Free Oklahoma Arrest & Criminal Records Lookup: Every OK County

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Free Oklahoma Arrest Records & Criminal Records Search

Access Oklahoma Records: background checks, warrants, probation and parole, court records, and all criminal and arrest records.

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Lookup free Oklahoma criminal records and arrests in any OK county through official agencies today.

Oklahoma arrest records, mugshots, criminal histories, background checks reports, probation and parole information, warrant details, prisoner records and more are readily accessible thanks to the Oklahoma Open Records Act.

While finding these records can prove difficult, this comprehensive guide covers everything necessary to look up public criminal records quickly and efficiently.

Is the Public Able To Access Criminal Records & Arrest Records in Oklahoma?

In Oklahoma, criminal and arrest records, also known as rap sheets (records of arrests and prosecutions), are available to the public unless the record is sealed, expunged or related to a juvenile. Not only are public criminal records a part of the public domain, but information pertaining to marriage, divorce, court documents, property records, and more can be found through our Oklahoma public records search guide.

Criminal and arrest data also known as rap sheets (records of arrests and prosecutions) are part of public records in Oklahoma. Due to the Oklahoma open records act (51 O.S. §24A.1 through 24A.18), the public has the right to retrieve, review and make copies of certain public records which include Oklahoma arrest records with certain exemptions including:¹

• Registration files of sex offenders
• Juvenile records
• Student records
• Medical market research
• Real estate appraisals
• Computer programs
• Public officials’ personnel notes

Furthermore, no statement of purpose is required and there is no restriction on how the records will be used and moreover, this law does not specify any time limit for responses to requests. When the purpose is commercial, there will be fees charged for document collection—generally though, members of the public can expect to access most of these records for free or at a nominal cost. This barring a request that is painstaking and complicated.

Oklahoma is an open records state due its open records laws, and this also further strengthened and legislated in line with the overarching federal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) which allows citizens to consume records produced by federal agencies barring some such as law enforcement records and classified information for national defense.²

The Difference Between Criminal Records Searches vs Arrest Records in the State of Oklahoma

Criminal records and arrest records have some marked differences since they both are drawn from different interactions of members of the public with law enforcement. Criminal records pertain to documents that are generated once an offender has been taken into custody and charged by a court resulting in either dismissal or conviction; as a result they will include data such as court case number, date of conviction and guilty pleas if any.

Oklahoma arrest records on the other hand involve records that are generated when an offender has been taken into custody by law enforcement agencies due to suspicion of committing a crime with the charges of that crime displayed on the record. These records will not include records that have them interact with the court system yet. Arrest records may include information such as arresting agency and bond amount.

Criminal Records Include:

• Full names
• Date of birth (DOB)
• Age
• Sex
• Race
• Case numbers
• Court information
• Addresses (former and present)
• Type of conviction
• Guilty pleas if any
• Date of conviction
• Charges of the court (felony or misdemeanor charge)
• Date of release
• Mug shot (photograph)
• Former arrest records
• Date of disposition

Arrest Records Consist Of:

• Names of the arrested individual
• Booking number
• Court case number
• Age
• Height
• Weight
• Race
• Address
• Gender
• Arresting agency
• Date of arrest
• Arrest location
• Cell number
• Charges
• Warrant information
• Severity of the charge
• Bail amount
• Scheduled release date

How To Find Oklahoma Arrest Records, Mugshots & the Reason for Detainment at No Cost

Members of the public can obtain recent and current arrests records from local police departments, county sheriff’s offices and local city jails. It is also possible to get arrest records from county courts, but these will typically not be very recent. County sheriff’s office will often maintain online rosters that display arrest reports that can be searched using bio data such as names.

When lists are not available online, citizens should either call the sheriff’s offices or physically visit the law enforcement agencies to find detailed information on who’s in jail.

Search County Arrest Records & County Jail Rosters in Oklahoma: County Sheriff’s Office Online Arrest Logs & Contact Details

County sheriff’s offices in Oklahoma provide members of the public a viable way to find arrest records in all 77 counties in the state. Online rosters maintained by several county sheriff’s offices provide a free and quick way to see if someone was detained, and find out what someone was arrested for.

These online rosters will also sometimes have photographs of the offenders drawn from a mugshot database created from photographs of arrestees when they are being booked.

This table below is an effective tool to find out someone’s charges in jail in all counties in Oklahoma.

The links point to inmate lists but these are not always available. In these scenarios, the link will be marked with a (*). These links will direct to the contact information of the sheriff’s office. A final column displays whether a mugshot is available for view or not in the daily arrests reports of inmates.

