Alabama Criminal Records

This guide explains how to find Alabama criminal records, arrest records, court records, inmate information, and the public sex offender registry, and how Alabama's background-check and expungement laws work. It was last reviewed in June 2026 using official Alabama sources, and it points you to the state and county agencies that hold each type of record. You can also start a name search using the tool on this page.

Are criminal records public in Alabama?

Most adult criminal records in Alabama are public. Under the Alabama Open Records Law (Code of Alabama § 36-12-40), any Alabama resident has the right to inspect and copy public records unless a specific statutory exception applies. Arrest records, court case records, and conviction records are generally open once charges have been filed. The main exceptions are records that have been expunged, juvenile records, and records that are confidential by law. Because there is a presumption in favor of disclosure, the burden falls on the agency refusing to release records to show a legal reason for withholding them.

How do I look up a criminal record in Alabama?

There are three main ways to find Alabama criminal record information:

• Request your own record through ALEA. The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) Criminal Records Identification Unit holds the statewide Criminal History Record Information (CHRI) repository. To review your own record, you must submit the ALEA Application to Review Alabama CHRI along with a current photo ID, fingerprints, and a $25.00 payment (money order or cashier's check). Requests can be submitted in person at 301 S. Ripley Street, Montgomery, AL 36104, or by mail to PO Box 1511, Montgomery, AL 36102. Contact ALEA at 1-866-740-4762. See ALEA Criminal Records for forms and details.
• Search court records at the county level. Individual criminal case files are kept by the Circuit Clerk in the county where the case was filed. Many counties are accessible through the statewide Alacourt system (fee-based) or the free Alabama Appellate Courts Public Portal for appeals-level cases.
• An online people-search tool like the one on this page, which compiles public-record data from many sources into one report. These tools are for personal knowledge only and are not a substitute for an official ALEA check or an FCRA (Fair Credit Reporting Act)-compliant background check.

A fingerprint-based check through ALEA is the only way to confirm a record truly belongs to a specific person; a name-only search can return records that belong to someone else with a similar name.

Where can I look up arrest records in Alabama?

Arrest records in Alabama are held by the agency that made the arrest - a city police department, county sheriff, or state trooper. Under the Open Records Law, arrest records generally become public once charges are filed. Many county sheriff's offices publish an online jail roster showing people currently in custody. An arrest record is different from a criminal conviction: it shows that a person was taken into custody, not that they were found guilty of anything.

What information is in an Alabama arrest record?

A typical Alabama arrest record includes the person's full name, date of birth, physical description (height, weight, and sometimes a photo or mugshot), the arresting agency, the date and location of the arrest, the charges filed, and the jail or detention facility where the person was held. Because an arrest does not equal a conviction, the presence of an arrest record is not evidence of guilt.

How do I find court records in Alabama?

Alabama trial court records are held at the county level by each Circuit Clerk's office. There is no single free statewide criminal case search, but there are two main online routes:

• Alacourt (pa.alacourt.com). The Alabama Administrative Office of Courts operates Alacourt Access, a fee-based portal covering trial court records from all 67 counties, including criminal, civil, and traffic cases. A name search costs approximately $9.99. It is the most comprehensive statewide online option for trial-level records.
• Alabama Appellate Courts Public Portal. The Alabama Appellate Courts Public Portal provides free access to cases from the Alabama Supreme Court, Court of Civil Appeals, and Court of Criminal Appeals. You can search by case number or party name at no cost.

To view or copy a specific trial court file, contact the Circuit Clerk in the county where the case was filed, or visit the courthouse in person. The Alabama judiciary's main portal is at judicial.alabama.gov.

How do I look up warrants in Alabama?

Warrants are issued by the courts but the best place to check is usually the county sheriff or the Circuit Clerk in the county where charges would be filed. Some sheriffs post active warrant information on their websites; for others, you must contact the clerk directly or visit the courthouse. You can also call your local police department or sheriff's office to ask whether a warrant is on file for a specific person. Third-party background reports may list active warrants, but the issuing court or county is always the authoritative source.

Do arrests show up on background checks in Alabama?

It depends on the type of check. For employment, housing, and credit screening done through a consumer reporting agency, the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) controls what can be reported. Under the FCRA, arrests that did not lead to a conviction generally cannot be reported if they are more than seven years old. Convictions can be reported indefinitely under federal law. Alabama does not have its own stricter state law limiting background-check reporting periods, so federal FCRA rules apply. An official ALEA criminal history check returns conviction records and can also show pending charges, but does not list arrests that never resulted in a charge or conviction.

How far back does a criminal background check go in Alabama?

