Texas Criminal History Records: Search Options Texas Criminal History Records: Search Options

Q: How much does a Texas DPS criminal history search cost?

Texas DPS currently lists online search credits at 1 dollar each. Credit-card purchases add a 2.25 percent fee per credit and a 25-cent transaction fee. A search that returns no matching records still uses a credit, so verify the current total before completing the purchase.

Q: Does the Texas DPS public search show every arrest?

No. The public search primarily provides Texas criminal history information legally available to the public, including qualifying conviction and deferred-adjudication information. It is not a complete database of every arrest, county jail booking, municipal case or federal record. Check the arresting county, court clerk and jail when a local event is missing.

Q: What is the difference between a name search and fingerprint review?

A name search compares names, birth dates and other identifying information and can return the wrong person or miss a record. A fingerprint review compares submitted fingerprints with fingerprint-supported Texas records and is the more reliable method for confirming whether a record belongs to you.

Q: What does no matching records mean on the Texas DPS search?

No matching records means the public system did not return a record for the search criteria entered. It does not prove that the person has never been arrested or charged. The name may be different, the event may not be publicly available, the county may not have reported the disposition, or the record may exist in a county, municipal, federal or out-of-state system.

Q: Where do I search for someone currently in a Texas jail or prison?

For a recent arrest, search the sheriff or jail website in the county where the person was booked. Use the Texas Department of Criminal Justice inmate search for a person in state-prison custody. A DPS criminal history search is not designed to provide live jail housing, bond or release information.

Q: What is the Texas FACT Clearinghouse?

The FACT Clearinghouse is a restricted Texas DPS system for authorized organizations. It stores consolidated Texas DPS and FBI fingerprint-based results for applicants processed through the Fingerprint Applicant Services of Texas program and can provide eligible organizations with continuing arrest or record-update notifications.

Q: Can a Texas criminal history record be expunged or hidden?

Some Texas records may qualify for expunction or an order of nondisclosure. Expunction can require covered records to be removed or destroyed, while nondisclosure generally restricts public disclosure without erasing every government record. Eligibility depends on the charge, court result, waiting period, criminal history and other facts.

Texas statewide records · DPS name search, fingerprints, courts, jails and TDCJ

Choose the Texas Background-Record Search That Fits the Question

A Texas DPS name search, fingerprint personal review, county court lookup and jail search answer different questions. Start by deciding whether you need a public conviction search, proof of your own record, an employment fingerprint check, a final court outcome or someone’s present custody location.

This guide explains what each official system covers, what it can miss, how much the DPS online search currently costs, how to prevent a same-name mistake and what to do when a disposition is missing or incorrect.

Open the DPS public website Choose the correct search Get your own fingerprint review

Full legal name Middle or maiden name Complete date of birth County and arrest date Case or SID number

TEXAS RECORD SIGNAL MAP IDENTITY CHECK

PUBLIC NAME SEARCH

FINGERPRINT REVIEW

USE THE RIGHT RECORD FOR THE DECISION

A name match is not identity confirmation. Texas DPS warns that searches based on names, birth dates and other identifying information can return the wrong person or miss the correct record. Fingerprints are the reliable method for positively linking a person to a criminal history.

Public DPS search

Account required; current search credits cost $1 each.

No-result charge

A search credit is used even when no matching record appears.

Best identity check

Use a fingerprint-based personal review for your own record.

Current custody

Use the county jail or TDCJ—not the DPS history search.

Official review

Search procedures and contacts checked August 3, 2026.

Start with the purpose

Which Texas search should you use?

GENERAL PUBLIC Check public Texas criminal history

Use the DPS Crime Records Division Public Website for public conviction and deferred-adjudication information available through the name-search system.

Follow the DPS search steps

YOUR OWN RECORD Confirm identity with fingerprints

Use the CR-63 Personal Review procedure when you need your own DPS record or must challenge a name-based result.

Prepare a personal review

EMPLOYER OR AGENCY Use the authorized process

FACT, FAST and secure CCH access are limited to organizations authorized under Texas or federal law.

Understand FACT access

FINAL COURT RESULT Search the court with jurisdiction

Use the county or district clerk when you need the filed charge, dismissal, plea, judgment, sentence or certified disposition.

Find the controlling case

RECENT ARREST Search the county jail

Use the sheriff or jail in the booking county for live custody, bond, housing, visitation and release information.

