To look up your criminal record online, you have three main options depending on what you need: your state’s criminal history repository for in-state arrests and convictions, the FBI’s Identity History Summary Check for an $18 nationwide report that includes federal offenses, and PACER for documents from specific federal court cases. Most people should start with the state repository, then add an FBI check if their history crosses state lines or involves federal charges.
What Will Show Up
A criminal history report from a state repository or the FBI generally includes arrests, criminal charges, convictions, sentencing information, and the current status of any pending cases. Dismissed charges and acquittals may still appear even though they didn’t lead to a conviction. That surprises a lot of people, and it’s one of the main reasons to check your own record before an employer does.
What’s missing depends on the source. A state repository covers only activity within that state. The FBI’s database draws from agencies nationwide but can be incomplete if a local agency never reported a disposition. Sealed or expunged records should be absent from standard reports, but older entries sometimes linger in databases that haven’t been updated.
Requesting Your State Criminal History Report
Every state maintains a centralized criminal history database, usually run by the state police or a bureau of investigation. It’s the most complete single source for your in-state record. Some states maintain these systems independently from the FBI, meaning updates happen at the state level only and the FBI cannot modify those records directly.1Federal Bureau of Investigation. State-Maintained Records Listing
You typically apply through the state agency’s online portal or by mail, providing your name, date of birth, and sometimes your Social Security number. Fees range from about $10 to over $90 depending on the state. Many states offer both name-based and fingerprint-based searches. Fingerprint searches cost more and require a trip to a designated fingerprinting location, but they’re more accurate because they cut out confusion between people with similar names.
One limit worth flagging: a single state’s repository only covers what was reported within its borders. If you’ve lived or been arrested in multiple states, you’ll need to submit separate requests to each state, or run an FBI check instead.
The FBI Identity History Summary Check
When you need a nationwide record or one that includes federal offenses, the FBI’s Identity History Summary Check is the right tool. Sometimes called an FBI background check, it pulls from fingerprint submissions that federal, state, and local agencies have sent to the FBI over the years. The fee is $18.2Federal Bureau of Investigation. Identity History Summary Checks Frequently Asked Questions
You can submit electronically or by mail. Electronic submissions require a visit to a participating U.S. Post Office to have your fingerprints captured digitally. For a mailed request, you’ll need to get fingerprinted on an official card (the FBI uses form FD-1164) at a local law enforcement agency or a private fingerprinting service, then mail the card with your payment. Fingerprinting at a police station typically costs $25 to $50, though private vendors sometimes charge more.2Federal Bureau of Investigation. Identity History Summary Checks Frequently Asked Questions
Electronic submissions process faster than mailed requests. The FBI does not expedite either type. If paying the $18 fee is a hardship, you can contact the FBI at (304) 625-5590 or identity@fbi.gov to request a fee waiver before submitting.2Federal Bureau of Investigation. Identity History Summary Checks Frequently Asked Questions
A boundary to be aware of: the FBI’s National Crime Information Center (NCIC) is a separate law enforcement database that the public cannot query directly. The Identity History Summary Check is the only way for an individual to see their own FBI criminal history record.
Federal Court Case Records Through PACER
If you were involved in a federal case and want the actual filings, the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) system lets you search and view documents online. PACER covers appellate, district, and bankruptcy courts and provides access to more than one billion filed documents.3Public Access to Court Electronic Records | PACER: Federal Court Records. Public Access to Court Electronic Records
Registration is free. Documents cost $0.10 per page, capped at $3.00 per document, and court opinions are free. If you accumulate $30 or less in charges during a quarter, the fees are waived entirely.4Public Access to Court Electronic Records | PACER: Federal Court Records. PACER Pricing: How Fees Work For most people checking their own records, that waiver covers everything they’d need.
PACER is a case-specific tool, not a background check. It won’t give you the consolidated criminal history you get from a state repository or an FBI check.
Getting Documents From the Courthouse
Some courts now offer online access to their records through state judicial websites, and that’s the fastest path when it’s available. The depth of what you can pull online varies a lot by jurisdiction. Sealed cases, juvenile matters, and certain sensitive proceedings won’t appear online and may require a court order to see even in person.
When online access isn’t enough, the clerk’s office at the courthouse where the case was handled is where to go. Court files contain charging documents, plea records, sentencing orders, and other details that don’t appear on a repository printout. Bring government-issued identification. Fees vary by jurisdiction, with some courts charging per page and others per document. Uncertified copies cost a few dollars; certified copies, which bear an official seal and are accepted as evidence in legal proceedings, cost more. For immigration paperwork, professional licensing, or another legal filing, you’ll almost certainly need the certified version. For personal review, uncertified is fine.
The Free Copy You’re Entitled To If a Job Is Involved
If the reason you’re checking is a job, there’s a separate option worth knowing about. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, you’re entitled to one free copy of your file from each nationwide consumer reporting agency every twelve months.5Office of the Law Revision Counsel. United States Code Title 15 Section 1681j – Charges for Certain Disclosures You can also get a free copy within 60 days of any adverse action taken against you based on a consumer report. Requesting your file before a job search starts lets you see what a commercial background check company is likely to hand to an employer, which is often not the same thing as what shows up on a state or FBI report.
Fixing Errors You Find
Errors on criminal records are more common than people realize. A disposition may never have been reported, so an old arrest still looks like an open case. Names get confused. Dismissed charges show as pending. Catching mistakes early matters, because once an inaccurate record reaches an employer, the damage is already happening.
At the state level, the correction path depends on where the error started. Contact the arresting agency for a bad arrest entry, the court for an incorrect disposition, or the prosecutor’s office for a charging error. The state repository generally can’t change a record without confirmation from the agency that originally reported it.
To challenge information on your FBI Identity History Summary, submit a written request identifying what you believe is inaccurate or incomplete, with supporting documentation such as court orders or disposition records. There’s no fee. The FBI processes challenges in the order received, with an average response time of about 45 days. If the disputed entry is nonfederal, the FBI will direct you back to the state identification bureau where the offense occurred, since state corrections must come from the reporting state. Federal arrest data is removed only at the request of the federal agency that submitted it or by federal court order specifically directing expungement.2Federal Bureau of Investigation. Identity History Summary Checks Frequently Asked Questions
If a commercial background check company is the one reporting bad information, the FCRA requires the company to investigate your dispute free of charge. Once it receives your written dispute, it has 30 days to investigate and either correct the information, verify it, or delete it if it can’t be verified. That window can be extended by 15 days if you provide additional information during the investigation.6Office of the Law Revision Counsel. United States Code Title 15 Section 1681i – Procedure in Case of Disputed Accuracy