Minnesota Background Check

Minnesota keeps criminal history records through several agencies and systems. The Bureau of Criminal Apprehension runs the main public search tool, available free at chs.state.mn.us. Court case records live in the Minnesota Court Records Online system, which covers all 87 counties. County sheriff offices and district courts hold local arrest and case data as well. If you need to look up a criminal record in Minnesota, this page covers the key systems, what each one contains, and how to use them to find background check records at the state, county, and local level.

Minnesota Background Check Systems

Minnesota uses a three-tier system for criminal background records. At the state level, the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension serves as the main repository. The BCA collects fingerprint data, criminal history records, and conviction information from law enforcement across all 87 counties. Two other state agencies add to the picture: the Department of Corrections tracks people under active supervision, and the Department of Human Services runs a separate background study system for licensed care programs. All three pull from overlapping data but serve different needs.

At the county level, each of the 87 county sheriff offices keeps local arrest records and jail data. The county district courts hold case files, hearing records, and final dispositions. These local records often fill in gaps that the statewide systems don't cover, especially for older cases or incidents that didn't result in BCA entries. At the city level, municipal police departments keep records of incidents that occurred within their jurisdiction. A full picture often requires checking more than one source.

The BCA public search at chs.state.mn.us is free and available to anyone. It shows conviction records only, not arrests. The results are name-based and go back 15 years from the end of a sentence.

The Minnesota Judicial Branch oversees Minnesota's court system and provides online access to court records through MCRO.

The BCA Criminal History Search (CHS) returns public conviction data for the past 15 years after sentence discharge, free of charge for anyone with a name and date of birth.

BCA Public Criminal History Search

The BCA Criminal History Search is the most used public background check tool in Minnesota. You need a first name, last name, and date of birth to run the search. The system is name-based only. No fingerprints are required for the free public version. Results show only convictions. Arrests that did not lead to a conviction do not show up. Charges that were dismissed or resulted in an acquittal are also excluded.

What the public search includes is spelled out in Minnesota Statutes, Section 13.87, Subdivision 1(c). The BCA makes public conviction data for 15 years after the discharge of a sentence, sentence information, and confinement information. After 15 years, the record moves out of the public view. The data covers Minnesota convictions only. Out-of-state convictions and federal cases do not appear here. If you need a broader criminal history, you have to go through a different channel, such as a fingerprint-based check or the court records system.

The Methamphetamine Offender Registry (MOR) is also included in CHS results. This registry operates under Executive Orders 06-09 and 11-08. It covers people convicted of certain methamphetamine crimes who are still within the reporting window.

The DPS background check page explains the different types of checks available through the BCA, including public access and fingerprint-based options, along with fees and mail request procedures.

For people who need private criminal history data beyond what the public search shows, the BCA offers a mail-in request option. You send a notarized Informed Consent form, a $15 fee by check or money order, and a self-addressed stamped envelope. The BCA Criminal History Access Unit at 1430 Maryland Avenue East in St. Paul processes these requests. Expect about two weeks. You can also use the public terminal at BCA headquarters in person during business hours, 8:15 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. Bring a photo ID.

Minnesota Court Records Online

Minnesota Court Records Online, known as MCRO, is the state's public access system for court case documents. It launched in phases starting in 2021 and now covers district courts in all 87 counties. Unlike older court access systems that showed only docket entries, MCRO gives you access to actual court documents. You can search by name, case number, attorney name, citation number, or bar number.

MCRO has four search tabs. Case Search finds cases by party name or case number. Document Search lets you pull documents when you already have a case number. Hearing Search shows upcoming hearings by name or case. Judgment Search finds docketed money judgments by debtor name. The system covers civil and criminal cases, probate, family law records (public portions), and paternity cases after establishment. It does not cover civil commitment cases, domestic abuse cases, harassment cases, or most juvenile records. Documents filed before July 1, 2015 have limited availability. Most orders and court notices go back to July 1, 2005. Visit mncourts.gov/access-case-records/mcro to search. The system is currently free to use. You need a PDF viewer to open documents.

The MCRO system allows anyone to search for court cases, view public documents, find scheduled hearings, and look up money judgments, covering civil and criminal filings statewide.

The older Minnesota Public Access (MPA) system at pa.courts.state.mn.us is still available and shows case docket information from the MNCIS database. It does not show actual documents. MPA works well for finding case numbers that you can then search in MCRO for the underlying documents. Both systems give you access to public court records without a fee and without requiring a reason for the request.

DOC Offender Locator and Predatory Offender Registry

The Minnesota Department of Corrections runs the Offender Locator at coms.doc.state.mn.us/PublicViewer. This tool lets you search for people currently under DOC jurisdiction, which includes those in prison and those on supervised release after prison. You can search by name, date of birth, or offender ID. Results include demographic data, current offense information, custody status, and links to BCA and court data for the person. The locator updates regularly but may take several business days to reflect newly sentenced individuals. Questions can go to co-records.doc@state.mn.us.

The Predatory Offender Registry is a separate system managed by the BCA. It tracks people required to register under Minnesota Statutes, Section 243.166. Registration is required for offenses including criminal sexual conduct, kidnapping, false imprisonment of a minor, and possession of child pornography. The minimum registration period is 10 years, with lifetime registration for certain offenses and repeat offenders. Public access is limited. Only non-compliant registrants, meaning those who have failed to register or update their information, appear in the public search. Level III offenders, who carry the highest risk designation, may be subject to broader community notification. About 18,000 or more people are registered in Minnesota at any given time, but most of their information is not public.

