Federal Criminal Record Search: Find the Arrest, Court Case and Custody Status
Federal arrest records do not sit inside one public database. A recent defendant can appear in a U.S. District Court docket while being held by the U.S. Marshals Service in a county jail. A sentenced person may appear in the Bureau of Prisons locator, while an individual who wants their own national fingerprint-based history must use the FBI Identity History Summary process.
This guide connects those systems. It explains where each federal record lives, what is public, what remains sealed, how PACER charges work, why a BOP search can fail, how to request your FBI rap sheet, how to challenge an error, how FOIA differs from a criminal-history request and what to do with older federal cases.
PACER and the nationwide PACER Case Locator.
Federal inmate records from 1982 to present.
$18 and a current fingerprint submission.
Often controlled by the U.S. Marshals Service.
August 14, 2026 federal procedures.
There is no single public federal arrest-record search
The phrase “federal arrest records” can refer to several different records. Choosing the wrong system is the main reason users fail to find what they need.
Search PACER. This is where public complaints, indictments, docket entries, motions, orders, pleas, judgments and many sentencing documents are found.
Search BOP first, but understand that a recently arrested pretrial defendant may instead be in U.S. Marshals custody at a local detention facility.
Request an FBI Identity History Summary. It is fingerprint based and is not a public name search for other people.
Use FOIA or the Privacy Act with the agency that created the records. Investigative records are different from a court docket or FBI Identity History Summary.
How to search a federal arrest through PACER
PACER—Public Access to Court Electronic Records—is the federal Judiciary’s public case-record system. Anyone can register for a PACER account. Registration itself is free.
Search the specific court directly. Court-specific PACER information is updated as new records are entered and is the better route when you already know the district and case number.
Use the PACER Case Locator. It is a nationwide index and can search federal cases across multiple districts. The national index is updated daily.
Best PACER search workflow
How much does a federal court-record search cost?
$0.10 per page for electronic PACER access.
Standard individual document maximum: $3.
Quarterly PACER charges of $30 or less are waived.
Announced electronic rate: $0.12 per page.
Automatic quarterly waiver threshold: $40.
The announced temporary increase is scheduled to remain in effect for five years.
Ways to reduce or avoid PACER fees
Monday–Friday, 7 a.m.–6 p.m. Central Time.
Useful for account and case-search assistance.
How to read a federal criminal docket after an arrest
| Entry | What it means | What to check next |
|---|---|---|
| Criminal Complaint | An early charging document supported by allegations establishing probable cause. | Look for an affidavit, initial appearance and later indictment or information. |
| Arrest Warrant | Judicial authorization for arrest when publicly available after execution or unsealing. | Check whether it was executed and whether the associated affidavit has been unsealed. |
| Initial Appearance | The defendant’s early appearance before a federal judge or magistrate judge after arrest. | Check counsel, release/detention status and the next scheduled hearing. |
| Detention Hearing | The court considers whether conditions can reasonably address appearance and safety concerns. | Find the release order or detention order. |
| Indictment | Formal felony charges returned by a federal grand jury. | Compare counts with the earlier complaint because allegations may have changed. |
| Information | A formal charging document filed by the prosecutor without a grand-jury indictment in circumstances where legally permitted. | Review plea and waiver entries where applicable. |
| Arraignment | The defendant is formally called upon to respond to the charge. | Check the plea and scheduling order. |
| Order of Detention | The court ordered the defendant held pending further proceedings. | Read the public order for the court’s findings and later review motions. |
| Order Setting Conditions of Release | The defendant was released subject to stated conditions. | Do not describe the person as incarcerated merely because the case remains pending. |
| Plea Agreement | An agreement associated with a guilty plea when the document is publicly available. | Check which counts remain and wait for judgment and sentencing. |
| Nolle / Dismissal | One or more charges were dismissed or the government discontinued prosecution of them. | Verify whether every count and defendant was covered. |
| Judgment | The court’s formal record of conviction/acquittal status and sentence as applicable. | Use this rather than the original complaint to describe the final outcome. |
| Notice of Appeal | An appeal has been initiated. | Find the corresponding U.S. Court of Appeals case through PACER. |
No federal court case found? Check these causes before giving up
What happens after someone is arrested on a federal charge?
The exact sequence varies with the charging method and case, but understanding the normal federal process helps explain changing custody and court records.
