOJ Crime Information Bureau location
Wisconsin DOJ materials identify the Crime Information Bureau at the Risser Justice Center, 17 West Main Street in Madison. Mail record-check requests should still be sent to the specific P.O. Box shown in the applicable DOJ form.
Wisconsin criminal-record search tips that solve common problems
WORCS and WCCA are different
WORCS searches Wisconsin DOJ criminal history. WCCA searches circuit-court cases.
Save the WORCS order number
Unregistered users need the reference number to return and retrieve completed results.
Results expire online
WORCS currently keeps prior search results available for six months.
Check DOB carefully
DOJ name-based matching uses non-unique identifiers, so DOB can help but does not prove identity.
Need the complaint?
WCCA does not provide ordinary circuit-court documents online. Contact the county clerk.
Use fingerprints for a false match
A DOJ challenge uses fingerprints to determine whether a disputed Wisconsin criminal history belongs to you.
Missing disposition?
Get the certified judgment or dismissal order from the court and submit it through the DOJ correction process.
Recent arrest?
Check the arresting police department or sheriff if a court case has not yet appeared.
Appealed case?
Switch from WCCA to WSCCA for Wisconsin Supreme Court and Court of Appeals information.
Common questions about Wisconsin criminal records
1. What is the official Wisconsin criminal-record search?
The Wisconsin Department of Justice provides adult criminal-history checks through the Wisconsin Online Record Check System, known as WORCS. Wisconsin Circuit Court Access, or WCCA, is the separate official system for statewide circuit-court case information.
2. Can anyone run a Wisconsin criminal background check?
Wisconsin DOJ states that anyone may request adult criminal-history information after paying the required search fee. Juvenile information is not generally released unless disclosure is specifically authorized by law.
3. How much does a Wisconsin DOJ criminal-history search cost?
Wisconsin law currently sets a $7 base fee for an ordinary non-fingerprint criminal-history search. A $5 surcharge applies when paper results are requested, which is why the current general-public mail form lists $12.
4. Is Wisconsin CCAP the same as WORCS?
No. CCAP is the court technology program behind public court services such as WCCA. WORCS is operated by Wisconsin DOJ for state criminal-history background checks.
5. Can I see Wisconsin criminal court documents online on WCCA?
WCCA displays public case information, but ordinary circuit-court documents are not made available to the general public online through WCCA. Contact or visit the clerk of circuit court in the county where the case was filed to inspect or request qualifying documents.
6. What if the Wisconsin DOJ record belongs to someone else?
Use the Wisconsin criminal-history challenge procedure. DOJ requires Form DJ-LE-247 and fingerprints so the Crime Information Bureau can compare your identity with the fingerprint-supported record.
7. Why might WORCS and WCCA show different information?
They are different systems. Wisconsin DOJ’s CCH repository is based on fingerprint-supported criminal-history submissions, while WCCA reflects circuit-court case information. Reporting delays, missing submissions, record-removal rules and court access rules can create differences.
8. Does expungement automatically erase a Wisconsin DOJ criminal-history record?
Not necessarily. Wisconsin DOJ explains that a court expungement alone does not automatically make an arrest event eligible for removal from the state criminal-history repository. The repository may instead note the expungement.
9. Where can I search Wisconsin prison or supervision information?
Use the Wisconsin Department of Corrections Person in Our Care or Client Search. DOC information should not be treated as a substitute for the broader WORCS or WCCA searches.
10. How do I search a Wisconsin criminal appeal?
Use Wisconsin Supreme Court and Court of Appeals Case Access, or WSCCA. It is separate from WCCA and covers public appellate case information.
Official Wisconsin sources used for this guide
- Wisconsin DOJ — Criminal Background Checks
- Wisconsin Online Record Check System (WORCS)
- Wisconsin DOJ — WORCS FAQs
- Wisconsin DOJ — Reading a Criminal Record
- Wisconsin DOJ — Challenging a Criminal History Record
- Wisconsin DOJ — Incorrect Criminal History Information
- Wisconsin DOJ — Criminal History Forms
- Wisconsin Circuit Court Access (WCCA)
- Wisconsin Court System — Case Search
- Wisconsin Court System — Consolidated Court Automation Programs
- Wisconsin Supreme Court and Court of Appeals Case Access
- Wisconsin Department of Corrections
- Wisconsin Sex Offender Registry
- Wisconsin DOJ — Public Records Requests