Choose jail or TDCJ

INCORRECT RECORD Gather certified proof first

Compare the DPS history with the arresting agency and court, then submit the correct documents through Error Resolution.

Correct a Texas record

Most reliable sequence: Search the county event, locate the matching court case, read the disposition, obtain a fingerprint review when identity matters and correct the system that owns the inaccurate information.

Public DPS name search

How to run a Texas criminal history name search

The public search is operated by the Texas Department of Public Safety Crime Records Division. A public-site account and prepaid search credits are required.

Open the Texas DPS CRD Public Website Use the public website when you are not a legislatively authorized secure-site organization. Open the official CRD Public Website

Create your own account Do not share another person’s user ID or password. Keep the account email and recovery information current.

Purchase only the credits you expect to use One credit is used for each submitted search, including a search that returns no matching records.

Open Criminal History Search The public website also contains other services, so confirm that you selected the criminal-history application.

Enter the full first and last name Texas DPS requires first and last name. Use the person’s legal name rather than a nickname.

Add the complete date of birth The full month, day and year substantially narrow a broad same-name search.

Add the middle or maiden name DPS recommends including these details when known. Do not substitute initials or partial names.

Review how each result matched The system may show exact, partial or similar-sounding name matches. A close match is not proof of identity.

Compare descriptive information Review the full name, birth information, sex, race, photograph when available, arrest details and reported court outcomes.

Save the returned record immediately DPS recommends printing or saving the response. Search history may show what was searched without preserving the complete returned record.

Search tip from DPS: Enter as much accurate information as possible. Include a maiden name when known, but avoid nicknames, initials and incomplete names.

Open the public DPS portal Read the official search instructions

Current published charges

Texas DPS online search credits and payment fees

Check the portal checkout before paying because fees can change
Item	Current published amount	What to know
Online search credit	$1 per credit	One credit is used for each submitted search.
Credit-card percentage fee	2.25% per credit	Added to credit-card purchases under current DPS instructions.
Credit-card transaction fee	$0.25 per order	Added in addition to the percentage fee.
No matching records	One credit used	A no-match response is a valid search result and is not automatically refundable.
Unused-credit refund	Request required	DPS may consider refunds for unused credits, not searches already performed.

Do not repeatedly pay for the same uncertain name. Add the complete birth date, middle name and maiden name before submitting. When identity matters, stop repeating name searches and obtain a fingerprint-based review.

Result limits

What a Texas DPS result can—and cannot—tell you

Use the statewide result as a starting point, not the only record
Result or field	What it may show	What it does not prove	Best follow-up
Possible name match	A record associated with matching or similar identifying information.	That the record belongs to the person you are researching.	Compare birth details and use fingerprints when identity is important.
Arrest entry	An arrest reported by a Texas criminal-justice agency.	Guilt, conviction or current custody.	Search the court and booking county.
Prosecution entry	A charge or prosecutor action reported to CCH.	That the entry contains the latest court outcome.	Read the current clerk docket.
Court disposition	Dismissal, deferred adjudication, conviction or another reported outcome.	That every count or later order is displayed.	Request a certified disposition from the court.
No matching records	No public match for the information submitted.	No arrest, citation, sealed matter, local case or out-of-state record exists.	Search county, municipal, federal and fingerprint sources as appropriate.
Old arrest without outcome	The court disposition may never have reached DPS or may contain an error.	That the case remains pending.	Obtain a certified court disposition and use Error Resolution.

Texas CCH is built from information submitted by law enforcement, prosecutors, courts and other criminal-justice agencies. A delay or missing disposition in the statewide record does not replace the current court file.

Texas requires qualifying Class B misdemeanor or greater arrest, prosecution and disposition information to be reported to CCH. A Class C arrest or citation may appear when an agency reports it, but reporting is not required in the same way.

