Crime & Traffic
Worried about doing this on your own? You may be able to get free legal help.
A criminal record shows your arrests, charges, and the outcome of your cases, including any sentences. You can get records from the Illinois State Police, Chicago Police, local police departments, county sheriffs, or the Illinois Circuit Court .
Some records can be reviewed for free by visiting the circuit court clerk in person. Most of the time, you don’t need to include copies with your expungement petition . However, some judges may require case disposition copies, which you’ll need to request from the circuit clerk and pay for. In Chicago, you must include your RAP sheet.
Once you have your criminal record, you can learn how to understand your record, including what the abbreviations on your RAP sheets mean.
The "Statewide Criminal History Transcript" from the Illinois State Police (ISP) is a document that includes all arrests and convictions that happened in Illinois. If you have arrests from Chicago, you can skip to #2, “Get your Chicago RAP Sheet,” as you will be able to request your ISP criminal history transcript at the same time.
If you do not have any Chicago arrests, follow these instructions.
You will need to get your fingerprints taken. You can do this by:
- Contacting the Illinois State Police, Bureau of Identification
260 N. Chicago St.
Joliet, IL 60432
Monday - Friday, 8 am - 4 pm
(815) 740-5160 - select option 2 - You can also go to any licensed live scan fingerprint vendor. They will take your fingerprints and send your information to the ISP.
If you are homeless, you might be able to get fingerprinted for free. Contact your local law enforcement agency for details.
The ISP will email you an encrypted version of your report. To read the report, you’ll need to receive an online permission certificate and an encryption application for your computer. Alternatively, you can pick it up in person at a later date in the office where you ordered the transcript.
Read more about the encryption-approval process. Learn more about the fees involved.
If your arrest was in Chicago, you’ll need to get your Chicago Record of Arrests and Prosecutions (RAP) sheet. The RAP sheet is a list of all arrests, charges, and court case outcomes that happened in Chicago.
In person
There is a $16 fee, payable only by cash, check, or money order, payable to the City of Chicago - Dept of Revenue. While you are there, request a copy of your Illinois State Police Statewide Criminal History Transcript at no additional cost.
Chicago Police Headquarters
3510 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60653
(312) 745-5508
You will need to first go and get your fingerprints taken. The hours for this service are 8:30-1:30 pm, on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Make sure to bring a copy of your state ID or driver’s license.
You will fill out an envelope with the address you wish to receive the RAP sheet. You will receive your RAP sheet in the mail 7-10 business days from the date you were fingerprinted.
By mail
If you don’t live in Illinois or are unable to request your RAP sheet in person, you can request your RAP sheet by mail. You will need:
- A set of your fingerprints from a local police department,
- A photocopy of your ID,
- A $16 money order made out to the City of Chicago,
- A self-addressed stamped envelope with two stamps (the RAP sheet will be sent directly to you), and
- A letter to the Chicago Police Department asking for a copy of your Chicago RAP sheet and your ISP criminal history transcript, including your phone number in case they have questions.
Mail all this to:
Chicago Police Department
Field Services Section - Unit 166
Attn: O.S.A.R.
3510 S. Michigan Ave. Chicago, IL 60653
If you have any questions, call the Chicago Police Department at (312) 745-5644.
Name Based Background Checks
You can also run a name-based inquiry for a quicker background check. You can do this through the Criminal History Response Process (CHIRP). To do this, you’ll need to register and link directly with CHIRP from the ISP website. While a fingerprint inquiry requires the consent of the person, a name search does not.
Name-based inquiries are $16 for paper documents and $10 for electronic records. For more information on how to set up an account, visit the Illinois State Police Guide.
Court records are generally open to the public. Each county’s Circuit Clerk keeps the court records. The law requires that these records be open to the public. Review frequently asked questions about court records.
In Cook County
Cook County does not provide public online access to criminal records. If your case was filed in Cook County, go to the Circuit Clerk's Office in the district or the courthouse where you went to court. There are no court dispositions for arrests or charges that did not lead to a court case. In certain courthouses, the Clerk may charge you a Certified Disposition Fee to process your request. Learn more about how to get records for Cook County Circuit Court.
Other Circuit Court Records (not Cook County)
Ask the circuit clerk for copies of your court dispositions or use the public computer at the courthouse to look them up and print them out. There may be a fee to get copies of or print out your court dispositions, but you can look at them on the computer and write down the information for free. Some circuits may have online record searching. Local law enforcement agencies can give this information. Call to find out costs and times.
Find your local circuit clerk.
