National Criminal search is a database search of available public records across multiple jurisdictions. It can report records going back up to 15 years, which may sometimes include older records not available through county or state searches. Please note that not every jurisdiction in the country makes records available, updates may lag behind, and data may contain incomplete, non-FCRA compliant information. Thus, National Criminal searches are best used as a supplemental tool to direct more detailed county or statewide investigations.
Statewide Criminal Search aggregates criminal records at the state level. Its scope and timeframe vary across states, as some may provide more comprehensive coverage while others have limited access due to licensing or data availability. Statewide searches are particularly useful for broader investigations encompassing multiple counties within the same state.
County searches entail records inspection with the courthouse in a given jurisdiction. This is the most accurate method of search given it is real-time, full-file, and available in every county in the United States. Typically, county searches surface records from the past 7 years, although jurisdictional policies may lead to variations in the timeframe. It is ideal for thorough, localized searches when the targeted county is known.