Texas Criminal Records Search | History Check Guide Texas Criminal Records Search

Texas statewide guide · DPS history, county courts, jails, TDCJ, fingerprints and federal cases

Choose the Right Texas Background Check Before You Pay

A Texas criminal-record search is not one database. The correct starting point depends on whether you need a quick public name search, your own fingerprint-confirmed history, a recent county booking, a certified court disposition, a state-prison record or a federal case.

For a broad Texas history check, begin with the Department of Public Safety. For a decision that matters—employment, housing, licensing, immigration, court filing or identity correction—verify the result through fingerprints and the clerk that maintains the actual case.

Run the official DPS name search Review your own record by fingerprint Find the correct county court

Full legal name Middle name Date of birth Former names County or city Approximate case date

TEXAS RECORD COMPASS IDENTITY ROUTING

DPS NAME SEARCH

COUNTY COURT

FINGERPRINT REVIEW

JAIL OR TDCJ

SOURCE + IDENTITY VERIFIED

A name match is not positive identification. Texas DPS warns that name and birth-date searches can match the wrong person or miss the correct record. Fingerprints are the reliable way to positively connect a person to a criminal history.

Public search fee

DPS currently lists search credits at $1 each.

No-match searches

A submitted search still uses a credit.

Positive identity

Use fingerprints when accuracy is critical.

Court outcomes

Verify through the filing county’s clerk.

Source review

Official procedures checked August 3, 2026.

Start with the correct system

Which Texas record will answer your question?

PUBLIC TEXAS HISTORY DPS name search

Search public Texas criminal-history information using a name, date of birth and other identifiers.

Best for a broad preliminary Texas check.

YOUR OWN RECORD Fingerprint personal review

Obtain a fingerprint-confirmed copy of your Texas criminal history for review or correction.

Best before a job, licence or important application.

FINAL CASE RESULT County or district clerk

Find filed charges, docket events, dismissal, plea, judgment, sentence and certified copies.

The court record controls the disposition.

RECENT ARREST County sheriff or jail

Find current custody, booking date, charges, bond, housing and release status.

A booking is not the final court outcome.

STATE PRISON TDCJ inmate search

Find a Texas prison location, SID or TDCJ number, offences and projected release information.

Do not use TDCJ first for a new county arrest.

FEDERAL CASE PACER or FBI

Use PACER for federal court cases and the FBI Identity History Summary for your own nationwide fingerprint history.

Texas DPS does not replace federal records.

REGISTRY CHECK Texas DPS registries

Search the public sex-offender registry or the qualifying violent-offender database.

A registry serves a narrower purpose than a full history check.

WRONG INFORMATION Error resolution

Use certified court documents and a fingerprint personal review to correct missing or inaccurate DPS data.

Private screening reports require a separate dispute.

Best verification sequence: run the appropriate search, save every identifier, locate the county court case, read the disposition for each count, and obtain a certified copy when the result will affect a serious decision.

Texas DPS public history check

Run the statewide name search without wasting credits

The Texas Department of Public Safety maintains the state Computerized Criminal History system. Texas criminal justice agencies in all 254 counties submit qualifying arrest, prosecution and disposition information to DPS.

Open the public Criminal History Name Search The public website is different from the restricted secure site used by legislatively authorised organisations. Open the Texas DPS public search

Create a public website account Use an email address you can access and save your username and password.

Purchase only the credits you need DPS currently lists credits at $1 each. Credit-card purchases include a 2.25% fee per credit plus a $0.25 transaction fee.

Enter the complete legal name Use first, middle and last name when known. Include a suffix and former or alternate name when relevant.

Add the full date of birth DPS explains that a full birth date narrows results more effectively than a name alone.

Review how each result matched The portal can identify exact, partial and similar-sounding matches. Do not assume the first name in the list is correct.

Compare descriptive information Check the date of birth, middle name, suffix, physical description, photograph when available, counties and case dates.

Save or print the response DPS recommends preserving search responses when documentation of the search or returned records may be needed.

Verify the court disposition Use the reporting county and case information to locate the actual court docket.

A no-match result still uses a credit. Check spelling, birth date and former names before submitting the search.

DPS uses expanded matching, including similar-sounding names. This helps locate spelling variations, but it also increases the need to verify identity carefully.

