Getting a Copy of Your Alabama Criminal Record
Which Alabama agency keeps criminal history records, how to request your own record, and the fee.
Short answer: The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA), Criminal Records and Identification Unit, keeps the state criminal history record. ALEA CJIS Form 46, Application to Review/Challenge Alabama Criminal History Record (rev. 3-8-2023)
| Getting a copy of your criminal record | The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA), Criminal Records and Identification Unit, keeps the state criminal history record. To review your own record, complete the ALEA Application to Review Alabama Criminal History Record Information (ALEA CJIS Form 46), signed before two witnesses or notarized, and mail it with a copy of a valid photo ID, a set of your own fingerprints taken by a law enforcement agency on an FBI applicant card, and a $25.00 administrative fee (cashier's check or money order only; personal and business checks are not accepted) to ALEA, Criminal Records and Identification Unit, ATTN: Background Checks, P.O. Box 1511, Montgomery, AL 36102-1511. Allow at least 4-5 weeks. Errors can be challenged with Appendix A of the same form (not used for expungements). Questions: 334-676-7700. The form notes FBI identification records are corrected under a separate federal procedure (28 CFR 16.34); see https://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/background-checks. |
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| What relief the state offers | Alabama offers court-ordered expungement under Chapter 27 of Title 15 of the Code of Alabama. It covers records of charges that did not end in a conviction, certain misdemeanor and traffic convictions, and certain felony convictions that have been pardoned. A judge, not ALEA, grants an expungement. Juvenile court records can be sealed under a separate law. After an expungement, the proceedings are treated as if they never occurred. |
Where to get help in Alabama
More Alabama expungement & criminal records
- Expunging or Sealing a Felony in Alabama
- Clearing a DUI From Your Record in Alabama
- How to File for Expungement in Alabama
- Sealing or Expunging Juvenile Records in Alabama
- All Alabama expungement & criminal records rules
FAQ
How do I check my own criminal record in Alabama?
The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA), Criminal Records and Identification Unit, keeps the state criminal history record. To review your own record, complete the ALEA Application to Review Alabama Criminal History Record Information (ALEA CJIS Form 46), signed before two witnesses or notarized, and mail it with a copy of a valid photo ID, a set of your own fingerprints taken by a law enforcement agency on an FBI applicant card, and a $25.00 administrative fee (cashier's check or money order only; personal and business checks are not accepted) to ALEA, Criminal Records and Identification Unit, ATTN: Background Checks, P.O. Box 1511, Montgomery, AL 36102-1511. Allow at least 4-5 weeks. Errors can be challenged with Appendix A of the same form (not used for expungements). Questions: 334-676-7700.
Can you get a criminal record expunged in Alabama?
Alabama offers court-ordered expungement under Chapter 27 of Title 15 of the Code of Alabama. It covers records of charges that did not end in a conviction, certain misdemeanor and traffic convictions, and certain felony convictions that have been pardoned. A judge, not ALEA, grants an expungement. Juvenile court records can be sealed under a separate law. After an expungement, the proceedings are treated as if they never occurred.
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.