Washington DC Criminal Records

This guide explains how to find Washington, D.C. criminal records, arrest records, court records, inmate information, and the public sex offender registry, and how D.C.'s background-check and record-sealing laws work. It was last reviewed in June 2026 using official Washington, D.C. sources, and it points you to the District and federal agencies that hold each type of record. You can also start a name search using the tool on this page.

How do I look up a criminal record in Washington, D.C.?

There are three realistic ways to find criminal-record information in the District of Columbia:

• Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) Arrest and Criminal History Section. The MPD manages official criminal history records for the District. You can request your own record (or a police clearance) in person or by mail from the Arrest and Criminal History Section at 441 4th Street, NW, Room 550 South, Washington, D.C. 20001. The fee is $7 (cash or credit card; no money orders or personal checks accepted). In-person appointments are available; a drop-off option is also available with about a two-week turnaround. Mail requests must be notarized and should allow six weeks for processing. See the MPD Police Clearances page for current details. The MPD will only release a person's own record to that individual; third parties generally cannot obtain another person's criminal history through MPD.
• DC Superior Court case search. Individual criminal case records are held by the DC Superior Court and are generally public. You can search cases through the court's online portal (see the court-records question below).
• An online people-search tool like the one on this page, which compiles public-record data from many sources into one report. These tools are for personal knowledge only and are not a substitute for an official MPD check or an FCRA-compliant background check.

Are criminal records public in Washington, D.C.?

It depends on which record. The MPD's official criminal history on an individual is not open to the public - only the person themselves can obtain it through the Arrest and Criminal History Section. Court case records at the DC Superior Court, on the other hand, are generally public and can be viewed through the court's online case search or in person at the courthouse. So while you cannot pull someone else's official criminal history from MPD, you can often look up individual court cases through the court system.

How do I find court records in Washington, D.C.?

Criminal case records in D.C. are kept by the DC Superior Court, which is the sole trial court for all local criminal matters. The court offers an online case search that covers criminal, civil, domestic violence, tax, and probate cases. You can search by party name or case number to find docket entries, case status, and scheduled hearings. For actual case documents, you can contact the clerk's office in person at 500 Indiana Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. 20001. Note that criminal citation cases are generally not available online; for those, contact the police district where the citation was issued.

Where can I look up arrest records in Washington, D.C.?

Arrest records in D.C. are maintained by the Metropolitan Police Department. A person can request their own arrest and criminal history from the MPD Arrest and Criminal History Section (details above). The MPD offers two types of history: Option A ($7) shows all adult arrests and is used for record-sealing eligibility purposes; Option B ($7) shows only convictions completed within the last 10 years and is used for employment or licensing. Recent arrest information may also surface in DC Superior Court case records when charges are filed. An arrest record shows that a person was taken into custody - it is not proof of a conviction. Under D.C.'s Fair Criminal Record Screening Amendment Act, employers with 11 or more employees are generally prohibited from asking about arrests that did not result in a conviction, even after making a conditional job offer.

How do I look up warrants in Washington, D.C.?

Warrants in D.C. are issued by the DC Superior Court. The best way to check is to contact the court clerk directly or search the court's online case system for open criminal cases. The Metropolitan Police Department also maintains warrant information. Because D.C. is a single jurisdiction rather than a collection of counties, there is no need to check multiple county sources - the Superior Court and the MPD are the two main agencies to contact.

Do arrests show up on background checks in Washington, D.C.?

For employment, tenant, and credit screening run through a consumer reporting agency, the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) controls what can be reported. D.C.'s Fair Criminal Record Screening Amendment Act adds local protections: employers with 11 or more employees may not ask about or require disclosure of an arrest or criminal charge that is not pending and did not result in a conviction - this applies even after a conditional job offer is made. Convictions can be disclosed and considered only after a conditional offer, and only for a legitimate business reason. Under D.C. Code § 2-1402.66, the official MPD employer background check (Option B) covers convictions completed within the past 10 years only.

How far back does a background check go in Washington, D.C.?

D.C. has a 10-year lookback limit for convictions on employer-requested criminal history checks through the MPD. Under D.C. Code § 2-1402.66, the official report will not include conviction information for sentences completed more than 10 years before the date of the check. Key points:

• Arrests that did not result in a conviction generally cannot be reported to employers at all under D.C.'s Fair Criminal Record Screening Amendment Act.
• The 10-year limit applies to MPD-issued employer checks; private background-check companies may have different reporting windows under the federal FCRA.
• The D.C. ban-the-box law bars employers with 11 or more employees from asking about conviction history until after a conditional offer of employment has been made.