Who has custody after a federal arrest?
| Situation | Likely responsible system | Where to start |
|---|---|---|
| Just arrested on a federal charge | U.S. Marshals Service / local detention partner | Search the federal court docket and contact the local USMS district when the location is unclear. |
| Federal pretrial detainee housed at a BOP detention center | BOP facility with USMS-related pretrial custody arrangements | Check the BOP locator and the court docket. |
| Sentenced to federal prison | Federal Bureau of Prisons | Use the BOP Inmate Locator. |
| Released before trial | Federal court / Pretrial Services supervision | Read the court’s release order and docket. |
| Released from BOP but still supervised | U.S. Probation / supervised release | Read the judgment and subsequent court docket. |
| Transferred between institutions | USMS or BOP depending on procedural stage | Interpret “IN TRANSIT” cautiously and recheck after movement is completed. |
How to search the Federal Bureau of Prisons correctly
The BOP Inmate Locator contains information about people in BOP custody from 1982 to the present. It can also contain a record for someone who was temporarily in BOP custody but never ultimately served a federal prison sentence.
The most precise method is a federal identifier. A BOP Register Number uses the format #####-###.
Enter first and last name. Middle name, age, race and sex can help narrow a common-name result.
How to interpret BOP results
| Field/status | Meaning | Do not assume |
|---|---|---|
| Register Number | The person’s BOP identifier. | Do not substitute a court case number. |
| Location | Current BOP location when the person remains in BOP custody. | A pretrial federal detainee may instead be housed outside BOP. |
| Future Release Date | A projected release date based on current BOP calculations. | The date can change because sentence calculations and credits can change. |
| Past Release Date | BOP records show release from that BOP custody episode. | The person may still be on supervised release or in another justice system. |
| UNKNOWN | The confinement term has not been determined in the BOP record. | This can occur with pretrial or other non-final custody situations. |
| IN TRANSIT | The person has moved from a BOP facility and location is in transition. | Do not assume where the person is physically housed. |
| RELEASED / Not in BOP Custody | The person is no longer in BOP custody. | It does not prove the person is free of every other custody or supervision status. |
Why the U.S. Marshals Service matters in a federal arrest search
The U.S. Marshals Service assumes custody responsibility for people arrested by federal agencies and manages housing and transportation during much of the pretrial federal court process.
The key detail for families is that USMS does not operate a nationwide network of its own public jails. Federal pretrial prisoners can be housed in federal, state, local or contract detention facilities. That is why a person can be facing a federal case yet fail to appear where a user expects in the BOP search.
Can you search every active federal arrest warrant online?
What you may find publicly
After execution or unsealing, the docket may contain an arrest warrant, return, complaint, indictment or related order.
The FBI publishes selected fugitives and wanted persons. It is not a list of every person who has an outstanding federal warrant.
The Marshals Service publishes selected wanted fugitives and law-enforcement information, not a comprehensive public warrant database.
How to obtain your own FBI Identity History Summary
The FBI Identity History Summary—often called an FBI rap sheet—is a fingerprint-based listing of certain information retained by the FBI in connection with fingerprint submissions, including arrest-related information.
$18 per request.
Current fingerprints required.
Not available for this process.
Available through FBI eDO.
FBI does not offer expedited processing.
Electronic request
Mail request
1000 Custer Hollow Road
Clarksburg, WV 26306
Identity History Summary vs. FBI FOIA: do not send the wrong request
| You need | Correct process | Key requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Your own FBI fingerprint-based criminal history / rap sheet | Identity History Summary | $18 plus current fingerprints. |
| Proof the FBI has no Identity History Summary for you | Identity History Summary | Same fingerprint-based request. |
| Correct an entry on your FBI Identity History Summary | Identity History Summary Challenge | Identify the error and provide available supporting evidence. |
| FBI investigative records concerning yourself | Privacy Act / FOIPA | Identity certification and a reasonably described request. |
| FBI records about an event, organization or historical subject | FOIA / eFOIPA | Describe the records with enough detail for the FBI to locate them. |
| Information about another living person | FOIA with privacy restrictions | Consent generally is needed unless disclosure is otherwise legally authorized. |
How to challenge an inaccurate FBI Identity History Summary
The FBI currently charges $0 for an Identity History Summary challenge.
The FBI currently states that the average response time is within 45 days of receiving the challenge.
Certified court dispositions, expungement/sealing orders and agency correction documentation can help support a challenge.
How to request federal agency arrest or investigation files through FOIA
A court record and an investigative agency file are not the same thing. PACER may contain the public charging documents and judicial orders, while the FBI, DEA, ATF, U.S. Marshals Service or another agency may hold investigative records.
