Iowa Criminal Records at a Glance
Iowa criminal records are maintained by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) under the Department of Public Safety. Iowa criminal history record checks cost $15 per last name through DCI. The DCI Sex Offender Registry was established in 1995 as the central repository for Iowa sex offender information. Court records are accessible through the Iowa Judicial Branch on
1Iowa Statewide Criminal Search Resources
- Iowa DCI, Criminal History Record Checkdps.iowa.govIowa criminal history record check: $15 per last name through DCI.
- Iowa DPS Homedps.iowa.govIowa DPS portal. DCI, criminal history, sex offender registry, and public safety.
- Iowa Sex Offender Registry, Searchwww.iowasexoffender.govSearch Iowa sex offender registrants by name. Central repository established 1995.
- Iowa Courts Online Searchwww.iowacourts.state.ia.usAccess electronic docket of Iowa state court system. Statewide case search.
- vinelink.vineapps.com vinelink.vineapps.comSearch offenders in Iowa custody and register for victim notification.
2Iowa County Sheriff Reports & Criminal Records
Iowa allows anyone to request a criminal history record check through the Division of Criminal Investigation. However, not all criminal events may be in the DCI system. The DCI repository relies on law enforcement agencies submitting arrest and disposition data, and some records may be missing or delayed.
- Adams County Sheriffs Officewww.adamscountyia.comContact the sheriffs office for information on criminal activity in the area.
- Allamakee County Sheriffs Officeallamakeecounty.iowa.govObtain information on crime in the county at the Allamakee sheriffs office.
- Appanoose County Sheriffs Officeappanoosecounty.iowa.govFind jail information, criminal investigations division and crime prevention tips.
- Audubon County Sheriffs Officewww.auduboncountyia.govCrime stoppers, county jail and inmate information, sheriffs news and reports.
- Benton County Sheriff Officewww.bentoncountyia.govFind contact information for the sheriffs office, crime victim notification, missing persons list.
- Black Hawk County Sheriffs Officewww.bhcso.orgObtain accident and incident reports, criminal history background checks, jail and inmate information.
- Boone County Sheriffboonecounty.iowa.govInformation on county jail, sheriffs crime news and press releases.
- Bremer County Sheriffwww.bremercounty.iowa.govInformation on criminal investigations, crime prevention, criminal court services.
- Buchanan County Sheriff Departmentwww.buchanancounty.iowa.govFind sex offender information, crime victims help and assistance and sheriffs news.
- Buena Vista County Sheriffs Officebvsheriff.comFind accident and incident reports, jail records, criminal investigations division and sheriffs news releases.
- Butler County Sheriffs Officewww.butlercoiowa.orgFind crime stoppers, jail and inmate information and location and phone for sheriffs office.
- Calhoun County Sheriffs Officewww.calhouncounty.iowa.govContact the sheriffs office for information on criminal activity in the county.
- Carroll County Sheriffwww.carrollcountyiowa.govFind accident reports, amber alerts and contact information for the Carroll county sheriff.
- Cass County Sheriffwww.casscountyia.govFind jail and inmate information, active criminal warrants, sheriffs press releases.
- Cedar County Sheriffwww.cedarcounty.orgFind reports of thefts, illegal drug activity, domestic abuse, accidents and other criminal allegations.
- Cerro Gordo County Sheriffwww.cgcounty.orgObtain crime maps, incident reports, arrest warrant reports, most wanted and missing persons information.
- Cherokee County Sheriffwww.cherokeecountyiowa.comFind sheriffs reports of assaults and drug activity, sex offender registry, and amber alerts.
- Chickasaw County Sheriffwww.chickasawcoia.orgObtain criminal activity reports, crime victim information, most wanted fugitives, inmate information.
- Clarke County Sheriffclarkecounty.iowa.govFind contact information for Clarke county sheriff.
- Clay County Sheriffs Officeclaycounty.iowa.govInformation on crime of the week, sheriffs news, sex offender registry, crime victims assistance.
- Clayton County Sheriffs Departmentwww.claytoncountyiowasheriff.comFind sheriffs news and reports on criminal activity in the area.
- Clinton County Sheriffwww.clintoncounty-ia.govInformation on criminal investigations, jail and inmates, crime stoppers.
- Dallas County Sheriffwww.dallascountyiowa.govView sheriffs daily news report, information on current sex offenders, county jail and inmates.
- Davis County Sheriffs Departmentwww.daviscountyiowa.orgThe Davis county sheriff has information on local criminal activity and news.
- Delaware County Sheriffwww.co.delaware.ia.usFind contact information and sheriffs crime news and reports.
- Des Moines County Sheriffdesmoinescounty.iowa.govContact the sheriffs office for reports on criminal investigations.
- Dickinson County Sheriffwww.dickinsoncountysheriff.comFind outstanding warrants, missing children reports, sex offender information, community alerts.