Start the public search Read official search instructions Open DPS search support

Result interpretation

Understand what a Texas DPS history can—and cannot—prove

Do not treat one database field as the entire case
Record item	What it may identify	What it does not prove	Next verification
Name match	A possible person with the same or similar-sounding name.	That the record belongs to the person you searched.	Compare DOB, middle name, photograph, counties and fingerprints.
Arrest event	An arrest submitted by a Texas criminal justice agency.	That charges were filed or that the person was convicted.	Locate the prosecutor and court disposition.
Offense description	The offence code or allegation reported at a stage of the case.	That the final filed count used identical wording.	Read the charging instrument and judgment.
Deferred adjudication	A court-ordered deferred disposition reported to DPS.	That the event disappeared after completion.	Check eligibility for nondisclosure or limited expunction.
Conviction	A reported judgment of conviction.	That every description, level or sentence field remains accurate.	Obtain the certified judgment from the clerk.
Missing disposition	A case for which the final court action has not reached DPS.	That the case remains pending.	Ask the court for a certified disposition and use Error Resolution.
No matching record	No public DPS match for the submitted criteria.	That no local, federal, restricted or out-of-state record exists.	Search local courts, jails, PACER and fingerprints as appropriate.

Public criminal history is not a character score. Read the date, disposition, offence level, sentence and evidence of rehabilitation rather than treating every entry as equal.

Information that may be missing or restricted

A very recent arrest not yet submitted

A court disposition not yet linked to the arrest

Juvenile information restricted by law

Expunged or nondisclosed information

Federal criminal court records

Criminal history from another state

Some Class C citations not reported to DPS

Local jail data that never became a public DPS entry

Your own fingerprint-confirmed record

Get a Texas Personal Review before an important application

A fingerprint personal review is the strongest way to see whether Texas DPS associates a criminal history with you. It is especially useful before employment, professional licensing, housing, immigration or a record-clearing case.

Open DPS Fingerprinting Services Locate the current Texas Review of Personal Criminal History instructions. Open DPS fingerprinting services

Use the Personal Review route Do not use an employer or licensing service code unless the requesting agency gave it to you for that purpose.

Schedule through the FAST provider Follow the current IdentoGO appointment instructions or call 888-467-2080.

Bring acceptable identification Use the identity documents listed in the current DPS fingerprint instructions.

Check the fee before confirming DPS currently publishes a $15 record-check fee plus a $10 FAST fingerprint-collection fee as base charges for a fingerprint criminal-history check. Other authorised checks may include additional fees.

Keep the appointment receipt Save the transaction or tracking number in case you need to check status.

Review every arrest and disposition Compare the report with certified documents from the court that handled each case.

Begin Error Resolution when information is wrong Do not assume the court will automatically send an old or corrected disposition to every database.

Fingerprints submitted for an employer or licensing agency usually go to that requesting agency. DPS states that the applicant may not receive a personal copy from DPS through that workflow. Use the Personal Review procedure when you need your own copy.

FAST/IdentoGO scheduling: 888-467-2080
DPS Access and Dissemination: 512-424-2474 — use the current menu option for personal-review status or instructions

County and local court records

Find the filed charge and final Texas court disposition

Texas does not have one public portal containing every trial-court case. The Office of Court Administration directs users to the court or clerk that maintains the case.

District clerk

Usually the starting point for felony cases filed in a Texas district court.

Search by cause number when known.
Use full name, DOB and filing-date range when the cause is unknown.
Review each count separately.
Ask for a certified judgment or disposition when proof is needed.

County clerk

Commonly maintains Class A and Class B misdemeanor cases in county-level courts.

Confirm whether the county has statutory county courts.
Search criminal rather than civil records.
Check all cases under similar names.
Verify dismissal, plea, judgment and sentence.

Justice court

Handles many fine-only Class C matters and other cases within its jurisdiction.

Identify the correct precinct and place.
Search by citation or case number when available.
Confirm whether the matter was transferred.
Request a disposition directly from the court.

Municipal court

Maintains city ordinance, traffic and many Class C cases filed by city authorities.

Search the city where the citation or complaint was filed.
Do not assume the county clerk has the case.
Check warrant and compliance status directly.
Ask about certified copies when necessary.

Identify the filing county Use the DPS result, arrest record, citation or known incident location.

Open the Texas Judicial Directory Select the county and appropriate court or clerk type. Search the official judicial directory

Use the official county or court website Avoid paying a third-party site before checking whether the clerk provides a free case index.

Search the exact cause or citation number first This reduces same-name errors and unnecessary search fees.

