Richmond, Virginia Police, Jail & Court Records
Search Richmond Arrest, Police Incident, Jail and Criminal Court Records
A Richmond arrest can appear in several separate record systems. Use Richmond Police Crime Incident Information for founded police incidents, the Richmond City Sheriff’s inmate search for current jail custody, General District Court for misdemeanors and felony preliminary proceedings, Circuit Court for serious felony cases, and Virginia State Police when you actually need a statewide criminal-history check.
The search path matters. A police incident is not the same thing as a booking, a booking is not a conviction, and a Richmond Police local background check does not search every Virginia court or law-enforcement agency.
INCIDENT → CUSTODY → COURT → DISPOSITION
RICHMOND RECORD ROUTER
Police incident
RPD
Current custody
Sheriff
Misdemeanor / prelim
GDC
Felony disposition
Circuit
VERIFY THE COURT RESULT — NOT JUST THE ARREST
RPD Headquarters
200 W. Grace St.
Last verified
August 28, 2026
Richmond City is not Richmond County
Start With the Record System That Actually Holds Your Information
Richmond Police incident
Use the City of Richmond Police Department Crime Incident Information system. It contains founded crime information reported after December 31, 1999 and may include arrest information tied to the incident.
Current Richmond jail custody
Use the Richmond City Sheriff’s Office Inmate Search to determine whether the person is currently housed at the Richmond City Justice Center.
Richmond criminal court case
Use Virginia’s court case systems. General District Court handles misdemeanors and felony preliminary hearings; Circuit Court handles serious felony cases.
Statewide Virginia criminal history
Use Virginia State Police. Richmond Police specifically states that its own background check is local only.
Location warning: Richmond City, Virginia and Richmond County, Virginia are separate jurisdictions. For a City of Richmond arrest, choose Richmond City when a Virginia court search asks for locality.
Choose the Exact Richmond Record You Need
Check whether someone is in Richmond jail
Use the Richmond City Sheriff’s current inmate-search system first.
Find the police incident
Search RPD Crime Incident Information when you need founded-crime information associated with the event.
Get an actual police report copy
Use RPD Records Unit at 200 W. Grace Street or request the report by mail using the City’s stated $5 process.
Find misdemeanor court status
Search Richmond City General District Court through Virginia’s Online Case Information System.
Find a felony case
Check General District Court for the preliminary stage and Richmond Circuit Court for the felony prosecution and disposition.
Run a statewide background check
Use the Virginia State Police SP-167 process instead of treating an RPD search as a statewide criminal history.
Richmond Arrest Records Quick Navigation
One Richmond arrest can create several separate records
Follow the Case From Incident to Final Court Record
1
Police incident
RPD creates an incident record. Founded crimes can later appear in the public Crime Incident Information system.
2
Arrest / intake
If the person enters Richmond City jail custody, the Sheriff’s inmate-search system becomes the correct custody check.
3
Magistrate / bond
Initial release, bond or detention decisions may occur before the underlying criminal prosecution is fully visible online.
4
District court stage
Misdemeanors are heard in General District Court; felony cases commonly begin there for preliminary proceedings.
5
Final court trail
Serious felony cases proceed to Circuit Court, where later hearings and dispositions should be checked.
Best research habit: Start with the earliest reliable identifier you have—incident number, inmate ID or court case number—and carry it into the next official system instead of repeatedly searching only by name.
How to Search Richmond Police Crime Incident Information
Richmond Police provides a public Crime Incident Information system for founded crimes reported after December 31, 1999. It can contain arrest information, but it is an incident-based crime database rather than a complete statewide criminal-history search.
Read the City disclaimer.
Richmond warns that crime data can be preliminary, later reclassified, incomplete or affected by human or mechanical error.
Select Agree to open the search.
The query screen appears only after accepting the disclaimer.
Search the incident rather than assuming a name-only lookup will tell the whole story.
Use the date, offense category, location and other available search criteria to identify the relevant founded incident.
Review multiple offenses under one incident.
Richmond uses Incident Based Reporting rules, so several offenses can appear under a single founded reported incident.
Look for arrest information when shown.
An arrest entry still represents an allegation-stage event and does not establish conviction.
Continue to the court system.
Use Virginia Court case information to determine whether a charge was filed and how it was later resolved.
Important RPD disclaimer: Richmond Police specifically states that arrested people are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
What “2000 to Present” Means in Richmond’s Crime Database
1999
Cutoff point
The public Crime Incident Information system covers founded crime reported after December 31, 1999.
2000+
IBR records
Incident Based Reporting allows multiple offenses to be connected with one incident.
NOW
Current entries
Newly entered founded crimes are added to the searchable police database.
COURT
Disposition check
Police incident data should be followed into the appropriate court database for later legal outcome.
