Georgia · GCIC Statewide Record Search
Georgia Statewide Criminal Background Check
Order a Georgia statewide criminal background check straight from the Georgia Crime Information Center. BCS Background Screening LLC returns the official GCIC criminal history record, not a scraped database copy.
- ✓ Official GCIC criminal history record information
- ✓ Signed GCIC consent form handled for you
- ✓ FCRA-compliant reporting and adverse action support
What a Georgia Statewide Criminal Background Check Covers
The Georgia Crime Information Center maintains the state criminal history repository. Consequently, a Georgia statewide criminal background check reaches every reporting agency at once. Arresting agencies, prosecutors and courts submit dispositions to GCIC. Therefore one search replaces dozens of separate county lookups.
Georgia criminal records held by GCIC come from fingerprint-based arrest submissions. As a result, the record ties charges, dispositions and sentences to a single Offender Tracking Number. Moreover, each cycle shows the arresting agency, the court and the final outcome.
Felony charges and convictions
GCIC reports in-state felony arrests, pleas, sentences and adjudications tied to the subject.
Misdemeanor cycles
Fingerprintable misdemeanors appear when the arresting agency submitted prints to GCIC.
Final dispositions
Every reported cycle shows the disposition and date, so you never guess at an outcome.
Sentencing detail
Confinement terms, probation and sentencing agency print on the record for each charge.
Identity and aliases
The rap sheet lists every subject name, the State ID number and physical descriptors.
Agency contact index
Each report indexes the arresting agency and court, with address and telephone number.
Important: GCIC does not report records that Georgia has restricted or sealed. Record restriction under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37 and First Offender treatment under O.C.G.A. § 42-8-60 remove qualifying entries from what employers may see. Accordingly, a clear Georgia criminal records result does not always mean no arrest ever happened.
The GCIC Consent Form Requirement
Georgia guards its repository closely. Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-34, a private business may obtain another person’s criminal history record information only two ways. First, it may submit fingerprints. Second, it may supply a signed consent on the form GCIC prescribes.
Because of that rule, every Georgia statewide criminal background check starts with a signed release. BCS Background Screening LLC supplies the correct form, checks it before submission and stores it with your order. Therefore your file stays audit-ready.
Download the GCIC Background Release form (PDF)
What the consent form must carry
- Full legal name, including maiden names and aliases.
- Current address of the applicant.
- Date of birth and Social Security number.
- Race and sex, which GCIC uses to narrow the index.
- Purpose code that matches your actual use.
- Applicant signature and date, unaltered.
GCIC rejects altered forms. So never retype, crop or reformat the release. Likewise, never reuse a release across unrelated positions.
Name Search or Fingerprints? Know the Difference
Georgia returns criminal history two ways. Each answers a different question, and each carries a different cost. Consequently, employers should choose deliberately.
Name-based GCIC search
$35 total 1 business day typical
- Runs on name, date of birth and SSN.
- Needs a signed GCIC consent form.
- Returns the official statewide rap sheet.
- Fits most employment and tenant screening.
- Common names can return a similar subject.
Fingerprint check (GAPS)
Applicant attends in person
- Applicant visits a Georgia Applicant Processing Service site.
- Prints confirm identity positively.
- Usually mandated for licensed and regulated roles.
- Scheduling adds days to your hiring timeline.
- Results go to the requesting agency, not to you directly.
Most private employers pick the name-based search. It moves faster, it costs less, and it still draws from the same GCIC repository. However, if a licensing board requires prints, follow that mandate instead.
Georgia Rules Employers Must Follow
Georgia layers its own duties on top of the federal FCRA. Follow both. Otherwise you risk a state misdemeanor charge alongside a federal claim.
Tell the applicant everything
Did a GCIC record drive an adverse employment or licensing decision? Then you must tell the person three things. Disclose that you pulled a record from the center. Disclose the specific contents. Disclose the effect the record had. Failing to do so is a misdemeanor under Georgia law.
