District of Columbia Arrest & Criminal Records Guide
Find DC Arrest, Criminal Court and Police History Records
Washington, DC does not have one public name-search website that reveals every arrest. Use DC Superior Court eAccess to find prosecuted adult criminal cases, MPD when requesting your own arrest history or police clearance, the Department of Corrections for current custody information, and PACER when the matter was filed in federal court.
The difference matters because an arrest may never become a criminal court case. A prosecutor can decline charges as “No Paper,” records can be sealed, juvenile matters have access restrictions, and MPD specifically does not release a person’s arrest history or mugshots to an unrelated third party.
ARREST ≠ CONVICTION
DC CRIMINAL RECORD ROUTER
Superior Court
Cases
MPD
Own history
DC DOC
Custody
PACER
Federal
IDENTIFY RECORD → SEARCH → VERIFY → READ DISPOSITION
Police clearance fee
$7
Verified
August 28, 2026
Most important answer first
Can You Search Someone’s Washington DC Arrest Record Online?
Not as a complete MPD arrest-history search. The Metropolitan Police Department states that third-party arrest records and mugshots are not available to the public. MPD police clearances are for the person whose record is being checked or for an authorized request under the applicable procedure.
For another adult person, the practical public route is usually the DC Superior Court criminal case search. It can show public cases that reached the court, but it is not the same thing as a complete arrest history. An arrest that prosecutors declined to charge may not produce a searchable criminal court case.
C
Public criminal case
Search DC Superior Court eAccess using a name, case number or PDID when available.
M
Your own MPD arrest history
Request a PD-70 police clearance or arrest-history record through MPD.
J
Current custody
Contact DC Department of Corrections or use VINE when eligible.
F
Federal prosecution
Use PACER for U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia and other federal courts.
Do not equate “no search result” with “no arrest.” A person may have an arrest-only event, a sealed case, a juvenile matter, a citation not available in eAccess, or a federal case in a different court system.
Choose the Exact Record You Need
Search another adult’s court case
Use DC Superior Court eAccess and verify the defendant, case number, charge and disposition.
Get your own arrest history
Request a police clearance from MPD’s Arrest and Criminal History Section.
Find a recent arrestee
Check whether the person is in DC Department of Corrections custody or call the Records Office.
Get a police incident report
Request the PD-251 from MPD’s Public Documents Section when you are eligible to receive the report.
Research an arrest that became federal
Search PACER rather than relying only on DC Superior Court.
Seal or expunge a record
Review current DC Courts procedures and obtain the correct MPD arrest-history option before filing.
Jump to Your Washington DC Record Task
How to Search DC Superior Court Criminal Records
The Superior Court uses eAccess for Criminal Division, criminal Tax Division and Domestic Violence Division cases. This is the primary public online route when an adult arrest resulted in a DC Superior Court criminal case.
Choose eAccess—not the general civil Portal.
Criminal Division records are routed through eAccess. The other Portal is primarily used for civil, probate and related case types.
Search by full defendant name.
Use the person’s legal first and last name. Search name variations when the person uses a middle name, suffix or alternate spelling.
Use a case number when available.
A case number is more precise than a common name and helps prevent mixing records belonging to different people.
Use the PDID when you have it.
DC Courts lists the Police Department Identification number as one of the identifiers that can help locate criminal case information.
Open every plausible case.
One defendant may have multiple cases from different years. Do not assume the first search result is the arrest you are researching.
Read the docket and disposition.
Look beyond the original charge. Check whether the charge was dismissed, amended, pleaded, tried, acquitted, convicted or otherwise resolved.
Check the next hearing when the case is active.
DC Courts says online criminal case results can include the case summary, parties and next scheduled hearing.
Save the case number.
Use the exact case number when contacting Criminal Information at
202-879-1373.
Criminal citation exception: DC Courts states that criminal citation cases are not available through eAccess. Contact the police district that issued the citation for court-date information.
Verify the Identity Before You Treat a Court Result as a Match
Full name
Include middle name or suffix.
Case number
Best court identifier.
PDID
Police identification number.
Case year
Match arrest timeframe.
Charge
Compare alleged offense.
Disposition
Read the final outcome.
Common-name warning: A name match alone is not enough for employment, housing, tenant screening, legal research or personal safety decisions. Confirm multiple identifiers and read the case outcome.
