Real-Time State Criminal Search · Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Statewide Criminal Background Check
Order a Pennsylvania statewide criminal background check for $20 per name.
Our researchers query Pennsylvania court records in real time, then verify every hit before release.
Meanwhile, the state’s own PATCH record check costs $22 and routes most hits to manual review.
What a Pennsylvania Statewide Criminal Background Check Covers
A Pennsylvania statewide criminal background check searches court records across the Commonwealth from one order.
Consequently, you avoid ordering 67 separate county searches and reconciling 67 different formats.
BCS Background Screening LLC returns verified case detail, not a raw database dump.
Every confirmed record includes these fields
Case identity
You receive the case number, court name and county for every filing we confirm.
Verified identifiers
Researchers match the full name and date of birth on file before any record is reported.
All three dates
Offense date, file date and disposition date appear on each charge we return.
Charge and grade
We label each count as a felony, misdemeanor or summary offense under Pennsylvania grading.
Final disposition
Guilty pleas, convictions, dismissals and withdrawals are all reported as the court entered them.
Full sentencing detail
Fines, court costs, probation, confinement and program terms appear exactly as the docket shows them.
Standard scope runs seven years by file date. However, you may request a longer lookback where state and federal law permit it.
Where Pennsylvania Criminal Records Actually Live
Pennsylvania runs one unified judicial system, yet its criminal records sit on three different levels. Because of that split, a single-source lookup rarely tells the whole story.
Courts of Common Pleas
These are Pennsylvania’s general trial courts, organized into 60 judicial districts across 67 counties.Fifty-three districts cover one county each, while seven districts cover two counties.Felony trials, serious misdemeanors and sentencing all happen here.
Magisterial District Courts
Magisterial district judges sit in all 66 counties outside Philadelphia. They handle summary offenses, municipal ordinance violations and preliminary hearings for misdemeanors and felonies. Notably, a summary conviction can end at this level and never reach the state repository.
Philadelphia Municipal Court
Philadelphia uses a Municipal Court rather than magisterial district courts. Pittsburgh also operates a separate Municipal Court staffed by rotating Allegheny County magisterial district judges. Therefore, our Pennsylvania statewide criminal background check reaches every one of these levels.
The state repository, compared
PATCH Costs $22. Our Court Search Costs $20.
Pennsylvania Access To Criminal History, known as PATCH, is the State Police record check.
It draws on the PSP Central Repository and charges $22 for each record check.
Moreover, PATCH returns an instant “No Record” certificate only when nothing matches your subject.
Any identifier that hits the database flips the request to “Request Under Review” instead.
Registered users then wait up to two weeks, while everyone else waits two to four weeks.
In short, the applicants you most need answers on are the ones PATCH is slowest to clear.
| Point of comparison | PSP PATCH record check | BCS statewide court search |
|---|---|---|
| Price per name | $22, plus $5 to notarize | $20 flat |
| Source | PSP Central Repository | Pennsylvania court records, searched live |
| Speed when a record exists | Manual review, up to two to four weeks | Real time, researcher verified |
| Summary offenses | Often absent from the repository | Reported where the court shows them |
| Recent filings | Depend on agency reporting lag | Pulled from the court index that day |
| Identity confirmation | Name and date of birth only | SSN trace, plus identifier matching by a researcher |
| FCRA consumer report | No | Yes, with adverse action support |
| Dispute channel | Record challenge with the PSP | FCRA reinvestigation through BCS |
What the state repository leaves out
The PSP repository holds criminal history information built from fingerprinted arrests and their dispositions. As a result, several categories never appear on a PATCH certificate.
- Summary offenses that produced no reportable conviction record
- Arrests that were never fingerprinted, and arrests still lacking a disposition
- Records sealed under the Clean Slate limited access law
- Expunged cases, including completed ARD matters
- Juvenile adjudications, which are generally sealed
- Federal convictions and records from other states
County dockets, by contrast, often carry detail that has not yet reached the State Police. Our researchers work from those dockets, so recent activity shows up sooner.
Pennsylvania Publishes Free Dockets. Here Is Why They Are Not a Hiring Tool.
The UJS Portal lets anyone search Pennsylvania docket sheets at no cost.
Hiring managers ask about it constantly, so we will answer the question directly.
The portal is genuinely useful for looking up a case you already know about.
Still, it was never built to support an employment decision.
The Unified Judicial System says plainly that it makes no representation as to accuracy, completeness or utility.