Restricted records stay hidden
Georgia restricts qualifying arrest records from public and employer view. Do not seek restricted data through back channels. Instead, work from what GCIC lawfully returns.
First Offender records are sealed
Successful First Offender probation seals the record. Limited exceptions allow disclosure for specific sensitive positions. So confirm your role qualifies before you rely on sealed data.
FCRA disclosure and adverse action
Give a standalone written disclosure first. Next, get written authorization. Then, before you act on a record, send a pre-adverse notice with the report and the Summary of Rights.
Ban-the-box applies in several jurisdictions
Georgia’s 2015 executive order covers state agencies. Meanwhile, cities and counties including Atlanta, Augusta, Columbus, Macon-Bibb and Savannah apply their own hiring rules to public employment.
Read no-contest pleas carefully
Georgia treats a nolo plea as a conviction for some purposes only. Except as law provides, it is not an admission of guilt elsewhere. Therefore evaluate each disposition on its own facts.
Go deeper: our full compliance guide breaks down lookback limits, credit reports and industry rules. Read Georgia background screening laws before you build your hiring policy.
Sample Georgia Statewide Criminal Report
Below is a complete sample result, formatted the way BCS Background Screening LLC delivers it. Names, identifiers and dates are fictitious. Nevertheless, the structure and the GCIC caveat language match a live Georgia return.
State Criminal Search — Real-Time
Jurisdiction Searched: Georgia
Record Found
Search Summary
Case at a Glance
Criminal History Record — Introduction
This rap sheet was produced in response to the following request.
Attention — GCIC Caveats
THIS RESPONSE IS BEING PRODUCED FOR YOUR REQUEST SENT: 2026-07-08 (GA; 2007-08-11)
Important! Criminal history record information is obtained one of two ways: 1) by conducting an inquiry using personal identifiers such as name and date of birth (name search), or 2) by submitting fingerprint cards to the Georgia Crime Information Center (GCIC). When conducting a name search for criminal history record information, there is a possibility that the information returned belongs to a different person with the same, or similar, identifiers. In this case, a positive match of the person whose criminal history record is sought requires submission of fingerprint cards to GCIC. When conducting a fingerprint search for criminal history record information, the information returned does, in fact, belong to the individual. In this case, conducting a name search using the individual’s personal identifiers would be the same information. (GA; 2007-08-11)
When the information contained in a criminal history report causes an adverse employment or licensing decision the individual, business or agency making the decision must inform the applicant of all information pertinent to the decision. The disclosure must include information that a criminal history record check was conducted, the specific contents of the record and the effect the record had upon the decision. Failure to provide all such information to the person subject to the adverse decision is a misdemeanor offense under Georgia law. Additionally, any unauthorized dissemination of this record or information herein also violates Georgia law. The plea of nolo contendere may be considered a conviction for some purposes: however, except as otherwise provided by law, it shall not be used against the defendant in any other court as a conviction or admission of guilt or for the purpose of effecting any civil disqualification of the defendant to hold public office, to vote, to serve upon any jury, or any other civil disqualification imposed upon a person convicted of any offense under the laws of this state. (GA; 2007-08-11)
In the event that identifiers are not clearly associated to a specific cycle, the information is most likely non-fingerprint based information received from the Department of Corrections at the time of release from incarceration. (GA; 2007-08-11)
Identification
Subject Description
Criminal History — Cycle 1 of 1
OTN 74910238465
Guilty / Convicted
Arrest (Cycle 1)
Charge
Court Disposition (Cycle 1)
Sentencing (Cycle 1)
Sentence
- OTHER SENTENCE TYPE — CONFINEMENT 10 YEARS
- OTHER SENTENCE TYPE — CONFINEMENT 5 YEARS
- OTHER SENTENCE TYPE — CONFINEMENT 5 YEARS
Index of Agencies
Source agencies on this record
GA0430100 — Bainbridge Police Department
Contact Chief of Police
Telephone (229) 248-2038
Address PO Box 158, Bainbridge, GA 31717-0000, USA
GA043015J — Decatur County Superior Court
Contact Judge
Telephone (229) 248-3025
Address 112 West Water Street, PO Box 336, Bainbridge, GA 39818-0000, USA
Sample data notice: this report is illustrative only. The subject, identifiers, case number and dates are fictitious. BCS Background Screening LLC never publishes real consumer data.