What Happens After an Arrest in Washington DC?
The route from arrest to a searchable criminal record depends on what happens after booking. An arrest is the beginning of the process—not proof of guilt.
1
Arrest
MPD or another law-enforcement agency takes the person into custody.
2
Booking
Identity, charge information and a PDID may be recorded.
3
Prosecutor review
USAO or DC OAG decides whether and how to proceed.
4
Court appearance
A filed matter proceeds to arraignment or presentment.
5
Case activity
Hearings, motions, plea negotiations or trial may follow.
6
Disposition
Dismissal, plea, conviction, acquittal or another resolution becomes critical to interpreting the record.
DC Courts says an arrestee may be released on citation, released on bond, or in certain qualifying cases use a “post and forfeit” procedure. The court states that post-and-forfeit is not an admission or adjudication of guilt.
What Does “No Paper” Mean in DC?
A “No Paper” arrest means the prosecuting agency—typically the U.S. Attorney’s Office or the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia—decided not to prosecute the arrest charge.
There was still an arrest
The fact that prosecutors declined the case does not mean the arrest event never occurred.
No normal prosecuted case follows
Because charges were not pursued, you may not find the same kind of criminal case docket that exists for prosecuted arrests.
MPD record may be the better route
A person researching their own complete arrest history should use MPD’s arrest-history process.
Important 2011 limitation: DC Superior Court says its Criminal Customer Service Office does not provide information or paperwork for post-2011 arrests that resulted in an “Arrest Only” or “No Paper” disposition.
How to Get Your Own Washington DC Arrest or Criminal History
MPD’s Arrest and Criminal History Section issues police clearances. You complete a PD Form 70 Criminal History Request and select the type of history that matches your reason for requesting it.
Employment or licensing
Police clearances are commonly requested for employment, licensing, adoption, housing and similar background-check needs.
Sealing or expungement
Request the arrest-history option designed to identify arrests for evaluating and filing record-sealing or expungement matters.
Travel or official use
MPD also lists police clearances for certain overseas or domestic travel documentation needs.
Self-record rule: MPD’s current instructions state that a person may obtain information about themselves; the service is not a public walk-up search for another person’s arrest history.
MPD Police Clearance Option A vs Option B
A
For sealing or expungement research
Option A is intended for someone seeking their own arrest history to evaluate or pursue sealing or expungement under DC or a similar jurisdiction’s law.
What MPD says it contains: a listing of adult arrests regardless of the disposition, arrest date, conviction date or sentence-completion date.
Fee: $7
Published processing window: up to 10 business days.
B
For other background-check purposes
Option B is the police-clearance route used for other authorized purposes.
What MPD says it contains: qualifying adult convictions for which the sentence was completed within the previous 10 years and collateral forfeitures occurring within the previous 10 years.
Fee: $7
Published processing window: up to 10 business days.
These are not equivalent records. Do not request Option B and assume it is a complete lifetime list of arrests. Option A is specifically broader for sealing/expungement purposes.
In-Person MPD Police Clearance: What to Bring
Confirm which clearance option you need.
Decide whether the request is for sealing/expungement research or another background-check purpose.
Bring acceptable identification.
MPD lists a driver’s license, non-driver identification, or an original birth certificate together with a Social Security card as accepted identity routes.
Complete PD Form 70.
The Criminal History Request form identifies the person and the type of record requested.
Pay the $7 fee.
Check the current payment instructions before arriving because mail and in-person payment methods differ.
Review the completed record before leaving.
MPD specifically advises requesters to read the information and note the name of the clerk who assisted them.
$7
Police clearance
Current MPD fee.
18+
Age requirement
MPD states you must be at least 18 to retrieve a police clearance.
10
Business days
Published maximum processing period for Option A and Option B requests.
441
4th Street NW
MPD Records location, Room 550 South.
Request a DC Police Clearance by Mail or Drop-Off
Mail request
MPD allows people outside the District or otherwise unable to appear in person to submit a notarized request with identification, required personal information, a self-addressed stamped envelope and a $7 money order payable to the DC Treasurer.
Drop-off service
MPD also advertises an in-person drop-off option without an appointment. The current page describes approximately two weeks for processing and lets the requester choose pickup or mailed return.
