Minnesota Criminal Record Lookup: Separate Arrests, Convictions, Jail and Court Results
Minnesota does not place every arrest, booking, pending charge and conviction into one public search. The free BCA system primarily answers whether qualifying public Minnesota conviction information exists—not whether someone was recently arrested.
This guide explains which system to use, what each result includes, why pending cases disappear from name searches, how to request police arrest data, where to find county jail rosters, how to order certified records and what to do when a record is wrong or eligible for sealing.
Free qualifying Minnesota conviction search.
Generally 15 years after sentence completion.
Request from the originating police or sheriff.
Use case, citation or attorney information.
July 28, 2026 using official sources.
Choose the search that matches the question
Use the free Minnesota Public Criminal History Search for qualifying conviction information that remains publicly available in the BCA Criminal History System.
Search the county jail roster and contact the police or sheriff that made the arrest. Public BCA results normally do not display arrest-only information.
Use Minnesota Court Records Online for public district-court cases and documents. Pending criminal cases require something more precise than a defendant-name search.
Use the right Minnesota record source the first time
| Question | Primary record holder | What the source can answer | Common mistake |
|---|---|---|---|
| Was this person convicted in Minnesota? | Bureau of Criminal Apprehension | Qualifying public conviction information in CHS. | Assuming no BCA result means no arrest or court case. |
| Was the person arrested recently? | Originating police or sheriff | Public arrest facts, legal basis, arresting officers and incident number. | Searching only the BCA public conviction system. |
| Is the person in a county jail? | County sheriff or jail | Current custody, booking, charges, bail and court dates when published. | Using the DOC locator for a new county arrest. |
| Was a criminal case filed? | Minnesota Judicial Branch | Case details, register of actions, hearings and available documents. | Searching a pending case by defendant name. |
| Is the person in state prison or DOC supervision? | Minnesota Department of Corrections | People committed to the Commissioner who remain under DOC jurisdiction. | Expecting every county-jail detainee to appear. |
| What did the police report say? | Investigating law-enforcement agency | Public incident facts and, when releasable, report materials. | Requesting the report from the court or BCA. |
| Is there an active warrant? | Issuing court and responsible sheriff | County-specific public warrant information and court flags when available. | Assuming Minnesota has one complete public warrant list. |
| Do I need certified proof? | Court administration or authorised BCA process | Certified court documents or the appropriate official background check. | Submitting a screenshot from a free search. |
How to search Minnesota Public Criminal History correctly
The BCA public search is free. All three search fields are required: complete last name, complete first name and date of birth.
Minnesota name-format search tips
Include the hyphen when the legal surname is hyphenated. Test maternal and paternal surname combinations separately when records may vary.
The BCA search guidance says to remove internal hyphens and enter the name as one unit when appropriate, such as entering “Elmusad.”
Multiple-part surnames may need to be entered as one unit, such as “Whitefeather,” according to the BCA search guidance.
What the BCA public result includes—and leaves out
| Information | Free public search? | Meaning or limitation | Where to look next |
|---|---|---|---|
| Offence | Yes, for a qualifying public conviction | The offence associated with the conviction record. | Use MCRO to read the case and disposition. |
| Offence date | Yes | The date associated with the criminal offence. | Compare it with the court case and police report. |
| Court of conviction | Yes | The Minnesota court that entered the conviction. | Request documents from that county’s court administration. |
| Conviction date | Yes | The date judgment or conviction was entered. | Find the sentencing or judgment document. |
| Sentence | Yes | The sentence information reported to the BCA. | Read the court’s sentencing order for complete terms. |
| Conviction level | Yes | A classification such as felony, gross misdemeanor or misdemeanor. | Do not infer the level from the arrest charge alone. |
| Probation or confinement | Yes, when included | The reported probation agency or place of confinement. | Use DOC search only when the person is under DOC jurisdiction. |
| Arrest without conviction | No | Public BCA search is not a statewide arrest-log search. | Contact the arresting agency and county jail. |
| Dismissed or acquitted court case | Generally no | A nonconviction does not appear as a public BCA conviction. | Search MCRO or contact court administration. |
| Juvenile history | No | Juvenile criminal-history information is private except where law authorises release. | Use the legally authorised juvenile-record process. |
| Sentence completed more than 15 years ago | Generally no | The conviction is outside the ordinary public-disclosure period. | A legally authorised private or subject request may differ. |
| Expunged record | No | The record is sealed from ordinary public view rather than destroyed. | The subject can request their own complete BCA data. |
How to find a Minnesota arrest that is not in BCA public search
What adult arrest information is public at the originating agency?
