Where can you get your criminal history record?
There is no single government record that replaces every state, local and federal criminal-history source. If you want to review your own nationwide FBI identity history, request an FBI Identity History Summary. If you need your complete record from one state, use that state’s criminal-history repository. If you need the actual outcome or certified documents from a specific criminal case, request them from the court where the case was filed.
First decide which criminal-history record you actually need
“My criminal record” can refer to several different government records. These records overlap, but they are not interchangeable.
Identity History Summary
Fingerprint-based FBI information associated with your identity, often called an FBI rap sheet.
State criminal history
Records maintained by a state’s central criminal-history agency, often State Police, Department of Public Safety, Department of Justice or Bureau of Investigation.
Specific criminal case
The docket, complaint, indictment, judgment, disposition, sentencing order or certified court document.
Arrest or incident report
The actual report created by the arresting or investigating law-enforcement agency.
Jail or prison record
Current or historical custody information maintained by county jails, state corrections departments or the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
Federal criminal docket
Federal criminal cases are searched separately through PACER and the federal court where the case was filed.
Get your FBI Identity History Summary
The FBI allows individuals to request a copy of their own Identity History Summary, commonly called an FBI rap sheet, for personal review or to request a correction or update.
The current FBI fee is $18.
FBI Identity History Summary ChecksHow to request your FBI criminal-history record
Choose electronic or mail submission
You can submit directly to the FBI electronically or by mail. You can also use an FBI-approved Channeler.
Complete the FBI request information
Provide the identifying information required by the current Identity History Summary request process.
Submit current fingerprints
The FBI requires a current fingerprint submission. An old fingerprint card from a previous request cannot simply be reused.
Pay the $18 FBI fee
The fee is the same for a direct electronic or mail request. The FBI does not accept cash, personal checks or business checks for direct Departmental Order requests.
Receive your result
An electronic submission can return an electronic response. The FBI also provides mailing options under its current procedures.
FBI CJIS Division – Summary Request
1000 Custer Hollow RoadClarksburg, WV 26306
Identity History support:
304-625-5590
Email:
identity@fbi.gov
Where can you get fingerprints for your FBI record?
The FBI currently lists several possible fingerprinting routes.
Participating U.S. Post Office
After beginning an electronic FBI request, you may be able to submit fingerprints electronically at a participating USPS location. Additional fingerprinting fees may apply.
Police / sheriff
Local, county or state law-enforcement agencies may provide fingerprinting for a fee. Availability varies by agency.
Fingerprint provider
Private fingerprinting companies can also provide fingerprint cards, but confirm that the fingerprints meet FBI requirements before submitting them.
Using an FBI-approved Channeler
An FBI-approved Channeler is a private company authorized to receive your fingerprint submission and request information, electronically forward it to FBI CJIS, and return the electronic Identity History Summary result to you.
Channelers can be useful when you want an electronic submission workflow, but they charge their own fees in addition to FBI-related charges.
See Current FBI-Approved ChannelersWhat the FBI Identity History Summary does—and does not—tell you
The FBI Identity History Summary is useful, but it should not automatically be described as the same thing as a complete state or employment background check.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is it fingerprint based? | Yes. Fingerprints are required for the FBI personal-review process. |
| Is it a name-only search? | No. The FBI does not provide name-only Identity History Summary requests. |
| Is it always a complete state background check? | No. The FBI warns that a personal Identity History Summary may not include information maintained only in state repositories. |
| Is it intended for your personal review? | Yes. The FBI states the Departmental Order process is for personal review and correction/update purposes. |
| Can I use it automatically for employment or licensing? | Not necessarily. Authorized employment or licensing checks may have to be requested through a state repository, requesting agency or authorized channel. |
Get your criminal-history record from your state repository
Every state has a central criminal-history agency. Depending on the state, it may be called:
- State Identification Bureau
- State Police
- Bureau of Investigation
- Department of Public Safety
- Department of Justice
- Bureau of Criminal Identification
State repositories often provide a specific personal record review or right of access process for obtaining your own criminal history.
