Arkansas Criminal Record Lookup: Search Arrests, Court Cases and State History
Arkansas arrest information is divided between county jails, local police agencies, state courts, the Arkansas State Police, the Arkansas Crime Information Center and the Department of Corrections. No single search provides every booking, warrant, dismissed charge and conviction.
This guide explains what each official system contains, what it excludes, how much searches cost, how to request police records, how to verify a same-name match and what to do when the record is inaccurate or may qualify for sealing.
Search the county sheriff or booking agency.
Use Search ARCourts or the filing court clerk.
ARCH costs $24 per search.
$22 online or $25 by manual request.
Sources checked July 28, 2026.
Choose the search that matches your real question
Search the sheriff, regional jail or city detention agency in the county where the arrest occurred.
Search Arkansas court cases by participant name or case number and review the charges, filings, events and disposition.
Use ARCH for an open public search or the State Police consent-based process when consent or a legally mandated check applies.
Use the Division of Correction inmate search rather than a county jail roster.
Arkansas arrest record, court record and criminal history are not the same
| Record | Maintained by | Usually includes | Does not automatically show |
|---|---|---|---|
| County booking record | County sheriff, regional jail or city detention agency | Booking date, jail charge, bond, custody status and sometimes a photograph. | Final prosecutor decision or final court disposition. |
| Police or arrest report | The arresting law-enforcement agency | Incident narrative, officer information, arrest facts and releasable supplements. | Complete later court history or state prison status. |
| Criminal court case | Circuit or district court clerk | Filed charges, judge, docket entries, hearings, judgments and disposition. | Every police investigative document or live jail housing status. |
| ARCH public history | Arkansas State Police using state criminal-history sources | Arkansas convictions, limited open felony arrests and sex-offender status. | Active warrants, dismissed charges, most unresolved misdemeanours, federal or out-of-state records. |
| Consent-based background check | Arkansas State Police Identification Bureau | Releasable Arkansas criminal history for the authorised purpose. | The full law-enforcement-only ACIC or NCIC record. |
| State prison record | Arkansas Department of Corrections | ADC number, facility, physical descriptors, sentence and custody information. | Every county jail booking or every arrest without a DOC commitment. |
How to locate an Arkansas county booking
County and city detention agencies maintain recent booking information locally. The Arkansas Department of Corrections search should not be used as a substitute for a county jail roster.
What a county booking result may contain
Identifies one jail intake and helps staff locate the record.
Tells you where to request the incident or arrest report.
Shows the allegation at intake, not necessarily the final filed charge.
May change after court review or because of another jurisdiction.
Documents booking and is not proof of guilt.
Can change because of classification, medical or operational needs.
Ends the custody event but does not resolve the criminal case.
Connects the booking with the court docket when one has been assigned.
Check these 10 details before treating a record as a match
Confirm that the record uses the person’s legal first name rather than only a nickname.
Check maiden names, previous surnames, hyphens and spacing differences.
A different middle name can separate two people with identical first and last names.
ARCH requires the correct birth date and warns that one incorrect day can prevent a match.
ARCH requires this field and uses it as part of the name-based matching process.
Use the event date to distinguish a recent arrest from an older booking.
Confirm that the location and agency are consistent with the known incident.
Use the unique system identifier whenever one is available.
Match the booking to the exact criminal court case rather than another person’s docket.
Confirm whether the charge was dismissed, reduced, resolved by plea, tried or otherwise concluded.
No Arkansas arrest or criminal record found? Follow this order
How to request an arrest report, incident report or booking document
Request the record from the agency that created or maintains it. A county sheriff may hold the booking record while a city police department or Arkansas State Police maintains the incident report.
What Arkansas FOIA generally allows
Arkansas FOIA generally gives Arkansas citizens access to public records, subject to statutory restrictions and exemptions.
A request may be made using the method accepted by the custodian, including email, mail, telephone, fax, online portal or in person.
The Attorney General states that agencies generally have up to three business days to provide records when they are not immediately available.
