Fairfax County VA Arrest Records Search | Jail & Court 2026

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Fairfax County Virginia Arrest & Criminal Records

Find Fairfax County Jail Status, Arrest Records and Criminal Court Cases

Fairfax County does not publish the kind of public online jail roster used by many counties. For a recent arrest, call the Adult Detention Center and use its inmate-information phone route. For public criminal court cases, search Virginia’s statewide court system and Fairfax Circuit Court eCaseSearch. For your own Fairfax County Police criminal record, use FCPD Central Records.

The systems answer different questions. A jail booking shows custody, a police record documents law-enforcement activity, General District Court handles misdemeanors and felony preliminary proceedings, Circuit Court handles felony prosecutions, and a Virginia State Police background check is not the same thing as a local arrest report.

Call ADC Inmate Information Search Virginia Court Cases Search Fairfax Felony Cases Request FCPD Records
ADC inmate information 703-246-2100
FCPD self record check $10
Virginia SP-167 $15
General District Criminal 703-246-3305
New sealing law Effective July 1, 2026
Fairfax County does not use one all-in-one arrest search

Which Fairfax County Record System Should You Use?

J
Is the person in jail now? Call the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center. There is no official county web roster that should be treated as a complete real-time inmate list.
G
Misdemeanor or first felony hearing Search Fairfax County General District Court through Virginia’s official case-information system.
C
Felony Circuit Court case Use Fairfax Circuit Court’s free eCaseSearch for public non-confidential case information.
P
Your own FCPD criminal record Request a Fairfax County Police adult criminal-charge check through Central Records.
Fairfax County Police check is not countywide in the broadest sense. FCPD says its $10 criminal record check covers adult criminal charges in Fairfax County where Fairfax County Police responded and/or charged the individual. A record created by another agency should not automatically be expected in that local FCPD check.

Start With the Question You Actually Need Answered

Someone was arrested today Call the Adult Detention Center and ask for current inmate information, bond, release date or court-date routing.
You need public charges and hearing dates Search Virginia court records by name, case number or hearing date.
You need the Fairfax felony docket Use free eCaseSearch and search the Circuit Court criminal database by party name or exact case number.
You need your own police history Bring the required identification to FCPD Central Records or follow its mail procedure.
You need an incident verification FCPD can provide a limited verification to eligible involved parties when the associated case is closed.
You want a record sealed Virginia’s new automatic and petition sealing laws became effective July 1, 2026; Fairfax Circuit Court handles qualifying petitions.

Fairfax County Arrest Records Quick Navigation

Recent Jail Check ADC Phone Menu VINE Notifications Court Search Which Court? Circuit eCaseSearch Verify Identity Your FCPD Record Police Reports FCPD FOIA Virginia Background Check Case Decoder Older Court Files 2026 Record Sealing Expungement Offices & Map Search Problems 10 FAQs

How to Check a Recent Fairfax County Jail Booking

Fairfax County’s Adult Detention Center is operated by Sheriff Stacey A. Kincaid. Unlike jurisdictions that publish a continuously searchable jail roster, Fairfax County routes public inmate questions through the ADC phone system.

Call the Adult Detention Center. Dial 703-246-2100.
Select confinement information. Press 4.
Choose inmate information. Press 1 for inmate-information questions.
Give the full legal name. Include middle name, suffix and approximate date of birth when known so staff can distinguish people with similar names.
Ask whether the person is presently confined. Confirm current custody before relying on a third-party inmate-search website.
Ask for bond, release or court information separately. The same phone system has a specific route for bonds, release dates and court dates.
Move to the court system next. Jail status tells you where the person is; it does not establish the final charge or court outcome.
Adult Detention Center 10520 Judicial Drive
Fairfax, VA 22030
Main jail line 703-246-2100
Facility operation The Adult Detention Center operates 24 hours a day; individual administrative services use their own procedures.
Booking is not conviction. A person may be jailed on an accusation that is later amended, dismissed or resolved differently. Always check the court disposition.