County Inmate Search Tool	County Jail or Sheriff’s Office Phone Number	Shows Mugshots?
Adair County Sheriff’s Office*	(918)696-2106	X
Alfalfa County Sheriff’s Office*	(580)596-3269	X
Atoka County Sheriff’s Office	(580)889-2221	X
Beaver County Sheriff’s Office*	(580)625-4549	X
Beckham County Sheriff’s Office*	(580)928-2121	X
Blaine County Sheriff’s Office	(580)623-5111	✓
Bryan County Sheriff’s Office*	(580)924-3000	X
Caddo County Sheriff’s Office	(405)247-6666	✓
Canadian County Sheriff’s Office	(405)262-3434	✓
Carter County Sheriff’s Office	(580)223-6014	✓
Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office*	(918)456-2583	X
Choctaw County Sheriff’s Office*	(580)326-2130	X
Cimarron County Sheriff’s Office	(580)544-2020	✓
Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office	(704)484-4888	✓
Coal County Sheriff’s Office*	(580)927-2121	X
Comanche County Sheriff’s Office	(580)353-4280	✓
Cotton County Sheriff’s Office*	(580)875-2391	X
Craig County Sheriff’s Office	(918)256-6466	✓
Creek County Sheriff’s Office	(918)227-6374	✓
Custer County Sheriff’s Office	(580)323-1616	✓
Delaware County Sheriff’s Office	(918)253-4531	✓
Dewey County Sheriff’s Office*	(580)328-5556	X
Ellis County Sheriff’s Office*	(580)885-7377	X
Garfield County Sheriff’s Office	(580)237-0244	✓
Garvin County Sheriff’s Office	(405)238-7591	X
Grady County Sheriff’s Office*	(405)224-0984	X
Grant County Sheriff’s Office*	(509)754-2011	X
Greer County Sheriff’s Office*	(580)782-3065	X
Harmon County Sheriff’s Office*	(580)688-3306	X
Harper County Sheriff’s Office*	(580)735-2213	X
Haskell County Sheriff’s Office*	(918)967-2400	X
Hughes County Sheriff’s Office*	(405)379-2203	X
Jackson County Sheriff’s Office*	(580)482-0408	X
Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office*	(580)228-2375	X
Johnston County Sheriff’s Office*	(919)989-5010	X
Kay County Sheriff’s Office*	(580)362-3250	X
Kingfisher County Sheriff’s Office*	(405)375-4242	X
Kiowa County Sheriff’s Office*	(580)726-3265	X
Latimer County Sheriff’s Office	(918)465-4012	X
LeFlore County Sheriff’s Office*	(918)647-8620	X
Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office	(405)258-1191	✓
Logan County Sheriff’s Office	(405)282-4100	✓
Love County Sheriff’s Office	(580)276-3150	✓
McClain County Sheriff’s Office	(405)527-2141	✓
McCurtain County Sheriff’s Office*	(580)286-3331	X
McIntosh County Sheriff’s Office*	(918)689-4500	X
Major County Sheriff’s Office	(580)227-4471	✓
Marshall County Sheriff’s Office*	(580)795-2221	X
Mayes County Sheriff’s Office	(918)825-3535	✓
Murray County Sheriff’s Office*	(580)622-5106	X
Muskogee County Sheriff’s Office*	(918)687-0202	X
Noble County Sheriff’s Office	(580)336-3517	X
Nowata County Sheriff’s Office*	(918)273-2287	X
Okfuskee County Sheriff’s Office*	(918)623-0481	X
Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office	(405)869-2500	✓
Okmulgee County Sheriff’s Office	(918)756-4311	✓
Osage County Sheriff’s Office	(918)287-3131	✓
Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office	(918)542-2806	✓
Pawnee County Sheriff’s Office	(918)762-2565	✓
Payne County Sheriff’s Office	(405)372-4522	✓
Pittsburg County Sheriff’s Office*	(918)423-5858	X
Pontotoc County Sheriff’s Office	(580)332-4169	X
Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Office	(405)273-1727	✓
Pushmataha County Sheriff’s Office*	(580)298-2475	X
Roger Mills County Sheriff’s Office*	(580)303-6045	X
Rogers County Sheriff’s Office	(918)342-9700	X
Seminole County Sheriff’s Office	(405)257-5445	✓
Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Office	(918)775-9155	✓
Stephens County Sheriff’s Office*	(580)255-3131	X
Texas County Sheriff’s Office*	(417)967-4165	X
Tillman County Sheriff’s Office*	(580)335-3013	X
Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office*	(918)596-5600	X
Wagoner County Sheriff’s Office	(918)485-3124	✓
Washington County Sheriff’s Office	(918)337-2800	✓
Washita County Sheriff’s Office*	(580)832-2334	X
Woods County Sheriff’s Office*	(580)327-3434	X
Woodward County Sheriff’s Office*	(580)256-3264	X

The county sheriff’s offices without links do not have websites.*

How To Look Up Recent Arrests in City Jails in Oklahoma

In addition to looking up recent arrests in the county jails, members of the public who are in urban areas can also contact their city’s police department who often run city jails.