Search-option comparison

Name search, fingerprint review, FACT and court records are not interchangeable

Choose by the answer you need
Search option	Who can use it	Best use	Main limitation
DPS public name search	Members of the public with a CRD account.	Public Texas conviction and deferred-adjudication research.	Name-based and not a complete all-arrest or national search.
Texas personal review	The person whose fingerprints are submitted.	Confirming or challenging your own DPS criminal history.	Requires fingerprinting, identification, fees and processing.
Secure CCH search	Legislatively authorized organizations.	Authorized employment, licensing or governmental purposes.	Access, use, storage and disclosure are legally restricted.
FACT Clearinghouse	Approved organizations using FAST fingerprints.	Consolidated Texas and eligible FBI fingerprint results.	Not available for ordinary public curiosity searches.
County or district court	Public access depends on the court and record.	Filed charges, court events and final disposition.	One court or county does not equal statewide history.
County jail or sheriff	Usually public for releasable booking information.	Recent arrest, current custody, bond and release.	A booking record does not show the final case outcome.
TDCJ inmate search	Public online access.	State-prison location, offense and projected release information.	Does not locate most people in county pretrial custody.

Your own Texas record

Use fingerprints when you need to know what DPS has on you

Texas DPS directs individuals seeking their own fingerprint-supported Texas history to the CR-63 Personal Review procedure. A name-based public search is not the correct tool for conclusively disputing whether a record belongs to you.

Read the current CR-63 instructions Review identification, appointment, fingerprint and mailing requirements before scheduling. Open the DPS CR-63 Personal Review PDF

Schedule through an approved FAST provider Texas uses the Fingerprint Applicant Services of Texas program through approved IdentoGO locations.

Use the personal-review service information Do not use an employer’s fingerprint service code unless the employing or licensing agency instructed you to do so.

Bring acceptable identification The identification must meet the current FAST requirements and match the information used for the appointment.

Confirm the total fee during scheduling DPS currently lists a $15 fingerprint-based record-check fee plus a $10 FAST fingerprinting fee for the standard process. The appointment total controls.

Keep the appointment and payment receipt Save the transaction number, appointment details and fingerprint-submission information.

Review every arrest and disposition Compare each entry with the court that handled the matter.

Use certified documents to correct missing outcomes A private website screenshot or ordinary photocopy may not satisfy DPS Error Resolution requirements.

Review Texas fingerprinting services Open the personal-review instructions

IdentoGO appointment assistance is available at 888-467-2080. Confirm the current service code, accepted identification and price before the appointment.

Authorized fingerprint checks

When an employer or agency uses FAST and the FACT Clearinghouse

FACT is not a public people-search website. Access is limited to eligible organizations with legal authority to receive criminal history record information.

FAST fingerprinting

FAST captures and electronically submits applicant fingerprints through approved service locations.

The requesting organization provides the service code.
The applicant schedules the appointment.
Identification must match the appointment information.
The result is delivered through the requesting organization’s authorized process.
An applicant fingerprinted for an agency does not automatically receive a personal copy from DPS.

FACT Clearinghouse

FACT stores consolidated DPS and eligible FBI fingerprint-based responses for authorized entities.

Only FAST-processed applicants are eligible.
Access depends on statutory authority.
Eligible organizations can subscribe to record-update notifications.
Notifications may include arrests, record updates, registry activity and death notices.
Information must be protected and used only for the authorized purpose.

Basic FACT fingerprint fees currently published by DPS
Submission type	IdentoGO/Idemia	Texas DPS	FBI
Applicant	$10	$15	$12
Volunteer	$10	$15	$10

These are basic published fees and may not apply to every statute, organization or applicant category. The requesting agency and appointment checkout should provide the controlling total.

Read about the FACT Clearinghouse Review secure-site eligibility

County and court verification

Search the local court when the DPS outcome is missing or unclear

The court with jurisdiction is normally the best source for the filed charge and legal outcome. A DPS record depends on information reported by local agencies and may not yet display a recently entered disposition.

County jail or sheriff

Use for booking number, custody status, arresting agency, initial charges, bond, housing and release.

County clerk

Often maintains Class A and Class B misdemeanor cases, although local court structure and online access vary.

District clerk

Usually maintains felony district-court cases and certified criminal filings in the county.

Identify the arresting or filing county Search the county where the case was prosecuted, not merely the person’s home county.

Find the official clerk portal Use a county government, county clerk or district clerk website rather than an advertisement or commercial records page.

Search the case number first A cause or case number is safer than a broad name-only lookup.

Compare the arrest date and charge Confirm that the case follows the same event shown in the DPS history.

Read every count separately One count may be dismissed while another produces deferred adjudication, conviction or another disposition.

Request a certified disposition when needed Certified court proof is important for DPS correction, immigration, licensing and record-clearing work.

