Georgia Crime Information Center
Obtaining Criminal History Record Information
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How can I obtain a copy of my Georgia criminal
history record?
Georgia criminal history records can be obtained from
local Sheriff's or Police Departments. Please contact a local
Georgia agency about specific requirements for obtaining a
copy of your Georgia criminal history record.
What information is contained in a Georgia criminal
history record?
The criminal history record includes the subject's identification
data (name, date of birth, social security number, sex, race,
height, weight, etc.), arrest data (including arresting agency,
date of arrest, and charges), final judicial disposition
data submitted by a court, prosecutor or other criminal justice
agency and custodial information if the offender was incarcerated
in a Georgia correctional facility.
Can I obtain a Georgia criminal
history record of another person?
O.C.G.A. §35-3-34 (d.2) provides public access to felony conviction records without consent of the person whose record is being checked. Local law enforcement agencies may provide this information for a fee not to exceed $20.00. The subject's full name, race, sex, and date of birth must be provided at the time of the request.
A complete Georgia record may be obtained with the individual's
consent. A signed consent form from the individual whose
record is being sought must be provided to the local agency.
Fees vary.
How do I obtain a Georgia criminal history record check
from GCIC for employment, licensing, or visa (travel) purposes?
- Agencies/businesses
that wish to conduct background checks for employment or
licensing must obtain a unique agency number from GCIC
and sign a Service Agreement. Please contact GCIC's Criminal
History and identification Services at 404-244-2639, Option 2, for further information.
- Each request must contain two completed
applicant fingerprint cards with all of the applicant's
personal information (name, date of birth, place of birth,
etc.) and a current set of 10 rolled fingerprints and eight
flat finger impressions. Fingerprints and impressions must
be taken by a local law enforcement agency.
- A $15.00 fee payable by certified check
or money order to the Georgia Crime Information Center
is required for each request.
- Individuals requiring fingerprint checks
on themselves for employment, licensing or visa purposes,
must also submit fingerprint cards and a $15.00 fee.
Information should be mailed to the address listed in the
contact information.
How do I request a correction or update of my Georgia criminal
history record?
If your criminal history record has incorrect
or missing information, GCIC cannot correct or update your
criminal history record without appropriate documentation
and/or authorization of the submitting agency. To correct
or update information, the appropriate law enforcement or
criminal justice agency must submit a written request to
GCIC, on official letterhead, with the following information:
full name of subject, date of birth, social security number,
race, sex, and date of arrest; or State Identification Number
(SID) and date of arrest or Offender Tracking Number (OTN)
for that date of arrest; and the requested changes. If the
above information is not included in the document, the request
cannot be processed. Georgia criminal justice agencies that
submit automated judicial disposition data directly to GCIC
may submit missing disposition data electronically and reduce
the time to complete the record update.
How do I contest the information contained in my Georgia criminal
history record if it is inaccurate or if my identity has
been used in another individual's criminal history record?
To contest the accuracy of information in your criminal
history record, or if your identification data was used in
another individual's criminal history record, you must submit
the following information to GCIC.
- A signed written request with a brief explanation
for the request to include the specific data that is
being challenged and a complete return mailing address.
- Each request must contain two completed
applicant fingerprint cards with all of the applicant's
personal information (name, date of birth, place of birth,
etc.) and a current set of 10 rolled fingerprints and eight
flat finger impressions. Fingerprints and impressions must
be taken by a local law enforcement agency.
- A $3.00 fee payable by certified check or
money order to the Georgia Crime Information Center.
Information
should be mailed to the address listed in the contact
information. Your request will be processed and a certificate
(letter) with the results will be mailed back to you.
How do I obtain a copy of a criminal history record from
a State other than Georgia?
Contact the State's criminal justice
agency (Bureau of Investigation, State Police, etc.) to obtain
information on requirements and fees.
How do I obtain a copy of my national
criminal history record?
Individuals can obtain a copy of their national criminal history record from the FBI by submitting a request to the below address. In order to receive a copy of your FBI record for personal, employment, or international work requirements the FBI requires the following: 1) A signed written request with a brief explanation for the request and your complete return mailing address. 2) Each request must contain two completed applicant fingerprint cards with all of the applicant's personal information (name, date of birth, place of birth, etc.) and a current set of 10 rolled fingerprints and eight flat finger impressions. Fingerprints and impressions must be taken by a local law enforcement agency. 3) An $18.00 fee in U.S. currency by certified check or money order payable to the United States Treasury. This information is provided in compliance with the U.S. Freedom of Information Act.
