New Jersey Background Checks
Finding a new nanny, starting a new relationship, or hiring a new employee can all be stressful endeavors. As much as you trust the people you meet, it is always a good idea to make sure that these individuals are exactly who they say they are, without a checkered past that may cause you to think twice about your associations with them.
New Jersey background checks are one of the ways you can calm your mind without their knowledge. You don't need permission to perform these background checks, because they're based on New Jersey public records - records that are designed to be provided to the public upon request.
Rather than sift through mountains of data yourself looking for the people you're interesting in, some websites have already completed the work, associating the data from public records with the names they're related to. That allows you to do a quick search and find all of the information you're looking for, simply by knowing the individual's name and city.
The rest is simply a matter of what public records have been made available. You'll be able to locate criminal records, marriage records, housing records and so on - all allowing you to easily find information on those that are of interest to you.
This technology has made New Jersey background checks a quick and painless process, and one that allows you to search for anyone, anytime, anywhere. All you need to do is know their name, and the amount of data made available will be more than enough to meet your needs.
New Jersey Criminal Records
New Jersey criminal records can be accessed by individuals for personal use, by employers needing to perform mandatory background checks prior to hiring or accepting a volunteer, by attorneys, and by law enforcement and other government or criminal justice agencies. New Jersey criminal records are maintained by the CIU (Criminal Information Unit), a subset of the New Jersey State Police. New Jersey criminal records include any record of convictions within New Jersey (even juvenile convictions), arrest and pending arrest charges and charges for violating state laws.
Almost all New Jersey criminal records are fingerprint-based searches, which are the only way to guarantee the identity of the record holder. Name-based checks are available for employers or organizations that require a New Jersey background check for non-criminal justice purposes. For all other inquiries, a fingerprint check is required, even for individuals requesting their own New Jersey criminal record.
Individuals requesting personal New Jersey criminal records must do the following:
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Step 1: Make an appointment to have fingerprints electronically scanned using livescan technology.
Step 2: Fill out the proper records request form available at the New Jersey CIU.
Step 3: Provide government-issued identification and a processing fee of $41. For businesses or entities requesting a non-criminal justice related name-check search only, the fee is $18.
Step 4: Wait for results. The typical turnaround time for New Jersey criminal records is 10 business days.
For additional information on obtaining New Jersey criminal records, please contact the office at the address or phone number below:
Division of State PoliceAttn: Criminal Information Unit
P.O. Box 7068
West Trenton, NJ 08628
(609) 882-2000
Resource Links
New Jersey Criminal History Records
New Jersey Court Records
New Jersey court records for the Superior Court are listed online and include motion calendars for all civil cases. You will need to contact the clerk to obtain the necessary search information, such as the docket number or party name and venue or court location.
The more specific information you possess, the narrower your search results will be, although this system does not hold information concerning individual parties. For specific New Jersey court records, or if you aren’t sure where to find the court records you seek, contact the Records Management Center of the Superior Court to obtain copies of records.
To search for court records online do the following:
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Step 1: Visit the New Jersey Local Courts webpage. Click Here.
Step 2: Contact the Clerk of Court office where the case was originally filed.
Step 3: Submit a request by phone or in writing detailing your court record search needs.
For additional information on obtaining New Jersey court records, please contact the office at the address or phone number below:
Records Management Center of the Superior Court171 Jersey St., CN-967
Trenton, NJ 08625
(609) 777-0092
Resource Links
New Jersey Court Motion Calendar Search
New Jersey Jail Records
The New Jersey Department of Corrections operates the online offender search service to help the public access New Jersey jail records. The New Jersey jail records are updated bi-weekly to help make the information as accurate as possible. If offenders are listed as paroled, on work release, furlough or in a halfway house, their status might have changed; the New Jersey Department of Corrections does not update inmate records after parole or being released. The search page allows you to be as detailed as you would like, but you should provide the full name and gender or ID number minimally.
Victims of crimes in New Jersey receive notifications of status changes from the prosecutor of the case. If the victim wants information regarding the inmate’s status, he or she must use the offender search program.
To search for jail records online do the following:
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Step 1: Visit the New Jersey Inmate Search webpage. Click Here.
Step 2: Fill out all required information fields.
Step 3: Click “Submit” to run your search and view all available results.
For additional information on locating New Jersey jail records, please contact the New Jersey Department of Corrections at the address or phone number below:
New Jersey Department of CorrectionsWhittlesey Rd.
P.O. Box 863
Trenton, NJ 08625
(609) 292-4036
Resource Links
New Jersey Offender Search
New Jersey Driving Records
New Jersey driving records are available through an online system and will require you to create a MyMVC account in order to obtain a user name that will be associated with your individual records. To set up your account and to use this system, you must have your driver’s license number and the last 4 digits of your social security number ready.
Once you enter this information, you can choose certified or uncertified and will need to pay a fee of $15 with a credit card. You may also mail your request, but will need to submit the form, a copy of your driver’s license, the reason for your request, and a $15 fee.
For additional information on obtaining New Jersey driving records, please contact the office at the address or phone number below:
New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission Abstract Unit225 East State St.
P.O. Box 142
Trenton, NJ 08666
(609) 292-6500
Resource Links
New Jersey Driving Record Information
Additional Resources
New Jersey Sexual Offender RegistryNew Jersey Attorney General