Maryland Criminal Record Lookup: Search the Correct State or Local System
Maryland does not place every arrest, police report, jail booking, warrant, court case and criminal history inside one public portal. Each record answers a different question and is controlled by a different custodian.
This guide explains which system to use, how to search the new 2026 Judiciary portal, why some dismissed cases disappear from remote results, how to request an arrest report, what CJIS background checks cost, where to locate an incarcerated person and how Maryland expungement or shielding works.
District and Circuit Court Case Search.
Fingerprint-supported CJIS record.
DPSCS locator with coverage limits.
Request from the arresting agency.
New Judiciary portal launched March 14.
Maryland has four different records commonly called an “arrest record”
Use Maryland Judiciary Case Search for public District Court and Circuit Court cases, charges, court dates, event codes and dispositions that remain remotely available.
Request the incident or arrest report from the police department, sheriff or Maryland State Police barrack that created the record.
Use the Criminal Justice Information System Central Repository. CJIS uses fingerprints to match the person with Maryland report-of-arrest-and-prosecution information.
Use DPSCS for covered state facilities and some Baltimore pretrial custody. Use the county or local detention centre for most local jail bookings.
How to search Maryland criminal court cases correctly
The Maryland Judiciary launched the redesigned Maryland Judiciary Case Search & Record Portal on March 14, 2026. Public users continue to receive the public level of case-record access.
What the Maryland Case Search fields mean
| Field | What it identifies | What it does not prove | Next action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Case number | The court file and jurisdiction. | It does not show that the defendant was convicted. | Use it for clerk requests, hearing searches and petitions. |
| Party name | The name entered in the court case. | A matching name alone does not confirm identity. | Compare birth date, jurisdiction and event date. |
| Date of birth | A key defendant identifier when publicly displayed. | It may be restricted or absent from some results. | Use at least one additional identifier. |
| Court | The District or Circuit Court controlling the file. | It may not be the location where the arrest occurred. | Contact that clerk for the complete case record. |
| Case type | Criminal, traffic, civil or another proceeding category. | A traffic label does not always mean the offence was non-jailable. | Check whether the matter is incarcerable traffic. |
| Charge | The criminal allegation filed in the court case. | A filed charge is not a conviction. | Read the disposition for every count. |
| Case status | Whether the case is open, closed, inactive or otherwise classified. | “Closed” does not explain how the case ended. | Locate the exact disposition event or order. |
| Filing date | When the court case began. | It may differ from the arrest or incident date. | Use the date to separate similar-name cases. |
| INIT | An initial-appearance event and associated release information. | A listed bail figure may later change. | Check later judicial and release events. |
| CMIT | The defendant was committed to custody. | The person remains at the same facility today. | Use the appropriate current custody locator. |
| RELS | The defendant was released from commitment. | Release is not dismissal or acquittal. | Continue reading the court disposition. |
| BOND | A bond-posting event. | The case is completed or every hold is resolved. | Review all related cases and warrants. |
How to interpret common Maryland criminal case outcomes
| Term | General meaning | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Pending | The criminal case has not reached a final disposition. | Check the next court date and newest docket entry. |
| Nolle prosequi | The State’s Attorney declined to continue prosecuting the charge at that time. | Confirm which counts were covered. |
| Stet | The charge was placed on an inactive docket rather than finally tried or dismissed. | Check the date, conditions and expungement waiting rules. |
| Dismissed | The court dismissed the charge or case. | Determine whether every charge in the unit was dismissed. |
| Acquittal or not guilty | The defendant was not convicted of the count decided at trial. | Check whether other counts remained. |
| Probation before judgment | The court stayed the entry of a judgment of conviction and imposed probation. | Confirm successful completion and any statutory waiting period. |
| Guilty | The court entered a finding or accepted a plea of guilt. | Read the sentence and determine whether the conviction is later eligible for relief. |
| Not criminally responsible | A special Maryland criminal disposition based on legal responsibility. | Review the court order and related proceedings. |
Why a Maryland arrest or case may not appear online
Confirm the person before relying on a Maryland record
How to request a Maryland arrest or incident report
The police department or sheriff that created the report is normally the record custodian. A statewide court search does not provide the complete police narrative.
Request the report from the city or town police department.
Request it from the county police public-records or records-management unit.