- Dubuque County Sheriffdubuquecountyiowa.govThe Dubuque sheriffs office has information on criminal news for the area.
- Emmet County Sheriffs Departmentemmetcounty.iowa.govFind sex offender registry, jail information, driving records, accident reports.
- Fayette County Sherifffayettecountysheriff.comMost wanted criminals, driving records, fingerprint cards and sheriffs news.
- Floyd County Sheriffs Officewww.floydcoia.orgFind arrest warrants, criminal and accident investigations, records of sex offenders and jail information.
- Franklin County Sheriffs Officewww.franklincountyia.govInformation on crime prevention, domestic violence, victims rights and most wanted criminals.
- Greene County Sheriffwww.co.greene.ia.usContact the Greene county sheriff for news and reports on criminal activity in the county.
- Grundy County Sheriffs Officewww.grundycounty.orgRequest jail information records and accident reports, most wanted criminals and missing persons information.
- Guthrie County Sheriffwww.guthriecounty.orgFind sex offender registry, missing persons information and crime news for the area.
- Hancock County Sheriffhancockcountyia.govContact the Hancock sheriff for criminal investigations news and reports.
- Hardin County Sheriffs Officewww.hardincountyia.govObtain sheriffs reports, driving records and jail visitation information.
- Harrison County Sheriffwww.harrisoncountyia.orgFind the sheriffs weekly reports, information on the jail and sex offender registry.
- Henry County Sheriffwww.henrycountyiowa.usFind criminal activity reports at the Henry county sheriffs office.
- Howard County Sheriffwww.co.howard.ia.usFind reports of vandalisms, assaults, child and/or domestic abuse and all other criminal allegations.
- Ida County Sheriffwww.idacountysheriff.comFind outstanding warrants, missing persons, county jail and sex offender information.
- Iowa County Sheriffwww.co.iowa.ia.usContact the Iowa county sheriff for criminal activity and jail news and information.
- Jackson County Sheriffjacksoncounty.iowa.govObtain reports of thefts, assaults, illegal drug activity and all other criminal allegations.
- Jasper County Sheriffwww.jasperia.orgContact the Jasper county sheriff for crime reports and news.
- Jefferson County Sheriffs Officejeffersoncounty.iowa.govFind contact information for Jefferson county sheriff and county jail.
- Johnson County Sheriffwww.johnsoncountyiowa.govObtain jail records, accident reports and outstanding criminal warrants information.
- Jones County Sheriffwww.jonescountyiowa.govFind contact information for the Jones county jail and sheriffs office.
- Keokuk County Sheriff Departmentwww.keokukcountyia.comContact the Keokuk sheriffs office for information on criminal activity in the county.
- Kossuth County Sheriffs Officewww.kossuthcounty.iowa.govFind county jail information and links to the sex offender registry and missing persons clearinghouse.
- Lee County Sheriffwww.leecounty.orgObtain accident reports, jail information, missing persons and sex offender lists.
- Linn County Sheriffwww.linncountyiowa.govFind online sheriffs reports, sex offender registry, accident or criminal reports.
- Louisa County Sherifflouisacountyia.govInformation on criminal investigations, jail and inmates, most wanted and sex offender registry.
- Lyon County Sheriffs Officelyoncounty.iowa.govFind criminal investigations, crime victim notification, county jail services.
- Madison County Sheriffwww.madisoncoia.usObtain information on Madison county jail and criminal investigations in the area.
- Mahaska County Sheriffwww.mahaskacounty.orgFind contact information for the Mahaska county sheriffs office.
- Marion County Sheriffco.marion.ia.usFind reports of assaults, illegal drug activity, child and domestic abuse and all other criminal activities.
- Marshall County Sheriffs Officewww.marshallcountysheriff.comFind current criminal records, court files and all criminal documents generated within the Marshall county sheriffs office.
- Mills County Sheriffwww.millscoia.usFind sex offender information, amber alerts, sheriffs news and records.
- Monona County Sheriffs Officemononacountysheriff.orgContact the Monona county sheriffs office for information on crimes in the area.
- Monroe County Sheriffwww.monroecoia.usFind crime victims information, amber alerts, sex offender registry and sheriffs news and reports.
- Montgomery County Sheriffmontgomerycountyia.govObtain county jail and inmate information and link to sex offender registry.
- Muscatine County Sheriffwww.co.muscatine.ia.usThe sheriffs office has information on criminal investigations for the county.
- O'Brien County Sheriffs Officewww.obriencountysheriff.comInformation on most wanted criminals, county jail, and sheriffs reports and news.
- Osceola County Sheriffs Officewww.sheriffosceolacounty.orgFind criminal warrants, most wanted fugitives, jail information and sheriffs press releases.
- Page County Sheriffwww.co.page.ia.usContact the Page county sheriff for criminal reports and news.