Fairfax Adult Detention Center Phone Menu

4 → 1 Inmate information Use when trying to confirm whether a named person is currently confined.
4 → 2 Bond / release / court date Use for bond questions, projected release information or court-date routing.
4 → 3 Property room Use for questions about property held for an inmate.
4 → 4 Inmate finance Use for inmate-account or post-release balance questions.
Parking for the ADC: The Sheriff’s Office identifies the public parking garage at 10550 Page Avenue, Fairfax, a short walk from the detention center and courthouse complex.

Use Virginia VINE for Local Jail Custody Notifications

Virginia VINE is a separate tool for local-jail custody information and notifications. Fairfax County Victim Services links residents to VINE for offender-release notification, and the Sheriff’s Office uses the system for qualifying custody-status notifications.

VINELink Search the Virginia local-jail VINE system and review available custody-status information. Fairfax Victim Services Crime victims can obtain help with notification requests, court information and safety resources.
Victim Services phone 703-246-2141
Local jail vs state prison: VINE is used for Virginia local-jail information. After a person enters Virginia Department of Corrections state custody, victim notification uses the state’s separate NAAVI process.

General District Court or Fairfax Circuit Court?

Fairfax County General District Court Handles misdemeanor criminal cases, traffic matters and preliminary hearings for felony charges.

4110 Chain Bridge Road
Suite 210
Fairfax, VA 22030
Criminal Division: 703-246-3305
Fairfax Circuit Court Handles felony criminal trials plus misdemeanor and traffic appeals from lower courts.

4110 Chain Bridge Road
Suite 409
Fairfax, VA 22030
Main criminal line: 703-691-7320
1 Arrest Law enforcement takes the person into custody or serves a criminal process.
2 Booking Identity and confinement information are entered at the jail when the person is detained.
3 GDC Misdemeanor trial or felony preliminary proceeding occurs in General District Court.
4 Felony route Qualifying felony matters can move to Circuit Court.
5 Circuit case Felony docket activity, motions, plea or trial proceeds at the Circuit Court level.
6 Disposition The final court result controls how the criminal case should be described.
Prisoner advisements: Fairfax General District Court currently lists prisoner advisements Monday through Friday at 10:00 a.m.; non-prisoner advisements generally begin later in the morning.
Free Fairfax-specific felony search

How to Use Fairfax Circuit Court eCaseSearch

Fairfax Circuit Court launched eCaseSearch to provide free online access to non-confidential Circuit Court civil and criminal case information. The system is particularly useful for felony cases.

Open eCaseSearch. Go to Fairfax Circuit Court eCaseSearch.
Select Criminal. The system separates civil and criminal searches.
Choose name or case-number search. The direct case-number search is best when you already know the FE or MI number.
For a name search, enter at least the first two letters of the surname. Add first name information to narrow a common surname.
Review the first 100 results limit. If a broad search returns too many cases, refine the name or year.
Open the case number. Review the public docket details, charges, hearings and case activity.
Coverage date: Fairfax eCaseSearch states that available case information generally begins October 18, 2004. It does not provide case documents, and confidential cases are excluded.

Verify These Fields Before You Link a Fairfax Criminal Case to Someone

Legal name Include middle name and suffix.
Case number Best court identifier.
Case year Match arrest timing.
Court level GDC or Circuit.
Charge Compare original and amended.
Disposition Read final result.
Name-only searches can misidentify people. Do not treat a matching name as proof that the case belongs to the person you are researching.

How to Get Your Own Fairfax County Police Criminal Record

FCPD Central Records provides a local adult criminal-charge record check for matters where Fairfax County Police responded and/or charged the individual.

$10 FCPD criminal record check Current local fee for the Fairfax County Police criminal-history request.
2 IDs Identification Two accepted forms are required; one must contain a photograph.
Same day* In-person local check FCPD says local residents can obtain their record that day in most cases when appearing in person.
PD-23 Request form PD Form 23 is used for the individual Fairfax County Police criminal-history request.