Do not label a case “pending” only because DPS lacks a disposition. Contact the clerk and obtain the latest docket or certified judgment before drawing that conclusion.

Current jail or prison location

A criminal history search is not a live inmate locator

Recent county arrest

Search the sheriff or detention center in the county where the person was booked.

Use full name and date of birth.
Check recent bookings and recent releases.
Save the booking number.
Confirm every charge, bond and hold.
Call before visiting or sending money.

Texas state-prison custody

Use the Texas Department of Criminal Justice search after a person enters TDCJ custody.

Search by name, SID or TDCJ number.
Review the assigned unit.
Check listed offenses.
Review projected release information carefully.
Use the unit’s current visitation and mail rules.

Open TDCJ Inmate Information

TDCJ inmate-location assistance is available at 936-295-6371 or 800-535-0283, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Exact date of birth is required when the TDCJ or SID number is unknown.

Separate public registry

Use the Texas Sex Offender Registry for registration information

Sex offender registration is maintained through a separate Texas DPS system. It is not replaced by the general criminal-history name search.

Search by name when checking a known individual

Use location-based search tools for a community check

Compare photographs and identifying information

Review registration status and reporting authority

Do not use registry information to threaten or harass anyone

Contact the registering law-enforcement authority about possible errors

Search the Texas public registry Read the DPS registry guidance

Missing or inaccurate data

Correct the record with certified supporting documents

Obtain your fingerprint-based personal review Confirm that the disputed entry is actually connected to your fingerprints.

Identify the exact problem Write down the arrest date, tracking or incident number, county, case number, charge and incorrect field.

Check the court with jurisdiction Determine whether the local court file is correct and whether it contains the missing disposition.

Request a certified disposition DPS states that ordinary copies or information from private criminal-history websites may not be acceptable.

Complete the current Error Resolution form Explain the requested correction clearly and attach the certified evidence.

Keep a complete copy of the submission Preserve tracking information and every document sent.

Recheck the DPS record after processing Confirm that the corrected charge or disposition now appears accurately.

Dispute private reports separately DPS does not control the databases of private background-reporting companies.

Copy-ready error explanation

I am requesting review of the Texas criminal history entry associated with [name and identifying information]. The entry for arrest date [date], county [county], agency [agency] and case number [number] currently states [incorrect or missing information]. The attached certified court document shows [correct disposition or information]. Please update the Computerized Criminal History record and advise if additional documentation is required.

Open DPS Error Resolution

Error Resolution email: error.resolution@dps.texas.gov
Inaccurate-data assistance: 512-424-7256

Someone used your identity

Identity misuse requires a different response than a data-entry error

If another arrested person gave your name, birth date, driver’s-license number or other identifiers, do not describe the problem only as a spelling mistake. Tell DPS and local law enforcement that you believe your identity was used during an arrest.

Misused identity declaration

Texas law allows a person to file a declaration with the sheriff in the county where the person lives when another person used the identity to frustrate law enforcement.

DPS can create an identity-misuse record and associated verification password after receiving the required declaration.

Expunction of identifying information

Texas law also contains a process addressing identifying information falsely presented by an arrested person.

Contact the district attorney in the county where you live and obtain legal guidance about the applicable procedure.

Also obtain your fingerprint-based personal review, preserve copies of your identification and gather court or arrest records showing the mismatch.

Legal record restrictions

Expunction and nondisclosure do different things

Expunction

An eligible expunction can require covered arrest, court and criminal-history records to be removed, returned or destroyed under the court order.

Eligibility is limited.
The entire arrest and every charge must be analyzed.
Waiting periods and prosecutor action can matter.
DPS may participate in or oppose an expunction case.

Order of nondisclosure

A nondisclosure order generally restricts public disclosure of qualifying criminal-history information without erasing every record.

Government and authorized entities may retain access.
Eligibility depends on the offense and case result.
Deferred adjudication does not automatically mean every record is hidden.
The order must be correctly reported to affected agencies.

Do not file from a generic checklist alone. Texas eligibility can change based on the exact arrest, charge, dismissal reason, plea, probation, prior history and statutory waiting period.

Read DPS record-clearing information Find a Texas lawyer referral

Texas DPS help

Crime Records Division contacts and support routes

Public website and account support

855-481-7071

Account creation, login issues, credit purchases and public criminal-history website support.