A custodian may charge the actual cost of reproducing records and mailing expenses.
The agency does not have to conduct legal research, answer questions or create a new record that does not exist.
Nonexempt portions may be released after protected information is removed.
Information that makes an arrest-record request easier to process
Why information may be withheld or redacted
- The record concerns an undisclosed law-enforcement investigation of suspected criminal activity.
- The document contains protected victim, witness or confidential-source information.
- Medical, juvenile, adoption or other legally confidential information appears in the file.
- A court order or court rule protects the record.
- The requested information came from restricted ACIC or NCIC systems.
- Part of the record is public but exempt information must first be removed.
How to use Search ARCourts for Arkansas criminal cases
Search ARCourts is the Arkansas Judiciary’s public case-information portal for courts using the Contexte case-management system.
Information Search ARCourts may display
Defendant, attorneys, judge and other participants.
Offences filed in the court case and recorded dispositions.
Complaints, motions, orders and other docketed documents.
Scheduled hearings or other court events shown in the docket.
Recorded judgments, sentences and related court outcomes.
Actual filings when the court makes the document available online.
ARCH Arkansas criminal-history search explained
Arkansas Criminal History, or ARCH, allows the public to request specified Arkansas criminal-history information without obtaining the subject’s written consent.
$24, nonrefundable.
Debit or credit card only.
The subject must be over 18.
Legal name, sex and full birth date.
ARCH results are not certified.
How the $24 charge works
- The fee is charged for each search even when no subject is identified.
- The stated $24 total includes a $20 search charge, $2 processing fee and $2 card-processing fee.
- The initial search lets the user view one possible matching subject without an additional charge.
- If several candidates appear, each additional result selected costs another nonrefundable $24.
- ARCH is online only. Results cannot be ordered from ARCH by mail or in person.
Required search information
What ARCH includes
Arkansas felony and misdemeanour convictions reported to the state system.
Open Arkansas felony arrests that are less than three years old.
Whether the person is registered or required to register as a sex offender.
What ARCH does not include
| Excluded information | Where to look instead | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Juvenile records | Appropriate juvenile court or authorised agency process | Juvenile information is subject to separate confidentiality rules. |
| Dismissed or nolle-prossed charges | Search ARCourts or the filing court clerk | The court case may exist even though ARCH excludes the arrest. |
| Not-guilty charges | Court judgment or certified disposition | A court record is required to prove the acquittal. |
| Unresolved misdemeanour arrests | County booking and court search | ARCH’s open-arrest category is limited to qualifying felonies. |
| Open felony arrests older than three years | Court and agency records | The ARCH public-release window is limited. |
| Active warrants | Issuing court or law-enforcement agency | ARCH expressly excludes active warrants. |
| Sealed arrests or convictions | Court handling the sealing order | Sealed records are restricted from the public result. |
| Federal or out-of-state history | Authorised national or other-state process | ARCH searches Arkansas history only. |
| Traffic citation history | Court or driving-record service | ARCH is not a driving-record search. |
| Non-fingerprinted arrests | Local arresting agency or court | The arrest may not be linked into the state fingerprint-based history. |
Three possible ARCH outcomes
The selected person has releasable information within ARCH’s categories.
The system identified the person but found no releasable ARCH criminal history.
The entered information did not identify a person within the databases ARCH queries.
Arkansas State Police background-check options
Use the Arkansas State Police consent-based background-check process when the subject has provided signed consent or when a law or licensing programme directs the check.
| Method | Current charge | Who uses it | Important rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Online Arkansas name check | $22 per search | Authorised entities with signed subject consent or a qualifying legal purpose. | The organisation must have the appropriate online account. |
| Online volunteer state check | $11 per search | Qualifying volunteer organisations under the applicable process. | Use the correct volunteer category and authorisation. |
| Manual ASP-122 request | $25 | A person or entity with the subject’s signed release. | Submit the form, payment and stamped addressed envelope. |
| National FBI fingerprint check | Depends on authorised category | Only applicants or entities authorised by state or federal law. | Signed consent and legal authority for FBI access are required. |
What the standard Arkansas response may include
- Arkansas felony and misdemeanour conviction records.