How do I find someone in jail or prison in Washington, D.C.?

D.C. has an unusual custody arrangement because it is not a state. People held for trial or serving shorter sentences are held at the D.C. Jail, operated by the D.C. Department of Corrections (DOC). To locate someone at the D.C. Jail, call the DOC Records Office at (202) 523-7060. Victims can register with VINE (Victim Information & Notification Everyday) at (877) 329-7894 for automated inmate status updates. People convicted of felonies in D.C. and sentenced to more than one year serve their sentences in federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) facilities, not a D.C. state prison. Use the Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator to find a person serving a D.C. felony sentence in federal custody.

How do I find out if someone is on probation or parole in Washington, D.C.?

Probation and parole supervision in D.C. is handled by the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency (CSOSA), a federal agency created specifically to supervise adults on probation, parole, and supervised release in the District. In FY2024 CSOSA supervised nearly 11,000 individuals in the District. Supervision status is not published in a public lookup tool; to get information about a specific supervised person, contact CSOSA directly. Probation allows a person to serve a sentence in the community under court-ordered conditions instead of being incarcerated.

What crimes are felonies in Washington, D.C.?

Under D.C. law, a felony is any crime punishable by more than one year of incarceration. Unlike many states, D.C. does not use a letter-class system (Class A, B, C) for felonies. Instead, each offense in Title 22 of the D.C. Code carries its own specific maximum sentence, which can range from two years to life imprisonment. The D.C. Code sets maximum penalty tiers at roughly 2, 5, 10, 15, 20, 30 years, and life for the most serious offenses. Common felony offenses include murder, first-degree sexual abuse, armed robbery, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and burglary. Sentences above one year in D.C. are typically served in federal Bureau of Prisons facilities because D.C. operates no state prison of its own.

What crimes are misdemeanors in Washington, D.C.?

A misdemeanor in D.C. is any criminal offense punishable by one year or less of incarceration in the D.C. Jail. Like felonies, D.C. does not group misdemeanors into classes - the maximum sentence is set offense by offense in the D.C. Code. Most misdemeanor maximums fall at 90 days, 180 days, or one year in jail, plus a fine. Common misdemeanor examples include simple assault, driving under the influence (DUI) for a first offense, possession of a small amount of marijuana beyond lawful limits, and petty theft. A first-offense DUI carries up to 90 days in jail and a $500 fine under D.C. Code § 50-2206.11.

Are traffic violations crimes in Washington, D.C.?

Most routine traffic violations in D.C. are civil infractions, not criminal offenses, punishable by fines only and carrying no jail time. They do not create a criminal record and generally will not appear on a criminal background check. More serious driving offenses - such as driving under the influence (DUI), reckless driving, or leaving the scene of an accident - are criminal misdemeanors or, in aggravated cases, felonies, and they do create a criminal record.

Is the sex offender registry public in Washington, D.C.?

Yes, in part. The Metropolitan Police Department maintains D.C.'s sex offender registry under the Sex Offender Registration Act of 1999 (D.C. Code § 22-4001 et seq.). The online registry at sexoffender.dc.gov is searchable by name or address and covers Class A and Class B offenders. Class C offenders are not listed in the public online database; to see a complete list of all three classes, you must visit an MPD Registry Book location in person. Address information is provided at the block level only - no specific house number is shown. Contact the MPD Sex Offender Registry Unit at (202) 727-4407 for additional information.

What are the sex offender registration classes in Washington, D.C.?

D.C. classifies sex offenders into three tiers under D.C. Code § 22-4001:

• Class A - the most serious offenders, including those convicted of first-degree sexual abuse, forcible rape, offenses against children under 12, or offenders with multiple convictions. Class A registration is lifetime.
• Class B - offenses against minors (under 18), such as third- or fourth-degree sexual abuse of a child and related crimes. Class B registration is 10 years after release from supervision or incarceration.
• Class C - sexual offenses against adults (18 and older), such as third- or fourth-degree sexual abuse, burglary with sexual intent, and related crimes. Class C registration is also 10 years after release from supervision or incarceration, though Class C registrants do not appear in the public online database.

Can a sex offender be removed from the registry in Washington, D.C.?

Class B and Class C offenders complete their registration obligation after 10 years (calculated from the end of any supervision period), at which point they are removed from the registry. Class A offenders are required to register for life and cannot petition to be removed. Because eligibility and timing are fact-specific, an attorney should review the particular conviction for anyone seeking to confirm their removal date or dispute their classification.

How do I clear or seal my criminal record in Washington, D.C.?

