Virginia Criminal History Records
Virginia criminal history records are maintained by the Virginia State Police and the state court system, giving the public several ways to search for criminal case information. The Virginia State Police Civil & Applicant Records Exchange (CARE) handles formal criminal record check requests, while the Virginia Courts online systems let you search court case data across circuit courts and general district courts statewide. This page covers how to access Virginia criminal history records, which agencies to contact, and what the law says about public access to this information.
Virginia Criminal History Overview
Virginia Criminal History Records
Criminal history records in Virginia document an individual's contacts with the criminal justice system. These records can include arrests, charges, convictions, and sentences. The Virginia State Police maintains the central criminal history repository for the Commonwealth through the Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) division. Local law enforcement agencies, courts, and correctional facilities all report data to this central system. The result is a statewide record that covers activity across all 98 counties and 39 independent cities.
Courts play a separate but important role. The circuit court in each county and city keeps the official case file for every criminal case filed there. General district courts handle misdemeanors and preliminary hearings. Both court systems feed data into the Virginia Courts online portals, which allow the public to search case information. So when you look up criminal records in Virginia, you may be searching through VSP data, court case data, or both depending on what you need.
What counts as public varies. Conviction records are largely public. Some arrest records and dismissed charges have restricted access under state law. The law also allows individuals to seek expungement of certain records. If you need a certified criminal history report, you go through VSP. If you need court case details, you go through the courts. Both systems serve different needs.
Virginia State Police Criminal Record Check
The Virginia State Police runs the official criminal record check program for the Commonwealth. The VSP Criminal Record Check page is the starting point for anyone who wants a formal criminal history report. The processing center is the Civil & Applicant Records Exchange (CARE), located at 7700 Midlothian Turnpike, Richmond, Virginia. CARE handles all name-based and fingerprint-based criminal history requests submitted to VSP.
Members of the general public use Form SP-167, the Name Search Criminal History Record form, to request criminal history on themselves or another person with proper consent. This is the standard public form. Organizations and agencies that need records for general use submit Form SP-230. Volunteer organizations seeking fingerprint-based checks for prospective volunteers use Form SP-266. Each form serves a specific purpose, and submitting the wrong one can delay your request. The VSP website explains which form applies to your situation.
One option that has become more common is the Remote Online Notary (RON) feature. For an extra $25, you can complete the notarization step electronically instead of in person. This is useful if you can't easily visit a notary. The VSP also directs people who want a federal criminal history check to the FBI Identity History Summary page at FBI.gov. Questions about firearms-related background checks go to a separate VSP contact.
The Virginia State Police Criminal Record Check portal provides forms, instructions, and contact details for submitting a criminal history request through CARE. Resources on the page include the Criminal Record Dissemination statute under Virginia Code § 19.2-389, a privacy act statement, and fingerprint FAQs.
The Virginia State Police website covers all VSP services, including the CJIS division that maintains the criminal history repository. The site also links to CJIS policy resources and the CJIS Criminal History information page for agencies and organizations that submit data to VSP.
The CJIS Criminal History page gives background on how VSP collects and maintains criminal history data from law enforcement agencies across Virginia. It also covers the reporting requirements that keep the central repository current.
Search Virginia Criminal History Online
Virginia Courts offers several online tools for searching criminal case information. The main hub is vacourts.gov/caseinfo/home, which links to the different case information systems for each level of the court system. You can search the Supreme Court of Virginia, the Court of Appeals, circuit courts, general district courts, and juvenile and domestic relations courts from this single page. Each system has different search options and coverage, so it helps to know which court handled the case you're looking for.
The Online Case Information System (OCIS) statewide search at eapps.courts.state.va.us/ocis/search is one of the most useful tools for searching Virginia criminal records. It gives you access to adult criminal case data in select circuit courts and criminal and traffic case data in general district courts, all in one place. You can search by name across the whole state, which is a big help when you don't know which locality handled a case. Note that payments cannot be made through this system. It is for information only.
The Virginia Courts Case Information page connects you to all the online case search systems in the Commonwealth. From here you can reach the OCIS statewide search, the General District Court system, and individual circuit court portals.
The OCIS statewide search lets you search criminal case information across participating circuit courts in Virginia using a party name or case number. This is the broadest search tool for circuit court criminal records available online.
The OCIS landing page provides information about what the circuit court case information system covers and how to use it. It explains which courts participate and what data is available through the online system.
For general district court case data, the General District Court online case system at eapps.courts.state.va.us/gdcourts/ lets you search by locality. Unlike the statewide OCIS search, this system also allows online payments for court costs and fines. Traffic tickets and misdemeanor cases filed in general district courts show up here. You can also find traffic ticket case information at vacourts.gov/caseinfo/tickets.
The General District Court online case system covers misdemeanor criminal and traffic cases across Virginia's general district courts. You can search by name, case number, or hearing date and make online payments through this portal.
The District Court 40 information page covers the online case system for that specific district. Virginia's court system is divided into districts, and each may have its own local portal in addition to the statewide search tools.