It also warns that recent entries in court offices may not appear on the site immediately.
| Requirement | Free UJS Portal | BCS statewide search |
|---|---|---|
| Counts as an FCRA consumer report | No | Yes |
| Confirms the record belongs to your applicant | You decide, alone | Researcher verifies name and date of birth |
| Screens out sealed and expunged matters | No screening step | Reportability reviewed before release |
| Applicant dispute process | None | FCRA reinvestigation, documented |
| Covers every county in one order | You search case by case | One order, statewide |
| Audit trail for your file | A printout you saved | Time-stamped report in your account |
Put simply, a free lookup tells you what a docket says. A consumer report tells you what you may lawfully act on.
Pennsylvania Statewide Criminal Search Pricing
We price this search at $20 per name, with no setup fee and no monthly minimum. Additionally, an SSN trace is included with every search package.
Pennsylvania Statewide Criminal
$20
per name searched
- Real-time Pennsylvania court research
- Researcher verification on every hit
- Full charge, disposition and sentencing detail
- Seven-year standard scope by file date
Common add-ons
- County Criminal Court Search — $18 plus court fees
- Federal Criminal Search
- Nationwide Criminal Database Search — $17
- Driving Records History
- SSN Trace — $10 standalone
Why employers add a county search
Statewide court research covers the Commonwealth broadly and quickly. Nevertheless, a county search digs deeper where an applicant actually lived and worked.
We recommend pairing the two whenever the role carries real risk.
Sample Pennsylvania Statewide Criminal Search Report
Below is a complete report in the format your account delivers. We have reproduced every field, every charge and every sentencing line the court returned. The subject, identifiers and case number are fictitious, as the notice at the foot explains.
Records Found
Search Summary
- Jurisdiction Searched
- Pennsylvania
- Name Searched
- MARSHALL D EVERTON
- DOB Searched
- 11/07/****
- SSN Searched
- 214-70-****
- Search ID
- 632518
- Reference
- KEYSTONE FLEET SERVICES
- Date Ordered
- 03/18/2026
- Date Completed
- 03/18/2026
- Years Searched
- 7
- Status
- Records Found
Case Detail
- Case Number
- CP-65-CR-0001976-2023
- Verified By
- Name and DOB
- Full Name on File
- MARSHALL D EVERTON
- DOB on File
- 11/07/****
- Additional Info.
- Court Name: COURT OF COMMON PLEAS OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY
- File Date
- 06/14/2023
- Disposition Date
- 02/26/2024
- Offense Date
- 04/22/2023
- Case Comments
- MOUNT PLEASANT, PA 15666
Charges — 5 Counts
DUI: GEN IMP/INC OF DRIVING SAFELY – 2ND OFF
Misdemeanor
- Disposition
- GUILTY PLEA – NON-NEGOTIATED
- Type of Crime
- MISDEMEANOR
- Fines
- $1,250.00
- Court Cost
- $5,814.45
Sentencing Information
Sentence: 02/26/2024 GUILTY PLEA – NON-NEGOTIATED 1 / DUI: GEN IMP/INC OF DRIVING SAFELY – 2ND OFF MERGED 11/05/2025 OFFICE MOTION TO REVOKE PROBATION 01/29/2026 OFFICE RELEASE FROM PROBATION 01/29/2026 OFFICE RELEASE FROM PROBATION ORIGINATING DOCKET NO: MJ-10302-CR-0000231-2023, Fine Amount: 1250.00, Court Cost: 5814.45
DUI: HIGH RTE OF ALC (BAC .10 – .16) 2ND OFF
Misdemeanor
- Disposition
- GUILTY PLEA – NON-NEGOTIATED
- Type of Crime
- MISDEMEANOR
- Fines
- $1,250.00
- Court Cost
- $5,814.45
Sentencing Information
Sentence: 02/26/2024 GUILTY PLEA – NON-NEGOTIATED 2 / DUI: HIGH RTE OF ALC (BAC .10 – .16) 2ND OFF IPP MAX OF 6.00 MONTHS 6 MONTHS TO BE SUBJECT TO ELECTRONIC MONITORING. WORK RELEASE GRANTED. HAVE A CRN EVALUATION AND FOLLOW RECOMMENDED TREATMENT. SUBJECT TO IGNITION INTERLOCK REQUIREMENTS. SUSPENSION OF OPERATOR’S LICENSE FOR A PERIOD OF AND TO SURRENDER LICENSE TO THE CLERK OF COURTS FORTHWITH OR BY 11/05/2025 OFFICE MOTION TO REVOKE PROBATION 01/29/2026 OFFICE RELEASE FROM PROBATION 01/29/2026 OFFICE RELEASE FROM PROBATION ORIGINATING DOCKET NO: MJ-10302-CR-0000231-2023, Fine Amount: 1250.00, Court Cost: 5814.45
