Minneapolis Background Check Records
Minneapolis is Minnesota's largest city, and it has more background check resources than anywhere else in the state. You can search criminal history through the BCA, pull court records from Hennepin County District Court, and request police records directly from the Minneapolis Police Department. This page covers every major public record source available for background checks in Minneapolis, including how to access each one, what each source contains, and what fees or steps may apply.
Minneapolis Overview
BCA Criminal History Search
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension runs the state's main criminal history database. Anyone can search it for free at chs.state.mn.us. This covers felony and gross misdemeanor convictions from courts across Minnesota, including all cases filed in Hennepin County. The BCA pulls data from court records statewide, so it reaches far beyond just Minneapolis cases. You do not need an account to search. Just enter a first name, last name, and date of birth.
Under Minnesota Statute 13.87, conviction records are public for 15 years from the date of conviction. If someone was convicted within the last 15 years, you should find it through the BCA public search. Acquittals, dismissed charges, and cases where the person was found not guilty do not appear. The search is name-based and free. Results show conviction dates, charges, and the county where the case was filed. For most public record searches, this is the right starting point.
The BCA also handles fingerprint-based checks for situations that call for a more thorough search. These go through national FBI databases as well as state files. Fingerprint submissions require a formal process and are used for specific purposes. The online name search covers most general background check needs without going through that process.
The Minneapolis Police Department website is a direct source for local arrest records, police reports, and data practices requests under Minnesota law.
Minneapolis Police Department Records
The Minneapolis Police Department keeps its own records separate from the BCA. These include local arrest records, incident reports, and clearance letters. The Records Information Unit is at 505 4th Avenue S, Minneapolis, MN 55415. Reach them by phone at 612-673-2961 during phone hours, which run 8 to 11am and 1 to 4pm Monday through Friday. Email requests go to MPD.Records@minneapolismn.gov. Walk-in service is available Monday through Thursday 8am to 4pm, and Friday 9am to 4pm.
Adult arrest records are public under Minnesota Statute 13.82, which makes arrest data public record in Minnesota. To get arrest records from MPD, you need to provide a full name and date of birth. Records go back to 1990. Police reports are also available, but only the portions classified as public data. Parts of active investigations or certain sensitive report types may be withheld. The department applies the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act to determine what gets released.
MPD also issues clearance letters. A clearance letter is a formal document stating that the named person has no arrest record on file with the Minneapolis Police Department. This is not the same as a statewide BCA check. A clearance letter covers only MPD records, not records from other agencies or counties. If you need proof of a clean record specifically within Minneapolis, that is what to request.
The MPD police reports and data requests page explains how to request records, what forms to use, and how the Data Practices Act applies to each request type.
Hennepin County District Court
Minneapolis is the county seat of Hennepin County. All district court cases filed in the city go through Hennepin County District Court at 300 S 6th Street, Minneapolis, MN 55487. The main phone number is 612-348-6000. Their site is at mncourts.gov/Find-Courts/Hennepin.aspx. This court handles civil, criminal, family, and probate cases. Most felony and gross misdemeanor charges that lead to BCA records originate here.
Court records are a core part of any background check. You can look up case information online through the Minnesota Court Records Online system. Certified copies of documents cost $14 per document and must be requested from the court clerk. Not all case types are open to the public. Juvenile records are sealed. Expunged records under Statute 609A are removed from public view by court order and will not appear in a standard search. If you need a certified copy for official purposes, you can request it in person at the courthouse or by mail.
Minnesota Court Records Online
Minnesota Court Records Online, or MCRO, is the public portal for court records across the state. Access it at mncourts.gov/access-case-records/mcro. MCRO lets you search by name and view case index information, hearing dates, and case types. It covers all 87 Minnesota counties, including Hennepin. Most searches are free. Some document views carry a small fee.
MCRO does not show sealed or expunged records. Certain family court filings are restricted. For the most complete picture, search MCRO alongside the BCA criminal history tool. The two together cover both conviction records and active court filings. If a case exists in Hennepin County but has not yet resulted in a conviction, it may appear in MCRO before it shows up in the BCA database.
The MPD arrest records page details how arrest data is categorized under Minnesota law, what is public, and how to submit a formal data practices request.
MPA Remote Access
The Minnesota Public Access Remote system gives subscribers direct access to court records across all counties. Log in at pa.courts.state.mn.us. MPA Remote includes more case detail than the free MCRO portal, with document images and full charge information. There is a subscription fee. It is mostly used by legal professionals and researchers who need frequent access. For a one-time check, MCRO is the simpler starting point.
DOC Offender Locator
The Minnesota Department of Corrections runs a free public search tool called the Offender Locator at coms.doc.state.mn.us/PublicViewer. This shows people currently under DOC supervision, including those in prison and those on supervised release or probation. It does not show people who have completed their sentence. If you need to know whether someone is currently incarcerated or still under state supervision, this is the tool to use. It is updated regularly but may not reflect same-day status changes.
Minnesota Data Practices Act
Minnesota's Government Data Practices Act controls what public agencies must release and what they may keep private. For background checks, the key sections are Statute 13.87 for criminal history data and Statute 13.82 for arrest data. Both make a meaningful amount of law enforcement information available to the public, but the law also protects certain data categories, including victim information, active investigation details, and records sealed by court order.
Arrest data is public from the moment of booking. This includes name, date of arrest, charges, and the arresting agency. However, if a person is arrested and not charged, or if charges are dismissed, that arrest data has limited public value. Conviction data under Statute 13.87 is public for 15 years. After that, it may still exist in agency records but is not required to be released. Expungement under Statute 609A can seal records from all participating agencies. When a court grants expungement, the records must be sealed and are no longer accessible to the public.
Mail Requests to the BCA
You can request a background check by mail from the BCA. Send to 1430 Maryland Avenue E, St. Paul, MN 55106. The fee is $15 per name search. Processing takes about two weeks. Include full name, date of birth, and a check or money order made out to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. Call 651-793-2400 with questions. Mail requests are useful when you need a printed result or when the online search does not return the detail you need.
DHS Background Studies
People who work in licensed care programs in Minnesota may go through a different process governed by Minnesota Statute 245C. These are Department of Human Services background studies, not general public record searches. They cover a broader range of offenses and are required for people in direct contact with vulnerable adults or children in licensed care settings. The DHS background study process is entirely separate from the BCA public search and has its own submission and review procedures.
Nearby Cities
Many background check searches involve people across the broader Minneapolis metro. These nearby cities have their own record sources and local police departments.