Alabama does not have a state law that shortens the federal FCRA reporting window, so for employment and housing background checks the federal seven-year limit applies to non-conviction information (arrests that did not lead to a conviction). Key points:

• Arrests that did not result in a conviction generally cannot be reported after seven years under the FCRA.
• Convictions can be reported indefinitely under federal law and will appear on an official ALEA check regardless of how old they are, unless the record has been expunged.
• The $75,000 salary exception in the FCRA lifts the seven-year cap on adverse non-conviction items when the job pays $75,000 or more per year.
• An expunged record generally cannot be reported on a background check or disclosed by the individual on most job applications.

How do I find someone in jail or prison in Alabama?

It depends on where the person is held:

• State prison. Use the Alabama Department of Corrections Inmate Search at doc.alabama.gov. You can search by first name, last name, or the inmate's six-digit Alabama Institutional Serial (AIS) number. The database covers currently incarcerated inmates only; historical records are not available online.
• County jail. People awaiting trial or serving shorter sentences are held in county jails. Check the county sheriff's website for an online jail roster, or call the sheriff's office directly.
• Federal custody. For federal cases, use the Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator rather than the ADOC search.

How do I find out if someone is on probation or parole in Alabama?

Parole in Alabama is supervised by the Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles. Probation (also called community corrections or supervised release) is handled by county community corrections departments and the court that imposed the sentence. Neither the ADOC inmate search nor ALEA publish a public probation or parole lookup tool. The best sources are the sentencing court's records or the local community corrections office in the county where the person's case was filed. Probation allows a person to serve a sentence in the community under conditions set by the court, instead of being incarcerated.

What crimes are felonies in Alabama?

A felony is the most serious class of crime in Alabama, punishable by more than one year of imprisonment. Alabama divides felonies into four classes under Code of Alabama § 13A-5-6:

• Class A felony: 10 years to life (or 99 years) in prison; fine up to $60,000. Examples include murder, first-degree rape, and first-degree robbery.
• Class B felony: 2 to 20 years in prison; fine up to $30,000. Examples include second-degree rape and first-degree burglary.
• Class C felony: 366 days to 10 years in prison; fine up to $15,000. Examples include certain drug offenses and theft of property over a set value.
• Class D felony: 366 days to 5 years in prison; fine up to $7,500. Alabama added Class D in 2015 for lower-level, non-violent felonies.

If a firearm or deadly weapon was used, the minimum sentence increases significantly. The death penalty or life without parole applies to the most serious capital offenses. These ranges are general guidelines; actual punishment depends on the specific offense, prior history, and other factors.

What crimes are misdemeanors in Alabama?

Misdemeanors in Alabama are divided into three classes under Code of Alabama § 13A-5-7 and § 13A-5-12, punishable by county jail time and/or a fine rather than state prison:

• Class A misdemeanor: up to one year in county jail and/or a fine up to $6,000. Examples include certain drug possession offenses and some assault charges.
• Class B misdemeanor: up to six months in county jail and/or a fine up to $3,000. Examples include harassment and certain trespass offenses.
• Class C misdemeanor: up to three months in county jail and/or a fine up to $500. Examples include disorderly conduct and certain traffic violations.

Violations (the lowest level, below Class C) are punishable by a fine only and carry no jail time.

Are traffic violations crimes in Alabama?

Routine traffic violations such as speeding tickets are classified as violations or Class C misdemeanors in Alabama, which carry a fine but typically no jail time and rarely affect a criminal background check for employment. More serious driving offenses are criminal matters. A first-offense DUI (driving under the influence) is a misdemeanor. A fourth DUI conviction within ten years - or any DUI if the person has a prior felony DUI conviction - is a Class C felony under Code of Alabama § 32-5A-191, carrying 1 year and 1 day to 10 years in prison and a fine of $4,100 to $10,100.

Is the sex offender registry public in Alabama?

Yes. The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) maintains the public sex offender registry under the Alabama Sex Offender Registration and Community Notification Act (Code of Alabama § 15-20A). The registry is searchable for free at the ALEA Community Notification Portal by name, address, or location. The registry contains over 16,000 records and is updated daily. Not every registrant appears publicly - those with juvenile, youthful-offender, or certain out-of-state adjudications may be excluded from public view. Registration requirements include reporting quarterly in person to local law enforcement during the registrant's birth month and every three months thereafter.

Can a sex offender be removed from the Alabama registry?

Alabama's registration requirements are among the strictest in the nation. Most offenders are required to register for life. Limited relief is available under § 15-20A-24: an adult offender convicted of a narrowly defined set of less serious offenses (such as Rape 2nd degree, Sodomy 2nd degree, or Sexual Misconduct) may petition the court for relief from registration at sentencing, upon completion of probation, or after a court-ordered registration term. The filing fee is $200. Offenders convicted of more serious or violent sex offenses that mandate lifetime registration have very few options outside a gubernatorial pardon. Juvenile offenders subject to lifetime registration may petition 25 years after release from the Department of Youth Services under § 15-20A-34. Eligibility is highly fact-specific and requires an attorney's review.

How do I clear or expunge my criminal record in Alabama?

