Free links to official Kentucky state and county government records — courts, criminal histories, vital records, property, voter, business, and licenses across all 120 counties.
How to Search Kentucky Criminal Records (Start Here)
Kentucky criminal records come from two main sources: the state criminal history repository (maintained by the state police or equivalent agency) and individual county court systems. These are separate databases that may show different information.
What this page covers: Kentucky state-level criminal history searches, county court criminal case lookups, and sex offender registry searches. What it does not cover: Federal criminal cases (those require PACER) or arrest records that did not result in charges.
Where to start: For a broad criminal history check, start with the state repository. For specific case details (charges, dispositions, documents), go to the Circuit Clerk in the county where the case was filed. For sex offenders, use the state sex offender registry.
Common mistake: A state criminal history search and a county court search are not the same thing. The state repository compiles conviction data from across the state. County courts have the actual case files with full detail. You may need both.
Edited by Sam Rokni — Editor & Owner, SearchSystems.net. Public records professional since 1999. NAPBS founding member. Full bio & credentials.
Last reviewed: June 04, 2026 · Methodology: Kentucky repository URL, fee, and statute verified against the official Kentucky State Police (KSP) publisher on review date. 6 primary .gov sources cited below.
Kentucky Criminal Records — Key Numbers (2026)
KSP allows the general public to obtain Kentucky adult criminal history; AOC FastCheck is also available for court records.
$20
Public access fee
Per state-only check
Mail-in check or money o
Primary method
How to submit
Kentucky State Police (K
Issuing agency
Statewide repository
KRS §17.150
Governing statute
State law citation
June 04, 2026
Last reviewed
By SearchSystems
What a state criminal-history check actually covers
State-only check (State Identification Bureau): Returns arrests, dispositions and convictions reported to that one state's repository. It does not include arrests from other states or most federal cases. See the FBI's directory of state agencies: State Identification Bureau Listing.
What state repositories miss: The FBI's national survey of state criminal-history information systems documents known reporting gaps (missing dispositions, delayed updates, sealed/expunged handling). See BJS: Survey of State Criminal History Information Systems.
What Changed in 2026 — Kentucky Criminal Records
2026
Kentucky state-only check active
The Kentucky State Police (KSP) continues to process state criminal history checks via www.kentuckystatepolice.ky.gov.
For most non-employment uses, a Kentucky state-only check from the Kentucky State Police (KSP) is sufficient.
2
Step 2 — Choose your method
Mail-in check or money order; no online. Current fee: $25.
3
Step 3 — Submit your request
Use the official portal at www.kentuckystatepolice.ky.gov — never a third-party data broker.
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Step 4 — Add federal coverage if needed
For pre-employment FCRA screening or out-of-state coverage, add an FBI Identity History Summary check ($18) — fingerprint required.
Five Things People Get Wrong About Kentucky Criminal Records
MYTH"Kentucky background check shows everything."
FACTThe Kentucky State Police (KSP) check covers ONLY Kentucky arrests/convictions. Out-of-state and federal records are NOT included.
MYTH"Free third-party 'instant' checks are accurate."
FACTOnly www.kentuckystatepolice.ky.gov (the official Kentucky repository) is authoritative. Data brokers often have stale data.
MYTH"Sealed records will show on a check."
FACTRecords sealed or expunged under Kentucky law are removed from public-facing checks. Law enforcement may still access them.
MYTH"Arrest = conviction on my record."
FACTAn arrest is not a conviction. Most Kentucky public checks distinguish arrests, dispositions, and convictions; the FCRA bars non-conviction arrests older than 7 years from employer checks.
MYTH"State and FBI checks return the same data."
FACTThe Kentucky state check shows Kentucky-only records. The FBI check is fingerprint-based and shows records reported by all agencies nationwide.
Use the inmate search tool below to find individuals currently housed at the Boone County Jail. The listing provides up-to-date information, including booking details and custody status, to help families, attorneys and members of the public access accurate records.
Case records from the Kentucky courts serving Kentucky surface through this system. Confirm details with the official criminal record office before relying on them.
