How to Check If You Have a Criminal Record (2026 Guide)

• 1.State criminal records repository — maintained by your state police or equivalent agency. This is the official state record. It includes every arrest, charge, and disposition reported by state and local law enforcement agencies. This is the database that state-level background checks pull from.
• 2.FBI National Criminal Database (NCIC/III) — maintained by the FBI Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) division. This database aggregates criminal history information reported by all 50 states and federal agencies. It is used for federal background checks, firearms purchase checks (NICS), and some professional licensing checks.
• 3.Private background check companies — companies like Checkr, Sterling, First Advantage, LexisNexis, and dozens of others maintain their own databases compiled from court records, state repositories, and other sources. These are the databases most private employers and landlords use. They are governed by the FCRA but can contain errors and outdated information.

These three sources do not automatically sync with each other. An expungement order updates the state repository, but the FBI database and private companies may lag behind or require separate notification.

• Accuracy — are the charges, dates, and dispositions correct? Errors are common, especially on commercial background check reports.
• Completeness — does the report show cases that were dismissed, acquitted, or never prosecuted? These should be removable.
• Expungement eligibility — for each conviction, check the offense class, the date of sentence completion, and whether the waiting period has passed in your state.
• Discrepancies between sources — if your state record shows a case as dismissed but a commercial report shows it as a conviction, you have a dispute to file.
• Records from other states — if you have lived in multiple states, your FBI report may show records from states other than where you currently live. Each state has its own expungement process.
• Active warrants or outstanding fines — these will block expungement. Resolve them first.

The goal is to have a complete picture. Most people are surprised by at least one item on their record — either something they did not expect to be there, or an error in how a case was reported.

• Charges reported as convictions — a charge that was dismissed or resulted in an acquittal may be incorrectly reported as a conviction.
• Wrong person — a record belonging to someone with the same or a similar name may appear on your report. This is sometimes called a "misfile."
• Missing disposition — a report may show an arrest but not the final outcome (dismissal, acquittal, completion of diversion program).
• Duplicate entries — the same case may appear multiple times under different case numbers or with different formatting.
• Outdated information — records that have been expunged, sealed, or dismissed may still appear because the background check company has not updated its database.
• Charges from records in other jurisdictions — records from counties or states you have never lived in, belonging to someone else, attached to your profile.

If you find an error, you have the right to dispute it under the FCRA. The background check company must investigate and respond within 30 days. Document everything and send disputes in writing.

• 1.Errors to dispute — if any report contains inaccurate information, file a dispute with the reporting company under the FCRA. Include documentation (court records, disposition orders) and send the dispute in writing. The company has 30 days to investigate and respond.
• 2.Records eligible for expungement — use the options guide at expungement.guide to determine whether your convictions qualify for expungement or sealing in your state. If they do, the DIY Kit ($149) includes pre-filled forms and step-by-step instructions.
• 3.Records that are not eligible — for convictions that cannot be expunged, know your rights. Many states have Ban the Box laws that limit when employers can ask about criminal history. The FCRA limits what background check companies can report and when.

Start with the errors — those are the quickest wins. Then move to expungement for eligible convictions. For everything else, know your rights under the FCRA and your state's employment laws.