What a useful FOIA request should contain
FBI FOIPA requests
The FBI accepts electronic FOIA/Privacy Act requests through eFOIPA. A mailed request can be sent to its Record/Information Dissemination Section.
Attn: Initial Processing Operations Unit
Record/Information Dissemination Section
200 Constitution Drive
Winchester, VA 22602
Requesting records about another living person
FOIA does not require an agency to
- Answer open-ended questions instead of producing records.
- Create a new report that does not already exist.
- Conduct research or analysis for the requester.
- Release information protected by a statutory FOIA exemption.
Federal criminal records you should not expect to find publicly
| Record | Typical public-access status | Why a search may fail |
|---|---|---|
| Sealed indictment | Not publicly available while sealed. | The existence or contents may be protected until the court unseals the matter. |
| Unexecuted arrest warrant | Ordinarily not public. | Public release could interfere with execution of the warrant. |
| Search-warrant application before execution/unsealing | Often sealed during the investigation. | Federal investigations and grand-jury matters are generally confidential. |
| Pretrial-services / bail report | Not generally public. | The court uses confidential information when evaluating release and detention. |
| Presentence investigation report | Confidential; not a public PACER document. | It contains sensitive information prepared for sentencing. |
| Juvenile federal record | Restricted. | Federal juvenile proceedings receive heightened confidentiality. |
| Grand-jury material | Generally secret. | Grand-jury secrecy rules protect proceedings and evidence. |
| Personal identifiers | Redacted in public filings. | Federal filing rules protect Social Security numbers, full birth dates, financial account data, minor names and other sensitive information. |
Where to look for the facts behind a federal arrest
When a federal criminal case becomes public, the most useful factual document often is not a generic “arrest record.” It may be a complaint affidavit, an unsealed search-warrant affidavit, an indictment or a detention filing.
Often explains the probable-cause allegations supporting the initial federal charge.
Shows the formal charges returned by the grand jury but may contain less factual detail than an affidavit.
May describe why the government seeks detention, subject to sealing and redaction.
Best document for determining the final conviction and sentence after the case is resolved.
How to find an older federal criminal case not available online
Most federal cases created before 1999 were maintained in paper form, so a missing PACER document may be an archival problem rather than evidence that no case exists.
Verify identity before connecting a federal case to a person
Use this hierarchy of identifiers
| Identifier | Reliability for matching | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Fingerprint-based FBI identity | Highest for your own FBI history | Confirms record identity through biometrics. |
| BOP Register Number | High within BOP records | Distinguishes BOP inmates with similar names. |
| Federal criminal case number | High for the court proceeding | Use for PACER, clerk questions and filings. |
| Full name + district + date | Moderate to high | Useful when no biometric or register number is available. |
| Name alone | Low | Only as an initial search key. |
| Photograph alone | Low | Never make a consequential identity decision from visual resemblance alone. |
Why federal mugshots are harder to find than county booking photos
There is no public nationwide federal booking-photo database covering every federal defendant. Federal agencies create photographs for identification and custody purposes, but those images are not automatically published for each person who is arrested.
An FBI or U.S. Marshals wanted page may include a photograph when an agency chooses to publicize a fugitive.
An image can become part of a public court filing or exhibit if filed and not sealed.
A photograph may be requested from the agency that maintains it, but disclosure depends on applicable law, privacy interests and exemptions.
Which federal search should you use for employment, licensing or personal review?
| Your goal | Best starting point | Important warning |
|---|---|---|
| Research a public federal prosecution | PACER | PACER is a court-case database, not a complete criminal-history check. |
| Review your own FBI criminal-history information | FBI Identity History Summary | Fingerprints are required. |
| Statutory employment/licensing fingerprint check | Process specified by the requesting employer or licensing authority | Do not substitute a self-selected public search if the law requires a specific authorized channel. |
| Locate a sentenced federal prisoner | BOP Inmate Locator | BOP custody status is not a criminal-history report. |
| Research an FBI investigation | FBI FOIA / Privacy Act | Investigative exemptions and privacy rules can restrict disclosure. |
What document should you obtain when a screenshot is not enough?
Obtain the complaint, indictment or information from the federal court.
Obtain the judgment, dismissal order or other final disposition document.
Use the official FBI Identity History Summary process.
Start with the BOP record and contact the Bureau or institution when an institution requires additional verification.
Federal expungement, sealing and presidential pardon are not the same thing
Restricts public access to a court record or document under a judicial order or governing rule. It does not necessarily destroy the underlying record.
A judicial record-clearing remedy. Federal expungement is limited and is not broadly available in the way many state expungement programs are.