Mail Checklist
- Notarized request letter
- Full legal name
- Date of birth
- Social Security number
- Phone number
- Email address
- Copy of government identification
- Self-addressed stamped envelope
- $7 money order to DC Treasurer
Mail processing: MPD’s current instructions say to allow approximately six weeks from the date the mailed request is made.
Mail to
Metropolitan Police Department
Criminal History Section
441 4th Street NW, Room 550 South
Washington, DC 20001
How to Request a DC Police Incident Report
A police incident report is different from a criminal-history clearance. If you need the report associated with a particular event, use MPD’s Public Documents Section.
Identify the incident.
Gather the date, approximate time, location and Central Complaint Number if you have it.
Determine whether you are requesting your own record or an incident document.
The access rules differ depending on the requester and the information contained in the report.
Ask specifically for the correct report type.
The standard Incident/Offense Report is commonly identified as PD-251.
Expect redactions or access limits.
Victim, witness, investigative, juvenile or other legally protected information may not be released in full.
Current fee status: MPD’s public Records page currently says production fees for Incident/Offense Reports (PD-251) are temporarily waived. Verify this before submitting because temporary fee policies can change.
Public Documents Section
441 4th Street NW, 5th Floor
Washington, DC 20001
Report-copy questions:
202-727-4357
What MPD FOIA Can—and Cannot—Give You
FOIA is useful when you are seeking an identifiable MPD record that is not already available through a standard report-request process. It is not a workaround for access restrictions on private arrest histories.
Useful request details
Include the date, time and location of the incident, accident or arrest and the Central Complaint Number when available. For records about yourself, include proof of identity.
Submit through the DC FOIA portal
The online DC Government FOIA Public Access system is MPD’s preferred submission and status-tracking route.
MPD expressly lists these as unavailable to the public: mugshots and arrest records about a third party. Do not submit repeated FOIA requests expecting MPD to provide a complete private arrest-history report for another person.
Read MPD’s current FOIA instructions and exclusions.
How to Check Whether Someone Is Currently in DC Custody
A recent arrest and a historical criminal record are different searches. If the immediate question is “Where is this person now?”, start with the Department of Corrections.
VINE registration can use information such as the DCDC inmate ID, PDID, full inmate name or court case number, depending on the request.
Recent arrest timing: A person may not appear immediately in the DOC workflow while booking, presentment, release processing or agency transfer is still occurring.
Some Washington DC Arrests Become Federal Cases
DC is unusual because criminal matters can involve local DC charges, federal charges, or both. A person may therefore have a federal criminal case even when you do not find the expected result in DC Superior Court.
Create a PACER account if needed.
Registration itself is free, although accessing case information can generate PACER usage fees.
Search the U.S. District Court for DC.
Use the District of Columbia District Court when you know the case was filed there.
Use the PACER Case Locator when the court is uncertain.
The nationwide index can identify the federal court and case number.
Read the docket—not only the party-name result.
Charges, detention decisions, motions, plea activity and final disposition appear through the federal case docket when public.
U.S. District Court
333 Constitution Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20001
PACER public-access rate
PACER currently lists electronic case access at $0.10 per page, subject to its billing rules and exemptions.
How to Read a DC Criminal Case Result
| Record Term |
What It Usually Tells You |
What Not to Assume |
| Arrest |
Law enforcement took the person into custody or initiated an arrest process. |
An arrest is not a conviction. |
| No Paper |
The prosecuting agency declined to prosecute the arrest charge. |
It does not mean the arrest event never existed. |
| Pending |
The court case has not reached a final disposition. |
Do not describe pending charges as proven facts. |
| Dismissed |
The listed charge or case was dismissed. |
Read the docket to determine what happened to every charge. |
| Guilty plea |
The defendant entered a plea of guilty to the identified charge. |
The conviction may differ from the original arrest charge. |
| Conviction |
A finding or plea resulted in criminal conviction. |
Review sentencing, later orders and sealing status. |
| Acquitted |
The factfinder returned a not-guilty result on the relevant charge. |
An arrest may still appear in historical systems unless legally sealed. |
| Post and forfeit |
Certain qualifying offenses can be resolved by posting and forfeiting collateral. |
DC Courts states this is not an admission or adjudication of guilt. |
| Sealed |
Public access is restricted under a court order or applicable law. |
A missing public result does not prove no historical record ever existed. |
Using Criminal Records Responsibly
Match identity carefully
A name-only result can belong to a different person. Use the case number, PDID and other lawful identifying information.