Find your state’s official criminal-history agency
The FBI maintains a current State Identification Bureau Listing with the centralized criminal-history agency for every state, Washington, D.C., and U.S. territories.
Find Your State Identification BureauCalifornia
California Department of Justice, Bureau of Criminal Information and Analysis.
Florida
Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Criminal Justice Information Services.
Texas
Texas Department of Public Safety, Crime Records Service.
New York
New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services, Record Review Unit.
Ohio
Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation.
Illinois
Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification.
Get a criminal case record from the court
If you need the actual court result rather than a repository summary, request records from the court where the prosecution was filed.
Useful court documents can include:
- criminal complaint
- indictment or information
- docket sheet
- plea
- judgment
- sentencing order
- dismissal order
- certificate of disposition
- certified copy
- expungement or sealing order
Court record vs criminal-history record: which one should you get?
| You need… | Best starting source |
|---|---|
| Your FBI fingerprint-based identity history | FBI Identity History Summary |
| Your complete or fuller state criminal history | State Identification Bureau / state repository |
| Proof that one case was dismissed | Court clerk / certified disposition |
| An arrest report | Police or sheriff that created the report |
| Current jail custody | County jail / sheriff |
| State prison custody | State Department of Corrections |
| Federal criminal court case | PACER / federal court clerk |
| Federal inmate location | Federal Bureau of Prisons |
Get an arrest or police report from the arresting agency
The criminal-history repository and the criminal court do not necessarily hold the complete police incident or arrest report.
If you need the law-enforcement record itself, identify:
- arresting police department
- county sheriff
- state police or highway patrol
- federal agency, if applicable
- incident or arrest number
- approximate arrest date
Jail and prison records are separate from your criminal history
Custody databases answer a different question: where was or is the person incarcerated?
Sheriff / detention center
Use for local pretrial custody, recent bookings and county jail records.
Department of Corrections
Use the state’s corrections locator for people under state prison or supervision jurisdiction.
Federal Bureau of Prisons
Use the BOP Inmate Locator for federal inmates incarcerated from 1982 to the present.
Get federal criminal case records through PACER
PACER—Public Access to Court Electronic Records—provides electronic public access to federal court records.
Search Federal Court RecordsPACER lets registered users:
- search the federal court where the case was filed
- search the nationwide PACER Case Locator
- open federal docket reports
- view available filed documents
PACER currently charges $0.10 per page for many searches and documents, subject to the judiciary’s current fee rules. If your quarterly charges are $30 or less, PACER currently waives those fees.
Find a federal inmate through the Bureau of Prisons
The Federal Bureau of Prisons provides an online Inmate Locator covering federal inmates incarcerated from 1982 to the present.
Federal Inmate LocatorYou can search by:
- name
- BOP Register Number
- DCDC number
- FBI number
- INS number
Need a criminal-history record for employment or licensing?
Do not automatically use the FBI personal-review process when an employer, licensing board, adoption agency or government program asks for a formal background check.
The FBI states that an Identity History Summary requested directly by you is provided for personal review, correction or updating. For employment, licensing, adoption or another authorized purpose in the United States, federal or state law may require the request to go through:
- your state identification bureau
- the agency requiring the check
- an authorized fingerprint provider
- another legally authorized channel
When do you need a certified criminal record?
A standard criminal-history search and a certified court record are not the same.
FBI summary
Useful for seeing the FBI identity-history information associated with you.
Certified disposition
Request from the court when you need official proof of how a particular case ended.
Authentication / apostille
International procedures can require additional authentication. Follow the receiving country’s instructions and current U.S. Department of State requirements.
How to correct an inaccurate FBI criminal-history record
If your FBI Identity History Summary contains information you believe is inaccurate or incomplete, you can submit a challenge.
Get your Identity History Summary first
This allows you to identify the specific arrest or disposition information that appears incorrect.