Broaden carefully when the number is unknown Use the full name, middle name, DOB, former names and a reasonable date range.

Read the newest docket entries Look for charging documents, amended charges, bond orders, pleas, dismissals, judgments, sentences and appeals.

Check every count One count may be dismissed while another ends in deferred adjudication or conviction.

Order a certified disposition Request an official copy when correcting DPS, disputing a background report, filing for record clearing or responding to an agency.

Clerk call script

I am trying to locate the final disposition for [full legal name], date of birth [date], in a case filed around [date]. The known cause, citation or arrest number is [number]. Can you confirm whether your office maintains the case, how I can view the docket and how to order a certified disposition for every count?

Recent arrest and county custody

Use a sheriff or jail search for a new arrest

A county jail search answers a different question from a DPS history check. It can show current custody, booking information, charges, bond and release, but it does not establish the final court outcome.

Identify the booking county Search the county where the person was taken into custody, not only where the person lives.

Open the official sheriff or county jail site Look for Inmate Search, Jail Roster, Booking Search or In Custody.

Search the last name first Add DOB, first name, middle name or booking number as needed.

Save the booking number It is commonly required for calls, mail, visits, deposits and records requests.

Record every charge and bond Another charge, warrant or hold can prevent release even when one bond is paid.

Note the arresting agency The sheriff may house a person arrested by city police, DPS, a constable or another agency.

Continue to the court case Use the cause number or charge information to find the filing and disposition.

When the person does not appear, they may still be processing, may have been released quickly, may be listed under another name, may have received a citation or may be held in a different county or federal facility.

Texas state-prison records

Use TDCJ after a person enters state custody

What TDCJ can help locate

Current state-prison location
TDCJ number or state identification number
Reported offences
Projected release information
Parole-related information and resources

What TDCJ does not replace

A county jail roster for a new arrest
The county criminal court docket
A complete Texas DPS history
Federal Bureau of Prisons records
Out-of-state corrections searches

Open TDCJ Inmate Information

Federal court and nationwide fingerprint records

Texas DPS does not include every federal case

PACER federal court records

Use PACER to search federal district, bankruptcy and appellate court cases.

Create a PACER account.
Search the specific federal court when known.
Use the nationwide PACER Case Locator when the court is unknown.
Search by party name, case number or filing-date range.
Read the docket and open the relevant public documents.

Open PACER Find a Case

FBI Identity History Summary

Use the FBI fingerprint process to obtain your own nationwide Identity History Summary.

The FBI does not provide a name-only personal summary.
Current fingerprints are required.
The summary is for personal review or correction.
Employment or licensing checks may require a different authorised route.
Challenge inaccurate FBI information through the FBI process.

Open FBI Identity History Summary Checks

Federal sealed documents and sealed indictments are not publicly available through PACER.

Special-purpose Texas databases

Do not confuse a registry search with a complete history check

Texas Public Sex Offender Registry

Search statewide registration information by name, location or other available criteria.

A registry entry concerns a legal registration duty and does not provide every criminal case in the person’s history.

Open the Texas public registry

Texas Violent Offender Database

This public DPS database covers qualifying offenders with specified family-violence, stalking and related convictions under the governing law.

It is not a list of every person with a violent offence or arrest.

Open the official DPS database information

No-result troubleshooting

Why a Texas criminal record may not appear

The name is incomplete or different Try the middle name, suffix, maiden name, former name or alternate spelling.

The birth date is wrong Even one incorrect number can prevent a narrow match or return the wrong person.

The case is very recent Arrest, prosecution and court disposition information reaches different systems at different times.

The matter is county-only A current jail booking or pending court case may be easier to find locally.

The event was a Class C citation DPS states that agencies may report some Class C arrests or citations, but reporting is not always mandatory.

The record is restricted Juvenile, expunged, nondisclosed and legally confidential records may not appear publicly.

The case is federal or out of state Use PACER, the FBI or the appropriate state repository.

A disposition is missing The arrest may appear without the later dismissal, plea, judgment or sentence.

Do not keep paying for the same uncertain search. Verify the legal name and DOB, identify the likely county, search the local clerk and use fingerprints when the identity matters.

DPS error resolution

Correct missing or inaccurate Texas criminal-history data

Obtain your fingerprint personal review Confirm exactly what Texas DPS associates with your fingerprints.

Identify the incorrect field Write down the arrest date, agency, county, tracking number, cause number and disputed information.

