Is there one criminal records search that covers all types of criminal cases?
No. Criminal records can be found at different jurisdictional levels
- County Courts and State Agencies
- Federal US District Courts
- Federal Agencies (i.e., USDA, SAM, OIG, etc.)
- A Nationwide or Multi-States criminal database search will NOT cover every single county in the USA
Tip: It is strongly recommended to include an FCRA compliant criminal records search to verify and get the current status of a criminal case. In addition, you should search for formerly known names or aliases.
What are the different types of criminal records searches?
Nationwide Criminal Database (Non-FCRA)
This type of criminal search offers expanded multi-states coverage to help you locate records in areas where a subject may have resided or committed a criminal offense while passing through. Criminal database searches are not FCRA compliant and should be combined with an FCRA type search for employment or rental screening. Learn about our Nationwide Criminal Database staff researched report.
County Criminal Court Search (FCRA)
If a criminal record was found using a criminal database, you must follow up with a county courthouse criminal search. You need to verify the current disposition status at the county court level as per FCRA guidelines. Our background screening interface is systematically programmed so that your county court criminal search is immediately routed to the corresponding county criminal court researcher the moment you place your order rather than at the end of the day. Get more info
Real-Time Statewide Criminal (FCRA)
Searches for felony and misdemeanor criminal records as of the previous business day directly from the state government source (i.e., Office of the Courts, State Police, Department of Public Safety, State Law Enforcement Division, etc.). Results must be carefully reviewed as it may contain non-conviction arrest records. Reports display original arrest charge, final prosecutor charge, disposition and sentencing information. Prices vary per state and not all states are available. View details
USDC Federal Criminal (FCRA)
Some criminal offenses are violations of federal law as opposed to state or local municipal law and thus, will not be found when searching county criminal courts. Federal criminal records are found at the United States District Courts (USDC). There are 94 federal district courts in the USA. Federal criminal searches report information from USDC courts. They include white-collar crimes and crimes that cross state lines. Learn about federal criminal searches
NSOPW – National Sex Offender Registry
Our staff manually searches the Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender database (NSOPW). This registry provides sex offender data nationwide. NSOPW is a partnership between the U.S. Department of Justice and state, territorial, and tribal governments, working together for the safety of adults and children. NSOPW presents the most up-to-date information as provided by each Jurisdiction. Information is hosted by each Jurisdiction, not by NSOPW or the federal government. View sample report
USA Patriot Act/SDN/OFAC Searches
Simultaneously search 100’s of government lists of known or suspected terrorists, drug dealers, Office of Foreign Assets Control list, Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons list and foreign governments. Most records returned from the USA Patriot/OFAC data sources are based on NAME MATCH ONLY and should carefully be reviewed for identifiers such as DOB’s, middle names and/or residence address. A common name combination may return a handful of records from the USA Patriot/OFAC datasources. Results are delivered instantly. Read more
Wants & Warrants
When an individual is wanted by law enforcement agencies, an arrest warrant is issued. Also when someone does not show up for their court date whether it be criminal or traffic-related, a judge will sign a bench warrant for their arrest. However, under normal circumstances, a warrant is issued for extraditable criminal offenses.A warrants search should NOT be done as the only type of criminal background check when hiring, it should always be a supplement to a county court criminal search. More info
OIG Exclusion Screening
Federal laws require health care providers perform an OIG, SAM, LEIE, State Medicaid & Medicare Fraud exclusion sanctions screening of all employees and vendors. To help healthcare providers such as hospitals and physicians comply with relevant Federal health care laws and regulations. View more..
Real-Time Arrest Records
The Arrest Records search provides information about subjects that have been apprehended, taken into custody or detention, held for investigation, arrested, charged with or indicted for a felony, misdemeanor or other offense by law enforcement agencies as of previous business day.
Results may include name, aliases, addresses, date of birth, photograph, race, sex, height, weight, eye color, hair color, drivers license, arresting agency, booking number, booking date, release date, charge information, bond information, and facility information.
View states and counties covered.
This criminal arrest search should not be used for determining a risk decision for employment or tenant eligibility.
Criminal Records Search FAQs
1. Is there one criminal records search that covers all types of criminal cases?
No. Criminal records exist at multiple jurisdictional levels—county courts and state agencies, U.S. District Courts (federal), and certain federal agencies. A nationwide or multi-state criminal database does not cover every county in the U.S. For employment or rental screening, pair database searches with an FCRA-compliant criminal records search to verify the current case status, and include formerly known names or aliases.
2. What are the main types of criminal record searches and are they FCRA compliant?
- Nationwide Criminal Database (Non-FCRA): Multi-state locator to identify potential records in areas where a subject lived or traveled. Not FCRA compliant; must be combined with an FCRA search for employment or rental screening.
- County Criminal Court Search (FCRA): Verifies the current disposition directly at the county courthouse after a database hit. Orders are routed immediately to the appropriate county court researcher.
- Real-Time Statewide Criminal (FCRA): Returns felony and misdemeanor records as of the previous business day from state sources (e.g., Office of the Courts, State Police, DPS, SLED). May include non-conviction arrest records; availability and pricing vary by state.
- USDC Federal Criminal (FCRA): Searches criminal cases in the 94 U.S. District Courts, including white-collar and interstate crimes that won’t appear in county court records.
- NSOPW – National Sex Offender Registry: Staff-performed search of the Dru Sjodin NSOPW, which provides up-to-date, jurisdiction-hosted sex offender data nationwide.
- USA Patriot Act/SDN/OFAC Searches: Instant screening across hundreds of government watchlists; largely name-match only, so carefully review DOBs, middle names, and addresses.
3. Why should a county criminal court search follow a nationwide database hit?
Database results are not FCRA compliant and can be incomplete or outdated. To use information for employment or rental decisions, you must verify the record at the county courthouse to confirm the current disposition and case details per FCRA guidelines. Our system routes county searches to the correct researcher immediately to speed verification.
4. What does a Real-Time Statewide Criminal search include and what are its limitations?
It pulls felony and misdemeanor records as of the prior business day directly from state sources such as the Office of the Courts, State Police, Department of Public Safety, or State Law Enforcement Division. Reports can show original arrest charge, final prosecutor charge, disposition, and sentencing. Results may include non-conviction arrests and require careful review. Not all states are available and prices vary by state.
5. What does a USDC Federal Criminal search cover and why is it separate from county searches?
Federal offenses are prosecuted in U.S. District Courts and do not appear in county criminal court records. A USDC Federal Criminal search queries cases across the 94 federal district courts and commonly includes white-collar crimes and offenses that cross state lines. It complements county and state-level searches for comprehensive coverage.