Older than 2000? Do not conclude that no Richmond record exists simply because it is outside this public crime-incident database. Older or differently maintained records may require RPD Records or a formal records request.
Six Things to Verify Before Attributing a Richmond Arrest Record to Someone
Full legal name
Check spelling and suffix.
Incident date
Match the event period.
Incident number
Strong RPD identifier.
Custody record
Confirm current jail status separately.
Charge level
Route to the correct court.
Disposition
Check the court outcome.
Do not rely on a common-name match. A mistaken criminal-record match can cause serious harm. Use multiple non-sensitive identifiers and the court disposition before making any consequential decision about a person.
How to Get a Copy of a Richmond Police Report
RPD does not simply publish every full police report through the Crime Incident Information system. When you need a report copy, the Police Information Desk / Records Unit has a separate process.
Report fee
$5
In-person hours
Monday–Friday
8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Closed City holidays
In-Person Report Copy
Go to Richmond Police Headquarters.
Visit Window 4 of the Police Information Desk in the lobby at 200 W. Grace Street, Richmond, VA 23220.
Bring the incident number if known.
The exact incident number gives Records staff a much better starting point than a broad description.
Bring the $5 payment in an accepted form.
RPD currently lists cash or money order payable to the City of Richmond.
Do not rely on a card.
The Police FAQ says personal checks, credit cards and debit cards are not accepted for this report-copy process.
Ask whether the requested report is releasable.
Some information can be withheld, redacted or unavailable due to Virginia law or an active investigation.
Request by Mail
Send to
RPD Records Unit
200 W. Grace St.
Richmond, VA 23220
Include
Report request form, incident number if known, $5 money order payable to City of Richmond and a self-addressed stamped envelope.
If RPD cannot locate the requested report: The City says the payment is returned with an explanation.
Use Richmond Police FOIA for Other Police Records
Full police-report copies, body-camera records, investigative material and other RPD records do not come from Richmond’s 911 records office. Criminal-matter requests should be directed to Richmond Police.
- Incident or report number
- Exact incident date
- Approximate incident time
- Richmond City location
- Type of record requested
- Names only when relevant and permitted
- Preferred delivery method
- Request for cost estimate when appropriate
Do not send an RPD report request to Richmond 911 merely because the event involved a 911 call. DECPR maintains 911 call-service records; Richmond Police is the custodian for RPD police reports and body-camera records.
“I am requesting the releasable Richmond Police records associated with incident number __________, occurring on __________ at approximately __________ near __________. Please advise of any cost, redaction or legal exemption that applies.”
How to Check Richmond City Jail Custody
The Richmond City Sheriff’s Office operates the Richmond City Justice Center and links directly to an online inmate-search service from its official City webpage.
Select Inmate Search.
This opens the Sheriff’s current jail-search system.
Search the person carefully.
Use the exact legal spelling available to you and compare the returned custody details.
Confirm that the location is Richmond City Justice Center.
Do not confuse Richmond City with Richmond County or a Virginia Department of Corrections institution.
Use the court information to continue.
If a court date, charge or court identifier is available, search the corresponding Virginia court system.
Call when the online result is unclear.
Richmond City Sheriff General Information:
804-646-4464.
Richmond City Justice Center
1701 Fairfield Way
Richmond, VA 23223
No inmate result does not prove “no arrest.” The person may have been released, transferred, moved to another jurisdiction, entered state custody or never booked into the Richmond City Justice Center.
Use Virginia VINE for Custody-Status Notifications
Virginia VINE lets crime victims and other users search custody information and register for notifications when an offender’s custody status changes.
Use it for
Custody-status checks and notification registration.
Do not confuse it with
A court-case search or criminal-history background check.
Open Richmond Sheriff’s Virginia VINE information.
Richmond Arrest Record Decoder
Founded crime
A crime incident classified by RPD as founded under its reporting process. The classification may still change after additional investigation.
Arrest information
Information indicating an arrest associated with an incident. It does not equal a conviction.
Incident number
A Police Department identifier that can help Records staff find the correct report.
Charge
The alleged criminal offense. The court record should be checked to see whether it was actually filed, changed or dismissed.
Bond
A release condition or amount associated with custody. Current eligibility should be confirmed with the jail, magistrate or court.
Preliminary hearing
A General District Court stage used in felony cases before a case may proceed to Circuit Court.
Misdemeanor
A criminal offense generally tried in General District Court unless another Virginia court has specialized jurisdiction.
Felony
A more serious criminal offense ultimately tried in Circuit Court when prosecution proceeds.
Disposition
The later court outcome, such as dismissal, conviction, acquittal, nolle prosequi, plea or another legal resolution.
Which Richmond Court Should You Search?
GDC
General District Court
Traffic offenses, misdemeanors and preliminary hearings in felony cases.
CC
Circuit Court
Serious felony trials and appeals from district courts.