Contact the court or reporting agency Request a certified disposition, corrected judgment or official agency document.

Use the DPS Error Resolution procedure Complete the current form and include certified supporting documents.

Keep copies and delivery proof Preserve every document, receipt, email and tracking number.

Recheck after the correction Confirm that DPS and any separate private screening report now display the correct result.

Open DPS Error Resolution

DPS Error Resolution Unit
Phone: 512-424-7256
Email: error.resolution@dps.texas.gov

A screenshot from a private website is not enough to update DPS. DPS instructs users to obtain certified court documentation for missing or corrected dispositions.

Copy-ready correction summary

I am requesting correction of Texas criminal-history information associated with my fingerprints. The disputed entry concerns [arresting agency], arrest date [date], county [county], cause or tracking number [number]. The record currently states [incorrect information]. The attached certified [judgment/disposition/agency document] shows [correct information].

Misuse of identity

Use a different process when someone gave police your identity

Identity misuse is not an ordinary clerical error. It occurs when another arrested person falsely gives your name or identifying information to law enforcement.

Expunction of falsely used identity

Texas DPS explains that Chapter 55 can provide a process to expunge identifying information falsely presented by an arrested person.

Contact the district attorney in the county where you live for instructions.

Individual Identity File

A person may file a declaration with the sheriff in the county of residence. DPS can create a misused-identity record with a unique password for future law-enforcement verification.

Contact the county sheriff before completing the declaration.

Read the DPS identity-misuse procedure

Expunction and nondisclosure

Clearing and sealing are different Texas remedies

Expunction

An eligible expunction can require covered records relating to an arrest to be removed or destroyed.

Eligibility is limited.
Many convictions cannot be expunged.
All charges arising from one arrest can affect eligibility.
Waiting periods and limitation periods may apply.
The filing county and correct respondent agencies matter.

Order of nondisclosure

An eligible nondisclosure order limits public disclosure but does not erase the record from every government or authorised system.

There are several statutory types.
Eligibility depends on the full criminal history.
Waiting periods vary by offence.
Some agencies and licensing bodies can still access the record.
A specific petition and proposed order may be required.

Obtain the complete criminal history Include every charge arising from the arrest, not only the count you want removed.

Get certified dispositions Obtain dismissal orders, judgments, discharge documents and other controlling records.

Check the correct remedy Use the TexasLawHelp Fresh Start tools or current legal assistance to compare expunction and nondisclosure.

Use current forms The Texas Judicial Branch publishes model nondisclosure forms by statutory section.

File in the correct court Verify county, court, filing fee, service requirements and local standing orders.

Send the signed order where required Follow the clerk’s instructions so DPS and other listed agencies receive the order.

Recheck government and private reports A private website may require separate notice after the order is entered.

Open the Texas expunction guide Open official nondisclosure forms Compare clearing and sealing

Immigration warning: A Texas expunction or nondisclosure does not erase the event for federal immigration purposes. Applicants must answer immigration questions truthfully and should obtain immigration-specific legal advice.

Employment and housing use

Know your rights when a screening company reports criminal history

Before an employment report

The employer generally must give a stand-alone written disclosure.
The employer must obtain written permission.
The same standards must be applied without unlawful discrimination.
An arrest alone does not establish that criminal conduct occurred.

Before an adverse employment decision

You should receive a copy of the relied-on consumer report.
You should receive a Summary of Rights under the FCRA.
You have an opportunity to review and dispute errors.
The final notice must identify the screening company.

After a housing denial

Ask which screening company supplied the report.
Request the additional free report within the applicable period.
Dispute mixed identities, duplicates and outdated dispositions.
Give the landlord the certified corrected disposition.

Better decision practice

Separate arrests from convictions.
Consider the seriousness and age of the offence.
Consider how the conduct relates to the job or housing decision.
Provide an opportunity to explain errors and rehabilitation.

Read FTC employment rights Read FTC tenant-screening rights Read EEOC criminal-record guidance

Help and support

Texas criminal-record contact numbers

DPS public search support

855-481-7071

Account, search-credit and public portal assistance.

DPS Access and Dissemination

512-424-2474

Personal-review, FAST, secure-site and criminal-history questions.

DPS inaccurate-data help

512-424-7256

error.resolution@dps.texas.gov

FAST/IdentoGO scheduling

888-467-2080

Appointment and fingerprint-location assistance.

