Illinois Criminal History Search
Illinois criminal history records are kept by the Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification in Joliet. These records cover arrests, charges, court case results, and convictions from all 102 counties in the state. You can search for Illinois criminal history data through name-based checks, fingerprint submissions, or county court record systems. Most Illinois court records are also available through Judici.com, which covers 82 of the state's counties. Cook County runs its own court record search system. Whether you need to look up a case, check conviction data, or find court filings, there are several ways to search Illinois criminal history records from home or in person.
Illinois Criminal History Quick Facts
Where to Search Illinois Criminal History
The Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification is the main state agency that keeps criminal history records in Illinois. The BOI office sits at 260 North Chicago Street in Joliet, Illinois 60432. This is a restricted access facility. You need an appointment to go inside. Their phone number is (815) 740-5160, and they are open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The BOI collects arrest data, court case results, and conviction records from law enforcement agencies and courts all over Illinois. Under the Criminal Identification Act (20 ILCS 2630), the Illinois State Police must keep and maintain these criminal history files.
You can search Illinois criminal history records in several ways. Name-based checks go through the BOI. County court records are at each Circuit Clerk office. Most counties let you search online. The method you pick depends on what kind of record you need and how fast you need it.
The Bureau of Identification in Illinois processes criminal history checks through the Uniform Conviction Information Act (20 ILCS 2635), which took effect on January 1, 1991. This law says that all conviction data held by the Illinois State Police must be made available to the public. Only conviction data gets shared under this law. Arrest records without a conviction are not part of what the public can see through a UCIA check. Name-based checks search the identifiers you give, such as name, sex, race, and date of birth. Results come back in 24 to 48 hours most of the time, though some can take 30 to 40 days. Be aware that name-based checks may pull up more than one match if a person used an alias name or a wrong date of birth.
Illinois Criminal History Check Fees
The Illinois State Police charges set fees for criminal history record checks. These fees took effect on January 1, 2019. A name-based UCIA check costs $16.00 if you send a paper form. The cost drops to $10.00 if you use the electronic Live Scan method. Fingerprint-based checks cost $20.00 by paper or $15.00 through Live Scan for state-only results. If you need both state and FBI results, the fee is $32.00 by paper or $27.00 through Live Scan. Resubmission fees range from $10.00 to $20.00 based on the type of check you need in Illinois.
The ISP fee schedule page has the full list of costs for all types of criminal history checks in Illinois. Expungement and sealing petitions carry no ISP fee to file, but court orders to expunge or seal cost $60.00 at the state level. If you need a subpoena for criminal history records, that costs $20.00. The Access and Review process, where you view your own criminal history record in Illinois, is free from the ISP side. The fingerprint vendor may charge a processing fee, though.
Note: Fees listed are ISP charges only and do not include any vendor processing fees for Live Scan in Illinois.
How to View Your Own Criminal History in Illinois
Illinois lets anyone view their own criminal history record at no cost from the ISP. This is called the Access and Review process. The ISP My Record page spells out how it works. You visit any law enforcement facility, correctional facility, or licensed fingerprint vendor in Illinois during normal business hours. You fill out an Access and Review request form. Then you get fingerprinted through Live Scan. The ISP will mail your criminal history transcript to the address you provide. Results take about 15 days to arrive, sometimes longer.
The last page of the packet you get back is the Record Challenge form. If you spot wrong data on your Illinois criminal history transcript, you can fill out this form and mail it to the Bureau of Identification at 260 North Chicago Street, Joliet, IL. You can also drop it off in the main entrance vestibule. The ISP will send you a written response about any action they take on your challenge. The email for the BOI support team is ISP.BOI.Customer.Support@illinois.gov if you need to check on the status of a submission. Always keep your Transaction Control Number, or TCN. You need it to follow up and to get notarized copies of your criminal history in Illinois.
Illinois Criminal History Background Checks
The ISP background check page has details on how agencies and authorized users submit checks in Illinois. Fingerprint-based criminal history checks are the most thorough option. They match prints against the state database and, if you pay for it, the FBI database too. These checks are common for licensing, legal proceedings, and other purposes set by Illinois statute.
To get fingerprinted for a criminal history check in Illinois, you need to visit a Live Scan vendor. The Live Scan vendor lookup tool lets you find one near you. Type in your city or zip code and it shows a list of approved vendors in your area. Not all vendors charge the same processing fee on top of the ISP fee, so you may want to call ahead and ask about costs. Under the Health Care Worker Background Check Act (225 ILCS 46), certain workers must get fingerprint-based criminal history checks through the ISP and have results reported to the IDPH Health Care Worker Registry.