Search results from the DOC Offender Locator include custody status, offense information, and links to additional BCA and court data for the individual.

DHS Background Studies in Minnesota

The Minnesota Department of Human Services administers NETStudy 2.0, a background study system for licensed care programs that serve children and vulnerable adults. This is not the same as a BCA criminal history check. NETStudy goes further. It checks Minnesota conviction records, records of substantiated maltreatment of children, records of substantiated maltreatment of vulnerable adults, and the predatory offender registry. Enhanced studies add a fingerprint-based FBI check and out-of-state registry checks for all states where the person has lived in the past five years.

Programs that must use NETStudy include child care providers, nursing homes, hospitals with patient contact, and foster care and adoption programs. The standard study costs $20. The fingerprinting fee is $9.10. About 85 percent of studies clear within 24 to 48 hours. The remaining 15 percent require additional review. Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 245C governs this program. You can reach the DHS background studies division at 651-431-6620 or by email at dhs.netstudy2@state.mn.us. The DHS portal is at mn.gov/dhs.

Chapter 245C sets out which crimes result in permanent versus temporary disqualification from licensed care programs, and the process for applying for a set-aside or variance in some cases.

Criminal History Data Law in Minnesota

Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 13 is the Government Data Practices Act. Under Section 13.01, all government data is presumptively public unless a statute classifies it otherwise. Section 13.87 specifically governs criminal history data. That provision defines criminal history data as records of arrests, detentions, indictments, informations, convictions, and correctional records maintained by the BCA. The statute classifies criminal history data as private on individuals, except for the portion that the BCA makes public under Section 13.87, Subdivision 1(c). That public portion is conviction data for the past 15 years, sentence information, and confinement information.

Arrest data, by contrast, has its own rules under Section 13.82. Law enforcement agencies must make certain arrest data public. That includes the time and place of arrest, the name of the arresting officer, the agency making the arrest, the charges, and the disposition of those charges. This is true even if the arrest did not result in a conviction. However, active investigative data stays confidential while an investigation is ongoing. Once the investigation is complete, that data generally becomes public unless releasing it would jeopardize security, reveal a confidential source, or expose investigative techniques. Agencies must respond to public data requests within 10 business days.

Chapter 13 sets out the classifications of government data, from fully public to confidential, and gives individuals rights to access data about themselves that is classified as private.

Under Minnesota Statutes, Section 299C.10, sheriffs and peace officers must take fingerprints and photographs of anyone arrested for a felony, gross misdemeanor, or certain targeted misdemeanors such as DWI, domestic assault, and fifth-degree assault. These fingerprints go to the BCA, which maintains the statewide criminal identification system under Section 299C.46. The BCA is authorized under Section 299C.11 to maintain all criminal identification data furnished by local law enforcement.

Expungement of Criminal Records

Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 609A covers the expungement of criminal records. Expungement in Minnesota means the records are sealed, not destroyed. Sealed records cannot be opened except under a court order or as authorized by statute. Criminal justice agencies may still be able to access expunged records in some circumstances. The public cannot.

Under Section 609A.02, a person can petition for expungement if all actions in the case were resolved in their favor, or if they successfully completed a diversion program or stay of adjudication. Expungement is described in Section 609A.03 as an extraordinary remedy. The court grants it only when the petitioner shows by clear and convincing evidence that the benefit outweighs the disadvantages to the public. This is a high bar. Not every case qualifies, and the judge has wide discretion.

Starting January 1, 2025, certain cannabis-related convictions became eligible for automatic expungement under Section 609A.035. These cases are sealed without requiring the individual to file a petition. The change reflects updated state policy on cannabis offenses that were decriminalized or legalized after conviction.

The Minnesota Judicial Branch provides forms and guidance for people seeking expungement of criminal records through the district court in the county where the case was filed.

How to Get Background Check Records in Minnesota

The fastest way to search Minnesota criminal records is the free BCA public tool at chs.state.mn.us. Enter a full name and date of birth. Results show conviction data for the past 15 years. No account or registration required.

For court records, go to Minnesota Court Records Online. You can search by name or case number. The system shows case status, docket entries, and documents for most cases filed since 2015. For older cases or cases not yet in MCRO, the legacy MPA system at pa.courts.state.mn.us shows docket info going back further, though without actual documents.

To get records directly from the BCA by mail, you need a notarized Informed Consent form, a $15 check or money order payable to the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Send everything to BCA Criminal History Access Unit, 1430 Maryland Avenue East, St. Paul, MN 55106. The phone number for the unit is 651-793-2400. Processing takes about two weeks. You can also walk in during business hours Monday through Friday.

For local county records, contact the sheriff's office or district court in the specific county. Each county has its own records and may have jail roster searches or inmate information online. The Minnesota Court Directory lists contact information for every district court in the state.

The court directory makes it easy to find the right courthouse for any county, along with contact info for records requests and in-person visits.

The BCA oversees criminal history records, fingerprinting services, and the public criminal history search for the state of Minnesota.

Browse Minnesota Background Check Records by County

Each of Minnesota's 87 counties has its own sheriff's office and district court that hold local criminal records and case files. Pick a county below to find contact information, local resources, and background check tools for that area.

View All 87 Minnesota Counties

Background Check Records in Major Minnesota Cities

Residents of Minnesota's larger cities can use local police department resources along with state systems. Pick a city below to find background check information for that area.

View Major Minnesota Cities