Identify the error clearly
Explain what entry is wrong or incomplete.
Include supporting documents
Useful documents can include a certified disposition, dismissal, expungement order or other official court record.
Submit the challenge through the FBI process
The FBI currently charges no fee for an Identity History Summary challenge.
What if the incorrect information came from a state?
Most state-originated criminal-history corrections should begin with the state repository or agency that submitted the information.
The FBI specifically advises that many changes to Identity History Summary information must first be processed through the appropriate State Identification Bureau.
Will sealed or expunged records still appear?
The answer depends on the jurisdiction, type of relief and whether every agency has correctly processed the court order.
The FBI advises that questions about sealing or expunging nonfederal arrest information should be directed to the State Identification Bureau in the state where the offense occurred.
Federal arrest information can be removed from the FBI criminal file when the submitting agency requests removal or the FBI receives a qualifying federal court order directing expungement.
Information to gather before requesting your record
- full legal name
- former or maiden names
- date of birth
- place of birth
- current mailing address
- government photo identification
- current fingerprints when required
- case number, if known
- arrest date
- arresting agency
- state ID / SID number, if known
- FBI number, if known
Quick decision guide: where should you go?
| Your goal | Go here first | What you receive |
|---|---|---|
| See my FBI record | FBI CJIS | Fingerprint-based Identity History Summary |
| See my complete state record | State Identification Bureau | State personal record review / criminal-history transcript |
| Prove how one case ended | Court clerk | Disposition, judgment or certified court record |
| Get an arrest report | Police / sheriff | Agency arrest or incident record |
| Find current county custody | County sheriff / jail | Booking and custody information |
| Find state prison custody | State DOC | State correctional record |
| Find a federal court case | PACER | Federal docket and public court documents |
| Find a federal inmate | Federal Bureau of Prisons | Federal custody/location information |
| Employment or licensing background check | Requesting agency / state-authorized process | The legally required check for that purpose |
Using criminal-history records for employment or tenant screening
Your personal FBI or state record can help you understand what information may exist about you, but that does not mean it is automatically the correct product for an employer, landlord, licensing agency or another decision-maker.
Criminal-history record questions
1. Where can I get my own criminal-history record?
For your FBI identity history, request an FBI Identity History Summary. For your fuller state record, use your State Identification Bureau or state criminal-history repository. For a specific case, request the record from the court where it was filed.
2. How much does an FBI Identity History Summary cost?
The FBI currently charges $18 for a direct Identity History Summary request. Fingerprinting or Channeler fees can be additional.
3. Can I request my FBI record without fingerprints?
No. The FBI Identity History Summary process is fingerprint based. The FBI does not provide a name-only personal Identity History Summary request.
4. Is an FBI record the same as my complete state criminal history?
Not necessarily. The FBI warns that its personal Identity History Summary may not contain information maintained only in a state repository. State record-review procedures may provide additional state information.
5. Where can I find my state’s criminal-history agency?
Use the FBI State Identification Bureau Listing, which identifies the central criminal-history repository for every state, Washington, D.C., and U.S. territories.
6. Where do I get proof that a criminal charge was dismissed?
Request the judgment, disposition or certified court document from the court where the case was filed.
7. Can I use my FBI Identity History Summary for employment?
Not automatically. For employment, licensing, adoption or similar authorized purposes, federal or state law may require the check to be processed through the requesting agency, state repository or another authorized channel.
8. How do I correct an incorrect FBI criminal-history entry?
Obtain your Identity History Summary, identify the inaccurate information and submit a challenge with supporting documentation. The FBI currently charges no fee for a challenge.
9. Where can I find federal criminal court records?
Use PACER to search federal court dockets and public documents. The nationwide PACER Case Locator is useful when you do not know which federal district handled the case.
10. Where can I find a federal inmate?
Use the Federal Bureau of Prisons Inmate Locator, which covers federal inmates incarcerated from 1982 to the present.