Some local city jails like sheriff’s departments will contain online rosters that will allow citizens to find out if someone was arrested, and what for. If local city jails do not maintain online lists, then requesters may either call or physically visit the city jails.

To see if your city or town has a jail operated by the local police department, use a search engine and type “[City or Town] Oklahoma arrests” For example, “Norman Oklahoma arrests” and “Oklahoma City arrests” will lead you to  Norman’s and OKC’s online arrest reports or jail blotters.

How To Get Ahold of Someone In an Oklahoma Jail & Post Their Bail

A majority of jails in the state of Oklahoma allow family and friends of inmates to establish communication with them such as facilitating in person visits or telephone calls—each county jail will have its own procedures for communication. It is also possible to bail out defendants out of jail while awaiting trial, if a bond has been granted to them by the judge. Both of these are delved into below.

Contacting an Inmate

Contacting an inmate in jail is an important part of providing moral support and how it can be accomplished depends on the county jail’s established protocols. Generally, members of the public can either:

• Call an inmate
• Send mail to an inmate
• Visit an inmate

Some jails will not allow calls and some may also not allow visitations. As an example, Payne County Sheriff’s Office allows for both in person and video visitations.³

Video Visitation—The video visitation is once a week and lasts for 15 minutes and has the visitor use a visitation kiosk for free. Remote video visitations are also possible and facilitated by City Tele Coin. Upon registering, family and friends can have daily remote visitations and also use the service to send email.

In-Person Visitation—In person visitation lasts for 10 minutes where all visitors will visit during this time window.

Mail—Inmates in this jail may also receive and send mail which should have the full names and full address of sender and recipient.

Before contacting an inmate, friends and family are advised to contact the jail where the inmate is located to verify what their procedures and protocols are.

Bailing Out an Inmate

All felonies and misdemeanors are arrestable offenses, but also carry a bond with the exception of violent charges that are serious—bailing out an inmate is accomplished by posting the bond directly in the court.

There are two ways to accomplish this:

1. Pay the Bond Amount —In the state of Oklahoma, bonds can either be posted using either cash or cashier’s check.
2. Bail Bondsman—In many cases, bond amounts are simply too high, hence the majority of people enlist the service of a bail bondsman. The bail bondsman will post bail for individuals who can’t afford for a fee computed as a percentage of the total bond; the standard fee is 10% but bondsmen may charge flat rates for smaller amounts.

Failure to attend court proceedings will generally force the bondsman to recover the full amount from the defendant. They also generally keep the fee once the court proceedings are closed.

It is advisable to hire an attorney first before enlisting a bondsman. Attorneys may be able to lower the bond amount and in addition, having a defense is oftentimes the difference between walking free and doing jail time.

There are some instances where offenders are released on conditional bonds where they don’t pay cash to the court or where they are released for non-violent crimes and released on their own recognizance (O.R. Bond).

Once the criminal proceedings are completed of which the majority are completed in 3-6 months with some exceptions, the all or most of the bond amount will be returned less any fees that the court may charge.

Failure to appear at any court hearings will mean that the defendant can potentially forfeit the bond amount as per Oklahoma Code § 28-127.⁴

This will also result in a bench warrant being issued for the arrest of the offender.⁵ They can be fined up to $5000 and receive a prison sentence up to 2 years.

How To Lookup & Search Oklahoma Criminal Records

Members of the public can lookup Oklahoma criminal records from local, state and federal agencies. Each jurisdictions’ search process will be elaborated on in subsequent sections but here are the main record custodians for criminal data in the state of Oklahoma:

• The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (SBI).
• State courts, county courts and county clerks of courts.
• Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) database to retrieve appellate court records and federal court records.