Use the sheriff’s records custodian for that county or Baltimore City.
Use the Maryland State Police Central Records or PIA process.
Information that reduces delay
Records that may exist
The primary narrative documenting the complaint, response and initial investigation.
The agency record connected with taking the person into custody.
The factual allegations offered to support charging or continued detention.
Later investigative or officer reports that may contain redactions or active-investigation exemptions.
Media may require extensive review, privacy redaction and a separate cost estimate.
A record describing items collected, stored, released or transferred, subject to disclosure restrictions.
Response deadlines, search time and possible redactions
If the agency cannot immediately produce the record, it must generally provide written or emailed notice within ten working days.
The first two hours of search and preparation time are generally free. Extensive searches may generate staff charges.
A full or partial denial should identify the reason, legal authority and available appeal rights.
Why an arrest report may be withheld or redacted
- The investigation remains active.
- The requester is not legally entitled to protected criminal-history information.
- The report contains medical, juvenile, victim or witness information.
- Disclosure could interfere with enforcement or reveal a confidential source.
- Body-camera, audio or photographic material requires privacy redaction.
- The requested record belongs to another agency or court.
- The record was expunged, sealed or otherwise restricted.
Requesting an MDSP incident report
Maryland State Police provides criminal investigation reports and related records to legally entitled parties through its Central Records Division and PIA process.
Telephone: 410-281-2700
Main headquarters: 410-486-3101
Pikesville, MD 21208
Maryland CJIS criminal-history options and fees
| Request type | Mail-in fee | In-person fee | Important use limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland state background only | $18 | $38 | Maryland criminal-history information only. |
| Maryland state check with Gold Seal | $19 | $39 | Use when an authenticated Maryland result is specifically required. |
| State and FBI full background | $30 | $50 | Available only for authorised agencies and legally authorised purposes. |
| State and FBI child-care volunteer | $28 | $48 | Requires the qualifying volunteer and agency process. |
| Attorney/client civil | $18 | $38 | Attorney-client documentation and purpose requirements apply. |
| Attorney/client pending criminal case | No CJIS fee | No CJIS fee | Must relate to the qualifying pending criminal representation. |
Individual review versus employment or licensing
Use the individual-review or Gold Seal process to obtain your own Maryland criminal-history result.
The employer or licensing agency must provide its authorisation number and, when required, the government ORI number.
An individual requesting their own FBI criminal history must apply directly through the FBI rather than treating Maryland Case Search as a substitute.
Suite 217
Baltimore, MD 21215
What to bring to a Maryland CJIS fingerprint appointment
Suite 101, First Floor
Baltimore, MD 21215
Published hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Appointment locations are published in Bel Air, Frederick, Glen Burnie, Salisbury and Waldorf.
Call CJIS for ordinary applicant appointments and MVA Customer Service for CDL hazardous-material fingerprinting.
Payment and processing rules
- CJIS accepts Mastercard, Visa, Discover and qualifying checks under its current payment rules.
- Cash and money orders are not accepted by the Central Repository.
- Private fingerprint providers set their own additional service charges.
- Maryland requires a fresh fingerprint submission for each requested background check.
- In-state employment and licensing fingerprints generally must be submitted electronically through an approved Live Scan provider.
- Out-of-state applicants must use the Maryland CJIS fingerprint-card process; cards from another state or the FBI are not accepted.
- After receipt of an approved out-of-state fingerprint card, CJIS publishes an expected response period of about 10–15 days.
Who appears in the Maryland DPSCS Incarcerated Individual Locator?
The DPSCS locator is a housing-location tool, not a complete statewide arrest or jail-booking database.
People committed to the Commissioner of Correction and housed in Division of Correction facilities or Patuxent Institution.
Some short-sentenced individuals and detainees housed in Division of Pretrial and Detention Services facilities.
Most local county-jail detainees, some short-sentenced detainees and anyone no longer in DPSCS custody.
How to find a person who is not in the state locator
Maryland county detention facilities are operated locally. Their roster, telephone, visitation, mail and money systems are not standardised into one statewide public jail portal.
Baltimore Central Booking and state pretrial detention
Baltimore City differs from Maryland’s county-jail structure because DPSCS operates Baltimore Central Booking and Intake Center and other Baltimore detention facilities.