Accepted Identification

  • U.S. driver’s license
  • DMV-issued identification card
  • U.S. or foreign passport
  • Social Security card
  • U.S. military identification
  • Original birth certificate
One of the two accepted IDs must contain a photograph. FCPD publishes special requirements for foreign birth certificates, including an original certified professional translation.
FCPD Central Records Public Safety Headquarters
12099 Government Center Parkway, Suite 1400
Fairfax, VA 22035
703-246-2272

Can You Get the Fairfax County Police Arrest or Incident Report?

FCPD’s rules are narrower than many people expect. The department says police reports and records cannot be released until the associated case is officially closed, and ordinary full police-report copies are generally released only to law-enforcement officers or by subpoena.

Incident verification Eligible victims, property owners, people directly involved and complainants may request a limited incident verification form.
What verification includes Case number, incident date, location, incident type and officer name.
Current verification fee $10, payable using FCPD’s approved non-cash methods.
Get the case number if possible. This is the fastest way for Central Records to identify the incident.
Confirm the case is closed. FCPD says records cannot be processed or disseminated until the associated case is officially closed.
Determine whether you qualify for an incident verification. Victims, owners, directly involved parties and complainants are listed as eligible categories.
Schedule Central Records when visiting. FCPD recommends scheduling an appointment to reduce wait time.
Bring valid photo ID and case information. Additional authorization or court documents may be required depending on the record.
Processing times: FCPD currently says many Central Records requests may be processed within 3–7 business days; mail requests may take about 10 business days.

Fairfax County Police FOIA: When It Helps and What It Costs

Virginia FOIA can be used to request identifiable records held by FCPD, including incident reports, arrest reports and certain video records, but statutory exemptions can limit disclosure.

Online FOIA Form FCPD identifies the online form as its preferred and fastest submission route.
FOIA Compliance Division 703-246-4561
FCPDFOIA@fairfaxcounty.gov
Agency response period FCPD states that it generally has five business days to respond with records, a denial, partial production, no-record notice or an applicable extension.
$40.6039 Published hourly administrative rate FCPD currently uses this hourly rate for research, redaction, quality review and production.
$200+ Possible deposit FCPD says an advance deposit can be required when the estimated cost exceeds $200.
5 days Normal response stage A response does not necessarily mean every requested record will be released within five days.
60 workdays Investigative-file extension Certain criminal investigative file requests can use the longer statutory response provision.
Common exemptions include: ongoing investigations, active adjudication, victim-related criminal investigative records and sensitive personal, medical or financial information.
“I am requesting the identifiable Fairfax County Police record for case number __________, incident date __________, at __________. Please provide a cost estimate before processing if the charge will exceed $__________.”

Virginia State Police Background Check vs Fairfax County Arrest Record

The Virginia State Police SP-167 process is a statewide criminal-history background check. It is not a copy of a Fairfax County Police arrest report.

Virginia State Police SP-167 The name-search form currently costs $15 and requires notarized authorization. VSP says anyone—including individuals, members of the public and private companies—may use SP-167 subject to the form’s consent requirements.
Fairfax County Police PD-23 The $10 FCPD check is local and limited to adult criminal charges where Fairfax County Police responded and/or charged the person.
Open Virginia State Police Criminal History Record Check. Go to Virginia Criminal History Record Check.
Generate Form SP-167. Enter the required identifying information and create the printable request.
Obtain the required notarization. The person whose record is searched must authorize the request as required by the form.
Pay the $15 criminal-history-search fee. The combination criminal-history and sex-offender search uses a different fee.
Mail the request to Virginia State Police. VSP currently states that normal mail processing is approximately 15 business days, with no same-day or expedited service.
Important name-search limitation: The current SP-167 form warns that a name-only criminal-history request returns Virginia conviction data unless fingerprints are submitted, and “no Virginia conviction data” does not prove that no arrest record exists.