- Pending Arkansas felony arrests within the release period used by the consent-based system.
- Whether the person is registered or required to register as an Arkansas sex offender.
What the public response does not provide
- The complete restricted record available to criminal-justice agencies.
- Pending misdemeanour matters that are not included in the releasable response.
- Arrests ending in dismissal, nolle prosequi or not-guilty findings.
- Ordinary traffic violations such as speeding or seat-belt citations.
How to submit an ASP-122 individual record check
Little Rock, AR 72209
Results questions: 501-618-8500
General ASP: 501-618-8000
Monday–Friday: 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m., excluding state holidays.
How to search Arkansas Department of Corrections inmates
The Arkansas Division of Correction inmate search is for the state correctional population. It is separate from county jail rosters.
Search fields available
What a DOC profile may show
ADC number, full name, aliases and physical description.
Current unit, facility address and inmate mailing address.
Custody classification and good-time class.
Total time, offence information and correctional receipt date.
Displayed parole or transfer eligibility information subject to official calculation.
The number of separate ADC incarceration episodes shown by the system.
How to check a possible Arkansas active warrant
ARCH does not include active warrants. Restricted ACIC and NCIC warrant information is primarily for authorised criminal-justice use.
Arkansas VINE inmate and case notifications
Arkansas VINE is a free and anonymous service that provides custody, supervision and court-event information by telephone and online.
24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
English and Spanish.
Transferred about every 15 minutes.
Transferred about every hour.
Search identifiers accepted by VINE
Information VINE may provide
- Current custody status and location.
- Offender or booking number.
- Scheduled release or eligibility information when available.
- Upcoming court-event type, date, time and location.
- Probation, parole or post-release supervision status.
Events that may trigger a notification
General release, release on bond or release by court order.
Transfer, escape, work release or furlough.
Upcoming hearings and case disposition information.
Absconding, return from absconding or supervision-status changes.
Parole hearings or a grant of parole or post-release supervision.
Escape and other events requiring rapid notification patterns.
Arkansas sex-offender and absconder searches
ACIC’s public registry allows searches by offender name, address, city, county or ZIP code. Public availability depends on the offender’s assessment level and statutory publication rules.
The Arkansas Department of Corrections provides a public search for people reported as absconding from probation, parole or post-release supervision.
What to do when an Arkansas criminal record is inaccurate
| Error | Office to contact | Evidence to prepare |
|---|---|---|
| Wrong county booking identity | Sheriff, jail or booking agency | Government ID, booking number and proof of the mismatch. |
| Incorrect police-report fact | Agency that created the report | Report number and official documents supporting the correction. |
| Incorrect court disposition | Clerk of the filing or sentencing court | Case number, certified judgment or signed court order. |
| Incorrect state criminal history | Arkansas Crime Information Center | ACIC review form and corrected court documentation. |
| Incorrect State Police result | Arkansas State Police Identification Bureau | Search result, identity documents and fingerprint comparison when required. |
| Wrong DOC identity or sentence field | Arkansas Department of Corrections records unit | ADC number and certified sentencing or correction documents. |
ACIC criminal-history review path
Little Rock, AR 72201
Phone: 501-682-2222
Email: ACIC.Criminal.HistoryQuestions@DPS.Arkansas.Gov
Arkansas criminal-record sealing process
Examples of record-specific sealing forms
Separate petition and order forms exist for qualifying felony and misdemeanour convictions.
A specific petition and proposed order are provided for qualifying driving or boating while intoxicated convictions.
Specific forms exist for qualifying controlled- or counterfeit-substance possession convictions.
Separate forms cover nolle prosequi, dismissal, acquittal and charges that were not filed.
ACIC publishes a petition and order specifically labelled for sealing an arrest.
