There is not a "nationwide" criminal records search open to the public. The NCIC, which functions as a nationwide database of criminal records, is restricted access. Most Criminal records searches are done on the local county level by accessing the records at the county Criminal Courthouse. Nineteen states permit access in the private sector of Criminal conviction records from state repositories. They are: Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin.

Alaska Trial Court Cases - Search for criminal records information through Alaska's CourtView Search.

Arizona Department of Public Safety - Information regarding the Criminal History Records Section of Arizona.

Arkansas Sex Offender Registry - Sex offenders are required to register in Arkansas under the Sex Offender Registration Act of 1997.

California Community Care Licensing Division - Information regarding the background check process in the state of California.

Colorado Bureau of Investigation Records Check - Search the Record Check Site including the criminal history arrest records for the state.

State of Connecticut Judicial Branch - Search Connecticut Criminal and Motor Vehicle Dockets search.

Delaware Department of Correction - Inmates sentenced to death including information on the individual and their offense.

District of Columbia Metropolitan Police Department - Search the Metropolitan Police Department Sex Offender Registry established in 1999 by the District of Columbia.

Florida Department of Corrections - Search the Florida Inmate Population Information by last name, first name, inmate number, and physical features.

Georgia Department of Corrections - Search the Georgia Inmate Query by unique number or case number.

Hawaii Sex Offender Registry - The Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center maintains the Hawaii Sex Offender Registry.  Individuals who have been convicted of sex offenses must register.

Idaho Department of Health and Welfare - Information regarding the Idaho Clandestine Drug (Meth) Lab Cleanup Program information including a list of Clandestine Drug Laboratory Site Property List.

Illinois Department of Corrections - Search inmates by last name, birth date, and Department of Corrections Number.

Indiana State Police - Information regarding the limited criminal history search including the type of criminal histories that are available.

Iowa Sex Offender Registry - Search the Iowa Sex Offender Registry that was enacted on July 1, 1995.

Kansas Criminal History Record Check - Search for your own record and public record check through the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.

Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives - Submit a criminal case record request by defendant, county, date of case and case number.

Louisiana State Police - Search the Louisiana Sex Offender and Child Predator Search by parish, school and name.

Maine State Police - Information regarding registering fingerprints online through the Main State Police.

Maryland Department of Public Safety & Correctional Services - Inmate locator allows the public to locate where inmates are housed in the state.

Massachusetts Public Records - Find information on the Massachusetts Public Records Law, address confidentiality, and electronic registration and reporting system.

Michigan State Police - Search the Sex Offender Registry and find information on the sex offender registry.

Minnesota Criminal Justice Statute Service - Browse criminal records through the CrimNet database.

Mississippi Department of Public Safety - Photos of Mississippi's Most Wanted including information regarding their cases.

Missouri State Highway Patrol - CRID Record Checks information including information regarding the processing of Missouri record checks.

Montana Sexual or Violent Offender Registry - The Montana Sex Offender Registry was established in 1989 and is located at the Department of Justice in Helena.

Nebraska Judicial Branch - Search the Supreme Court opinions and Court of Appeals.

Nevada Department of Corrections - Search Inmate Information including information on recent arrests, transfers, parole release, parole board, probation and compassionate release.

New Hampshire Department of Safety - Information regarding criminal record requests through the Support Services Bureau of Criminal Records Unit.  Includes information regarding the school employee background, banking department and reduced fee requests.

New Jersey Department of Corrections - Search the Capital Sentence Unit including the individuals name, SBI number and county of commitment.

New Mexico Department of Public Safety - Search the New Mexico Sex Offender Registry by name, zip code, city and county.

New York State Unified Court System - Information regarding the Criminal History Record Search and how to obtain New York criminal history record search.

North Carolina Department of Correction - Search by name, ID number, probationers or parolees dating back to 1972. 

North Dakota Office of Attorney General - Search the Sex Offender Registry including high risk offenders, delinquent offenders, offender links, sex offender notification system and printable list of all offenders.

Ohio Offender Search - Search the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction through the offender search by last name, first name and county of commitment.

The Oklahoma State Courts Network - Search district court reports including daily dockets for specific judge, specific case type and filings by county.

State of Oregon Sex Offender Inquiry System - Search the Oregon Sex Offender registry and map offenders.

Pennsylvania State Police - Information on how to obtain criminal history request and information on the fees and mailing address for record requests.

State of Rhode Island - Parole Board & Sex Offender Community Notification system including a sex offender fact sheet.

South Carolina Department of Corrections - Search Fugitives and Apprehended fugitives including photos and information on the individual.

South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation - Information regarding the Computerized Criminal History system, which includes misdemeanors and felonies in South Dakota.

Tennessee Bureau of Investigation - Search the meth offender registry database, which was created by the 2005 General Assembly.

Texas Department of Public Safety - Texas Sex Offender Registration Program search by name, city, zip code, mapping and higher education.

Utah Bureau of Criminal Identification - Forms for employment background checks and information on forms, applications and fingerprints.

Vermont State Police - Information regarding unsolved homicides including photos and case information.

Virginia State Police - Sex offender and crimes against minor registry information.  The registry is provided by the Virginia General Assembly's decision to allow the public information regarding sex offenders.

Washington State Patrol - Criminal history record information available in two manners.  Criminal history records may be accessed through the WATCH system or by mail through available forms.

West Virginia State Police - Search the sex offender registry provided by the Sex Offender Registration Act.

Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation - FAQ regarding the criminal history checks available in Wyoming.