FBI
CJIS Division
ATTN: SCU, MOD.D-2
1000 Custer Hollow Road
Clarksburg , West Virginia 26303
For more information, the FBI's web site on this issue is http://www.fbi.gov/hq/cjisd/fprequest.htm . You also can contact the FBI at 304-625-5590.
What is Georgia 's
First Offender Act (FOA)?
Upon a verdict or plea of guilty or nolo contendere,
but before an adjudication of guilt, the court may, in the
case of a defendant who has not been previously convicted of
a felony, without entering a judgment of guilt and with the
consent of the defendant, defer further proceeding and place
the defendant on probation as a first offender.
If the terms of the first offender sentence are successfully
completed, and the probationer discharged, the arrest record
is sealed. GCIC must receive official notification that the
subject has successfully completed the FOA requirements.
The record is not automatically sealed based on the elapse
of the probation sentence.
Georgia law (O.C.G.A. § 42-8-65(b)) requires GCIC to
change the first offender sentence to a conviction if, prior
to successful discharge, the subject is arrested and convicted
of another offense while still on first offender probation.
Courts may also revoke a first offender sentence, indicate
unsatisfactory completion of the first offender sentence
or change to an adjudication of guilt.
What is a Local Record Expungement?
O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37(d) (1) allows for the expungement of arrest charges by a local law enforcement agency when certain conditions are met (as outlined in this statute). If approved by the local arresting agency, and the appropriate prosecutor, the arrest cycle is sealed on the Georgia criminal history report by GCIC. Access to that arrest information is restricted to criminal justice agencies only. The arrest is expunged in its entirety from the FBI criminal history record.
The following are examples of final court dispositions that may qualify:
Dismissed: Not Presented to Grand Jury: No Further Action
Anticipated; Nolle Prossed/Prosequi; Dead Docket; or No Record
on File. All applications must be approved or denied by the
appropriate prosecutor.
To apply for the local record expungement, contact the arresting
law enforcement agency to obtain an application for Local
Record Expungement. The request for expungement form is a
three-part form:
- Section One - You will complete Section
One and return to the arresting agency.
- Section Two - Completed by the arresting
agency that forwards the request to the appropriate prosecutor
(District Attorney or Solicitor).
- Section Three - Completed by the prosecutor
who will approve or deny the request.
- Once the prosecutor completes their portion,
they will forward the complete form to GCIC.
What is the process for an attorney to request a
client's criminal history record?
O.C.G.A. § 35-3-34 (a) (2) provides for an attorney
to obtain criminal history records of a client, other defendant,
or witness in a criminal action. The request
must be submitted in writing to include the style of the
case, full name, date of birth, race, sex, and social security
number (if available) for each person. Mail the request to
the attention of "attorney requests" at the address listed
in the contact information. A $15.00 fee payable to GCIC
by business check or money order is required for each record
requested.
Disclosure of criminal history information to the defendant's
counsel shall be solely in such counsel's capacity as an
officer of the court.
In civil actions, only felony conviction criminal history
information is disseminated in compliance with public information
law. This information may also be obtained from local law
enforcement agencies; fees vary.
Attorneys may submit requests via fax at (404) 270-8386.
Questions may be directed to (404) 244-2639, Option 3.
Someone has been using my identity for financial
(material) gain. What should I do?
Effective July 1,
1998 , it is a felony in Georgia to use someone else's identity
to obtain something of value (O.C.G.A. §16-9-120).
- Contact your local police department or
sheriff's department to report the theft of your identity.
- Contact the Federal Trade Commission and
the Georgia Office of Consumer Affairs (OCA) in order to
report the theft of your identity.
- Contact the major credit reporting bureaus
and have a fraud alert placed on your credit report.
- Equifax, P.O. Box 740250 , Atlanta , Georgia
30374-0250 (800) 525-6285
- Experian, P.O. Box 1017 , Allen , Texas
75013 , (888) 397-3742
- Trans Union , P.O. Box 6790 , Fullerton
, California 92634 , (800) 680-7289
- Contact the company(ies) that has/have provided
credit or other intangible or tangible property to the
person who stole your identity.
Contact Information
Georgia Crime Information Center
CCH/Identification
Services, Supervisor
P.O. Box 370748
Decatur , Georgia 30037-0748
Fax: Criminal History/Identification
Services, 404-270-8417
Email: gacriminalhistory@gbi.state.ga.us
Telephone Helpline: 404-244-2639
Option 1 . Criminal History Inquiries regarding Expungement or Updates
Option 2 . Applicant Background Information
Option 3 . Attorney or Public Defender
Option 4 . Livescan or Identification Inquiries
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