Minnesota Statutes section 13.82 classifies specified data documenting an adult citation, arrest, incarceration or substantial deprivation of liberty as public at all times in the originating law-enforcement agency.
Public incident-response information can also include
Date, time, place, participating agencies and personnel.
A brief factual reconstruction of events associated with the response.
Names and addresses unless a law allows protection or withholding.
Minnesota jail rosters use different time windows
Minnesota does not operate one complete statewide county-jail roster. Search the sheriff’s official roster for the county where booking occurred.
| County | Published coverage | Important local detail | Final action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hennepin | Current jail residents and people released during the previous seven days | Roster is updated hourly and can show charges, bail and scheduled court dates. | Search Hennepin jail |
| Ramsey | Current custody and five days after release | Booking reports update approximately every 30 minutes and can combine arrest, prosecutor and court information. | View Ramsey roster |
| Anoka | Current custody and releases during the previous 30 days | The locator may note transfer to another jail because of overcrowding. | Search Anoka custody |
| Dakota | People currently in custody | The county warns that true identity can be confirmed only through fingerprint comparison. | Search Dakota jail |
How to search criminal court records without missing a pending case
MCRO provides online access to many public Minnesota district-court records and documents. Registration is not currently required.
Search by party, business, attorney, case number, citation or attorney bar number.
Use the case number to locate publicly downloadable documents.
Find available hearing information by case, person, attorney or judicial officer.
Search docketed money judgments and satisfactions by debtor name.
Pending criminal cases require a different search
Fix a failed MCRO name search
Free downloads, certified copies and courthouse records
| Record service | Published base fee | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Document available in MCRO | $0 | Informational download of an available public document. |
| Uncertified court copy | $0 | Personal reference when formal certification is not required. |
| Certified copy | $14 per document | Employment, licensing, immigration or another formal purpose requiring a court seal. |
| Exemplified copy | $14 | When signatures verifying document validity are specifically requested. |
| Exemplified and certified copy | $28 per document | When both forms of authentication are required. |
| Case-management report, 1–50 pages | $5 per report | Court-generated reports provided by email or paper. |
| Case-management report over 50 pages | $25 per 50 pages or portion | Large court-generated reports. |
When to use the Minnesota DOC incarcerated-individual search
The DOC locator contains public information about people committed to the Commissioner of Corrections who remain under DOC jurisdiction, including people in prison and people released from prison who are still under supervision.
State-prison placement, DOC identification, supervision status and related public information.
A person arrested today and held in a city or county jail before trial.
Minnesota Haven provides confidential custody and release notifications for people sentenced to DOC.
Why a person may not appear
Minnesota does not have one complete public warrant portal
Anoka publishes an online active-warrant search and directs users to its Warrants Unit for county-specific information.
Anoka expressly directs users to the jurisdiction that issued a warrant outside Anoka County. The same local-jurisdiction principle applies statewide.
Choose the record required by the employer, landlord or agency
| Search type | Identity method | What it generally provides | Appropriate use |
|---|---|---|---|
| BCA public website | Complete name and birth date | Public Minnesota conviction information | Preliminary public research. |
| MCRO | Name, case, citation or attorney data | Public court case records and available documents | Case verification and disposition research. |
| Personal BCA request | Notarised identity process | The requester’s own BCA criminal-history record | Personal review and uses specified by BCA. |
| General informed-consent check | Notarised consent from the data subject | BCA information authorised for the requesting person or organisation | Employment, housing or another permitted purpose. |
| Fingerprint-based check | Fingerprints and authorised process | More identity-specific state or national history where law authorises it | Regulated employment, licensing and statutory checks. |
| Local police or sheriff check | Name, birth date and local identifiers | Records maintained by that agency or jurisdiction | Local arrest or incident history—not a complete statewide history. |
How to obtain your own Minnesota BCA record
For your personal review
For employment, housing, licensing, name change or travel
CHA Unit
1430 Maryland Avenue East
St. Paul, MN 55106
Background-check questions: 651-793-2400, option 7
BCA fingerprint appointment, identification and fee
Required before arriving.