How to Order Your Georgia Criminal Records Search
Ordering takes minutes. Moreover, your account stays open for every future search, in Georgia and nationwide.
-
Open your account
Complete the online application, then pass a quick credentialing review. We verify a permissible purpose under the FCRA before we enable searches.
-
Collect the signed release
Give the applicant the FCRA disclosure and the GCIC Background Release form. Next, collect signatures and keep both on file.
-
Submit the search
Select State Criminal Search — Real-Time, choose Georgia, then enter name, date of birth and SSN. Finally, upload the signed release.
-
Review the result
Your report posts inside your secure account. Clear results return quickly. Records with a hit route through verification first.
Account security: BCS Background Screening LLC offers optional Multiple Authentication Factor (MAF) protection on all user accounts.
Pair the Statewide Search With County Coverage
GCIC holds fingerprint-based submissions. However, some Georgia misdemeanors and local ordinance cases never reach the repository. Therefore a county court search adds useful depth for sensitive roles.
County criminal court search
Search the courts where your applicant actually lived and worked. Results come straight from the clerk’s index.
SSN trace and address history
Find the counties worth searching. The trace returns reported addresses and surfaces name variations.
Nationwide database search
Cast a wide net across states first, then confirm every hit at the source court before you report it.
Georgia Statewide Criminal Background Check FAQs
How much does a Georgia statewide criminal background check cost?
The search costs $20, plus a $15 GCIC access fee. Your total is therefore $35 per subject. We bill the access fee at cost, so you pay exactly what Georgia charges. Volume clients can request package pricing.
Do I need a signed consent form for a Georgia criminal records search?
Yes. Georgia law is strict here. Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-34, a private business must submit fingerprints or a signed consent on the form GCIC prescribes. We supply the correct release and review it before submission. Consequently, your orders move without rejections. Download the GCIC Background Release form to get started.
How far back does a Georgia statewide criminal background check go?
Georgia sets no state lookback cap on reportable convictions. The federal FCRA limits non-conviction items, such as arrests without disposition, to seven years. That limit lifts when the position pays $75,000 or more annually. Restricted and First Offender records stay out regardless of age.
How long does a Georgia statewide criminal search take?
Most searches return within one business day. Clear results usually post faster. Records that need verification take longer, because we confirm details before reporting them. You can track every order inside your account.
What is the difference between a GCIC search and a county court search?
GCIC aggregates fingerprint-based submissions from across Georgia. A county search reads one clerk’s index directly. The statewide search covers more ground quickly. Meanwhile, the county search catches local cases that never reached the repository. Many employers run both for sensitive positions.
Will a Georgia background check show sealed or First Offender records?
No. Record restriction under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37 removes qualifying arrests from employer view. First Offender records seal on successful completion of probation under O.C.G.A. § 42-8-60. Narrow exceptions in O.C.G.A. § 42-8-63.1 allow disclosure for certain sensitive roles only.
What must I tell an applicant if I reject them over a GCIC record?
Tell them three things. First, say that you obtained a record from the center. Second, share the specific contents of that record. Third, explain the effect it had on your decision. Failing to do so is a misdemeanor under Georgia law. Separately, the FCRA requires pre-adverse and adverse action notices.
Can a name-based Georgia search return the wrong person?
It can, and GCIC says so on every report. Common names with shared identifiers create that risk. Accordingly, we verify hits against date of birth and name before release. For a positive identity match, Georgia requires fingerprint cards submitted to GCIC.
Start Your Georgia Statewide Criminal Background Check
Open an account today, then order Georgia searches at $20 plus the $15 GCIC access fee. BCS Background Screening LLC is a PBSA member and an FCRA-compliant consumer reporting agency.
Questions? Call (800) 661-0278 or email support@usabackground.com.