Use the Oklahoma Courts To View Someone’s Criminal History

Court records can be used to obtain criminal records in Oklahoma since court records are considered public records in the state. There are 3 electronic methods to access court records in the state:

1. Oklahoma State Courts Network—Accessing court records in Oklahoma like a number of states is made simple by a single unified repository that allows citizens to quickly access court records in all 77 counties—it is known as the Oklahoma State Courts Network. Using this system is discussed in the next section.
2. On Demand Court Records—The state makes it even easier to find unlimited court records for free by using the On Demand Court Records Search Tool that can be used to find court dockets for free. However, the use of Image Access or Advance Tools will require interested individuals to pay monthly fees $50 and $5 a month respectively. It should be noted that this portal cannot be used to access records from all counties but only from participating courts.
3. The Municipal Court Case Search—Oklahoma makes it even easier to electronically access court records using a The Municipal Court Case Search Tool which allows members of the public to find criminal and traffic cases using name, DOB and driver license number. This tool applies to cases that have been presided over in municipal courts.

Visit or Get Ahold of the County Clerk of Court To Find Criminal Records in Oklahoma

The other option of accessing criminal records from the courts is by visiting the county courts and contacting the clerk of the court at their District Court. This is especially useful for accessing cases prior to 1994, when the records can’t be found online, or for in-person requests.

It is also possible to perform record searches by mail. If the case number is unknown, there is a $5 record search fee. The cost for copies are outlined below:

• $1.00 for the first page
• $0.50 for each additional page
• $0.50 for each certification
• $5.00 for any authenticated copies

The table below has contact information for all counties in Oklahoma where record requests can be done either by mail or making an in person visit to the clerk of the court.

