New Hampshire Background Checks

New Hampshire Criminal Records

The Criminal Records Unit, a division of New Hampshire State Police and Department of Public Safety, operates and maintains the state’s CHRI (Criminal History Record Information) repository and the AFIS (Automated Fingerprint Identification System). The AFIS is a tri-state system that is linked to Maine and Vermont and holds all ten-print fingerprint cards in electronic form that are associated with criminal offenses in this system. There are also 28 stations throughout New Hampshire that have livescan abilities, where criminal offenders’ fingerprints are electronically scanned and automatically sent to the AFIS.

Individuals may request their personal New Hampshire criminal records in person or by mail. Fingerprint cards are not required for personal criminal history requests, but you will need to present government-issued photo identification, a completed criminal record release authorization form, and a $25 fee. If mailing your request, your form must be notarized, and if you are releasing your New Hampshire criminal records to a third party, your authorization must also be notarized.

Authorized businesses or individuals operating an authorized business, government agencies and law enforcement agencies may all request New Hampshire criminal records on other individuals. These requests all require obtaining fingerprints from the individual in question.

If the agency or business will require a full criminal history (not just New Hampshire criminal records) through the FBI, the individual will be sent to a livescan facility to reduce the amount of rejected prints the FBI returns because the fingerprints are illegible. For employment or licensing purposes, the fee is $54.25, for volunteers (non-profits) the fee is $35.25, and for third time submissions, the fee drops to $29.25.

To access criminal records by mail do the following:

For additional information on obtaining New Hampshire criminal records, please contact the office at the address or phone number below:

New Hampshire Department of Safety
Division of State Police
Central Repository for Criminal Records
33 Hazen Dr.
Concord, NH 03305
(603) 271-2538

Resource Links
New Hampshire Criminal Records Requests
Request Form

New Hampshire Court Records

New Hampshire court records are only available onsite at each respective courthouse. It’s best to contact the clerk in the court where the case took place in order to make a request for records. Typically, you will need to visit the court and pay a fee for any copies. The fee is different for each court. You may contact either the clerk for New Hampshire’s Supreme Court or the court administrator for the Superior Courts of New Hampshire to be directed to the right court to obtain the necessary records. Court records available include dockets, involved parties in criminal and civil cases, and real property and land records.

To search for court records online do the following:

For additional information on obtaining New Hampshire court records, please contact the office at the address or phone number below:

New Hampshire Supreme Court
Clerk of Court: Eileen Fox
One Charles Doe Drive
Concord, NH 03301
(603) 271-2646

Superior Court Center
Court Coordinator Barbara Sweet
17 Chenell Dr., Suite 1
Concord, NH 03301
(603) 271-2030

Resource Links
New Hampshire Court Directory

New Hampshire Jail Records

New Hampshire jail records are maintained by the New Hampshire Department of Corrections, and information can be easily obtained online through the inmate locator system. Simply enter all or part of the inmate’s last and first name to perform a search. The results will show you the inmate’s location, sentence information, release date and current status, as long as the information is available and the inmate is housed in a New Hampshire state prison.

You can request an inmate’s ID number, age, sentence range and information regarding the crime committed because this is considered public information. The only New Hampshire jail records not released include medical records, education, prison job, and prison cell assignment.

For victims of felony crimes, New Hampshire Victim Services will notify you of any changes of inmate custody status. You must request to receive notification, but will learn of any facility transfers, reduced sentences, releases, parole status, escape or death.

To search for jail records online do the following:

For additional information on locating New Hampshire jail records, please contact the New Hampshire Department of Corrections at the address or phone number below:

New Hampshire Department of Corrections
Office of Public Information
P.O. Box 1806
Concord, NH 03302
(603) 271-5602

Peter A. Michaud, Victim Services Coordinator
P.O. Box 1806
Concord, NH 03302
(603) 271-1937
(888) 646-6842

Resource Links
New Hampshire Inmate Locator

New Hampshire Driving Records

Complete New Hampshire driving records are available to individuals and will include personal information, license information and status, speeding tickets or moving violations, as well as any accidents or convictions. If an insurance company requests an individual’s New Hampshire driving record, they only receive a partial record that lists any violations and accidents.

For additional information on obtaining New Hampshire driving records, please contact the office at the address or phone number below:

Department of Safety
FR Driving Records
23 Hazen Dr.
Concord, NH 03305
(603) 271-2322-

Resource Links
New Hampshire Driving Record Information
Request Form

Additional Resources

New Hampshire Sexual Offender Registry
New Hampshire Attorney General