Read the final disposition
Do not repeat the initial arrest charge as though it were the final court outcome.
Respect sealed and restricted records
Do not try to bypass lawful access restrictions or republish protected information.
Background-screening caution: Employers, landlords and screening companies may be subject to federal or DC laws regulating criminal-history use, notice, accuracy and discrimination. A public court search is not automatically a legally compliant employment or housing background check.
Juvenile Arrest and Court Records Are Different
Do not use the adult eAccess workflow expecting a complete public juvenile record. DC juvenile case records are subject to confidentiality rules and access is limited to authorized people or circumstances established by law and court rule.
Juvenile delinquency
The Juvenile and Neglect Branch of the DC Superior Court Family Court handles juvenile delinquency cases.
Aggregate arrest data
MPD publishes juvenile-arrest statistics and reports, but statistical publication is not the same as releasing an individual child’s confidential case history.
Privacy rule: Juvenile proceedings and records have substantially different confidentiality protections from ordinary adult criminal cases.
Sealing or Expunging a DC Arrest or Criminal Record
The Second Chance Amendment Act expanded DC record-sealing and expungement law, but eligibility depends on the type of record, disposition, offense, waiting periods and other statutory conditions.
August 2026 court notice: DC Courts currently states that the Act’s automatic sealing and expungement provisions are not yet in effect and that cases are not presently being automatically sealed or expunged under those provisions.
Get your own complete arrest-history information.
MPD Option A is specifically designed for people determining eligibility for sealing or expungement and filing a motion.
Identify every arrest and court disposition.
Separate no-paper arrests, dismissals, convictions and other results.
Review the current DC Courts eligibility rules.
Do not use an old internet checklist because the statutory framework has changed.
Prepare the required motion and supporting records.
The DC Courts Criminal Division currently routes sealing requests through the Criminal Information Office.
Keep the court order.
Save certified or official proof of a sealing or expungement order for future record-correction questions.
Read the current DC Courts sealing instructions.
Legal-information notice: Eligibility can be fact-specific. Consider the DC Courts self-help resources or qualified legal counsel when a record affects employment, housing, immigration, licensing or another significant legal interest.
Practical Washington DC Search Scenarios
You heard someone was arrested yesterday
Check DC DOC custody, then DC Superior Court after the initial court process. A very recent case may still be moving through booking and presentment.
You need your own full arrest history
Use MPD Police Clearance Option A when the purpose is sealing or expungement research.
You are checking another adult’s prosecuted case
Search Superior Court eAccess and verify the final disposition rather than seeking a prohibited third-party MPD arrest-history report.
The arrest was “No Paper”
Do not expect the post-2011 arrest-only paperwork from DC Superior Court Criminal Customer Service. Use the appropriate MPD self-record process.
You cannot find the expected local case
Check whether the matter was prosecuted in U.S. District Court and search PACER.
You want a mugshot
MPD’s FOIA guidance lists mugshots as records not available to the public.
You need proof for an employer
Use the appropriate MPD police-clearance procedure rather than sending an employer screenshots of unrelated court search results.
You need the actual incident report
Collect the date, time, location and Central Complaint Number and contact MPD Public Documents.
A court record disappeared
Consider whether it may have been sealed, whether you searched the correct court and whether the original event ever became a prosecuted case.
Washington DC Criminal Records Offices, Contacts and Maps
MPD Arrest & Criminal History
441 4th Street NW
Room 550 South
Washington, DC 20001
202-727-4245
DC Superior Court
Moultrie Courthouse
500 Indiana Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20001
202-879-1373
MPD Records hours: The current Police Clearances and Reports page lists Monday, Wednesday and Friday 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., with extended Records Division hours Tuesday and Thursday until 7:00 p.m. The criminal-history service also uses appointments and drop-off procedures, so check the live page before traveling.
Superior Court hours: Moultrie Courthouse generally lists Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m. for Criminal Division public service.
