Georgia Criminal History Records
Georgia criminal history records are kept by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and local law enforcement across all 159 counties. The Georgia Crime Information Center, a branch of the GBI, stores criminal history data that goes back decades. You can search for Georgia criminal history records through the state felon search tool, the Department of Corrections offender database, or by going to your local sheriff's office or police department. County Superior Court clerks also hold criminal case files. These records include arrest data, charges, court outcomes, and time served in state facilities.
Georgia Criminal History Quick Facts
Georgia Criminal History Through the GBI
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is the main state agency for criminal history records. The GBI runs the Georgia Crime Information Center, which has been in place since 1973. GCIC keeps computerized criminal justice data and gives round-the-clock access to law enforcement. For the public, the GBI offers ways to check criminal history records in Georgia through a few paths.
You can get a copy of your own Georgia criminal history record from most sheriff's offices or police departments. Contact your local law enforcement for what they need from you. The GBI also takes requests by mail at the Georgia Crime Information Center, CCH/Identification, P.O. Box 370808, Decatur, Georgia 30037-0808. You can call them at (404) 244-2639 to set up an appointment for record checks. Same-day appointments are not available at the GCIC lobby office. If you have questions about your own record, email gacriminalhistory@gbi.state.ga.us for help. Under O.C.G.A. Section 35-3-37, any person may review their own criminal history record by filing a written request. The fee for this review is capped at $15, not counting the cost of fingerprints.
A Georgia criminal history record holds several types of data. It shows the person's name, date of birth, social security number, sex, race, height, and weight. It also lists arrest data with the name of the arresting agency, date of arrest, and charges filed. Court outcomes show up too, along with any time served in a Georgia corrections facility. All of this data feeds into the GCIC system that law enforcement and certain agencies can tap into.
Search Georgia Criminal History Online
Georgia Felon Search is the state's main online tool for checking criminal history. It lets you search the GCIC database to see if a person has been convicted of felony offenses in Georgia. The search takes about five minutes and gives results right away. You need the person's first and last name, date of birth, and sex to run a search. Each search costs $15, and your card gets charged when you hit the search button. Even if the search comes back with no record found, you still pay the $15 fee.
Georgia Felon Search does not show sealed or restricted records. It does not show juvenile felony history. Misdemeanor records are left out too. The tool gives you a list of possible matches based on the name you typed in. An exact match can only be confirmed through a fingerprint check. If the search shows more than one possible match, you pay $15 for each record you choose to look at. O.C.G.A. Section 35-3-35C is the law that makes this information available. It lets criminal history data about convictions, pleas, and sentences be sent out without fingerprint checks or the consent of the person whose record it is.
To run a Georgia criminal history search online, visit the Georgia Felon Search portal. A valid credit card is needed. If you do a high volume of searches, you can set up a billing account. The setup fee is $100. You register at the state's data innovations page and send in a signed service agreement plus a W-9 form.
Georgia Corrections Criminal Records
The Georgia Department of Corrections runs a free online search tool. It lets you find people who are currently serving time in GDC facilities across the state. You can search by name, description, GDC ID number, or case number. This is a good way to check on someone's criminal history status in Georgia without paying a fee.
The GDC offender search is separate from the GBI's felon search. The GDC tool covers only those in state correctional facilities. It does not show people in county jails or those who have finished their sentence. The GDC makes no promise about the accuracy or completeness of results. By using the search, you agree to hold GDC free from any liability tied to the data. The main GDC office is at 7 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Suite 543, Atlanta, GA 30334. You can call (404) 656-4661 for general questions about Georgia criminal records held by the corrections department.
Criminal History Record Restriction in Georgia
Georgia uses "record restriction" rather than expungement. When a criminal history record is restricted, it gets sealed from public view but stays available to law enforcement and criminal justice agencies. Under O.C.G.A. Section 35-3-37, several situations lead to automatic restriction of Georgia criminal history records. Charges that were never sent to a prosecutor get restricted after a set time: two years for misdemeanors, four years for most felonies, and seven years for serious violent felonies or sexual offenses.