JDR
Juvenile & Domestic Relations
Juvenile cases and adult matters within the specialized domestic-relations jurisdiction.
OCIS
Virginia Online Search
Statewide access to many adult criminal and traffic court records through OCIS 2.0.
Do not search “Richmond County” for a City of Richmond case. Richmond County’s courthouse is in Warsaw, Virginia and belongs to a completely different judicial district.
Richmond City General District Court Criminal Search
Virginia’s General District Court handles misdemeanors and conducts preliminary hearings in felony cases. For City of Richmond criminal and traffic matters, use the Richmond City General District Court.
John Marshall Courts Building
400 N. 9th Street
Richmond, VA 23219
Clerk hours
Monday–Friday
8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Select Online Case Information System – Statewide Search.
OCIS 2.0 searches criminal and traffic information in General District Courts and participating courts.
Choose Richmond City—not Richmond County.
This single locality choice prevents many failed searches.
Search by defendant or case number.
Use the exact case number when available because it minimizes common-name errors.
Read charge and disposition separately.
The original charge does not necessarily describe the final court outcome.
For a felony, continue to Circuit Court.
A General District Court preliminary-stage result is not necessarily the end of the felony case.
Richmond Circuit Court Felony Records
Richmond Circuit Court
13th Judicial Circuit
Clerk hours
Monday–Friday
8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Richmond Circuit Court is located at the John Marshall Courts Building, 400 N. 9th Street, Richmond, VA 23219. Circuit Court is the Virginia trial court with jurisdiction over serious felony cases.
Start with the defendant’s General District Court case when possible.
Note the charge, hearing result and any Circuit Court reference.
Select Richmond Circuit Court.
Search by name, case number or available hearing information.
Review the Circuit Court disposition.
This is more meaningful for a felony outcome than relying only on the initial arrest entry.
Felony path: Richmond arrest → General District preliminary stage → grand jury / Circuit Court when prosecution proceeds → Circuit Court disposition.
Richmond Juvenile & Domestic Relations District Court
Some Richmond criminal matters involving juveniles or family/domestic relationships fall under Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court rather than the ordinary General District Court route.
Location
Oliver Hill Courts Building
1600 Oliver Hill Way
Suite C181
Clerk hours
Monday–Friday
8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Juvenile-record access is more restricted. Do not expect juvenile arrest and court information to be publicly searchable in the same way as ordinary adult General District Court cases.
Local Richmond Check vs Court Search vs Virginia State Police
Richmond Police Local Background Check
RPD states that its background check covers Richmond locally. It is completed at Police Headquarters and costs $5.
Bring two forms of identification, including one photo ID.
Virginia Court Case Search
OCIS and Circuit Court search are useful for publicly available court-case information, but a court-search result is not automatically equivalent to an official statewide criminal-history report.
Virginia State Police Criminal History
Use the Virginia State Police SP-167 process when you need a formal Virginia criminal-history record check.
VSP currently states normal processing is approximately 15 business days after receipt and offers no same-day expedited service.
| Need |
Best Source |
Key Limitation |
| Richmond-only police background |
Richmond Police Information Desk |
Local, not statewide. |
| Public Richmond criminal case |
Virginia Court OCIS / Circuit Court |
Case information is not a substitute for every criminal-history purpose. |
| Formal Virginia criminal-history report |
Virginia State Police SP-167 |
Mail/process requirements and turnaround time apply. |
| National care-provider check |
Virginia State Police fingerprint-based programs when eligible |
Eligibility and employer/program requirements apply. |
Practical Richmond Arrest-Record Scenarios
Family cannot find a recent arrestee
Search Richmond Sheriff Inmate Search, call 804-646-4464 and check whether custody moved to another local, regional or state facility.
News article mentions an arrest
Find the RPD incident, then search the court case instead of treating the news arrest statement as the final legal outcome.
Employer wants a background check
Do not rely only on Richmond incident data. Use the legally appropriate formal screening process for the intended employment purpose.
Misdemeanor arrest
Start with Richmond City General District Court and compare the charge, hearing dates and disposition.
Felony arrest
Search General District Court first, then continue to Richmond Circuit Court if the case moves forward.
Domestic-related charge
Check whether Richmond J&DR District Court rather than ordinary General District Court has jurisdiction.
Old RPD incident before 2000
Do not rely on the online Crime Incident Information cutoff. Contact Records or use FOIA when appropriate.
Person no longer appears in Richmond jail
Check VINE, VADOC and court records to determine whether custody or supervision changed.
Need the final disposition
Court records matter more than arrest or jail listings because they show what happened after the allegation entered the judicial process.