How to Read a Fairfax County Arrest or Court Result

Record Term What It Means What to Verify
Arrest Law enforcement took or processed the person into custody. Whether charges were actually filed and how they ended.
Booking The jail processed the person into custody. Current custody, bond and court date.
Pending The criminal matter has not reached final disposition. Next hearing and current charge.
Nolle prosequi The prosecution elected not to proceed with the charge at that time. Expungement or sealing eligibility under current Virginia law.
Dismissed The court dismissed the charge or case. Whether dismissal was with prejudice, deferred or otherwise classified.
Acquitted The defendant was found not guilty on the charge at issue. Automatic sealing or expungement status.
Convicted A guilty plea or finding resulted in conviction. Final offense, sentence and possible sealing eligibility.
Sealed The record generally is no longer publicly accessible under Virginia sealing law. Whether the case was automatically sealed or sealed by petition.
Expunged Qualifying police and court records are removed from ordinary public access and sealed. The actual expungement order and implementation status.

Why an Older Fairfax Criminal Case May Be Missing Online

Online search coverage and court retention rules matter. A missing case does not always mean there was never a criminal proceeding.

General District Court retention Fairfax General District Court states that many criminal case records are destroyed at the end of the statutory 10-year retention period.
DWI records The court identifies DWI convictions as being stored for the full 10-year retention period.
Sex-offense records Certain sexual-offense files use a much longer 50-year retention period.
Archived GDC record: County Archives no longer offers direct public access. The General District Court Clerk must request archived court files, and the county says retrieval can take approximately 2–3 business days.
Court file destroyed ≠ criminal history automatically gone. Fairfax General District Court specifically notes that conviction history from destroyed court files may still be available through Fairfax County Police Central Records.
Recent Circuit criminal files Review current files in Fairfax Circuit Court Criminal Division, Suite 409.
Older Circuit file request Submit the official file-review form when an older criminal file must be retrieved before in-person review.
Major Virginia change effective July 1, 2026

Virginia Criminal Record Sealing Now Applies in Fairfax County

Current 2026 rule: Virginia’s expanded criminal-record sealing statutes took effect July 1, 2026. Some eligible records are sealed automatically while others require a petition in Circuit Court.
1 Automatic misdemeanor non-conviction sealing Acquittals and dismissals with prejudice on or after July 1, 2026 can be sealed automatically at case conclusion unless the defendant objects.
2 Felony non-convictions Certain acquittals or dismissals with prejudice can be sealed at case conclusion when the defendant requests it and the Commonwealth agrees.
3 Specified misdemeanor convictions Virginia created automatic processes for certain eligible convictions, subject to the statutory waiting periods and conditions.
4 Petition sealing Certain misdemeanors, Class 5 and 6 felonies, deferred dismissals and related matters may qualify through petition procedures; many offenses are excluded.
Sealed does not mean destroyed. Virginia State Crime Commission explains that sealed records generally stop being publicly accessible but continue to exist and may be disclosed for specifically authorized purposes.
Fairfax Circuit Court Sealing Review local petition procedures, forms and criminal-history instructions. Virginia State Crime Commission Review current automatic and petition sealing categories and limitations.

Expungement Is Different From Criminal Record Sealing

Fairfax Circuit Court describes expungement as a process used to remove qualifying police and court records from public access when the matter ended without a conviction under specified circumstances.

Common qualifying results Acquittal, nolle prosequi and qualifying dismissal are among the dispositions identified by Fairfax Circuit Court.
Other routes Absolute pardon and cases where the wrong person’s name was used can also fall within Virginia’s expungement framework.
Where Fairfax petitions are filed Civil Intake, Suite 319, Fairfax County Courthouse.
Identify the exact case and disposition. Obtain the General District or Circuit Court case number and confirm the result.
Review current expungement eligibility. Do not rely on a pre-July-2026 internet summary because Virginia’s sealing system now operates alongside expungement.
Use the current Fairfax petition forms. Fairfax Circuit Court publishes the expungement petition and proposed order forms.
Request the criminal-history report through VSP. Fairfax currently instructs petitioners to select SP-356 in the Virginia State Police system so the report is transmitted to the court.

