How to Get a Delaware Criminal History Report for Expungement
Why You Need This Specific Report
Before you can file for expungement in Delaware — whether through the mandatory SBI pathway or a discretionary court petition — you need an official, certified copy of your criminal history report from the State Bureau of Identification. This is a fingerprint-based check, not a name search. It's the document the SBI uses to determine which pathway you qualify for, and it's a required attachment for any court petition.
Regular background checks from private companies won't work. The SBI's certified report is the only document the courts accept.
Service Code and Fee
Register on the IdentoGO portal and use Service Code 27S23V — this is the specific code for expungement and pardon background checks. The fee is $72.00.
Other service codes exist for different purposes (handgun permits, professional licensing, volunteer checks), but 27S23V is the one you need. Using the wrong code means the report won't be processed for expungement purposes.
If you're fingerprinting from outside Delaware, IdentoGO adds a $39.95 remote processing fee.
Where to Get Fingerprinted
Three locations offer fingerprinting for this purpose:
SBI Fingerprinting Facility (Dover) 600 Bay Road, Suite 1B, Dover, DE 19901 Walk-in services accepted Monday through Friday. No mail-in fingerprint cards.
State Police Troop 2 (Bear) 100 LaGrange Avenue, Newark, DE 19702 Advance appointment required.
State Police Troop 4 (Georgetown) Thurman Adams State Service Center, 546 S. Bedford Street, Room 202, Georgetown, DE 19947 Advance appointment required. Cash payments are not accepted at this location.
All three locations can be reached through the SBI's main phone line at (302) 739-2528.
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The One-Time Download Trap
This is the most common mistake people make: the SBI delivers your certified criminal history via a secure email link, and that link can only be opened once. If you open it on your phone while walking to your car and don't save the PDF, the document is gone. You'll need to pay another $72 and start over.
Open the link on a computer connected to a printer. Save the file as a PDF and print a hard copy immediately. You'll need both the digital version (for email filings to Family Court) and physical copies (for in-person or mail filings to Superior Court).
The 45-Day Expiration
Your certified criminal history report is valid for 45 days from the date of issuance when used for court filings. If you take longer than 45 days to file your petition, the court will reject the stale report and you'll need a fresh one — another $72.
Plan accordingly: don't pull the report until you've resolved any outstanding fines or fees, confirmed your filing venue (Family Court vs. Superior Court), and are ready to assemble your petition packet.
What Happens Next
About two weeks after your fingerprinting appointment, the SBI mails a determination letter. This letter tells you which expungement pathway applies to your case — mandatory (handled by the SBI directly) or discretionary (requires a court petition). If you qualify for mandatory expungement, the letter includes the application packet. If you need the discretionary route, it includes instructions for the court process.
For a full walkthrough from the criminal history report through filing and verification, our Delaware Expungement & Record Sealing Guide covers every step.
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