Richmond Arrest Search Problems and Practical Fixes
| Problem |
What to Try |
Likely Explanation |
| Recent arrest not in inmate search |
Call the Richmond City Sheriff at 804-646-4464 and verify spelling. |
Intake, release or transfer timing may differ from your expectation. |
| Person disappeared from jail search |
Check VINE, VADOC and the court case. |
Release, transfer or a change in custody status. |
| Police incident search gives no result |
Check date, location, offense category and whether the incident predates 2000. |
Search criteria, reporting cutoff or classification. |
| Police report not online |
Contact RPD Records or submit a Police FOIA request. |
Crime Incident Information is not the full police-report repository. |
| General District search has no felony disposition |
Search Richmond Circuit Court. |
The felony moved beyond the preliminary district-court stage. |
| No Richmond City case appears |
Make sure you did not select Richmond County. |
Richmond City and Richmond County are separate Virginia localities. |
| Domestic charge missing from GDC |
Check Richmond Juvenile & Domestic Relations District Court. |
Specialized J&DR jurisdiction may apply. |
| Need arrest history outside Richmond |
Use Virginia State Police SP-167. |
RPD background checks are local only. |
| Common name produces several court cases |
Match case number, charge, dates and court locality. |
Name-only matching is unreliable. |
| Record existed previously but is no longer public |
Contact the responsible court or agency. |
Sealing, expungement, restricted access or record correction may apply. |
“I am trying to locate a Richmond City record connected with __________. The event occurred around __________ and I have incident / inmate / court number __________ if available. Can you tell me which Richmond City record system currently holds this information?”
Richmond Police, Jail and Court Contact Guide
Richmond Police Headquarters
200 W. Grace Street
Richmond, VA 23220
804-646-0400
RPD Records Unit
Police Information Desk, Window 4
804-646-6715
Mon–Fri 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Richmond City Justice Center
1701 Fairfield Way
Richmond, VA 23223
804-646-4464
General District Court Criminal/Traffic
400 N. 9th Street
804-646-6431
Before visiting RPD Records: Bring the incident number, incident date, exact location and enough identifying information to distinguish the report you want from unrelated records.
Official Richmond Arrest, Jail and Court Resources
Richmond Virginia Arrest Records FAQs
1. How do I search Richmond VA arrest records online?
Start with Richmond Police Crime Incident Information for founded crime incidents and arrest information associated with those incidents. Use the Richmond City Sheriff Inmate Search for current jail custody and Virginia Court case systems for criminal-case status and disposition.
2. How far back does Richmond Police Crime Incident Information go?
Richmond Police states that the public Crime Incident Information system contains founded crimes reported after December 31, 1999 and entered into the department’s database.
3. How do I find someone in Richmond City Jail?
Use the Inmate Search linked from the Richmond City Sheriff’s official website. The Richmond City Justice Center is located at 1701 Fairfield Way, Richmond, Virginia 23223.
4. How do I get a copy of a Richmond Police report?
Visit Window 4 at Richmond Police Headquarters, 200 W. Grace Street, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., or use the mail procedure published by RPD. The current report-copy fee is $5.
5. Does Richmond Police provide background checks?
Yes. Richmond Police provides local background checks at Headquarters for $5. RPD states that this is a local check; use Virginia State Police when a statewide Virginia criminal-history report is required.
6. Where do Richmond misdemeanor cases appear?
Richmond City General District Court handles misdemeanors and traffic matters. Criminal and traffic clerk information is available through the Virginia Court System, and cases may be searched through Virginia online court services.
7. Where do Richmond felony cases appear?
Felony cases often begin in General District Court for preliminary proceedings and proceed to Richmond Circuit Court when prosecution continues at the felony trial level.
8. What is the difference between Richmond City and Richmond County court records?
They are separate Virginia jurisdictions. Richmond City courts serve the City of Richmond. Richmond County is a separate locality with its courthouse in Warsaw. Choose Richmond City for a City of Richmond arrest.
9. Why can’t I find a Richmond arrest or court record?
The record may be too new, outside the police database’s date range, under another jurisdiction, restricted, sealed, expunged, transferred to another court or entered using different identifying information. Check police, sheriff and court systems separately.
10. Does a Richmond arrest record mean the person was convicted?
No. An arrest records an allegation-stage law-enforcement event. Check the appropriate Virginia court record for filing, dismissal, plea, conviction, acquittal or other disposition.
Independent Guide and Record-Use Notice
County-CAD.org is an independent informational guide. It is not affiliated with the Richmond Police Department, Richmond City Sheriff’s Office, Richmond City Justice Center, Virginia Judicial System, Richmond General District Court, Richmond Circuit Court, Richmond Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court or Virginia State Police.
Police incident, arrest and jail records may reflect allegations or preliminary information rather than final legal findings. Court cases can be dismissed, amended, sealed, expunged or otherwise changed. Verify identity and the final court disposition before relying on criminal-record information for a consequential decision.
Editorial verification date: August 28, 2026.
Slug: richmond-arrest-records