The Virginia traffic tickets page lets you find traffic case information by ticket number or party name. Many traffic violations in Virginia are criminal offenses handled in general district court, so this system can be relevant when searching for certain criminal case data.
Virginia Circuit Courts Criminal Records
There is a circuit court in each of Virginia's 98 counties and 39 independent cities. The circuit court is the trial court with the broadest powers in the Commonwealth. It handles serious criminal cases called felonies, which include crimes like robbery, assault causing serious injury, drug distribution, and murder. The circuit court also hears cases appealed from the general district court. If you need criminal records for felony cases, the circuit court in the relevant county or city is the place to go.
Circuit court criminal records are public. The clerk of the circuit court in each jurisdiction maintains the case files. You can search online through the OCIS system or visit the clerk's office in person to review records or request copies. The Virginia circuit courts home page lists all circuit courts in the state with contact information and links to local resources. For select courts, online access to criminal and civil case data is available directly through the court's local portal in addition to the statewide OCIS search.
The Virginia circuit courts directory lists every circuit court in the Commonwealth. Each listing includes the court's address, phone number, and links to local case search tools where available. Circuit courts handle all felony criminal prosecutions in Virginia.
Virginia General District Courts
General district courts handle traffic violations, misdemeanors, and preliminary hearings for felony cases. There is one in each city and county in Virginia. Misdemeanors are criminal offenses that carry a potential sentence of up to 12 months in jail. Common examples include petty larceny, simple assault, DUI, and possession of small amounts of controlled substances. Preliminary hearings, where a judge decides if there is enough evidence to send a felony case to circuit court, also happen in general district court.
You can search general district court criminal case data online through the General District Court Case Information system at eapps.courts.state.va.us/gdcourts/. The search works by locality. Pick a court, then search by name, case number, or hearing date. The statewide OCIS search also pulls GDC criminal and traffic case data, so you have more than one option. The General District Courts home page at vacourts.gov gives a full list of all GDC courts with contact info.
The Virginia General District Courts page provides a directory of all GDC courts in the state. Each court entry includes contact information, office hours, and links to local case search tools. General district courts are where most misdemeanor criminal records in Virginia originate.
VADOC Inmate Locator
The Virginia Department of Corrections runs an online Inmate Locator that lets the public find out where an inmate is housed and get general release date information. You can search at vadoc.virginia.gov/general-public/inmate-locator/ by entering at least the first letter of the inmate's first name and their full last name. You can also search by the inmate's seven-digit VADOC ID number if you have it. The locator updates daily, though the department notes that data may sometimes lag behind actual transfers or status changes.
Keep in mind that the VADOC locator only covers individuals currently in the custody of the Virginia Department of Corrections. People held in local jails, those awaiting trial, or those serving short sentences at the county level will not appear in this system. The locator does not cover people on probation or parole in the community. If a search returns no results, the person may be in a local jail, may have been released, or may not have been sentenced to a VADOC facility.
The VADOC Inmate Locator is a free public search tool for finding inmates under Virginia Department of Corrections custody. For other questions about specific inmates, VADOC offers a contact page for public inquiries.
Virginia Public Records and Criminal History Access
Access to criminal history records in Virginia is governed primarily by Virginia Code § 19.2-389, which sets the rules for disseminating criminal history record information. The statute specifies who may receive full criminal history records and what purposes are permitted. Law enforcement agencies, courts, and certain authorized agencies have broader access. The general public can get conviction records and some case information through the courts, but access to full arrest history, including records that did not result in conviction, is more limited.
Virginia's Freedom of Information Act, found in Virginia Code § 2.2-3700 and following sections, applies broadly to government records. Court records have their own access rules under the Rules of the Supreme Court of Virginia. For most criminal court cases, the public can view case information and docket entries without restriction. The full case file, including documents filed by the parties, is generally public at the clerk's office. Financial records and items involving juveniles may have restricted access.
Individuals who want to challenge or seal their criminal history can look into the expungement process under Virginia Code § 19.2-392.2. Virginia expanded expungement eligibility significantly in recent years. Certain arrests that did not lead to conviction, acquittals, and some convictions may now qualify. The petition is filed in the circuit court of the jurisdiction where the charge originated. Legal aid resources and the Virginia Lawyer Referral Service at (800) 552-7977 can provide guidance on whether a specific record qualifies.
Note: Virginia State Police employees cannot give legal advice or interpret the law for members of the public. For legal questions about criminal history records, contact a licensed attorney or legal aid organization.
Browse Virginia Criminal History by County
Every county in Virginia has a circuit court and a general district court, both of which maintain criminal case records. Select a county below to find local court contact information and resources for searching criminal history records in that area.
View All 98 Virginia Counties →
Major Virginia Cities Criminal History
Virginia's 39 independent cities each have their own circuit court and general district court. Criminal history records for cases filed in a city are held by that city's circuit court clerk. Select a city below to find resources for searching criminal records in that jurisdiction.