The Kentucky Open Records Act establishes a presumption of openness, meaning records are accessible unless a specific statutory exemption applies. The following categories of inmate information are currently accessible to members of the public: Current inmate roster — names of individuals presently held in the Laurel County Detention Center · Booking and arrest records — date, time, and circumstances of intake · Charges filed — criminal charges associated with the current period of custody
Community Corrections operates the Fayette County Detention Center. Community Corrections 600 Old Frankfort Cir. Lexington, KY 40510 · HoursMonday – Thursday: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Friday: 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. ... There are several ways to deposit into an account.
Custody roster covering Madison County — who is currently held, with booking dates. It sits outside government; official offices remain the record of authority.
An official website of the United States government · Official websites use .gov A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States
This office answers most records requests in Kentucky. It is independently run, so verify anything critical against the official criminal record office.
Mobile Site · If you have reason to believe any information contained here is inaccurate, please contact the facility. Content on this website is determined by the facility; JailTracker is not responsible, and assumes no liability, for any content or for any improper or incorrect use of the ...
Mail is picked up and delivered every weekday (excluding holidays). Inmates may receive mail from other jails and prisons as well as the public. Incoming mail is sorted, scanned for contraband, and then scanned into the inmate kiosk system, with the exception of legal mail.
Mobile Site · If you have reason to believe any information contained here is inaccurate, please contact the facility. Content on this website is determined by the facility; JailTracker is not responsible, and assumes no liability, for any content or for any improper or incorrect use of the ...
Case records from the Kentucky courts serving Kentucky surface through this system. Confirm details with the official criminal record office before relying on them.
Custody roster covering Casey County — who is currently held, with booking dates. It sits outside government; official offices remain the record of authority.
Pineville, Kentucky · Our mission at the Bell County Detention Center is to set the standard as a model correctional agency. We will maintain a professional environment as we protect the community, by securely housing inmates placed in our care and making every effort to impact their lives.
Black Kiosk available in Detention Center Lobby or friends/family can use https://correctpay.com/ · Family/friends can also put a money order (no Western Unions) in the Money Order box in the Lobby or mail a money order (no Western Unions) to the Detention Center "attn Inmate Accounts"
In-custody listings for Pulaski County post here, typically updated daily. It sits outside government; official offices remain the record of authority.
Requesting Public Records Public records are materials prepared, owned, used, possessed, maintained or retained by state and local government agencies that must be open for public inspection unless the records are excluded by any of the exemptions in the Kentucky Open Records Act.
In-custody listings for Calloway County post here, typically updated daily. It sits outside government; official offices remain the record of authority.
In-custody listings for Carroll County post here, typically updated daily. Confirm details with the official criminal record office before relying on them.
Current inmate information for Whitley County is published here. It is independently run, so verify anything critical against the official criminal record office.
All payments of bonds must be in cash only and you must have exact change · All persons bonding out from jail will be charged $31 booking fee, $5 Jail bond fee, $25 court bond filing fee and a $30 room and board for everyday of incarceration
Local government.Rockcastle County’s government was formed by an act of the state legislature, granting it the status of a local governing unit in 1810, and the newly formed county’s first court met in Mt. Vernon, which was founded in 1789. The first local governing body was headed by the ...
Mobile Site · If you have reason to believe any information contained here is inaccurate, please contact the facility. Content on this website is determined by the facility; JailTracker is not responsible, and assumes no liability, for any content or for any improper or incorrect use of the ...
The Ohio County Jail shall submit Policy and Procedure Guidelines not inconsistent herewith for ... departments. The Clerk’s Office and County Attorney’s Office is not adopted by this Administrative ... The County Judge Executive shall be the Chief Executive in the County and shall have all the powers and · perform all the duties of an executive and administrative nature, consistent with the Kentucky...
The sheriff's side of Montgomery County record-keeping — bookings, incident reports, and records requests start here. Confirm details with the official criminal record office before relying on them.