Access and Dissemination Bureau

512-424-2474

Personal reviews, fingerprint-result status, FACT, secure-site accounts and related services.

Error Resolution

512-424-7256

error.resolution@dps.texas.gov

Fingerprint appointment help

888-467-2080

IdentoGO scheduling and location assistance.

Crime Records mailing address

Texas Department of Public Safety
PO Box 4143
Austin, TX 78765-4143

Use the address and attention line stated on the specific DPS form you are submitting.

Texas criminal-history reporting

512-424-2478

Primarily for criminal-justice agency reporting and submission questions.

Do not mail fingerprints, court documents or payment to a general address without checking the form. CR-63, Error Resolution and other DPS procedures may use different attention lines, forms and submission instructions.

Avoid expensive mistakes

Texas criminal-history search mistakes that change the answer

Searching a nickname

Use the legal first and last name. Include the middle or maiden name when known.

Skipping the birth date

A complete date of birth reduces same-name results and unnecessary credit use.

Treating no match as proof

A no-match response does not establish that no arrest, citation or restricted record exists.

Using DPS for live jail status

Search the booking county for present custody, housing, bond and release.

Ignoring the local court

The clerk’s record may contain a disposition that has not yet reached the statewide history.

Correcting the wrong company

DPS, a court and a private background company maintain separate records and require separate disputes.

10 Texas search questions

Texas criminal history records questions answered

How do I search Texas criminal history records online?

Create an account on the Texas DPS Crime Records Division Public Website, purchase search credits and open Criminal History Search. Enter the full first and last name, middle or maiden name when known, and complete date of birth. Review every possible match carefully because the public search is name-based.

How much does a Texas DPS criminal history search cost?

Texas DPS currently lists online search credits at $1 each. Credit-card purchases add a 2.25% fee per credit and a $0.25 transaction fee. A search that returns no matching records still uses a credit.

Does the Texas DPS public search show every arrest?

No. It primarily provides Texas criminal-history information legally available to the public, including qualifying conviction and deferred-adjudication information. It is not a complete database of every arrest, county booking, municipal case or federal record.

What is the difference between a name search and fingerprint review?

A name search compares names, birth dates and similar identifiers and can return the wrong person or miss a record. A fingerprint review compares fingerprints with fingerprint-supported Texas records and is the more reliable way to confirm identity.

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

Follow the Texas DPS CR-63 Personal Review procedure. Schedule fingerprinting through an approved FAST or IdentoGO location, bring acceptable identification, submit the required fingerprints and fees, and provide the mailing information requested by DPS.

What does no matching records mean on the Texas DPS search?

It means the public system did not return a record for the information submitted. It does not prove that the person has never been arrested or charged. The event may be local, restricted, unreported, out of state or listed under different identifying information.

How do I correct an error in a Texas criminal history record?

Obtain a fingerprint-based personal review, identify the exact entry and get certified supporting documents from the court or agency that controls the information. Submit those documents through Texas DPS Error Resolution.

Where do I search for someone currently in a Texas jail or prison?

For a recent arrest, search the sheriff or jail in the county where the person was booked. Use the Texas Department of Criminal Justice inmate search for state-prison custody. A DPS history search does not provide live jail housing, bond or release information.

What is the Texas FACT Clearinghouse?

FACT is a restricted DPS system for authorized organizations. It stores consolidated Texas and eligible FBI fingerprint-based results for applicants processed through FAST and can provide eligible organizations with continuing record-update notifications.

Can a Texas criminal history record be expunged or hidden?

Some records may qualify for expunction or an order of nondisclosure. Expunction can require covered records to be removed or destroyed, while nondisclosure generally restricts public disclosure without erasing every government record. Eligibility depends on the specific case.

Accuracy, privacy and legal-use notice

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

Criminal-history records can contain same-name matches, incomplete reporting, delayed dispositions and legally restricted information. Verify identity with multiple identifiers and use fingerprints when a decision requires reliable identity confirmation.

An arrest or criminal-history entry does not by itself establish guilt. Obtain the final court record before describing the outcome of a case.

Official-source review completed August 3, 2026. Primary sources reviewed include the Texas DPS Crime Records Division public and secure websites, DPS criminal-history search instructions, fingerprinting services, FACT Clearinghouse, Error Resolution, Crime Records Service, Texas Sex Offender Registration Program and Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

Texas Criminal History Records: Search Options