FRAUD ALTER/FORG/COUNTER TITLE REG INS
Misdemeanor
- Disposition
- GUILTY PLEA – NON-NEGOTIATED
- Type of Crime
- MISDEMEANOR
- Fines
- $1,250.00
- Court Cost
- $5,814.45
Sentencing Information
Sentence: 02/26/2024 GUILTY PLEA – NON-NEGOTIATED 3 / FRAUD ALTER/FORG/COUNTER TITLE REG INS IPP MAX OF 24.00 MONTHS TWO YEARS TO BE SUBJECT TO ELECTRONIC MONITORING. 11/05/2025 OFFICE MOTION TO REVOKE PROBATION 01/29/2026 OFFICE RELEASE FROM PROBATION 01/29/2026 OFFICE RELEASE FROM PROBATION ORIGINATING DOCKET NO: MJ-10302-CR-0000231-2023, Fine Amount: 1250.00, Court Cost: 5814.45
POSS/SALE/USE DISPLAY DOCUMENTS
Misdemeanor
- Disposition
- GUILTY PLEA – NON-NEGOTIATED
- Type of Crime
- MISDEMEANOR
- Fines
- $1,250.00
- Court Cost
- $5,814.45
Sentencing Information
Sentence: 02/26/2024 GUILTY PLEA – NON-NEGOTIATED 4 / POSS/SALE/USE DISPLAY DOCUMENTS PROBATION MAX OF 2.00 YEARS TWO YEARS 11/05/2025 OFFICE MOTION TO REVOKE PROBATION 01/29/2026 OFFICE RELEASE FROM PROBATION 01/29/2026 OFFICE RELEASE FROM PROBATION ORIGINATING DOCKET NO: MJ-10302-CR-0000231-2023, Fine Amount: 1250.00, Court Cost: 5814.45
DRIVING WHILE BAC .02 OR GREATER WHILE LICENSE SUSP
Summary
- Disposition
- GUILTY PLEA – NON-NEGOTIATED
- Type of Crime
- SUMMARY
- Fines
- $1,250.00
- Court Cost
- $5,814.45
Sentencing Information
Sentence: 02/26/2024 GUILTY PLEA – NON-NEGOTIATED 5 / DRIVING WHILE BAC .02 OR GREATER WHILE LICENSE SUSP CONFINEMENT MAX OF 90.00 DAYS OTHER 11/05/2025 OFFICE MOTION TO REVOKE PROBATION 01/29/2026 OFFICE RELEASE FROM PROBATION 01/29/2026 OFFICE RELEASE FROM PROBATION ORIGINATING DOCKET NO: MJ-10302-CR-0000231-2023, Jail Time: CONFINEMENT MAX OF 90.00 DAYS, Fine Amount: 1250.00, Court Cost: 5814.45
Comments
Jail Time: CONFINEMENT MAX OF 90.00 DAYS
Reading this report in plain terms
The subject pleaded guilty to five counts arising from one incident in April 2023.
Four counts were graded as misdemeanors, while the fifth was a summary offense.
Count 1 merged into the sentence for the other counts, so it carried no separate term.
The court imposed intermediate punishment with electronic monitoring, probation and a 90-day confinement maximum.
Probation revocation proceedings opened in November 2025, and the court released the subject in January 2026.
Notice that the summary offense appears here yet would likely be absent from a state repository certificate.
Fictitious subject notice. This sample uses an invented person, an invented case number and invented identifiers. It illustrates report formatting only. It does not describe any real person or any real Pennsylvania court case.
Getting started
How to Order a Pennsylvania Statewide Criminal Background Check
Open your account
Complete the online application, then pass our standard credentialing review. Every account includes optional Multiple Authentication Factor (MAF) protection at sign-in.
Collect a compliant authorization
Give the applicant a stand-alone FCRA disclosure, then obtain written authorization. Pennsylvania adds no separate consent form for a court-level search.
Submit the search
Enter the full legal name, date of birth and Social Security number. Hyphenated and multi-surname applicants should be entered exactly as their identity documents read.
Review verified results
Clear searches return quickly, while confirmed records arrive after researcher verification. Afterward, you can launch pre-adverse and adverse action letters straight from the same file.