Alabama's expungement statute is found in Code of Alabama Title 15, Chapter 27 (§§ 15-27-1 through 15-27-15). Key rules as of 2026:

• Charges that were dismissed, no-billed, or resulted in acquittal are eligible for expungement 90 days after the final disposition, for both misdemeanor (§ 15-27-1) and felony (§ 15-27-2) charges.
• Charges dismissed without prejudice require a waiting period: 2 years for misdemeanors and 5 years for felony charges, provided the charge was never refiled and the person has no other convictions during the waiting period.
• Charges dismissed after completing a diversion, drug court, mental health court, or veteran's court program may be expunged one year after successful completion.
• Felony convictions are generally not eligible for expungement unless the offense qualifies as a non-violent felony and specific conditions are met, or the person was a human-trafficking victim who committed the offense during that trafficking period. Violent offenses, sex offenses, and crimes of moral turpitude are excluded from expungement.

An expunged record is treated as if the arrest or charge never occurred and generally cannot be reported on a background check or disclosed on most job applications. The filing fee for an expungement petition is $300 (with an additional agency notification fee), though courts may waive the fee for indigent petitioners under § 15-27-4.

Do I need a lawyer to expunge my Alabama record?

You are not legally required to hire a lawyer to file an expungement petition in Alabama. The ALEA website and the courts publish the forms and instructions. That said, the eligibility rules are detailed - whether your charge qualifies, which waiting period applies, and how to serve all the required agencies - and a mistake can result in denial and lost time. Many people use an attorney, especially for felony charges or cases where the eligibility is not clear-cut. Free or low-cost legal aid may also be available through Alabama's legal services organizations.

How long does a felony stay on your record in Alabama?

An Alabama felony conviction stays on your record permanently unless you obtain expungement (available only in limited circumstances) or a pardon from the Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles. There is no automatic time limit that removes a conviction from the underlying record. The federal FCRA seven-year rule discussed above limits what a background-check company may report for certain non-conviction items; it does not erase the underlying record. A pardon restores civil rights but does not seal or destroy the record. For convictions that qualify, expungement under Chapter 27 is the most complete remedy.

Are juvenile criminal records private in Alabama?

Juvenile court records in Alabama are confidential by law and are generally not open to the public or to standard background checks. Under Code of Alabama § 12-15-136, a juvenile court may order records sealed when two years have elapsed since the person's final discharge from court supervision, provided the person has not been convicted or adjudicated for certain serious offenses (sexual offenses, drug offenses, weapons offenses, or violent offenses) and no proceeding is pending. Sealed records may be destroyed five years after the person reaches the age of majority. Unsealed juvenile records can still be accessed by law enforcement, prosecutors, and juvenile-justice officials.

Jefferson County criminal records

Jefferson County - home to Birmingham, the state's largest city - is the most populous county in Alabama, with more than 674,000 residents, and generates a large share of the state's criminal and court filings. Jefferson County is part of Alabama's 10th Judicial Circuit and operates two divisions: the Birmingham Division and the Bessemer Division, each with its own Circuit Clerk. Criminal case records for Jefferson County are accessible through the statewide Alacourt system (fee-based) or in person at the respective Circuit Clerk's office. The Jefferson County courts also offer a docket viewer linked from jefferson.alacourt.gov. To request a specific case file, contact the Birmingham Division Circuit Clerk at jeffersoncircuitclerk.alacourt.gov.

Official Alabama criminal record sources

• ALEA Criminal Records Identification Unit - statewide criminal history repository; submit your own CHRI request ($25 fee, fingerprints required).
• Alabama Department of Corrections Inmate Search - locate currently incarcerated state prisoners by name or AIS number.
• ALEA Sex Offender Registry (Community Notification Portal) - free public search of Alabama's registered sex offenders by name or location.
• Alabama Appellate Courts Public Portal - free case search for Alabama Supreme Court and appellate court records.
• Jefferson County (10th Circuit) Court - docket and case information for Alabama's most populous county.
• Alabama Judicial System (judicial.alabama.gov) - main state judiciary site linking to Alacourt, AlaFile, and all circuit court locations.
• Code of Alabama Title 15, Chapter 27 - Expungement - the full text of Alabama's expungement statutes (§§ 15-27-1 through 15-27-15).
• Code of Alabama Title 15, Chapter 20A - Sex Offender Registration and Community Notification Act - governing statute for registration requirements and relief petitions.

Disclosure: criminal.com may earn a commission when you use the people-search tool on this page, which is powered by a third-party background-check service. Results from such tools are for your personal knowledge only and may not be used to make decisions about employment, housing, credit, tenant screening, or any other purpose covered by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). An arrest record or mugshot is not proof of guilt. This page is general information about Alabama public records, not legal advice; for advice about your specific situation, consult an attorney. Information was last reviewed in June 2026 and laws may change.