- Plymouth County Sheriffs Officeplymouthcountysheriff.comGet crime stoppers information, view most wanted fugitives list, locate registered sex offenders.
- Polk County Sheriffs Officewww.polkcountyiowa.govFind jail and arrest information, most wanted criminals, crime victim notification service.
- Pottawattamie County Sheriffs Officewww.pottcountysheriff.comAccess information on the county jail, sheriffs records, and criminal investigations.
- Poweshiek County Sheriffs Officepoweshiekcounty.orgInformation on felony arrests, county jail, local sex offenders, community emergency notification system.
- Sac County Sheriff Departmentwww.saccounty.orgFind contact information for the Sac county sheriffs office.
- Scott County Sheriffwww.scottcountyiowa.comFind sheriffs records and reports, criminal investigations information and most wanted fugitives.
- Shelby County Sheriffs Officeshelbycounty.iowa.govContact the Shelby county sheriff for news and reports of criminal activity in the area.
- Sioux County Sheriffs Officewww.siouxcountysheriff.comFind sheriffs news, public records, county jail and information on criminal investigations.
- Story County Sheriffwww.storycountyiowa.govGet daily sheriffs news and community alerts, view most wanted criminal list and sex offender information.
- Tama County Sheriffs Officewww.tamacounty.iowa.govContact the Tama county sheriff for news of criminal activity and emergency notification system.
- Van Buren County Sheriffvanburenia.wixsite.comFind contact information for the Van Buren county sheriff and jail.
- Wapello County Sheriffs Officewapellocounty.orgContact the Wapello sheriff for information on the county jail and crime in the area.
- Warren County Sheriffwww.warrencountyia.govObtain criminal history records and jail information, view most wanted and sex offender lists.
- Washington County Sheriffs Departmentwashingtoncounty.iowa.govFind accident and incident reports, arrest records, inmate lists, major criminal case information.
- Webster County Sheriffwww.webstercountyia.govFind accident and criminal investigation reports, arrest warrants and sheriffs news.
- Winnebago County Sheriffs Officewww.winncosheriff.orgGet information on domestic abuse, county jail, outstanding criminal warrants and sheriffs news and reports.
- Woodbury County Sheriffs Officewww.woodburycountyiowa.govContact the Woodbury sheriffs office for crime reports and news.
- Worth County Sheriffs Officeworthcountyiowa.govFind contact information for the Worth county sheriffs office.
- Wright County Sheriffwww.wrightcounty.orgFind location, phone numbers and hours for Wright county sheriffs office.
3Federal & National Authoritative Sources
These federal and national sources complement Iowa's state-level records. They are the authoritative sources you should cross-check when Iowa state records are incomplete or out-of-state activity matters.
NSOPW, National Sex Offender Public Website
The Department of Justice's single national search across every state, territory, and tribal registry. Authoritative for offender status but does not include every historical conviction.
https://www.nsopw.gov/ (nsopw.gov)
The Department of Justice's single national search across every state, territory, and tribal registry. Authoritative for offender status but does not include every historical conviction.
https://www.nsopw.gov/ (nsopw.gov)
FBI, Identity History Summary Check
How to request your own FBI rap sheet (CJIS Identity History Summary) under Title 28 CFR § 16.30, 16.34. $18 fee, fingerprint submission required.
https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/need-an-fbi-service-or-more-information/identity-history-summary-checks (fbi.gov)
How to request your own FBI rap sheet (CJIS Identity History Summary) under Title 28 CFR § 16.30, 16.34. $18 fee, fingerprint submission required.
https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/need-an-fbi-service-or-more-information/identity-history-summary-checks (fbi.gov)
FBI UCR, Uniform Crime Reporting
The FBI's aggregate crime statistics program. Useful for context on offense frequency but not a record of individual persons.
https://ucr.fbi.gov/ (ucr.fbi.gov)
The FBI's aggregate crime statistics program. Useful for context on offense frequency but not a record of individual persons.
https://ucr.fbi.gov/ (ucr.fbi.gov)
Frequently Asked Questions
Iowa Criminal Records, FAQ
Is there a single nationwide criminal record search?
No public one. The FBI's Interstate Identification Index (III) is nationwide but is only accessible to law enforcement agencies and approved employers under Public Law 92-544. Individuals can order their own rap sheet through the CJIS Identity History Summary service.
What is the difference between state and FBI record checks?
A state check searches one state's conviction database. The FBI III check searches every state that participates in III. Both are fingerprint-based.
Can arrests without conviction appear on a background check?
Yes, on some. State BCI responses vary, a few states return arrests without disposition for up to seven years, others redact non-conviction arrests. The FCRA (15 U.S.C. § 1681c) caps non-conviction arrests on consumer reports at 7 years.
How long does an expungement take?
It is a court process governed by state statute, typically 60 - 180 days from petition to order, plus another 60 - 90 days for agency updates.