Baltimore, MD 21202
Main: 410-545-8080
410-545-8080
410-545-8120
410-545-8128
410-545-8122
Baltimore booking search sequence
Maryland commissioner, court and charging process
Maryland bail methods and release checks
The defendant, another adult or a private surety may post an eligible cash bond. Failure to appear can result in forfeiture.
Qualifying Maryland land or a home may be used when net equity meets or exceeds the bail amount.
Bankbooks, certificates of deposit, qualifying bank letters of credit and eligible exchange-listed stock may be accepted by the clerk.
Certain cards may be accepted in person through an independent processor that charges a service fee.
A licensed bondsperson charges a non-refundable fee and may require collateral.
The commissioner or judge may order release without a traditional secured money bond when legally appropriate.
Before posting money or property
Why Maryland does not offer one complete public warrant search
Certain arrest-warrant applications, supporting affidavits and warrant records are restricted, particularly before execution. Search-warrant records may also be unavailable unless the applicable court rule permits access.
A public case may display a warrant-related event, failure-to-appear entry or later service event, but absence of an entry does not prove there is no warrant.
Contact a Maryland criminal lawyer, the appropriate court or the responsible law-enforcement agency for a safe verification and resolution plan.
Do not confront, detain or visit the person. Provide information directly to law enforcement when there is a legitimate safety concern.
Viewing and ordering Maryland criminal case documents
The complete criminal case file is maintained by the clerk at the courthouse where the matter was filed or heard.
The current Circuit Court fee schedule generally lists fifty cents for each copied page.
The standard Circuit Court certification charge is generally added to the copy cost.
An exemplified copy carries a higher certification level and is generally charged in addition to copy costs.
Maryland expungement forms, fees and waiting periods
Choose the correct petition
| Form | General use | Filing fee |
|---|---|---|
| CC-DC-CR-072A | Acquittal, dismissal, probation before judgment, nolle prosequi, stet, not criminally responsible and similar eligible non-conviction dispositions. | No filing fee. |
| CC-DC-CR-072B | Eligible guilty dispositions under Maryland’s conviction-expungement law. | $30 per case; non-refundable unless waived. |
| CC-DC-CR-072C | Request earlier expungement when every charge resulted in acquittal, not guilty, dismissal or nolle prosequi on or after October 1, 2021. | No filing fee. |
| CC-DC-CR-072D | Eligible guilty dispositions under the additional statutory process covered by the form. | $30 per case; non-refundable unless waived. |
Automatic three-year expungement
When every charge in a case entered on or after October 1, 2021 ended in acquittal, not guilty, dismissal or nolle prosequi, the court generally expunges the case automatically after three years. Form CC-DC-CR-072C can be used to request earlier expungement.
Waiting periods for eligible convictions
| Conviction category | Earliest general filing time | Important limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Eligible misdemeanour not assigned another period | Five years | The specific offence must be included in the statute. |
| Second-degree assault or common-law battery | Seven years | Domestic classification may trigger the longer period. |
| Domestically related eligible crime | Fifteen years | The court classification and complete sentence matter. |
| Eligible felony not assigned another period | Seven years | Only felonies expressly listed by statute qualify. |
| Possession with intent to distribute cannabis | Three years | The statutory subsection and disposition must match. |
| Certain burglary and felony-theft convictions | Ten years | Includes specified burglary provisions and qualifying felony theft. |
Other eligibility barriers
What happens after filing?
Maryland shielding hides certain convictions from public view
Removes eligible convictions from public Case Search and ordinary public inspection.
It does not destroy the record. Law enforcement and certain authorised agencies or individuals may still access it.
Current eligible conviction categories
Major shielding restrictions
- Wait three years after completing the entire sentence, including parole, probation or mandatory supervision.
- You may file only one shielding petition during your lifetime.
- The petition may involve only one court and one county.
- Include all eligible convictions from that court and county in the petition.
- A domestically related conviction is not eligible under this shielding process.
- A pending criminal matter prevents shielding.
- An ineligible conviction in the same unit can prevent shielding of the related convictions.
- A new conviction during the waiting period can block eligibility.
Maryland VINE and written victim notifications
Anyone may register for email, app, text or telephone custody-status and release alerts.
A qualifying victim can separately register with the Division of Correction Victim Services for written notices and participation rights.
