Criminal Records Search
Access arrest records, felony convictions, misdemeanors, and court outcomes on anyone. Scan 32 billion+ public records across federal, state, and county sources. 100% confidential — results in 60 seconds.
Search opens with our recommended provider. We may receive compensation. Advertiser Disclosure
Commonly Asked Questions About Criminal Records Online
Where Does Criminal Record Data Come From?
Criminal record data originates with the courts and law enforcement agencies that generate it. A county clerk records the case filing and its outcome, the sheriff or arresting agency records the booking, and the state repository consolidates some of that back up to a statewide index. Search services collect from these public sources and assemble them into one report, which is why a single search can surface records from several counties at once.
How Can I Use a Criminal Background Check?
Common personal uses include researching someone you met online, checking on a new neighbor, or reviewing your own record before an important conversation. Public records searches of this kind are not consumer reports, and they cannot lawfully be used for employment screening, tenant screening, credit decisions, or any other purpose governed by the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
What Is the Difference Between an Arrest and a Conviction?
An arrest means a law enforcement agency took someone into custody on suspicion of an offense. A conviction means a court found them guilty or accepted a guilty plea. Many arrests never lead to a conviction. Both can appear in public records, which is why reading the disposition field matters more than reading the charge alone.
Why Do Results Vary So Much by State?
Every state writes its own rules on what criminal information is public, how long it stays public, and whether expunged or sealed cases are removed from the index. Some states publish statewide case searches. Others release nothing above the county level. The same person can produce a detailed record in one state and almost nothing in another.
Are Criminal Background Check Services Free?
Individual county and state portals are often free to search, but each one covers only its own jurisdiction, and many publish just a name and case number without detail. Compiling criminal history across thousands of separate courts and agencies carries real sourcing cost, which is why consolidated nationwide searches are generally paid.
Will the Person Know I Ran a Search?
No. Looking up a public record does not create a notice to the person named in it. Court clerks, county recorders, and law enforcement agencies do not inform the subject of a record when someone views or requests it, and the same holds for records accessed through a search service.
Ready to run a Criminal Records search? It only takes minutes.
Search Now →Official Records Come From These Offices
Criminal history in the United States is not held in one central place. It is spread across the agencies below, each with its own retention rules and access policy.
What Shows Up in a Criminal Background Check
Identity and Aliases
Full legal name, known aliases, and approximate age. Establishing which person a record belongs to is the first step, and the most common source of error in name-only searches.
Arrests and Charges
The arresting agency, date of arrest, the specific charges filed, and whether each was classified as a felony or a misdemeanor.
Case Disposition
Whether the case ended in conviction, dismissal, acquittal, or a plea. Reading the disposition matters more than reading the charge, since many arrests never lead to a conviction.
Why Coverage Is Uneven
Some counties digitized case indexes decades ago while others hold older files on paper. Results tend to be stronger for recent cases and larger metropolitan jurisdictions.
Why People Search Criminal Records
Research Someone You Met Online
Checking a name against public court records before an in-person meeting is one of the most common personal uses.
Check on a New Neighbor
County court indexes are public, and people routinely look up names in their own area.
Review Your Own Record
Knowing what is publicly visible about you before an important conversation is a frequent reason people run a search on themselves.
Confirm a Case Outcome
An arrest that made local news often ends quietly. The disposition field is what tells you how the case actually resolved.
Distinguish Between Common Names
Records tied to a date of birth and county help establish whether two entries belong to the same person.
Understand a Family Situation
People search court records to understand a dispute or charge involving someone close to them.
Best Criminal Records Sites of 2026
We spent hours comparing multiple Criminal Records sites on data quality, usability, and cost, and our top pick for 2026 is Instant Checkmate. Our goal is to help you find comprehensive results at a fair price, without wasting time on services that overpromise or overcharge.
Our top-rated Criminal Records service, with extensive report detail and strong overall value. Premium data is included.
Straightforward search with broad results. One of the more expensive services but worth every penny if you're looking for a top notch Criminal Records service.
One of the longest-running background check services, founded in 2003. Solid on basic biographical data, phone, and address lookups. Criminal & traffic records can be inconsistent.
In business since 1993 — one of the original people search services. One of the quickest search experiences we tested with solid criminal & traffic records and a strong reverse phone lookup.