Illinois Background Check Records
Running a background check in Illinois starts with the Illinois State Police. Their Bureau of Identification sits in Joliet and serves as the main source for criminal history records in the state. The BOI keeps over five million fingerprint card records. You can search Illinois background check records through CHIRP, the state's online portal. Mail and in-person requests work too. Each of the 102 counties in Illinois stores court records at the local Circuit Clerk office. Criminal history data, court case files, and public safety records all tie into a background check in Illinois. This page covers how to search, request, and access those records statewide.
Illinois Background Check Quick Facts
Illinois Background Check Process
The background check process in Illinois runs through two main paths. The first is a name-based search. This uses the CHIRP system run by the Illinois State Police. A name search pulls up any criminal history tied to that person in the state database. It costs $16 for a manual request or $10 through the electronic system. Results come from the state's central criminal history records held by the Bureau of Identification in Illinois.
The second path is a fingerprint-based background check. This method is more thorough than a name search. It uses the Automated Biometric Identification System to match prints against over five million cards on file. Under 20 ILCS 2630, the Criminal Identification Act, the Illinois State Police must collect and maintain criminal history record information. The Act sets the rules for how data gets stored, shared, and accessed across the state. Fingerprint checks catch records that a name search might miss due to aliases or name changes. This makes them the more reliable option for a background check in Illinois.
The Bureau of Identification main page has details on both search types and links to all BOI services for background checks in Illinois.
This page lists FAQs, contact info, and instructions for getting criminal history records. The BOI is at 260 North Chicago Street in Joliet. It is a restricted access facility. You need an appointment to visit. Call 815-740-5160 to set one up. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. For most people, the online CHIRP system or a Live Scan vendor is the faster way to run a background check in Illinois.
Illinois CHIRP Criminal History System
CHIRP stands for Criminal History Record Information Program. It is the online portal for name-based background check searches in Illinois. The Illinois State Police run the system. You need an Illinois Digital ID to use it. Enrollment starts at the state's PKI website. A valid Illinois driver's license is part of the sign-up process. Information from your license must match what you type in exactly as it appears on the card.
The CHIRP portal is where you start your Illinois background check search once your Digital ID is set up.
The portal gives instructions on how to enroll and what you need to get started with background check searches in Illinois.
After you get your Digital ID, you can log in and submit name-based searches. The system gives you a Transaction Control Number for each search. Use that TCN to pull up results later. Click the CHIRP icon in Quick Links on the right side of the screen, then enter the TCN. Do not put a period after the middle initial when typing names. The site allows it, but it causes problems with results. You can access the CHIRP login page directly to get to the search form.
Out-of-state users can also run background checks through CHIRP. The sign-up process is a bit different. You click the "Non-Illinois Resident Accept" button on the subscriber agreement instead of the standard "Agree" button. Search fees stay the same no matter where you live.
Background Check Fees in Illinois
Illinois background check fees depend on the search type and how you submit it. The Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification publishes a current fee schedule with all rates listed.
The fee schedule covers fingerprint-based and name-based background checks in Illinois. For fingerprint submissions, a state-only check costs $20 by paper or $15 through Live Scan. An FBI-only check costs $12 either way. A combined state and FBI background check runs $32 by paper or $27 through Live Scan. Resubmit fees range from $10 to $20 based on the type. For checks under the National Child Protection Act and Adam Walsh Volunteer programs, the electronic fee is $25 with a $20 resubmit.
Name-based searches under the Uniform Conviction Information Act have their own rates. A manual UCIA inquiry costs $16. Electronic searches cost $10. A UCIA fingerprint card costs $20 by paper or $15 electronic. Resubmits are $10. Subpoenas for criminal history cost $20. The Access and Review process is free. So is filing an expungement or sealing request. But once a court order is issued, the BOI charges $60 to process it.
Live Scan vendors handle fingerprint collection for background checks across Illinois. The state keeps an official list of approved vendors at this vendor lookup tool.
Each vendor may add its own service fee on top of the state rates. Use the tool to find a vendor near you in Illinois. Under 5 ILCS 140, the Freedom of Information Act, you also have the right to request certain government records including criminal history data from state agencies in Illinois.
Note: Fees last changed on January 1, 2019, but check with the BOI for the most current rates.
Access Your Illinois Criminal Record
You can view your own criminal record in Illinois through the Access and Review process. Go to a Live Scan vendor. Fill out the Access and Review form. Get fingerprinted. The BOI will mail your results to you. There is no charge for this. It is free. The results show what appears on your Illinois criminal history record when someone runs a background check on you.