County	County Courthouse Address	Phone Number
Adair County	220 W Division St Stilwell, OK 74960	(918)696-7633
Alfalfa County	300 S Grand Ave STE 3 Cherokee, OK 73728	(580)596-3523
Atoka County	200 E Court St Atoka, OK 74525	(580)889-3565
Beaver County	111 Second St Beaver, OK 73932	(580)625-3191
Beckham County	104 S 3rd St, Sayre, OK 73662	(580)928-3330
Blaine County	212 N Weigle Ave Watonga, OK 73772	(580)623-5970
Bryan County	402 W Evergreen St # C1 Durant, OK 74701	(580)924-3450
Caddo County	110 SW 2nd St, Anadarko, OK 73005	(405)247-6600
Canadian County	201 N Choctaw Ave El Reno, OK 73036	(405)295-6000
Carter County	20 B St SW, Ardmore, OK 73401	(580)223-5253
Cherokee County	213 W Delaware St Tahlequah, OK 74464	(918)456-0691
Choctaw County	300 E Duke St Hugo, OK 74743	(580)326-7554
Cimarron County	235 Main St Boise City, OK 73933	(580)544-2221
Cleveland County	200 S Peters Ave #10 Norman, OK 73069	(405)321-6402
Coal County	4 N Main St # 9 Coalgate, OK 74538	(580)927-2281
Comanche County	315 SW 5th St Lawton, OK 73501	(580)581-4565
Cotton County	301 N Broadway St Walters, OK 73572	(580)875-3029
Craig County	210 W Delaware Ave Suite 103 Vinita, OK 74301	(918)256-6451
Creek County	222 E Dewey Ave Sapulpa, OK 74066	(918)227-2525
Custer County	604 Heritage Dr Broken Bow, NE 68822	(308)872-5761
Delaware County	327 S 5th St Jay, OK 74346	(918)253-4520
Dewey County	203 Broadway Taloga, OK 73667	(580)328-5521
Ellis County	100 Washington St Arnett, OK 73832	(580)885-7255
Garfield County	2nd Floor, 114 W Broadway Ave Enid, OK 73701	(580)237-0226
Garvin County	201 W Grant Ave APT 3 Pauls Valley, OK 73075,	(405)238-5596
Grady County	326 W Choctaw Ave Chickasha, OK 73018	(405)224-7388
Grant County	112 W Guthrie St # 102 Medford, OK 73759	(580)395-2274
Greer County	106 E Jefferson St Mangum, OK 73554	(580)782-3665
Harmon County	114 W Hollis St Hollis, OK 73550	(580)688-3617
Harper County	311 SE 1st St #3 Buffalo, OK 73834	(580)735-2010
Haskell County	105 SE 3rd Street C Stigler, OK 74462	(918)967-2884
Hughes County	200 N Broadway St Holdenville, OK 74848	(405)379-5487
Jackson County	101 N Main St # 203 Altus, OK 73521	(580)482-0448
Jefferson County	100 Jefferson County Pkwy Golden, CO 80401	(720)772-2500
Johnston County	403 W Main St # 201 Tishomingo, OK 73460	(580)371-3281
Kay County	801 W South St Newkirk, OK 74647	(580)362-3350
Kingfisher County	101 S Main St Kingfisher, OK 73750	(405)375-3813
Kiowa County	316 S Main St Hobart, OK 73651	(580)726-5286
Latimer County	109 N Central Ave Wilburton, OK 74578	(918)465-3543
LeFlore County	100 S Broadway St Poteau, OK 74953	(918)647-3181
Lincoln County	811 Manvel Ave # 5 Chandler, OK 74834	(405)258-1264
Logan County	301 E Harrison Avenue # 102 Guthrie, OK 73044	(405)282-0123
Love County	405 W Main St #203 Marietta, OK 73448	(580)276-3059
McClain County	121 N 2nd Ave #231 Purcell, OK 73080	(405)527-3221
McCurtain County	108 N Central Ave Idabel, OK 74745	(580)286-3693
McIntosh County	110 1st St Eufaula, OK 74432	(918)689-2282
Major County	500 E Broadway St Fairview, OK 73737	(580)227-4732
Marshall County	100 Plaza Madill, OK 73446	(580)795-3278
Mayes County	1 Court Pl #200 Pryor, OK 74361	(918)825-2185
Murray County	2nd Floor, 1001 W Wyandotte Ave Sulphur, OK 73086	(580)622-3223
Muskogee County	220 State St Muskogee, OK 74401	(918)682-7873
Noble County	NOBLE COUNTY, 300 Courthouse Dr # 14 Perry, OK 73077	(580)336-5187
Nowata County	229 N Maple St # 9 Nowata, OK 74048	(918)273-0127
Okfuskee County	209 N 3rd St Okemah, OK 74859	(918)623-0525
Oklahoma County	700 Couch Dr Oklahoma City, OK 73102	(405)297-3898
Okmulgee County	314 W 7th St Okmulgee, OK 74447	(918)756-3042
Osage County	600 Grandview Ave # 304 Pawhuska, OK 74056	(918)287-4104
Ottawa County	102 E Central Ave #103 Miami, OK 74354	(918)542-3121
Pawnee County	500 Harrison St Pawnee, OK 74058	(918)762-2547
Payne County	Rooms 206 & 207,606 South Husband Street Stillwater, OK 74074	(405)372-4774
Pittsburg County	115 E Carl Albert Pkwy Suite 200 McAlester, OK 74501	(918)423-4859
Pontotoc County	120 W 13th Ada, OK 74820	(580)332-5763
Pottawatomie County	325 N Broadway Avenue #307 Shawnee, OK 74801	(405)273-3624
Pushmataha County	302 SW B St Antlers, OK 74523	(580)298-3626
Roger Mills County	500 Broadway # 12 Cheyenne, OK 73628	(580)303-6053
Rogers County	219 S Missouri Ave Claremore, OK 74017	(918)923-4961
Seminole County	110 S Wewoka Ave Wewoka, OK 74884	(405)257-6236
Sequoyah County	120 E Chickasaw Ave Sallisaw, OK 74955	(918)775-4411
Stephens County	101 S 11th St #301 Duncan, OK 73533	(580)470-2000
Texas County	319 N Main St Guymon, OK 73942	(580)338-3003
Tillman County	201 N Main St Frederick, OK 73542	(580)335-3421
Tulsa County	500 S Denver Ave. Tulsa, OK 74103	(918)596-5420
Wagoner County	307 E Cherokee St Wagoner, OK 74467	(918)485-4508
Washington County	420 S Johnstone Ave Bartlesville, OK 74003	(918)337-2870
Washita County	111 E Main St New Cordell, OK 73632	(580)832-3836
Woods County	407 Government St Alva, OK 73717	(580)327-3119
Woodward County	1600 Main St #8 Woodward, OK 73801	(580)256-3413

Run a Criminal Record Search Through the Oklahoma State Courts Network

Oklahoma has a central repository for court records that allows the public to access criminal court records for all counties in Oklahoma through the Oklahoma State Courts Network. The Oklahoma Courts Dockets Search Tool can be queried using:⁶

1. Selecting the county or court
2. Searching by either case number and/or party (names)

The tool also provides a viable option for inquiring on lower appellate court records and traffic citations. Searching for criminal records using the Oklahoma State Courts Network is free for the public.⁷

How To Retrieve & Obtain a Copy of Criminal Records in the State of Oklahoma

Members of the public can obtain copies of criminal records from a number of entities including the:

1. The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) which is the public records repository for all criminal history information in the state.⁸
2. Criminal records may be obtained the state’s courts which can quickly be accessed via 3 methods which were delved into earlier namely:
   • Oklahoma State Courts Network
   • On Demand Court Records Search Tool
   • The Municipal Court Case Search Tool
3. Some records may also be obtained from county sheriff’s offices, but these will mostly be Oklahoma criminal records that include court information rather than arrest records. It should be stated that this information is typically forwarded to the SBI but unlike the SBI, information can be obtained for free.