Records also get restricted when all charges were dismissed, dropped by the prosecutor, or reduced to a local code violation. People who finish First Offender Act programs or accountability court programs can have their Georgia criminal history restricted too. Acquittals lead to restriction unless the prosecutor makes a case for public interest within ten days.
The process for getting records restricted depends on when the arrest took place. For arrests before July 1, 2013, you apply through the arresting agency. They send it to the prosecutor, who has 90 days to approve or deny the request. For arrests on or after July 1, 2013, contact the prosecuting attorney directly. No application to the arresting agency is needed. The GBI record restriction page has more detail on this process.
Georgia First Offender Act and Criminal Records
The First Offender Act is a big part of how Georgia handles criminal history records. Under O.C.G.A. Section 42-8-60, first-time offenders can avoid having a conviction on their record. When someone finishes their sentence under this act, the court discharges them without an adjudication of guilt. The criminal history record then gets restricted from public view in Georgia.
Georgia also allows retroactive First Offender status. O.C.G.A. Section 42-8-66, passed as Senate Bill 288 in 2020, lets people who were eligible for the First Offender Act at sentencing but did not get it apply after the fact. You must have finished your sentence to qualify. Serious violent felonies and sexual offenses are not eligible for this retroactive option in Georgia.
Note: Conditional discharge works in a similar way for certain first-time drug offenses and alcohol violations by those under 21 in Georgia.
What Georgia Criminal History Records Show
A Georgia criminal history record pulls together data from many sources. It shows identification details like name, date of birth, and physical traits. Arrest data lists the agency that made the arrest, the date, and what the person was charged with. Court dispositions show the final outcome of each charge, whether it ended in a conviction, dismissal, or plea. If the person served time in a Georgia prison, that shows up too.
Not all criminal history in Georgia can be found through public searches. Restricted records do not appear on public checks. Juvenile records stay sealed in most cases. Federal crimes handled by federal courts in Georgia are not part of the state's GCIC system. Those records sit with federal agencies like the FBI. Under O.C.G.A. Section 35-3-34, the GCIC can share criminal history records with a defendant's attorney upon written request. In civil cases, criminal history data is available only with written consent of the person, unless the record involves felony convictions.
Criminal History and Identity Theft in Georgia
If someone has used your identity, it could show up on your Georgia criminal history record. The GBI recommends several steps. Report the theft to your local police or sheriff's department first. Then contact the Federal Trade Commission at (877) 438-4338 or through identitytheft.gov. Call the Georgia Attorney General's Office at (404) 651-8600 as well.
You should also place fraud alerts with the three main credit bureaus. Call Equifax at (800) 525-6285, Experian at (888) 397-3742, and Trans Union at (800) 680-7289. Reach out to any company that gave credit or property to whoever stole your identity. Once you sort things out, you can request corrections to your Georgia criminal history record through the GCIC. Under O.C.G.A. Section 35-3-37, you have the right to ask for changes if your record has wrong or misleading data. The agency has 60 days to act on your request.
Georgia Criminal History Relief for Survivors
Georgia law provides special criminal history relief for survivors of human trafficking. The Survivors First Act, also called the Debbie Vance Act, is found in O.C.G.A. Section 17-10-21. Survivors can petition the court to restrict their criminal history records. The petition is filed under seal. No fee is charged for this type of restriction. There is no waiting period either. A survivor can apply for this criminal history relief at any time after their conviction in Georgia.
Georgia Criminal History by County
Each county in Georgia has a sheriff's office and Superior Court Clerk that handle criminal history records. Pick a county below to find local contact info and resources for criminal records in that area.
Criminal History in Major Georgia Cities
People in major Georgia cities can search criminal history through their local police department or the county sheriff's office. Pick a city below to learn about criminal records in that area.