Ohio Criminal Records at a Glance

Ohio criminal records are maintained by the Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) under the Attorney General. BCI provides accurate criminal records for background checks for employment, licensing, and public safety. The Attorney General office provides a sex offender search tool (eSORN). Ohio court records are accessible through individual county clerk of court online systems

1Ohio Statewide Criminal Search Resources

2Ohio County Sheriff Reports & Criminal Records

Ohio’s statewide criminal history repository is not open to general public name-based searches. The Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) only processes fingerprint-based background checks through the WebCheck system, and those are limited to authorized purposes like employment and licensing.

3Federal & National Authoritative Sources

These federal and national sources complement Ohio's state-level records. They are the authoritative sources you should cross-check when Ohio 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)
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)
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)
 Frequently Asked Questions

Ohio 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.

 Last reviewed: April 2026  Updated: April 2026