Name-Based Process for Obtaining Criminal Records Through the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI)

Copies of criminal records from the SBI can be obtained either through mail, in person and fax as well as online. As established by the Oklahoma Open Records Act, Title 51 § 24.A.5.2, these criminal record requests must include the full names and DOB of the subject of the record.

Online:

The SBI has a Criminal History Information Request Portal (CHIRP) which is a convenient and the fastest way to obtain copies of criminal records. Users must have an account registered and each name based search costs $15. Payments can be made via credit cards, cashier’s checks, money orders, and cash (on-site orders) as forms of payment.

This type of search can be conducted for other persons without consent and cannot be used for fingerprint searches. Fingerprint searches will be discussed in the summary of background checks.

In Person & via Mail:

Members of the public can mail in a Criminal History Request Form or physically visit:

Oklahoma SBI
6600 North Harvey
Oklahoma City OK 73116

They may also fax this form to (405)879-2503 and both types of searches also cost $15 but fax requests can only be paid in credit card.

How To Determine If Someone Is on Probation or Parole in Oklahoma

Citizens who are looking to find if someone is on probation and/or parole should contact the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board who oversees the granting of paroles, pardons and commutations to individuals convicted of criminal offenses in Oklahoma.⁹

As per Oklahoma state laws, a parole is defined as a supervised and conditional release of an inmate prior to the expiration of their prison terms while probation is a release ordered by the court without any supervision except as otherwise exempted by law.¹⁰ The state also pardons offenders— a pardon is a grant of forgiveness by the governor to offenders which releases them from correctional facilities.¹¹

The following image displays the total number of probationers and parolees in Oklahoma and compares it with other states across the United States. Additionally, it showcases the ethnicities of individuals on community supervision in Oklahoma, including probation and parole.

The government agency maintains a parolee database which can be searched using a Pardon and Parole Board Docket Search Tool to locate offenders who may be on probation and/or parole. This probation search is performed using a number of criteria including:

• Last name
• Docket number
• Docket month
• Docket year
• County

How Do I Seal or Expunge a Criminal Record in Oklahoma (OK)?

Offenders who are looking to seal and expunge Oklahoma criminal records will file their petitions with the court in the county that they were convicted for the charge. The state of Oklahoma offers expunction of convictions but the state does not delete nor destroy the record, rather it makes it unavailable for view by the public.¹²

Judges and law enforcement agencies are exempt from this and can still view expunged records. However, members of the public including banks, landlords, employers etc. can only see expunged records with permission from the owner of the record.

Offenses that are eligible for expunction in Oklahoma include:

• Convictions of misdemeanors older than 5 years.
• Convictions of a felony that is non violent.
• No other convictions in the last 7 years.
• More than 5 years have elapsed since completion of sentence.

To apply for expunction, the following steps should be taken:¹³

1. Proceed to the court where the charge took place.
2. The clerk of court should provide an application for a petition to expunge.
3. Complete the petition and file it with the court.
4. Expunging court records is free, but an arrest record requires a payment of $150 as a processing fee.¹² There may be other fees required to be paid to local law enforcement agencies. Cashier’s checks and money orders but not personal checks are accepted by the OSBI.
5. Obtain a hearing date from the clerk—petitioners have 30 days to prepare for a hearing.
6. A copy of the petition needs to be sent to the district attorney (DA), arresting agency and OSBI which notifies them.
7. Attend the hearing where the judge will grant the petition if all legal requirements are met and a judgment to decide whether the petitioner’s privacy rights outweigh the interest to keep the record available to the public.
8. The judge will order all state agencies to remove the record from public view after a successful petition.

Expunction is an extremely complicated process, and it advisable to enlist the services of counsel since the courts will hold the petitioner to the same standards as they would to an attorney for knowing and applying the relative laws.

How To Locate Someone in an Oklahoma State Prison or Federal Prison

Oklahoma has 24 state prisons with a population over 10,000, 3 federal prisons and 1 federal prison camp—members of the public should contact either the Oklahoma Department of Corrections (ODC) or the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to find state prisons and locate federal prisoners respectively.¹⁴

Oklahoma State Prison Search: The Oklahoma Department of Corrections (ODC) manages the 24 state prisons that houses state prisoners—it also maintains a database through which users can locate state prisoners using an Oklahoma State Prisoner Search Tool.¹⁵

Interested individuals can query this felony registry using:

• Oklahoma DOC number
• First and last name
• DOB

It is free to use and does not require registration.