$10 per fingerprint card.
Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–4 p.m.
1430 Maryland Ave. E., St. Paul.
Bring these items
Correct the error with the agency that created it
| Error | First office to contact | Evidence to prepare |
|---|---|---|
| Wrong person in jail roster | County sheriff or jail | Government ID, birth date, booking number and fingerprint evidence when requested. |
| Police report contains incorrect data | Originating police or sheriff | Incident number and documents showing the accurate information. |
| Court case or disposition is wrong | Court administration or the court | Case number, signed order and the disputed register entry. |
| BCA criminal-history cycle is incomplete | BCA Criminal History Access Unit | Personal BCA record, fingerprints and certified court disposition. |
| Another person used your name | BCA questioned-identity process | Fingerprints and the identity documents required by BCA. |
| Private website copied an old record | Private publisher after correcting the official source | Corrected official record or expungement order. |
When someone else used your name
Juvenile arrest and delinquency records are not ordinary adult records
Juvenile criminal-history information is private and released only as authorised by Minnesota law.
Section 13.82 treats identifying details about juvenile arrestees differently from adults. Do not expect an adult-style public arrest profile.
Juvenile delinquency cases and documents have separate public-access rules, including limited access in certain serious matters.
Are Minnesota mugshots public?
Minnesota Statutes section 13.82 generally classifies a booking photograph taken for identification in connection with an arrest as public data.
An agency may temporarily withhold access when releasing the photograph would adversely affect an active investigation.
Public classification does not require every police department or jail to publish photographs in its online roster.
When no photo appears online, submit a data request to the agency holding the booking image.
Legal-use warnings before using a Minnesota record
Notify the applicant when required
The BCA public-search terms state that a person using information from the site for employment, housing or credit purposes must notify the applicant under Minnesota Statutes section 13.87.
Minnesota Ban the Box timing
The employer generally must wait until the applicant has been selected for an interview before asking about or considering criminal history.
The employer generally must wait until a conditional job offer has been made.
Responsible record-use checklist
Automatic expungement, arrest-record relief and petitions
Clean Slate automatic expungement
Minnesota’s Clean Slate Act took effect January 1, 2025. It directs automatic sealing of qualifying records that previously could require a court petition.
BCA and the Judicial Branch identify and process eligible records through the automatic system.
Hundreds of offences and dispositions are addressed, but other records still require a petition and judicial decision.
Historical records and newly eligible records continue through BCA programming and Judicial Branch review.
Automatic relief can also cover certain outcomes
Arrested but never charged
When a person was arrested but no criminal case was filed, there may be no court file to expunge. In qualifying circumstances, Minnesota Statutes section 299C.11 can permit a request to seal the arrest record and destroy identifying parts of records, except qualifying DNA samples.
Court petition when automatic relief does not apply
| Item | Published rule | Practical meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Base filing fee | $285 plus any county law-library fee | Confirm the final county total before filing. |
| Matter resolved in the person’s favour | No filing fee for qualifying cases | Confirm that the statutory definition applies to the disposition. |
| Inability to pay | Fee waiver may be requested | Submit the required indigency or fee-waiver paperwork. |
| Minimum service-to-hearing period | At least 63 days | All required agencies must be served correctly and on time. |
| Decision period | Judge may take up to 90 days after the hearing | A decision may not be issued on the hearing date. |
| Appeal period after grant | Another 60 days before sealing | The record may remain visible during the appeal period. |
| Typical total process | At least four to six months | Objections or appeals can make the process longer. |
Statewide expungement form packet
Instructions for expungement of criminal records.
Notice of Hearing and Petition for Expungement.
Notice to Crime Victim when required.
Proof of Service for the required agencies.
Proposed orders under the applicable statutory grounds.
