Baltimore County Criminal History Search

Baltimore County criminal history records come from multiple sources, including the Circuit Court in Towson, the Baltimore County Police Department, and the Maryland CJIS Central Repository. It is important to note that Baltimore County is separate from Baltimore City, which has its own courts and police department. If you are looking for criminal history records tied to an address or case in the county, not the city, this page covers the right agencies and processes for getting what you need.

Baltimore County Circuit Court Criminal Records

The Circuit Court in Towson handles felony criminal cases for Baltimore County. Records from this court are public. Most cases filed since 1989 are searchable online through the free Maryland Judiciary Case Search system. That tool shows case numbers, charges, court dates, and final dispositions. It does not show expunged records, and results should not be treated as a certified background check.

To get paper copies, the standard fee is $0.50 per page. Contact the Circuit Court clerk's office at 401 Bosley Avenue, Towson, MD 21204. The main phone number is 410-887-2601. Staff can help you identify which records you need and how to order them. For older or sealed records, you may need to submit a written request and explain the purpose.

Baltimore County Circuit Court also handles appeals from the District Court, so some misdemeanor records that started in a lower court may appear in the Circuit Court system if they were appealed.

Baltimore County Police Records and Report Requests

The Baltimore County Police Department maintains an Information and Records Management Unit that handles public records requests. This unit can provide crime reports, accident reports, and related documents. But it is not authorized to provide criminal history record information to the general public. That distinction matters. A crime report shows what happened at a specific incident. A criminal history record shows a person's full record across jurisdictions.

For crime and accident reports, you need to submit the Police Report Request Form and mail it with a self-addressed stamped envelope. Allow about two weeks for processing. Reports cost $15 each. If you are the victim of the crime described in the report, the copy is free. Reports involving juvenile suspects or active investigations are not released.

Payment must be by check or money order made out to Baltimore County, Maryland. Personal checks are accepted here, unlike some other county offices.

The image below shows the Baltimore County Police fingerprint and records services page, which is part of the state's broader criminal history background check infrastructure.

Fingerprinting is required when submitting a formal criminal history request through the Maryland CJIS system.

CJIS Criminal History Checks in Baltimore County

Official criminal history background checks in Maryland go through the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS) Criminal Justice Information System. This applies to Baltimore County residents and requests tied to Baltimore County records.

You need to be fingerprinted first on a Form 015 state fingerprint card. Several authorized fingerprint locations operate in the Towson and Dundalk areas. After fingerprinting, submit the card with the correct fee. A state-only criminal history check costs $18. A combined state and FBI check starts at $38. Send the card and fee to CJIS overnight at 6776 Reisterstown Road, Suite 102, Baltimore, MD 21215, or by regular mail to CJIS-CR, P.O. Box 32708, Pikesville, Maryland 21282-2708.

Turnaround is 10 to 15 business days. Reach CJIS at 1-888-795-0011. More information is on the DPSCS background check page and the fingerprinting page.

What Shows Up in a Baltimore County Criminal Record

A certified criminal history from CJIS covers all Maryland arrest and conviction records tied to a person, not just those in Baltimore County. If someone has cases in multiple counties, all of them appear. This includes records from District Courts, Circuit Courts, and cases that were nolle prossed or otherwise disposed of without conviction, depending on how the record is structured.

The free Maryland Judiciary Case Search shows public court records from the county's Circuit and District Courts. Records that were expunged no longer appear. Neither source is an exhaustive nationwide search. Federal criminal records are separate and would require a federal court records search or an FBI background check, which is part of the combined CJIS check at the higher fee tier.

Towson University has its own campus police. Incidents at Towson University go through campus police first. You can reach Towson University Police at 410-704-2133 for questions about incidents that occurred on campus property.

Expungement in Baltimore County

Expungement removes eligible records from public access. In Baltimore County, you file the petition with the court where the case was heard. For Circuit Court cases, file at the Towson courthouse. For District Court cases, file at the District Court location.

Maryland law allows expungement for acquittals, charges not prosecuted, and certain guilty pleas under specific conditions. The filing fee is $30 in most cases. After a successful expungement, the record no longer shows in the Maryland Judiciary Case Search or in CJIS public records. The People's Law Library and the Maryland courts clean record page are both free resources that explain eligibility and the steps involved.

Sex Offender Registry in Baltimore County

DPSCS maintains the Maryland Sex Offender Registry. It is public and free to search. Look up registered offenders by name or address at dpscs.maryland.gov. The registry covers Baltimore County and is updated regularly. Offense details, tier level, and current registration address are all shown in the results.

Registration obligations are set by Maryland law for specified sexual offenses. Baltimore County Sheriff handles local registration and compliance. The state DPSCS page is the best starting point for a public search.

Cities in Baltimore County

Two communities in Baltimore County have individual pages on this site based on population.

Other communities in Baltimore County include Catonsville, Essex, Parkville, Rosedale, Pikesville, and Cockeysville. These areas fall under the same Circuit Court and police department jurisdiction as the rest of the county.

Nearby Counties

Baltimore County surrounds Baltimore City and shares borders with several other counties in central Maryland.