Federal Prison Search: The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) has a database of federal inmates housed in its facilities throughout the nation and has a Federal Prison Inmate Locator.¹⁶

This tool can be used to locate federal inmates in Oklahoma federal prisons who are incarcerated after 1982 either by name or BOP number. It is free to use and requires no registration.

How To See If Someone Has a Warrant Out for Their Arrest in Oklahoma

Citizens who are looking to find out if they have a warrant out for their arrest, or if another person does, have multiple avenues to accomplish this including:

1. Searching the county sheriff’s office and city police departments.
2. The OK DOC has a warrant list that can be extracted from a fugitive database.
3. Oklahoma courts can be searched for warrant information.

County Sheriff’s Office & City Police Departments: Upon performing a Google search using the keywords “Oklahoma warrant”, the results will generally be links pointing to either sheriff’s offices or sometimes city police departments. These may maintain warrant lists or can be contracted either by phone or by in-person visits.

Oklahoma Department Of Corrections (OK DOC): The Oklahoma department of corrections maintains a fugitive database that can be used to find fugitives using the OK DOC Fugitive Search Tool.

Oklahoma County Courts: The Docket Case Search Tool mentioned earlier from the Oklahoma State Courts Network can be used to obtain information on bench warrants. It can be searched using:

• Case number
• Case type
• Full names etc.

A Look at Background Checks in Oklahoma

The majority of public agencies in Oklahoma require certain professions such as pharmacists and volunteers to run background history checks to ascertain whether they have Oklahoma arrest records. Several occupations that require licensure from the state such as real estate appraisals and medical doctors will also require background checks completed.

These background screenings are needed to preserve the safety of communities and to facilitate a high quality of service to citizens.

This table is by no means exhaustive for both the departments and the professions that are required to partake in background screenings. It should be noted that potential public sector employees in Oklahoma are protected by ban the box laws.

Ban the box laws in Oklahoma prohibits public sector employers from requesting potential employee’s criminal background and history in their job applications—they may however do so during later stages of the hiring process, such as when being interviewed.

Members of the public in Oklahoma can perform a background check on someone else in Oklahoma for personal reasons and without consent—however, background checks that are completed for professional purposes such as above must conform to the guidelines in pursuant of laws by the Fair Credit and Reporting Act (FCRA) and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

EEOC statutes ban employers from running criminal history checks and using this data gathered to erode equal opportunity afforded to employees.

Guidelines like those set forth by the EEOC prohibit employers from conducting background checks and using the information gathered to undermine equal employment opportunity to potential employees.

The FCRA also mandates that employers obtain a consent (written) to conduct background checks from potential employees. In addition, it gives employees the right to review the results from the checks and rectify any mistakes and also to appeal any decisions that have been made resulting from the background checks.

Background checks of this nature are completed through:

• Primarily the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (SBI)
• Oklahoma courts
• Third party vendors

How Background Checks Are Performed Through the SBI (Fingerprint Based)

As mentioned before, background checks are carried out through the SBI for named based searches. The SBI can also conduct finger print based searches also known as a positive matches for:

• Professional reasons such as employment and/or establishing rental eligibility etc. These checks must require consent from the subject of the record and to abide by other state laws that protect the privacy of individuals.
• Personal background checks for those wanting to check if someone has a criminal record.

The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (SBI)—allows personal background checks to be done online through the Criminal History Information Request Portal (CHIRP) which is available to the public. Searches through this tool cost $15.00.

For personal or professional purposes, citizens can also fill out the criminal history request form and fax it to 405.879.2503 or visit or mail it to the following address in a pre-paid envelope..

Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI)
6600 North Harvey,
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

SBI fingerprint based checks cannot be performed online but must be done either through mail or in person.¹⁷The fees is $15.00 for name based OSBI criminal history checks and $19.00 for fingerprint based searches. Fingerprint based searches can be paid in money order, cash (in person only), credit card or cashier’s check. Requests made via fax can only be paid by credit card.

The Oklahoma Department of Corrections database can also be searched via the same process for $2.00 for violent offender screenings and $2.00 for sex offender checks. 

Whether a fingerprint check is necessary for a given need or occupation can be seen here and their FAQ has more details as well. The SBI does have fingerprinting services by appointment only (call 405-848-6724 and request the Ten Print Unit to set one), however this is only for individuals whose prints have been rejected twice by the SBI.