Open Fairfax Circuit Court Expungement Instructions.

Implementation is not instant: A granted order still must be processed through Virginia State Police and the relevant courts and agencies before public access changes throughout the system.

Practical Fairfax County Arrest-Record Scenarios

Family member arrested tonight Call 703-246-2100, press 4, then 1. After the booking is confirmed, use the court system to follow charges and hearing dates.
You need the bond or release date Call the same ADC number, press 4, then 2 for bond, release and court-date information.
Misdemeanor arrest Search Fairfax General District Court and read the final disposition.
Felony arrest Check General District Court for preliminary proceedings, then Fairfax eCaseSearch for the Circuit Court felony case.
Need your own local police history Use FCPD Central Records PD-23 and bring two accepted IDs.
Arrest involved another police agency Do not assume the event will appear in the FCPD-only $10 record check. Identify the actual arresting/responding agency.
Need the complete police narrative Ordinary report copies are restricted. Determine whether an incident verification, subpoena or targeted FOIA request is appropriate.
Old dismissed case disappeared online Check whether the matter was sealed, expunged or destroyed under court-retention rules.
Background site shows an old record Compare the private listing with the official court disposition and current Virginia sealing status before treating it as accurate.

Fairfax County Jail, Court and Police Records Contacts

Adult Detention Center 10520 Judicial Drive
Fairfax, VA 22030
703-246-2100
General District Court 4110 Chain Bridge Road
Suite 210
Fairfax, VA 22030
703-246-3305
Circuit Court Criminal Division 4110 Chain Bridge Road
Suite 409
Fairfax, VA 22030
703-691-7320
FCPD Central Records 12099 Government Center Parkway
Suite 1400
Fairfax, VA 22035
703-246-2272
FCPD Central Records hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m. Visitors are not added to the queue after 11:45 a.m. or 3:45 p.m. The office closes at 3:00 p.m. on the third Wednesday of each month.
Fairfax Circuit criminal file room: Current criminal files are maintained in Suite 409. The Criminal Division lists public service hours of 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Fairfax County Arrest Record Search Problems and Fixes

Problem What to Do Best Source
No online Fairfax jail roster appears Call the ADC at 703-246-2100 and use the confinement/inmate-information menu. Sheriff / ADC
Person was arrested today but no court case appears Confirm jail status first and allow time for charging and court data entry. ADC → Virginia Courts
Felony appears in GDC but later disappears Search Fairfax Circuit Court eCaseSearch for the felony case. eCaseSearch
FCPD self-check does not show expected charge Identify the arresting agency. The FCPD check covers charges where Fairfax County Police responded or charged. Actual arresting agency
Need full police report Review FCPD release restrictions; incident verification, subpoena or FOIA may be the applicable route. FCPD Central Records
Case is still open FCPD says police records cannot be disseminated through Central Records until the associated case is officially closed. FCPD
Old GDC case cannot be found Consider retention/destruction rules, archived file retrieval, sealing and FCPD criminal history. GDC + Central Records
Need statewide Virginia history Use Virginia State Police SP-167 rather than a Fairfax-only local record check. Virginia State Police
Case vanished after July 2026 Check whether the charge qualified for Virginia’s new automatic record-sealing process. Court / VSP
Need notification of inmate release Use Virginia VINE for local jail notification or contact Fairfax Victim Services. VINE / Victim Services
“I am trying to locate a Fairfax County criminal record involving __________. The approximate arrest date is __________. I have case number / police case number __________. Can you confirm whether I should use the ADC, General District Court, Circuit Court or FCPD Central Records?”