CHIRP Portal for Criminal History in Illinois
CHIRP stands for Criminal History Information Response Process. This is the online portal that law enforcement and authorized agencies use to send and get criminal history responses from the Illinois State Police. The CHIRP login page is where users sign in. All criminal history data sent from the BOI across the internet must be encrypted, and users must be authenticated. This is a federal mandate that applies to all criminal history information systems in Illinois.
CHIRP access is limited to Illinois law enforcement agencies and groups that have a User's Agreement with the ISP. You need a State of Illinois Digital Certificate through Entrust to use it. You must have a valid Illinois driver's license. Users from outside Illinois use the "Non-Illinois Resident Accept" button on the enrollment page. To find the response to a name-based search you sent through CHIRP, you log back into the system and enter the TCN number to pull up the results for your Illinois criminal history query.
Illinois Criminal History Court Records
County Circuit Courts handle criminal cases in Illinois. Each county has a Circuit Clerk who keeps the case files. Illinois has 25 judicial circuits. Seven are single-county circuits: Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, St. Clair, and Will. The other 18 circuits cover two to twelve counties each. The Illinois Courts circuit court directory lists all circuits and their counties.
Judici.com gives free public access to court records in 82 Illinois counties. You can search by name or case number. The site shows criminal charges, case results, sentences, hearing dates, and case minutes. It also lists fines and fees ordered, and how much has been paid. The data is free to search. Premium services for lawyers and other groups cost more. The Judici court list page shows all the counties that take part in this system for criminal history court record searches in Illinois.
Cook County does not use Judici. It has its own system at the Cook County Clerk of Court website. You can search civil, traffic, and some other case types online. Criminal case files in Cook County are only available in person. If you were arrested but never charged or did not go to court, the court will not have a record of that arrest in Cook County.
Expungement and Sealing of Criminal History in Illinois
Illinois law allows people to expunge or seal certain criminal history records. The Office of the State Appellate Defender has information on how this process works. Section 5.2 of the Criminal Identification Act (20 ILCS 2630) covers the rules for sealing and expungement of criminal records in Illinois. Some minor cannabis offenses qualify for automatic expungement. For other records, you must file a petition with the court.
The ISP Expungement Unit handles orders from courts to expunge or seal criminal history records. You can reach them at ISP.Expungement.Unit@illinois.gov. Court orders to expunge or seal cost $60.00 at the ISP level. The petition itself carries no ISP fee. Filing a petition starts in the county where the case was heard. Each county Circuit Clerk can tell you what forms you need. The UCIA Regulations (Title 20, Part 1215) set out the rules for how the ISP handles conviction data and related requests, including record corrections.
Illinois Criminal History Records Laws
Several Illinois laws control how criminal history records are kept and shared. The Uniform Conviction Information Act (20 ILCS 2635) says all conviction data must be open to the public. The Criminal Identification Act (20 ILCS 2630) governs how the ISP collects, stores, and shares criminal records. Section 7 of that law gives any person the right to ask the ISP if they have a criminal history record on file. The ISP must check and respond once they confirm the person's identity through fingerprints.
The State Records Act (5 ILCS 160) covers how state agencies must keep and dispose of records, including law enforcement arrest data. FOIA requests for criminal history data in Illinois go to the ISP FOIA Officer at ISP.FOIA.Officer@illinois.gov or by mail to 801 South 7th Street, Suite 1000-S, Springfield, Illinois 62703.
More Illinois Criminal History Resources
The ISP contact page at isp.illinois.gov/Home/ContactISP has phone numbers and email addresses for different units. For criminal history questions, email ISP.BOI.Customer.Support@illinois.gov. For FOID and concealed carry license questions, call (217) 782-7980. The Firearms Services Bureau email is ISP.AskFOIDandCCL@illinois.gov. The ISP Joliet Forensics Lab handles court-ordered DNA samples and can be reached at (815) 740-3542 at 515 Woodruff Street in Joliet.
Browse Illinois Criminal History by County
Each county in Illinois has a Circuit Clerk who keeps criminal case records. Pick a county below to find local contact info and court record resources for criminal history in that area.
Criminal History in Major Illinois Cities
Residents of major Illinois cities access criminal history records through their local police department and county Circuit Clerk. Pick a city below to learn about criminal history resources in that area.