- 1). Go to your local police department. For a fee (generally less than $20) you can obtain a copy of your local police record. This may only include information about arrests made in that jurisdiction. Bring official photo identification.
- 2). Determine if you need to obtain a copy of your police record from the Department of Justice in your state--this will be necessary if you have arrests from more than one city or county. For example, if you have an arrest for a misdemeanor in one city, that may not show up on the report generated by the police department in another city.
- 3). Contact the Office of the Attorney General or the Department of Justice in your state. You may need to download a form from the office's website that you will fill out and send back (with a check or money order for the fee that is charged for a copy of your criminal record).
- 4). To obtain a copy of your federal criminal record, you will need to provide your fingerprints on a standard fingerprint form. You can obtain the forms from the FBI website, and most police departments will "roll" your fingerprints for a nominal fee. You then submit the fingerprint form and the FBI form with a fee, and you will receive your criminal record by return mail.