Executive clemency for a federal offense. DOJ expressly states that a pardon does not erase or expunge the conviction.
If you want a federal record cleared or restricted
Where should you search next?
| Question | Use this source | What to save |
|---|---|---|
| Was a federal criminal case filed? | PACER Case Locator | District, case number and filing date. |
| What exactly was charged? | Federal district-court docket | Complaint, information or indictment. |
| Was the defendant detained or released? | PACER docket | Release/detention order and conditions. |
| Where is a sentenced federal inmate? | BOP Inmate Locator | Register Number and facility. |
| Where is a newly arrested federal detainee? | Court docket + local U.S. Marshals district | Case number and detention facility. |
| What is in my own FBI rap sheet? | FBI Identity History Summary | FBI response and fingerprint-request information. |
| My FBI record is wrong | FBI challenge process / originating repository | Certified correction or disposition. |
| I need investigative files | Agency-specific FOIA | Request number and agency response. |
| I need a 1990s or older federal case | District clerk / FRC / National Archives | Case number and archival transfer information. |
| I need the final legal result | Federal court judgment or dismissal order | Official disposition document. |
Live federal tools used after you know which record you need
Most of the rules and procedures are explained above. These external government systems remain necessary only because searches, custody, filings and submissions change in real time.
Nationwide federal court case search when you do not know the district.
Run case search →Current and historical BOP inmate records from 1982 forward.
Run inmate search →Request your own fingerprint-based FBI Identity History Summary.
Start FBI request →Request FBI investigative or Privacy Act records rather than a rap sheet.
Start FBI FOIA request →Locate the district office when federal pretrial detention location is unclear.
Find district office →Locate older federal court files that have moved into archival custody.
Search archival records →Federal arrest records and court lookup FAQs
Is there a free federal arrest-record database?
There is no single public database containing every federal arrest. BOP inmate searches are free, while federal court records are primarily accessed through PACER. Your own FBI fingerprint-based criminal history is available through the Identity History Summary process for an $18 FBI fee.
Can anyone search federal criminal cases?
Yes. Members of the public can register for a PACER account and search public federal court records. Sealed and otherwise restricted records remain unavailable.
What does PACER cost right now?
Through December 31, 2026, PACER generally charges $0.10 per page, with a standard $3 maximum for many individual documents. Quarterly charges of $30 or less are waived.
What changes to PACER on January 1, 2027?
The Judiciary has announced a temporary increase from $0.10 to $0.12 per page and an increase in the automatic quarterly fee-waiver threshold from $30 to $40.
Why can I find a federal court case but not the person in BOP?
The defendant may be released pending trial or held in U.S. Marshals custody at a local, state or other detention facility. BOP is not a complete locator for every person facing a federal charge.
How far back does the BOP inmate search go?
The BOP public locator covers federal inmate records from 1982 to the present. Earlier federal incarceration records may require archival research.
Does “Released” in the BOP locator mean the person is completely free?
No. It means the person is no longer in BOP custody. The individual could be on supervised release, parole where applicable, or in another correctional or law-enforcement system.
How do I get my own FBI rap sheet?
Use the FBI Identity History Summary process. Submit an electronic or mail request, pay the $18 FBI fee and provide a current fingerprint submission.
Can the FBI search my criminal history by name only?
No. The FBI states that it does not provide name checks for Identity History Summary requests. Fingerprints are required to establish positive identity.
How do I fix an incorrect FBI arrest entry?
Use the FBI Identity History Summary challenge process. Identify what is incorrect or incomplete and submit available supporting documentation. Some state-originating information must first be corrected by the responsible state repository.
Does it cost money to challenge an FBI Identity History Summary?
No. The FBI currently charges no fee for an Identity History Summary challenge and states that the average challenge response time is within 45 days.
Can I find every federal warrant on PACER?
No. Unexecuted warrants and sealed records generally are not publicly accessible. Some warrant information may become public after execution or unsealing.
Can I request somebody else’s FBI criminal history?
The fingerprint-based Identity History Summary is a personal-record process, not a public people-search service. FBI records concerning another living person are also subject to substantial privacy restrictions.
Why is an old federal criminal case missing from PACER?
Many cases created before 1999 are in paper format and may not be online. Contact the federal district court. Older files may have moved to a Federal Records Center or the National Archives.
Can a presidential pardon erase a federal conviction?
No. The Department of Justice states that a presidential pardon does not expunge or erase the federal conviction. The conviction and pardon can both remain part of the record.