Virginia County Criminal Background Check
Search Circuit Court and General District Court criminal records in any Virginia county or independent city.
Each report shows the original charge, any amended charge, the final disposition and the full sentence.
Plus, you skip the notarized forms and the mail-in wait at the State Police.
What Our Virginia County Criminal Background Check Covers
Our Virginia county criminal background check searches the courts where Virginia criminal cases actually live.
Each county search reads both the Circuit Court and the General District Court for that jurisdiction.
Moreover, our coverage reaches every one of Virginia’s 95 counties and 38 independent cities.
Our quality review team then checks every possible match against the applicant’s name and date of birth.
Felonies and Misdemeanors
Circuit Court felonies and General District Court misdemeanors come back in one county search.
Original and Amended Charges
You see the code section, charge, case type and class before and after any amendment.
Every Key Date
Offense, arrest, filing and disposition dates appear on each case.
Final Disposition
The report names the outcome and how the case concluded, such as a guilty plea.
Complete Sentencing Detail
Jail time, suspended time, programs, fines, costs and payment status all appear.
Identity Matching
Our team compares name and date of birth on every possible match before release.
Clear Pricing for Every Virginia County
You pay $18 per county, per name searched.
That price covers both the Circuit Court and the General District Court in that county.
Fairfax County is the one exception, because its courts add a $5 court fee.
So a Fairfax County search costs $23 per name.
Per County, Per Name
Any Virginia county or independent city, with both court levels included.
Fairfax County
The $18 search plus a $5 Fairfax County court fee.
Example Order
An applicant who lived in Richmond and Henrico County needs two searches.
No Notary, No Mail
Your applicant signs your FCRA authorization, not a notarized state form.
Meanwhile, the State Police quote up to 15 business days for a mailed request.
Secure Online Delivery
Results arrive in your password-protected account, never as an open email attachment.
That way, you control who sees each report.
Virginia State Police Check vs. County Court Search
The Virginia State Police run the Central Criminal Records Exchange, the state’s criminal history repository.
However, a name-based request on Form SP-167 returns Virginia convictions only.
In addition, both the applicant and the results recipient must sign before a notary.
The State Police then allow up to 15 business days after your mailed form arrives.
Form SP-230 skips the notary, yet it serves only approved Virginia employers and still returns conviction data only.
By contrast, a county court search also shows pending cases, amended charges and the full sentence.
| Feature | State Police Name Search (SP-167) | BCS Virginia County Court Search |
|---|---|---|
| Records returned | Virginia convictions only | Charges, amendments, dispositions and sentences |
| Source | State criminal history repository | Circuit Court and General District Court records |
| Signatures | Applicant and recipient, both notarized | Standard FCRA disclosure and authorization |
| Delivery | Mail, up to 15 business days | Online, in your secure account |
| Price | $15 ($20 with sex offender registry) | $18 per county, per name (Fairfax County +$5) |
| Pending cases | Not shown | Shown with the case status |
| Amended charges | Not shown | Original and amended charge side by side |
Fingerprint searches exist too, at $13.75 for the state plus $13.25 for the FBI.
Still, they need fingerprint cards and the same mail-in process.
So most employers choose county court searches for speed and detail.
Statewide Coverage of Every Virginia County Court
Virginia splits criminal cases between two trial court levels.
Because a case can start in one court and finish in the other, every county search covers both.
Circuit Courts
Virginia has 31 judicial circuits, with a circuit court serving every county and city.
These courts try felonies and hear misdemeanor appeals from the district courts.
Grand jury indictments and jury trials also happen here.
General District Courts
General District Courts try misdemeanors and traffic offenses.
They also hold preliminary hearings before a felony moves up to circuit court.
Many applicants’ records sit only at this level.
Counties and Independent Cities
Virginia has 95 counties and 38 independent cities.
Each independent city runs its own courts, separate from the surrounding county.
For example, the City of Richmond and Henrico County are two different searches.
Likewise, Fairfax County carries a $5 court fee on top of the $18 search.
How to Choose Which Virginia Counties to Search
A county search only finds cases filed in that county’s courts.
Therefore, the right list of counties decides how complete your Virginia check will be.
Start With Address History
An SSN Trace lists past addresses and names tied to the applicant.
Each Virginia address points to a county or city to search.
Add Work and School Locations
Next, add places where the applicant worked or studied.
People often face charges near their job, not only near home.
Match the 7-Year Scope
Our standard county search covers seven years.
So focus on every Virginia jurisdiction from the last seven years.
Access to SSN Trace functionality is restricted at initial registration. This feature cannot be accessed at initial signup until your organization’s business use case is verified.
Why the Amended Charge Matters in Virginia
Virginia court records carry two charge blocks: the original charge and the amended charge.
Prosecutors often amend a charge during plea talks.
For example, a Class 6 felony can end as a Class 1 misdemeanor.
If a screener reads only the original line, the report overstates the conviction.
Consequently, our reports place the amended code section, charge, case type and class beside the original.
Original Charge
§ 18.2-57 assault on a law enforcement officer.
Filed as a Class 6 felony by indictment.
Amended Charge
§ 18.2-460 obstructing justice by threat or force.