D.C. uses the term "sealing" (rather than expungement) for the process of hiding a conviction or arrest record from public view. The governing statutes are D.C. Code §§ 16-801 through 16-806, significantly expanded by the Second Chance Amendment Act of 2022. There are two main paths:

• Automatic sealing (D.C. Code § 16-805). For cases that ended without conviction, records must be sealed within 90 days of case termination. For eligible misdemeanor convictions, automatic sealing applies after a waiting period of at least 10 years. Note: as of early 2026, the automatic-sealing provisions remain subject to ongoing legislative amendments and some are not yet fully in effect; check the DC Courts for current status.
• Sealing by motion (D.C. Code § 16-806). A person may file a motion in the DC Superior Court Criminal Division to seal records of arrests that did not result in conviction (no waiting period required, motion must be filed by October 1, 2027), misdemeanor convictions (waiting period of at least 5 years after completing the sentence), and most felony convictions (waiting period of at least 8 years after completing the sentence). Convictions in Offense Severity Groups 1, 2, or 3 on the DC Sentencing Commission's grid are excluded. The court weighs whether sealing is in the interest of justice.

For the full statutory text, see D.C. Code § 16-806. To gather the records needed to file, see the Legal Aid DC record-gathering guide, which explains how to obtain your MPD arrest history and court records for a sealing petition.

Do I need a lawyer to seal my record in Washington, D.C.?

You are not legally required to hire a lawyer. The DC Superior Court Criminal Division (500 Indiana Avenue, NW, Room 4001) provides forms and guidance, and some relief is automatic under D.C. Code § 16-805. That said, eligibility rules are detailed, waiting periods and excluded offense categories matter, and a procedural mistake can cost you the opportunity to clear a record. Many people benefit from using an attorney or a free legal-aid organization - such as Legal Aid DC (the District's oldest civil legal services organization, founded 1932) - especially for felony convictions or older cases.

How long does a felony stay on your record in Washington, D.C.?

A D.C. felony conviction stays on your record permanently unless you obtain sealing under D.C. Code § 16-806 (not available for the most serious offense categories). There is no automatic time-based expiration that removes the record itself. The 10-year lookback on MPD employer checks (Option B) limits what employers see through that channel, but it does not erase the underlying record. For court records, the conviction remains visible in the DC Superior Court system unless a sealing order is granted.

Are juvenile criminal records private in Washington, D.C.?

Juvenile delinquency records in D.C. are confidential and are generally not available to the public or ordinary background checks. Under D.C. Code § 16-2335, the Family Court of the DC Superior Court will order all juvenile records sealed upon motion if the juvenile has reached the age of majority (or two years have passed since final discharge from custody) and has no subsequent convictions or adjudications of delinquency. Once records are sealed, the juvenile is not required to disclose the juvenile delinquency history on job, education, or housing applications.

DC Superior Court criminal records

The DC Superior Court is the sole trial court for all local criminal matters in the District and handles both felony and misdemeanor cases for D.C.'s approximately 700,000 residents. Unlike U.S. states, D.C. has no county-level courts - all criminal cases go through the one Superior Court, located at 500 Indiana Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. 20001. The court's online case search provides public access to docket entries for criminal, civil, and other case types. For in-person record requests or certified copies, visit the Criminal Records Division at Room 4001 (4th floor), open Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Official Washington, D.C. criminal record sources

• MPD Arrest and Criminal History Section - request your own criminal history or a police clearance ($7 fee; Option A for sealing eligibility, Option B for employment).
• DC Superior Court case search - free public search of criminal and civil case dockets by name or case number.
• DC Sex Offender Registry (sexoffender.dc.gov) - searchable public registry of Class A and Class B sex offenders.
• MPD Sex Offender Registry page - classification information and registry unit contact details; (202) 727-4407.
• DC Department of Corrections - Locate an Inmate - find someone in D.C. Jail custody; call (202) 523-7060.
• Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator - find D.C. felony offenders serving sentences in federal custody.
• Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency (CSOSA) - federal agency supervising D.C. probation and parole.
• D.C. Code Chapter 8 - Criminal Record Sealing and Expungement - the full text of D.C.'s sealing statutes (§§ 16-801 to 16-806).

Disclosure: criminal.com may earn a commission when you use the people-search tool on this page, which is powered by a third-party background-check service. Results from such tools are for your personal knowledge only and may not be used to make decisions about employment, housing, credit, tenant screening, or any other purpose covered by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). An arrest record or mugshot is not proof of guilt. This page is general information about Washington, D.C. public records, not legal advice; for advice about your situation, consult an attorney. Information was last reviewed in June 2026 and laws may change.