Washington DC Arrest Record Search Problems and Fixes
| Problem |
What to Try |
Best Source |
| No criminal case appears by name |
Search name variations, verify the year and determine whether the arrest was No Paper or federal. |
DC Courts + PACER |
| Need another person’s full arrest history |
Use public court records for prosecuted adult cases. MPD does not release third-party arrest-history records. |
DC Courts |
| Need your own complete arrest list |
Use the MPD police-clearance option appropriate to your purpose. |
MPD Criminal History |
| Arrest was declined by prosecutor |
Recognize the No Paper limitation and obtain your own MPD arrest history when needed. |
MPD |
| Need the police narrative |
Request the PD-251 using the date, location and Central Complaint Number when available. |
MPD Public Documents |
| Need a mugshot |
MPD lists mugshots as unavailable to the public; do not rely on third-party sites claiming official access. |
MPD FOIA guidance |
| Person was just arrested |
Call DC DOC inmate information and check court status after booking/presentment. |
DC DOC + Court |
| Case appears to involve federal charges |
Search the U.S. District Court for DC or use the nationwide PACER Case Locator. |
PACER |
| Need a juvenile record |
Do not use the adult-public-record process. Juvenile records are subject to confidentiality rules. |
DC Family Court |
| Old case no longer appears publicly |
Check whether the matter may have been sealed or whether you searched the wrong court system. |
DC Courts / PACER |
“I am trying to locate a DC criminal record involving __________. The approximate arrest or case date is __________. I have case number / PDID / Central Complaint Number __________. Can you confirm which record system or office handles this request?”
Official Washington DC Arrest and Criminal Record Resources
Washington DC Arrest Records FAQs
1. Can I search Washington DC arrest records online by name?
You can search public adult criminal cases by defendant name through DC Superior Court eAccess, but that is not a complete MPD arrest-history search. Arrests that never became prosecuted court cases, sealed records and restricted matters may not appear.
2. How do I search DC criminal court records?
Open the DC Superior Court Case Search page and choose eAccess for Criminal Division cases. Search using the defendant’s full name, case number or PDID when available, then verify the charge, docket and final disposition.
3. How do I get my own Washington DC arrest history?
Request a police clearance through the MPD Arrest and Criminal History Section using PD Form 70. Choose the record option that matches the purpose of your request and provide the required identification.
4. Can I get someone else’s full MPD arrest record?
MPD states that arrest records about third parties are not available to the public. For another adult person, use public court records for prosecuted cases rather than expecting MPD to provide a complete arrest-history report.
5. What does “No Paper” mean after a DC arrest?
No Paper means the prosecuting agency decided not to prosecute the arrest charge. DC Superior Court says its Criminal Customer Service Office does not provide information or paperwork for post-2011 Arrest Only or No Paper events.
6. How much does an MPD police clearance cost?
MPD currently lists a $7 fee for a police clearance. Option A and Option B each list a processing period of up to 10 business days, while mailed and drop-off requests can take longer.
7. How can I find out if someone is currently in a DC jail?
Contact the DC Department of Corrections Records Office at 202-523-7060 or use the official Locate an Inmate guidance. Eligible victims can also register for VINE custody notifications.
8. Where do I search federal criminal cases from Washington DC?
Use PACER to search the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. When you do not know the federal court, the PACER Case Locator can search the nationwide federal index.
9. Are Washington DC mugshots and juvenile arrest records public?
MPD’s FOIA guidance lists mugshots as unavailable to the public. Juvenile case and law-enforcement records are also subject to special confidentiality rules and are not handled like ordinary adult public criminal cases.
10. How do I seal or expunge a Washington DC arrest or criminal record?
Start by obtaining the appropriate MPD arrest history and review the current DC Courts sealing rules. As of August 2026, DC Courts states that the automatic sealing and expungement provisions of the Second Chance Amendment Act are not yet in effect, so eligible people must use the applicable court process.
Independent Records Guide and Accuracy Notice
This page is an independent public-records guide and is not affiliated with the Metropolitan Police Department, DC Superior Court, DC Department of Corrections, United States District Court for the District of Columbia, PACER, the U.S. Attorney’s Office or the DC Office of the Attorney General.
An arrest is not proof of guilt. Charges may be declined, dismissed, amended or resolved differently from the original arrest allegation. Some records are sealed, confidential, restricted or excluded from online systems. Always read the actual court disposition before drawing conclusions about a person.
Fees, hours, processing periods, court access rules, sealing procedures and online interfaces can change. Verify time-sensitive information on the linked official government pages before submitting payment, filing a motion or relying on a record for an important decision.
Editorial verification date: August 28, 2026.
Slug: washington-dc-arrest-records