Order addressing sealing of judicial records only.
Minnesota does not publish every registry entry
Information in the Minnesota Predatory Offender Registry is not generally public. Public access is limited to defined categories.
Public information can be available for registrants over age 16 who have remained non-compliant for more than 30 days.
DOC publishes specified information about Level 3 and other registrants subject to public notification.
A person who is fully compliant does not automatically appear in a public statewide registry search.
Use the notification system matched to custody
Many Minnesota counties connect their jail roster to VINE for custody, transfer and release notifications.
Minnesota Haven provides confidential notifications for people sentenced to the Commissioner of Corrections.
Minnesota criminal-history and record-access contacts
| Office | Contact | Use this contact for |
|---|---|---|
| BCA main office | 651-793-7000 | General BCA routing and agency information. |
| Criminal-history background checks | 651-793-2400, option 7 | Public, personal, consent and authorised background-check questions. |
| BCA fingerprint appointments | 651-793-2410 | Scheduling civil fingerprint-card service. |
| Data Practices Office | 651-296-6733 | General guidance about Minnesota government-data classifications and requests. |
| Minnesota DOC | 651-361-7200 | State correctional-system and DOC jurisdiction questions. |
| DOC fugitive tip line | 651-603-0026 | Providing information about an active DOC fugitive. |
St. Paul, MN 55106
Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–4 p.m., excluding holidays.
50 Sherburne Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55155
St. Paul, MN 55108
25 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard
St. Paul, MN 55155
Useful for court forms and legal-research assistance.
Minnesota BCA headquarters in St. Paul
Information incorporated into this guide
The article incorporates the operational rules from Minnesota BCA criminal-history, background-check, data-request, fingerprint, questioned-identity and expungement materials; Minnesota Judicial Branch MCRO, copy-fee and expungement guidance; Minnesota statutes governing law-enforcement data and record sealing; DOC custody and notification resources; and official county jail-roster instructions.
External buttons are primarily used for searches, record requests, downloads, appointments, notifications and legal filings that cannot occur on this page.
Database coverage, search limitations, public-data fields, fees, roster windows, identity checks and troubleshooting are included directly in the article.
Fees, court access, roster retention, expungement eligibility and provider procedures can change. Confirm the final live requirement before payment or submission.
Minnesota arrest and criminal-record questions answered
Is there a free statewide Minnesota arrest search?
No single free public portal contains every Minnesota arrest. The free BCA search is primarily a public conviction search. Recent arrests should be checked through the originating police or sheriff, county jail roster and MCRO.
What appears in the free BCA search?
Qualifying public Minnesota conviction information, including the offence, offence and conviction dates, court, sentence, conviction level, probation agency or place of confinement.
Why is an arrest missing from BCA?
Arrest-only information, nonconviction cases, juvenile history, sealed records and convictions outside the public 15-year sentence-completion period generally do not appear in the free public search.
How do I find a pending criminal case?
Use the case number, citation number, attorney name or attorney bar number. MCRO does not normally return a pending criminal case through a defendant-name search.
Are MCRO documents free?
Yes. Public documents available for download in MCRO have no document charge. Certified copies currently cost $14 per document, and exemplified and certified copies cost $28.
Where do I search for someone in custody?
Use the responsible county sheriff’s roster for local jail custody. Use the Minnesota DOC locator only after the person has been committed to the Commissioner and remains in prison or under DOC supervision.
Are Minnesota mugshots public?
Booking photographs are generally public data, but an agency may temporarily withhold a photo when release would adversely affect an active investigation. Online publication varies by county.
How do I obtain my complete BCA record?
Submit a data-subject request. When the record is for another person or organisation, follow the applicable personal-request or notarised informed-consent procedure.
Does Minnesota automatically expunge records?
Some records qualify for automatic sealing under the Clean Slate Act, automatic dismissal or exoneration provisions and cannabis-expungement laws. Other records still require a petition.
What is the Minnesota expungement filing fee?
The current statewide base fee is $285 plus any county law-library fee. Qualifying cases resolved in the person’s favour do not require a filing fee, and a fee waiver may be requested for financial hardship.