Pennsylvania Law Employers Must Follow
Pennsylvania regulates how employers use criminal history more tightly than most states realize.Our Pennsylvania employment screening laws guide covers the full picture.Below are the rules that bear directly on a statewide criminal search.
CHRIA section 9125 limits what you may consider
Under 18 Pa.C.S. § 9125(b), you may weigh felony and misdemeanor convictions only so far as they relate to suitability for the position. Subsection (c) then requires written notice whenever a refusal to hire rests in whole or in part on criminal history.
The Third Circuit widened that rule in 2026
In Phath v. Central Transport LLC, decided in January 2026, the Third Circuit read section 9125 by the type of information received. Accordingly, the limits apply even when an applicant volunteers a conviction rather than a report revealing it.
Clean Slate keeps sealing older records
Act 56 of 2018 began automatic sealing, and Act 83 of 2020 removed the outstanding-costs barrier. Clean Slate 3.0 followed in December 2023, shortening misdemeanor sealing to seven years and summary convictions to five.
Sealed and expunged matters stay out of the reports we release.
ARD is not a conviction
Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition diverts a case instead of resolving it by conviction. On successful completion, the court dismisses the charges and expunges the record automatically. Consequently, a completed ARD matter should not drive an adverse hiring decision.
This page explains general requirements. It is not legal advice, so please consult counsel on your own hiring policy.
Pennsylvania Statewide Criminal Background Check FAQs
What is a Pennsylvania statewide criminal background check?
It is a real-time search of Pennsylvania court criminal records, ordered under one request.
Our researchers query court indexes across the Commonwealth, then verify identity on every possible match.
You receive case numbers, charges, grades, all three case dates, dispositions and full sentencing detail.
Because the search runs at court level, it reaches filings the state repository has not yet received.
How much does a Pennsylvania statewide criminal background check cost?
BCS Background Screening LLC charges $20 per name searched.
There is no setup fee, no monthly minimum and no long-term contract.
By comparison, the Pennsylvania State Police charge $22 for a single PATCH record check.
An SSN trace also comes at no extra cost inside our search packages.
How fast will I get results?
This is a real-time search, so clear results typically return quickly.
When a possible record appears, a researcher verifies it before we release anything.
That verification step protects you from reporting the wrong person’s record.
PATCH, meanwhile, sends any hit to manual review that can run two to four weeks.
How many Pennsylvania counties does the search cover?
Pennsylvania has 67 counties organized into 60 judicial districts.
Fifty-three districts serve a single county, while seven serve two counties each.
Our search reaches the Courts of Common Pleas, the magisterial district courts and Philadelphia Municipal Court.
Therefore, one order replaces a long list of separate county requests.
How far back does a Pennsylvania criminal search go?
Our standard scope runs seven years by file date.
Pennsylvania sets no state lookback cap on reporting convictions.
The federal seven-year rule in 15 U.S.C. § 1681c applies to non-convictions, and it lifts above a $75,000 salary.
Ask us if your role needs a longer lookback, since we can extend it where law permits.
Do I still need a county criminal court search?
Often, yes, and we recommend it for higher-risk roles.
A statewide search gives you breadth across the Commonwealth quickly.
A county criminal court search then adds depth where the applicant actually lived.
Pairing both searches gives the strongest defensible file.
Why can I not just use PATCH or the free UJS Portal?
Neither source is an FCRA consumer report, so neither carries dispute rights for your applicant.
PATCH also omits summary offenses, unfingerprinted arrests and anything sealed under Clean Slate.
The UJS Portal states that it makes no representation as to accuracy, completeness or utility.
It further warns that recent court entries may not appear on the site right away.
What Pennsylvania rules apply once I receive a record?
Under 18 Pa.C.S. § 9125(b), you may consider convictions only as they relate to job suitability.
Section 9125(c) requires written notice when criminal history drives a decision not to hire.
The Third Circuit extended that reach in Phath v. Central Transport LLC in January 2026.
Our Pennsylvania screening laws page walks through the rest, including Philadelphia’s fair-chance ordinance.
Start Your Pennsylvania Statewide Criminal Background Check
Open an account today, then order your first Pennsylvania search for $20 per name.
Our team is based in Coral Gables, Florida, and we answer the phone.
(800) 661-0278 · support@usabackground.com · Monday to Friday, 9:00 to 6:00 ET
BCS Background Screening LLC is a consumer reporting agency under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Reports are furnished only for permissible purposes, and only after the consumer signs a compliant disclosure and authorization. Record availability, court fees and turnaround vary by jurisdiction. This page is informational and is not legal advice.