The Maryland Parole Commission has a separate victim-notification process for qualifying parole proceedings.
Use the right record for the decision being made
Use Case Search carefully and do not treat an online name match as a complete criminal history.
Use a CJIS fingerprint-supported individual review and compare it with certified court dispositions.
Follow the requesting agency’s CJIS authorisation process and applicable federal and Maryland screening law.
Confirm identity, obtain the current court outcome and use allegation language until a conviction is verified.
Use a certified disposition or Gold Seal history rather than a screenshot from a public portal.
Correct the information with the agency that created it: police, court clerk, detention centre or CJIS.
Maryland arrest, court, custody and criminal-history contacts
| Office | Contact | Best reason to call |
|---|---|---|
| CJIS Customer Service |
410-764-4501 1-888-795-0011 |
Background-check requirements, fingerprints and request status. |
| DPSCS General Information |
410-585-3300 877-379-8636 |
State facility and DPSCS service routing. |
| Maryland State Police Main | 410-486-3101 | State Police routing and headquarters questions. |
| MDSP Central Records | 410-281-2700 | Maryland State Police incident-report questions. |
| Maryland Court Help Center | 410-260-1392 | Free help understanding court forms and procedures; Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–8:00 p.m. |
| Baltimore Central Booking | 410-545-8080 | Baltimore City booking and detainee information. |
| Maryland VINE | 1-866-634-8463 | Automated custody and release alerts. |
| DOC Victim Services |
410-585-3331 1-866-606-7789 |
Written victim registration and post-sentence notifications. |
Maryland CJIS fingerprinting and DPSCS headquarters
The CJIS walk-in fingerprint storefront and DPSCS headquarters services are located at the Reisterstown Road complex in Baltimore.
What this page brings into the article
The 2026 portal change, exact-name default, percent wildcard, result fields, courthouse-copy process and missing favorable-disposition rules.
CJIS fingerprint requirements, current request categories, official fees, payment restrictions, provider costs and processing expectations.
PIA response timing, free search time, agency routing, DPSCS locator limitations, county-jail differences and Baltimore Central Booking.
Commissioner duties, preliminary-hearing timing, bail methods, District versus Circuit Court and warrant-access limitations.
Expungement forms, filing fees, automatic three-year relief, conviction waiting periods, objections, compliance and shielding restrictions.
Search, fingerprint-provider lookup, PIA submission, courthouse selection, form download and custody-alert registration.
Maryland arrest and criminal-record questions answered
Is there one free statewide Maryland arrest-record search?
No. Case Search provides public court summaries, while police reports, jail bookings, CJIS criminal histories and state custody records are maintained in separate systems.
How do I search Maryland criminal court cases?
Use the Maryland Judiciary Case Search & Record Portal. Start with the exact legal name or use the permitted percent wildcard for a partial last-name search.
Why is a dismissed charge not showing online?
Certain nolle prosequi, dismissal, acquittal and not-guilty charges are no longer shown remotely. An unexpunged public record may still be viewed at the courthouse.
Can an employer use Case Search as a background check?
The Maryland Judiciary says Case Search should not be used for criminal background checks. An authorised fingerprint-supported CJIS process is the appropriate official route.
How much is a Maryland-only CJIS background check?
The current published fee is $18 by mail or $38 in person. The in-person amount includes the CJIS fingerprint-service fee; a private provider may charge more.
Does the DPSCS locator include county jail inmates?
Not reliably. It primarily covers people committed to Maryland state correctional custody and some pretrial facilities. Search the local county detention centre for most county bookings.
How long does a Maryland agency have to answer a PIA request?
If the agency cannot immediately produce the record, it generally must send written or emailed notice within ten working days explaining the expected timing, delay and estimated fee range.
Can I search Maryland active warrants online?
There is no complete public statewide warrant portal. Certain warrant records are restricted. Contact the appropriate court, law-enforcement agency or a Maryland attorney.
What does Maryland expungement cost?
Eligible favorable dispositions are generally filed without a fee. Eligible guilty-disposition petitions generally cost $30 per case, subject to an approved fee waiver.
Does shielding delete a Maryland conviction?
No. Shielding removes eligible records from public view and Case Search, but law enforcement and certain authorised entities may still access them.