Act 346 first-offender cases use their own dismissal-and-sealing forms.
Pre-adjudication and post-adjudication drug-court proceedings use different forms.
Specific forms are provided for qualifying specialty-court proceedings.
A pardoned offender or youthful offender uses a separate petition and order.
Practical filing sequence
Avoid these Arkansas record-search errors
The DOC inmate search is not a statewide county jail roster.
ARCH excludes several categories, including active warrants and dismissed charges.
The required legal identity must match the record.
Use race, ZIP code and other available clues before purchasing additional results.
The prosecutor’s filed offence and final court outcome may be different.
The arresting police agency may maintain the incident report even when the county jail holds the person.
Request identifiable existing records rather than asking the custodian to answer research questions.
Order the proper certified court or State Police record for formal use.
Confirm the warrant with law enforcement and do not attempt detention.
Arkansas criminal-record offices and support numbers
| Office | Contact | Use this office for |
|---|---|---|
| Arkansas State Police | 501-618-8000 | General State Police services and background-check routing. |
| ASP Identification Bureau | 501-618-8500 | Questions about background-check results, manual requests and identification records. |
| Arkansas Crime Information Center | 501-682-2222 | Reviewing or correcting Arkansas criminal history and sealing-order processing questions. |
| Arkansas Judiciary case-search support | 501-410-1900 option 1 | Technical questions about Search ARCourts. |
| Arkansas Judiciary toll-free support | 866-823-5778 | Search ARCourts assistance outside the local calling area. |
| Arkansas VINE | 1-800-510-0415 | Custody, supervision and court-event information and notifications. |
| Arkansas Legal Aid | 1-800-952-9243 | Possible legal help when choosing a sealing form or addressing a record problem. |
| Attorney General FOIA information | 1-800-482-8982 | General Arkansas FOIA information and handbook questions. |
Little Rock, AR 72209
Little Rock, AR 72201
Information extracted into this guide
Search methods, participating-court coverage, available case fields, support numbers and public-record limitations.
Search fees, payment rules, required identity fields, included records, exclusions, consent requirements and manual-request steps.
Criminal-history review, correction responsibilities, sealing-form categories, court filing path and 30-day order-processing rule.
State inmate search fields, correctional profile information, online services, absconder search and custody limitations.
Search identifiers, data update frequency, notification events, telephone registration and PIN requirements.
Public-record access, general response timing, reproduction costs and practical request rules.
Arkansas arrest and criminal-record questions answered
How do I search Arkansas arrest records?
Use the county or city booking agency for a recent arrest, Search ARCourts for the criminal case, ARCH for limited statewide history and Arkansas DOC for state prison custody.
Is there one statewide Arkansas county jail search?
No. County and regional detention agencies maintain local booking information. Arkansas DOC is a separate state correctional system.
How much does ARCH cost?
ARCH charges a nonrefundable $24 for each search. Additional possible matching results selected after the first result cost another $24 each.
What records does ARCH exclude?
ARCH excludes active warrants, juvenile records, dismissed or not-guilty charges, unresolved misdemeanour arrests, sealed records, most older open arrests, federal history and out-of-state records.
How do I search an Arkansas criminal court case?
Use Search ARCourts and search by case number or participant name. Contact the filing court clerk for an official or certified document.
How much is an Arkansas State Police background check?
The consent-based online Arkansas name check currently costs $22. A manual ASP-122 request costs $25.
Can I request an Arkansas arrest report under FOIA?
An Arkansas citizen may request sufficiently identified public records from the agency maintaining them. Investigative and protected information may be withheld or redacted.
Does ARCH show active warrants?
No. Confirm a possible warrant with the issuing court or law-enforcement agency.
How do I correct an inaccurate Arkansas criminal history?
Use the ACIC authorisation-for-review process and obtain corrected court documentation when the disposition is wrong or missing.
How do I seal an Arkansas record?
Select the petition and order that match the record, file them in the responsible court and obtain a signed order. The clerk forwards the filed order to ACIC for processing.