Furthermore, Oklahoma’s Human Services has their own forms and processes since they help facilitate background checks for health related occupations, licenses, adoption and other matters relating to the elderly and adolescents.

Background Searches Through The Courts—The process of searching through court records for criminal records involves searching court records for public criminal records and the process is outlined above.

Third Party Vendors—Interested individuals can seek these vendors as a one stop shop to complete background checks for a fee. They may make the process easier and may provide some sense of privacy for the requester.

How To Use the Oklahoma Sex Offender Registry To Find Nearby Offenders

Citizens who are looking to locate sex offenders by name or neighborhood can obtain this information through the Oklahoma Sex Offender Registry which is maintained by the Oklahoma Department of Corrections (OK DOC).

The OK DOC is mandated to provide the public with information regards to persons convicted of sexual offenses after November 1, 1989 requiring them to register pursuant to Sex Offenders Registration Act, 57 O.S. § 581-590.2.¹⁸

Using the Oklahoma Sex Offender Registry Search Tool is easy and free to use by the public. To utilize this sexual offenders online directory, requesters can search it using different criteria including:

• Basic Search— Full names, address, state, county and zip code etc.
• Appearance Search—Race, age, sex, weight, eye color etc.
• Offense Search—Type of sex offense, state, whether aggravated assault or not etc.
• Map Search—Street, city, state, radius in miles from address etc.

How To Locate Convicted Drug Offenders Using the Oklahoma Meth Registry

Along with a handful of other states, Oklahoma does have a special registry for offenders that have been convicted of serious drug offenses involving methamphetamine—this registry can be used to locate individuals that are subject to register with this database in pursuant of the Methamphetamine Offender Registry Act.

The Oklahoma Methamphetamine Offender Registry Act- 63 O.S. §2-701 makes those offenders who have been convicted of or pleaded to a methamphetamine-related offense subject to registering with the state.

Members of the public can quickly locate meth offenders using the OK Bureau of Narcotic’s Meth Registry Search Tool. This people finder tool is searched using:

• First name (required)
• Middle name (optional)
• Last name (required)
• DOB (required)

Understanding Your Rights Regarding Criminal Records & Arrest Records Under Oklahoma Laws

As Oklahoma is an open records state, large swathes of criminal and arrest records are made available to the public due to its Oklahoma open records act (51 O.S. §24A.1 through 24A.18) and the Freedom for Information Act (FOIA) which allows the viewing of federal records—however, there are several laws that safeguard citizens’ rights to restrict access to certain criminal records.

These laws limit the access of certain criminal records by the public as a result of laws enforced by the Fair Credit Reporting Act’s (FCRA) Summary of Rights and the Employment Opportunity Commission’s (EEOC) Employee Rights.

FCRA—The FCRA has a statute that dictates that CRA’s (consumer reporting agencies) limit the reporting of criminal history within the most recent 7 years. This rule will vary from state to state, and some states will have varying look back periods. In Oklahoma, the rule applies to all positions that pay less than $75,000 annually.

EEOC—Criminal history checks always expose criminal records except in cases where they are sealed. Employers that do not accept a job applicant’s application because of a very old criminal conviction will often find themselves violating EEOC mandates.

Expunction—In Oklahoma, when Oklahoma criminal records are expunged, they are not deleted nor destroyed. Instead, they are sealed and no longer accessible to the public to view.

Juvenile Records—Not all criminal records are available to the public in Oklahoma—this is especially true for juvenile records that with the exception of felonies or those of serious crimes such as murder cases pursuant to §10A-2-6-102.¹⁹

The general rule however is that these sealed records are still accessible to prosecutors, law enforcement agencies and judges.

Ban The Box Laws—Oklahoma does not have a statewide ban the box law in place, it does however have one that is mandated for its public sector employees due to 2016 Executive Order No. 1023.²⁰

Ban the box laws ensure that potential employees are not first judged by their criminal past but rather their qualifications during a job application. Unfortunately, in the state of Oklahoma, this order does not extend to private sector employees.

State laws allow for the running of personal named based criminal background checks without obtaining authorization from the subject of the records in Oklahoma through the Oklahoma SBI, county courts and sheriff’s offices. Nevertheless, these checks will need to follow mandates by federal, state and local laws when done for professional purposes.

Oklahoma criminal records are seldom located in one government agency but are generally spread over a diverse number of jurisdictions. This can make obtaining Oklahoma arrest records a challenging and frustrating experience but with the right direction and know-how, the process to find out if someone has a criminal history can be quick and simple, no matter which county someone was charged in.