Official Fairfax County Arrest and Criminal Record Resources

Adult Detention Center FAQs Inmate-information phone menu, bond/release routing, jail address and visitor information. Virginia Case Information Search official General District and statewide adult criminal case information. Fairfax eCaseSearch Search free public Circuit Court criminal case information. FCPD Central Records Local criminal-history checks, incident verification, identification rules and appointments. FCPD Virginia FOIA Review public-record request channels, exemptions, response periods and costs. Virginia State Police Background Check Request a statewide SP-167 criminal-history name search. Fairfax Criminal Record Sealing Review the July 2026 sealing framework and petition forms. Fairfax Expungement Review expungement procedure and forms for qualifying non-conviction records. Fairfax Victim Services Assistance with offender notification, court advocacy and VINE registration.

Fairfax County Arrest Records FAQs

1. How do I find out if someone is in Fairfax County jail?

Call the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center at 703-246-2100, press 4 for confinement and then press 1 for inmate information. Fairfax County does not publish a normal public online jail roster that should be treated as a complete live inmate list.

2. How do I search Fairfax County criminal court cases online?

Use Virginia’s official Case Status and Information system for General District Court criminal cases and Fairfax Circuit Court eCaseSearch for public felony and other Circuit Court criminal case information.

3. Which Fairfax court handles felony arrests?

Felony charges usually begin with preliminary proceedings in Fairfax General District Court and can then proceed to Fairfax Circuit Court, which has jurisdiction over felony trials.

4. Can I get my own Fairfax County Police criminal record?

Yes. FCPD Central Records provides an adult criminal-charge check for Fairfax County matters where Fairfax County Police responded or charged the person. The current fee is $10 and two accepted forms of identification are required, one with a photograph.

5. Can I get a full Fairfax County Police incident report?

FCPD states that full police-report copies are generally released only to law-enforcement officers or by subpoena. Eligible victims, property owners, complainants and directly involved people can request an incident verification form after the associated case is closed.

6. How much does a Virginia State Police criminal-history check cost?

The standard SP-167 Virginia criminal-history name search currently costs $15. The form requires the applicable notarized authorization and normal mail processing is approximately 15 business days.

7. Does a Fairfax County arrest record prove someone was convicted?

No. An arrest or booking is not a conviction. Check the General District or Circuit Court disposition to determine whether the charge was dismissed, nolle prosequi, amended, acquitted or resulted in conviction.

8. Why can an old Fairfax criminal case disappear from online search?

The record may have been sealed or expunged, the court may have destroyed an older file under its retention schedule, the case may predate the online database, or you may be searching the wrong court level.

9. What changed with Virginia criminal records on July 1, 2026?

Virginia’s expanded criminal-record sealing laws became effective July 1, 2026. Certain qualifying records can now be sealed automatically, while other eligible convictions, deferred dismissals and related matters may require a petition in Circuit Court.

10. How can a victim receive notice when a Fairfax inmate is released?

Virginia VINE provides local-jail custody notifications, and Fairfax County Police Victim Services can help qualifying crime victims with notification and court-related assistance at 703-246-2141.

Independent Records Guide and Accuracy Notice

This page is an independent informational guide and is not affiliated with the Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office, Fairfax County Police Department, Fairfax County General District Court, Fairfax Circuit Court, Virginia State Police, Supreme Court of Virginia, Virginia VINE or any other government agency.

An arrest, warrant, jail booking or criminal charge is not proof of guilt. Charges can be amended, dismissed, nolle prosequi, acquitted or resolved differently from the original allegation. Verify identity and read the official court disposition before making conclusions about any person.

Virginia’s criminal-record sealing rules changed substantially on July 1, 2026. Court visibility, eligibility, fees, processing times and agency access rules can change, so verify time-sensitive details with the linked official source before filing, paying or making a consequential decision.

Editorial verification date: August 28, 2026.

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