PACER Service Center

800-676-6856

pacer@psc.uscourts.gov

FBI Identity History Summary

304-625-5590

identity@fbi.gov

Do not email Social Security numbers, fingerprint images or unredacted identity documents unless an official procedure specifically requires a secure submission method.

Practical search checklist

Save these details before leaving a database

Exact name used in the result

Date of birth or age information

State identification or tracking number

Arresting or reporting agency

County and court

Cause, case or citation number

Arrest and filing dates

Every charge or count

Disposition for every count

Sentence or supervision information

Date the database was checked

PDF, printout or screenshot of the result

10 Texas criminal-record questions

Texas criminal history searches explained

How do I search Texas criminal records online?

Use the Texas Department of Public Safety Criminal History Name Search for a public statewide name-based check. Create a public account, purchase search credits, enter the person’s complete name and date of birth, and carefully compare every possible match. Then verify any important result through the county or district clerk that maintains the criminal court case.

How much does the Texas DPS criminal history search cost?

Texas DPS currently lists public online search credits at one dollar each. Credit-card orders also have a 2.25% fee per credit plus a 25-cent transaction fee. A submitted search uses a credit even when the system returns no matching records. Confirm the live price before purchasing credits.

Does no matching record mean the person has no Texas criminal history?

No. A no-match result means the DPS public search did not return a matching public record for the information entered. The name may be different, the date of birth may be wrong, the case may be new or incomplete, the record may be restricted, or the matter may exist only in a county, municipal, federal or out-of-state system.

Is a fingerprint check more accurate than a name search?

Yes. Texas DPS states that fingerprint identification is the only way to positively link a person to a criminal history record. Name-based searches can match the wrong person or miss a record because they rely on names, dates of birth and similar identifiers.

How can I get a copy of my own Texas criminal history?

Follow the Texas DPS Review of Personal Criminal History procedure. Schedule fingerprinting through the Fingerprint Applicant Services of Texas process, bring the required identification and appointment information, and follow the current DPS instructions for delivery of the certified personal-review result.

Does the Texas DPS search include every county and federal case?

Texas criminal justice agencies in all 254 counties submit information to the DPS Computerized Criminal History system, but reporting delays, missing dispositions and legally restricted records can affect completeness. The Texas search does not replace federal PACER, an FBI Identity History Summary, out-of-state searches or direct county court verification.

Where do I find the final disposition of a Texas criminal case?

Contact the clerk that maintains the case in the county where it was filed. District clerks generally maintain felony district-court cases, county clerks commonly maintain county-level misdemeanor cases, and justice or municipal courts handle many fine-only matters. Search the docket and obtain a certified disposition when official proof is needed.

How do I correct an error in my Texas criminal record?

First obtain a fingerprint-based personal review and a certified court disposition or agency document showing the correct information. Submit the supporting documents through the Texas DPS Criminal History Error Resolution process. A private background-screening report must be disputed separately with the company that produced it.

Can Texas criminal records be expunged or sealed?

Some records qualify for expunction, which can remove eligible records, while others may qualify for an order of nondisclosure that limits public disclosure. Eligibility depends on the arrest, charge, disposition, supervision, waiting period and complete criminal history. Obtain the certified case record and use current Texas forms or legal assistance before filing.

What rights do I have when an employer uses a background report?

When an employer obtains a background report from a screening company, the Fair Credit Reporting Act generally requires written disclosure and permission. Before taking adverse action, the employer must provide a copy of the report and a summary of rights. You may dispute inaccurate or incomplete information with the reporting company.

Official resources reviewed

Primary Texas and federal sources

Texas DPS

Texas courts and corrections

Federal and consumer rights

Accuracy, identity and legal-use notice

Texas-arrest.org is an independent informational resource. It is not the Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Judicial Branch, a county clerk, district clerk, sheriff, municipal court, Texas Department of Criminal Justice, FBI, PACER or a law firm.

Criminal-history systems can contain delayed, incomplete, restricted or incorrectly matched information. Verify identity with multiple independent details and obtain the controlling court record before making an employment, housing, licensing, immigration, financial, safety or publication decision.

An arrest is not a conviction, and every accused person is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court. This page provides procedural information and is not legal advice.

Last official-source review: August 3, 2026. Fees, portal behaviour, forms, telephone menus and legal eligibility can change. Confirm mutable details on the linked official page before submitting payment, fingerprints or a court filing.

Texas Criminal Records Search | History Check Guide