Reduced to a Class 1 misdemeanor.
Final Disposition
Guilty plea to the amended charge.
So the conviction on record is a misdemeanor, not a felony.
The sample county report below shows exactly this pattern on two companion cases.
Virginia County Criminal Background Check Sample Report
This sample shows how a Virginia county criminal result looks in your account.
It covers one county search for a fictitious applicant with two companion cases.
Notice how each case lists the original felony charge first and the amended misdemeanor below it.
Defendant Information
Case / Charge Information
Appeal Information
Disposition Information
Jail: 12 months, with 11 months and 16 days suspended.
Program: Community Corrections Program.
Costs: $1,689.00, paid in full on 03/18/2026.
In plain terms: The felony charge became a misdemeanor, and the applicant pleaded guilty to it. The sentence left 14 days to serve.
Defendant Information
Case / Charge Information
Appeal Information
Disposition Information
Jail: 12 months, with all 12 months suspended.
Program: Community Corrections Program.
No fine, cost or payment amounts appear on this case.
In plain terms: This companion charge ended the same way. However, the court suspended the full jail term, so this case carries no active time.
* The court marks fine and cost amounts with an asterisk; we show them exactly as the court lists them.
Sample data is fictitious and does not describe any real person.
Virginia Record Sealing and Employer Rules for 2026
Virginia’s record sealing law took effect on July 1, 2026.
Now, sealed cases leave public court indexes, and some sealing happens automatically.
Under Va. Code § 19.2-392.15, employers may not require applicants to disclose sealed arrests, charges or convictions.
Limited exceptions cover police agencies, national security roles and jobs where other law requires the inquiry.
Sealed Records Stay Out
Va. Code § 19.2-392.16 requires businesses that disseminate criminal records to delete sealed records promptly.
Violations allow $1,000 or actual damages, whichever is greater, plus attorney fees.
Because we search each court’s current index, results reflect its current public record.
The FCRA Still Applies
First, give the applicant a stand-alone disclosure and get written authorization.
Before any rejection, send a pre-adverse action notice with a copy of the report.
Finally, send the adverse action notice once you decide.
Virginia sets no state lookback cap on convictions for private employers.
Even so, the FCRA limits most non-conviction records to seven years for jobs paying under $75,000.
For every statute and agency, read our guide to Virginia background screening laws.
How to Order a Virginia County Criminal Search
Ordering takes a few minutes once your account is open.
Follow these four steps for each applicant.
- 1
Open Your Account
Sign up online and complete business verification.
- 2
Collect Consent
Give the FCRA disclosure and get the applicant’s signed authorization.
- 3
Pick the Counties
Add the applicant’s full name and date of birth, then choose each Virginia county or city.
- 4
Review the Results
Open each finished county report in your secure account.
Pair Your Virginia County Search With These Add-Ons
County searches cover Virginia state courts only.
So add these searches when an applicant has lived, worked or driven elsewhere.
Federal Criminal Court Search
Federal crimes go to Virginia’s Eastern and Western federal districts, which county courts never show.
Nationwide Criminal Database Search
Locate out-of-state leads at $17, then verify each hit at the source court.
SSN Trace
Find past addresses and names to decide which counties to search.
Motor Vehicle Records
Check driving histories for delivery, trucking, sales, and CDL positions.
Virginia County Criminal Background Check FAQs
What does a Virginia county criminal background check include?
It includes criminal cases from the county’s Circuit Court and General District Court.
Each record lists charges, amended charges, key dates, the disposition and the full sentence.
Fines, costs and payment status appear too.
How much does a Virginia county criminal search cost?
Each search costs $18 per county, per name.
Fairfax County adds a $5 court fee, so a Fairfax County search costs $23.
Which Virginia counties can I search?
You can search any of Virginia’s 95 counties and 38 independent cities.
Every search covers both the Circuit Court and the General District Court.
How do I know which Virginia counties to search?
Start with the applicant’s address history from an SSN Trace.
Then add counties where the applicant worked or studied during the last seven years.
Is this the same as a Virginia State Police background check?
No, the two checks use different sources.
The State Police name search returns Virginia convictions only and needs notarized signatures.
Our county court search also shows pending cases, amended charges and sentences.
How far back does a Virginia county criminal search go?
Our standard county search covers seven years.
Virginia sets no state lookback limit on convictions for private employers.
Still, the FCRA limits most non-conviction records to seven years for jobs paying under $75,000.
Will sealed or expunged Virginia records appear?
No, sealed and expunged cases leave the public court index.
Since July 1, 2026, Virginia’s sealing law also bars most employers from asking about sealed records.
What is the difference between the original charge and the amended charge?
The original charge is what the case started with.
The amended charge is what the prosecutor changed it to, often during a plea.
Always judge the conviction by the amended charge and the final disposition.
Start Your Virginia County Criminal Background Check Today
Open an account with BCS Background Screening LLC and place your first Virginia order the same day.
Every user account also offers optional Multiple Authentication Factor (MAF) for added login security.
BCS Background Screening LLC is a consumer reporting agency, and this page is not legal advice. Court fees and court data access can change when a court updates its systems. The sample report uses a fictitious subject, fictitious case numbers and fictitious identifiers.