Getting a Copy of Your Minnesota Criminal Record
Which Minnesota agency keeps criminal history records, how to request your own record, and the fee.
Short answer: The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) keeps state criminal history records. Public criminal history records can be searched on the Minnesota Public Criminal History website. Minnesota BCA, Obtaining my own criminal history record for my own use
| Getting a copy of your criminal record | The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) keeps state criminal history records. Public criminal history records can be searched on the Minnesota Public Criminal History website. To get a copy of your own record returned to you (for housing, employment, licensing, a name change or international travel), complete the BCA's personal request form, sign it in front of a notary, pay the applicable fee (check, money order or cash; credit cards in person with a service fee), and submit it by U.S. mail or in person at BCA headquarters, CHA Unit, 1430 Maryland Ave. E., St. Paul, MN 55106. You can also request your own record through a data request; if your record was affected by the Clean Slate Act or Adult Use Cannabis Act, a data request can return your complete record including sealed offenses. |
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| What relief the state offers | Minnesota calls its remedy "expungement," but it works by sealing records; the records may not be destroyed. Options include automatic expungement ("Clean Slate") carried out by the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA), court petitions to seal records, automatic expungement of certain cannabis records, review of felony cannabis convictions by a Cannabis Expungement Board, juvenile record expungement, and pardons from the Board of Pardons, which set aside and seal the conviction. |
Where to get help in Minnesota
More Minnesota expungement & criminal records
- Expunging or Sealing a Felony in Minnesota
- Clearing a DUI From Your Record in Minnesota
- How to File for Expungement in Minnesota
- Sealing or Expunging Juvenile Records in Minnesota
- All Minnesota expungement & criminal records rules
FAQ
How do I check my own criminal record in Minnesota?
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) keeps state criminal history records. Public criminal history records can be searched on the Minnesota Public Criminal History website. To get a copy of your own record returned to you (for housing, employment, licensing, a name change or international travel), complete the BCA's personal request form, sign it in front of a notary, pay the applicable fee (check, money order or cash; credit cards in person with a service fee), and submit it by U.S. mail or in person at BCA headquarters, CHA Unit, 1430 Maryland Ave. E., St. Paul, MN 55106. You can also request your own record through a data request; if your record was affected by the Clean Slate Act or Adult Use Cannabis Act, a data request can return your complete record including sealed offenses.
Can you get a criminal record expunged in Minnesota?
Minnesota calls its remedy "expungement," but it works by sealing records; the records may not be destroyed. Options include automatic expungement ("Clean Slate") carried out by the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA), court petitions to seal records, automatic expungement of certain cannabis records, review of felony cannabis convictions by a Cannabis Expungement Board, juvenile record expungement, and pardons from the Board of Pardons, which set aside and seal the conviction.
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.