Government organizations within the county once cleared can request detainees to assist them by providing additional manpower to projects. This program reduces the cost for the using agency because they get additonal help with no cost, and the detainees time reduces at an increased rate which reduces the total cost of their sentence service to the taxpayers. The Crittenden County Detention Center offers an Adult GED program for non-violent offenders that provides them with classes aimed at improving their education which should have a positive impact on their ability to obtain employment…
In-custody listings for Hardin County post here, typically updated daily. Confirm details with the official criminal record office before relying on them.
Law-enforcement records for Henderson County route through this office. It is independently run, so verify anything critical against the official criminal record office.
Grant County Jail, KY · Mobile Site · If you have reason to believe any information contained here is inaccurate, please contact the facility. Content on this website is determined by the facility; JailTracker is not responsible, and assumes no liability, for any content or for any improper ...
Current inmate information for Jessamine County is published here. It is independently run, so verify anything critical against the official criminal record office.
Mobile Site · If you have reason to believe any information contained here is inaccurate, please contact the facility. Content on this website is determined by the facility; JailTracker is not responsible, and assumes no liability, for any content or for any improper or incorrect use of the ...
Mobile Site · If you have reason to believe any information contained here is inaccurate, please contact the facility. Content on this website is determined by the facility; JailTracker is not responsible, and assumes no liability, for any content or for any improper or incorrect use of the ...
On Wednesday, January 21, 2026, Kentucky State Police Post 4 Detective Travis Dalton and Post 4 Trooper Alan Spencer traveled to Chicago, Illinois, where they took custody of Carter and transported him back to Grayson County, Kentucky. Carter was lodged in the Grayson County Detention Center, where he will remain while awaiting sentencing. Detective Isaac Atwell, the lead investigator in this case, stated, “This case demonstrates our continued commitment to protecting children and holding offenders accountable, regardless of how far they attempt to run.
Log in to the federal Judiciary’s electronic public access services. Close PACER Case Locator PACER Log in Manage PACER Account · An official website of the United States government
120 Kentucky counties are indexed on SearchSystems.net — top 28 counties shown below. Browse the full directory or click any county for local court, sheriff, recorder and assessor links.
Which Kentucky counties publish jail rosters and sheriff records online
38 of Kentucky's 121 counties run their own online source for jail rosters and sheriff records, based on what this directory indexes. Every other county is covered by the statewide systems listed above — click a county for its full records page.
How do I run an official Kentucky background check?▼
Kentucky's official statewide criminal-history check is administered by the Kentucky State Police (KSP). Begin the request at www.kentuckystatepolice.ky.gov. Most state-level checks require submitting fingerprints (live-scan or ink) plus a processing fee, and the response covers convictions and certain non-conviction data permitted by Kentucky statute.
Are Kentucky criminal records public?▼
Most adult criminal-history information in Kentucky is considered public record, but access is restricted depending on the requester (self, employer, government agency) and the data type (arrest, conviction, sealed, juvenile). The Kentucky State Police (KSP) explains who can request what at www.kentuckystatepolice.ky.gov. County-court records are also public and searchable through the trial-court system.
What's the difference between a state and an FBI background check in Kentucky?▼
A state check from the Kentucky State Police (KSP) (www.kentuckystatepolice.ky.gov) covers only criminal activity within Kentucky. An FBI Identity History Summary (fbi.gov) is the nationwide check covering federal records and contributing states. Employers and licensing boards often require both.
Can I get someone else's Kentucky criminal record?▼
Generally, no — only the record subject (with their own ID and signature) or a specifically authorized requester (such as a credentialed employer under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, a licensing board, or law enforcement) can pull a third-party criminal history from the Kentucky State Police (KSP). The Kentucky State Police (KSP) documentation at www.kentuckystatepolice.ky.gov lists each authorized requester category.
How do I challenge or correct a Kentucky criminal record?▼
If you find an error on your Kentucky criminal history, the Kentucky State Police (KSP) offers a record-review and challenge process. Begin at www.kentuckystatepolice.ky.gov — typical steps include fingerprint verification, a written dispute, and supporting court documents (such as a dismissal or expungement order) for each contested entry.