The Access and Review page on the ISP website explains the full process for viewing your background check record in Illinois.
If something on your record is wrong, you can challenge it. The last page of the Access and Review packet includes a Record Challenge Form. Fill it out and mail it to the Bureau of Identification at 260 North Chicago Street, Joliet, Illinois. You can also drop it off at the lobby of the main entrance. Questions about the challenge process can go to ISP.BOI.Customer.Support@illinois.gov or call 815-740-5160. Correcting errors on your Illinois background check record is an important step since wrong data can cause real problems.
People who live outside Illinois can request background check records too. The BOI has a separate form for out-of-state requests.
The form lets non-residents submit requests by mail. Under 705 ILCS 105, the Clerks of Courts Act, each Circuit Court Clerk in Illinois also serves as the official custodian of court records. This means county-level court data that shows up on a background check can also be requested through the local clerk office.
Illinois Background Check Expungement
Illinois allows people to expunge or seal certain records that show up on a background check. Expungement destroys the record. Sealing hides it from public view but keeps it in the system. Both options can clean up what appears when someone runs a background check in Illinois. The process starts with a petition to the court.
Filing the request costs nothing. But once a court issues an order to expunge or seal a record, the Illinois State Police charges $60 to carry it out. The Office of the State Appellate Defender has step-by-step instructions on the expungement process.
The site walks you through what qualifies for expungement, what can be sealed, and how to file the petition. Not all records qualify. Some offenses must stay on an Illinois background check permanently. The rules depend on the type of case and how it ended.
Juvenile records get extra protection in Illinois. Under 705 ILCS 405, the Juvenile Court Act, Section 1-7 sets strict confidentiality rules. These records generally do not appear on a standard background check. The Illinois State Police provides more detail about juvenile records and background check rules on their juvenile records page.
Sealed and expunged records in Illinois are removed from what the public can see. Law enforcement may still access sealed records in limited situations. Expunged records are destroyed entirely from the state system once the process is complete.
Illinois Public Safety Records
Illinois keeps several public safety databases that relate to background check records. The Sex Offender Registry is one of the most widely searched. It lists all registered sex offenders in the state. The search is free and open to anyone. You can look up a person by name or search by location to see who is registered in a specific area of Illinois. Visit the Illinois Sex Offender Registry to run a search.
The registry shows names, photos, addresses, and offense details. It updates regularly. This database is separate from a standard criminal history background check through the BOI but covers overlapping public safety information in Illinois.
The Illinois State Police also tracks crime data through their crime reporting page.
This page covers crime trends, arrest counts, and other public safety data from across Illinois. The stats break down by county and city. Under 50 ILCS 205, the Local Records Act, government agencies in Illinois must keep records for set time periods. That includes criminal court records and arrest data that feed into background checks. The Act spells out retention schedules so records stay available for the required length of time.
Illinois FOIA Record Requests
The Freedom of Information Act gives you the right to request government records in Illinois. This includes certain criminal history data and other records tied to a background check. Not all records are available through FOIA since some are restricted by other laws. But many public records can be obtained this way from state and local agencies in Illinois.
To file a FOIA request with the Illinois State Police, visit their FOIA page.
The page walks you through the process. You can also mail a written request to: Freedom of Information Officer, Illinois State Police, 801 South 7th Street, Suite 1000-S, Springfield, IL 62703. For questions, email ISP.FOIA.Officer@illinois.gov. The turnaround time depends on the request, but agencies must respond within five business days under the law.
The Illinois State Police main site links to all their divisions, services, and public record tools used for background checks in Illinois.
From the main site you can reach the BOI, CHIRP, the Sex Offender Registry, and other tools. It is a good starting point if you are not sure where to begin your background check search in Illinois.
The Illinois General Assembly has passed several laws that govern how background check records work. These compiled statutes cover everything from criminal identification to court records to public access rights across the state.
Key laws include the Criminal Identification Act, the Clerks of Courts Act, the Juvenile Court Act, the Local Records Act, and the Freedom of Information Act. Together they set the rules for how criminal history and background check data is collected, stored, shared, and accessed in Illinois.
Browse Illinois Background Check Records
Each county in Illinois has a Circuit Clerk who maintains court records used in background checks. Pick a county below to find local contact info and resources.
Background Check Records in Major Illinois Cities
Residents of major cities in Illinois file through their county Circuit Court. Pick a city below to learn about background check resources in that area.