Washington County Records Lookup
Background check records in Washington County are maintained by the Circuit Clerk office in Nashville, Illinois. The county has about 14,000 residents and sits in the south-central part of the state. Washington County is part of the 4th Judicial Circuit. Criminal case files, civil court records, traffic violations, and family law matters all get filed with the clerk and make up the core of local background check data. You can search these records in person at the Nashville courthouse, by mail, or use the Illinois State Police statewide system to pull criminal history that includes Washington County. Both the local and state sources have different strengths depending on what you need.
Washington County Quick Facts
Washington County Background Check at the Clerk
The Washington County Circuit Clerk is the primary local source for background check records. Under 705 ILCS 105, the Clerks of Courts Act, the circuit clerk serves as the official keeper of all court records in each county. In Washington County, that means the clerk in Nashville holds criminal case files, civil filings, traffic records, court orders, and bond data. If it went through a Washington County courtroom, the clerk has it on file.
Visit the courthouse during business hours to search records. Bring a valid photo ID. The staff will look up case files by name or case number. You can review files at the counter and ask for copies. Certified copies cost more than plain ones. For some background check requests, you may need certified documents, so ask what format the receiving party needs before you pay.
You can also call 618-327-4800 for questions about records or to check current fees. Mail requests go to the courthouse address in Nashville. Include the person's full name, date of birth if known, the type of record you want, and payment for fees. A stamped return envelope speeds things up.
Washington County Circuit Clerk Contact
| Address | Washington County Courthouse, 101 E. St. Louis St, Nashville, IL 62263 |
|---|---|
| Phone | 618-327-4800 |
| Hours | Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM |
Background Check via Illinois State Police
The Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification maintains the statewide criminal history database. Washington County arrest records, court dispositions, and sentencing data flow into this central system. Under 20 ILCS 2630, the Criminal Identification Act, the State Police must collect criminal history information from every county. That law is what connects Washington County court data to the state database.
A name-based search costs $16 by mail or $10 through the CHIRP portal. Fingerprint searches run $15 via Live Scan. They are more reliable because they match on prints instead of names, which catches aliases and spelling variations. Use the vendor lookup tool to find Live Scan locations near Washington County. The closest vendors are typically in the Belleville or Centralia area.
The CHIRP portal is the main online tool for running a statewide background check.
You need an Illinois Digital ID to log into CHIRP. That requires a valid driver's license. Once enrolled, you can submit name-based searches and get results with a Transaction Control Number. The system covers all 102 counties, so a single search captures Washington County data along with everything else in the state.
How to Run a Background Check in Washington County
Three options exist for running a background check in Washington County. Each has trade-offs in speed, cost, and detail.
The in-person route gives you the most complete results. Visit the courthouse in Nashville during business hours. Staff will pull case files for you. You can see the full court record, including charging documents, plea deals, and sentencing orders. This is the best method when you need maximum detail from a Washington County background check. Plan for at least 30 minutes depending on how many records you need to review.
Mail requests are good for people outside the area. Write to the Circuit Clerk and include all the info listed above. Allow one to two weeks for turnaround. This method is not fast, but it lets you run a Washington County background check from anywhere in the state or beyond.
CHIRP is the online option. At $10 per search, it is also the cheapest. You get criminal history data from the state database. The trade-off is less detail than a full court file. But for a quick check that covers Washington County and every other county at once, CHIRP is hard to beat.
Washington County Background Check Fees
Local fees at the Circuit Clerk vary. State-level fees through the Illinois State Police are the same everywhere. The ISP fee schedule has the full breakdown.
What you can expect to pay for state-level searches:
- Name-based search by mail: $16
- CHIRP electronic search: $10
- State fingerprint check (Live Scan): $15
- FBI fingerprint check: $12
- Combined state and FBI (Live Scan): $27
- Expungement processing fee: $60
Live Scan vendors charge their own service fee on top. Access and Review of your own record is free. That is a good way for Washington County residents to see what shows on their own background check at no cost before anyone else runs a search.
Expungement of Washington County Records
Some records from Washington County can be cleared from a background check. Expungement destroys the record. Sealing hides it from the public but keeps it available to law enforcement. Both options change what shows up when someone searches your name in Washington County or through the state system.
The petition gets filed in the 4th Judicial Circuit Court. There is no filing fee. If the judge grants the order, the ISP charges $60 to process it. Cases that ended in dismissal, acquittal, or completed supervision are typically eligible. Convictions have tighter limits under 20 ILCS 2630. Some can be sealed after a waiting period, but DUI convictions and certain violent felonies cannot be expunged at all.
The Office of the State Appellate Defender has full instructions. Their site covers what qualifies, what forms to file, and what to expect at each step. After the order goes through, the Washington County record drops off most background check searches.
Washington County Public Records
Court records in Washington County are public unless sealed or expunged. You have the right to request them from the Circuit Clerk. Under 5 ILCS 140, the Freedom of Information Act, you can also request records from state and local government agencies. FOIA covers things like arrest logs and incident reports that may not sit in the court system but still add to a background check.
FOIA requests must be in writing. Name the records you want and include your contact info. Washington County agencies have five business days to respond. The Illinois Sex Offender Registry is another free resource for public safety data. You can search it by name or address to find registered offenders in Washington County. It is separate from a criminal history search but gives useful context alongside a background check.
Nearby Counties
Washington County borders several other south-central Illinois counties. Someone living near county lines may have records in more than one place. A thorough background check considers neighboring jurisdictions.