How to Get Your Own Criminal Record

Why Three Separate Records Exist

There's no single database that contains your complete criminal history. Your records are scattered across at least three distinct systems, each maintained by different agencies using different methods:

Federal (FBI): The FBI Identity History Summary compiles arrest and conviction data from law enforcement agencies nationwide, matched by fingerprint. It's the most accurate identification method but often missing final court dispositions.

State repository: Each state maintains its own criminal history database through the state police or Department of Justice. These are also fingerprint-based but only cover activity within that state. If you've lived in multiple states, you'll need reports from each one.

Commercial screening companies: Consumer Reporting Agencies like Checkr, Sterling, and HireRight compile records from scraped court dockets, data brokers, and public databases. These are what most employers and landlords actually see — and they're the most error-prone, relying on name-based matching instead of fingerprints.

A job offer, lease application, or licensing board submission can hinge on what appears in any of these systems. Checking all three is the only way to know what's actually out there.

Getting Your FBI Record

The FBI Identity History Summary Check runs through the CJIS division:

1. Register at edo.cjis.gov and pay the $18 processing fee
2. Get fingerprinted at a USPS location ($50) or an FBI-approved channeler like IdentoGO ($30–$75)
3. Receive your digitally signed PDF by email in 24 to 48 hours

The paper alternative — mailing Form 1-783 and two FD-258 fingerprint cards to Clarksburg, WV — takes 2 to 6 weeks but costs the $18 FBI fee plus $5–$25 for ink rolling.

Getting Your State Record

Every state has its own process. Some examples:

• California: Form BCIA 8016RR through live-scan ($25 state fee + $10–$60 vendor fee). Personal-use copies are marked "Not Certified" and can't be used for immigration.
• New York: IdentoGO appointment using service code 15464Z (suppressed) or 15465F (unsuppressed). Fee dropped to $17.50 as of February 2026.
• Texas: Fingerprint-based through IdentoGO's FAST program ($15 state fee plus a location-dependent rolling fee; verify the total when booking) or online name-based conviction search ($3).
• Illinois: Free personal "Access and Review" check through the State Police, though live-scan vendor fees still apply ($35–$55).
• Florida: Free personal review under F.S. 943.056 — mail a completed application and fingerprint card to FDLE.

If you've lived in multiple states, you'll want reports from each jurisdiction where you had any law enforcement contact.

Getting Your Commercial Screening File

Under FCRA Section 609, you have the right to request a complete file disclosure from any Consumer Reporting Agency. The CRA must give you everything in your file: the reported data, its sources, and everyone who's received a copy in the past two years (for employment purposes).

You don't need special terminology or legal jargon — a simple written or electronic request with proof of identity is legally sufficient. If you've received a pre-adverse action notice within the last 60 days, the disclosure is free.

The major employment-screening CRAs to check: Checkr, Sterling, HireRight, First Advantage, and GoodHire. If you're not sure which CRA a specific employer used, the final adverse-action notice must include the CRA's contact details.

What to Do When the Records Don't Match

This is common. Your FBI report might show an arrest that your state repository correctly records as dismissed. A commercial screener might display a sealed record that shouldn't appear at all. Your state report might be missing a disposition that the court entered years ago.

For each discrepancy, the dispute path depends on the record type:

• FBI errors: Contact the original reporting agency with a certified court disposition
• State repository errors: Submit a formal record challenge with supporting documentation
• Commercial screening errors: File an FCRA Section 611 dispute — the CRA has 30 days, or up to 45 days in certain circumstances, to investigate

The Get Your Own Criminal Record toolkit walks through every step of the three-layer audit and includes dispute templates for each scenario.