Minnesota Criminal Records

The Minnesota criminal justice system maintains a database of individuals arrested and convicted for petty and gross offenses—traffic violations, misdemeanors, and felonies—in the state. Generally, Minnesota criminal records are generated when a person is convicted of an offense. This record becomes useful in bail or bond placement, plea bargains, parole hearings, and correctional facility assignments.

Minnesota criminal records are compiled by local law enforcement agencies and the courts and submitted to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA), the central custodian of this record. Having a criminal record in Minnesota can have dire legal consequences and collateral impacts on the socioeconomic opportunities available to an individual.

Are Criminal Records Public in Minnesota?

Yes. According to Minnesota Public Records Law (Minnesota Statutes § 13.87), criminal records filed, compiled, and maintained by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) are public records. This statute, however, exempts certain criminal history data from public disclosure. Generally, documents containing sensitive information that may jeopardize the safety or privacy of an individual are sequestered from the public.

Furthermore, in line with the Minnesota public records law, the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is prohibited from disclosing arrest data, juvenile records, criminal history data from other states in the US, federal criminal records, criminal convictions where 15 years have elapsed since the completion of the sentence, and additional information generally restricted from public access.

Minnesota Crime Records by County

Crime records in Minnesota can be accessed on government resources and websites. Individuals can research public criminal history information maintained by the BCA at the Minnesota Public Information and the Methamphetamine Offender Registry (MOR) search site. They can also access criminal court case records via the Minnesota Judicial Branch's official website.

Likewise, researchers can also look up annual crime data reports on the FBI Crime Data Explorer and BCA Uniform Crime Reports for an index of criminal activity in Minnesota - crime rates and statistics, demographics of offenders, number of offenses reported, an overview of arrests, reports of missing persons, firearms discharged and other related information.

In addition to the above resources, one can access local crime records for a specific city or county through local government or law enforcement agencies. For example, the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office provides information on people in the county jail and wanted offenders. Similarly, the City of Ramsey Police Department allows residents to view a map of crimes in their neighborhood through its crime data mapping program.

Minnesota Criminal Record Check

Individuals who want to obtain a copy of their Minnesota criminal records may do so by writing to or visiting the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. For mail requests, include the following details—full names, aliases, and date of birth. The request must be signed, dated, and notarized by a notary public. Also, the requestor must attach an $8 service fee as a personal check, cashier's check, money order, or business check. Cash payments are not accepted.

Furthermore, inquirers must state the purpose of the record request (e.g., immigration, petition for sealing records). All letters must be mailed to the address below. If the submission is successful, the applicant will receive a response by mail within two weeks.

Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension

CHA Unit

1439 Maryland Avenue East

St. Paul, MN 55106.

The BCA lobby is open to visitors from 8:15 p.m. to 4 p.m., Mondays through Fridays. Visitors/Requesters must provide a government-issued photo-identification card and undergo a fingerprint scan before they can access their records. While in-person searches are free, the office charges $8 for printed copies.

Find Criminal Records Online in Minnesota

All offenders who have been charged in a court in Minnesota are required to register with a corrections agent as a form of public notification (Minnesota Statutes § 243.166, subdivision 1(b)). On this note, the Minnesota Department of Corrections discloses the information of all registered offenders (excluding juveniles) on its Public Registrant Search platform. This search application allows the user to search criminal records by city, county, name, or zip code.

Another option is the Minnesota Public Criminal History search service. The searcher will need the subject's first name, last name, and date of birth to conduct an online search. Individuals who decide to use this platform should take note of the terms of use. Pursuant to Minnesota Statutes §13.87, subdivision 3(f), if the record is required for employment, housing, loans, or credit purposes, the applicant or subject must be notified.

Free Criminal Record Search in Minnesota

Multiple third-party search applications offer free criminal record search services to researchers. Unlike government sites, searchers may be able to find federal crime data and records from other states within one site. However, inquirers might need to pay a fee or purchase a subscription plan to print or download documents.

What Does it Mean if You Have a Criminal Record in Minnesota?

Generally, criminal conviction translates to incarceration, fines, community service, restraining orders, probation, and other state-enforced punitive measures. However, once an offender has completed their sentence, rehabilitation, or punishment, integrating into society may be difficult due to a criminal record.

Having a criminal record severely affects the quality of a person's life in the following ways:

• The record limits individuals from pursuing specific careers where they may handle sensitive data or work with vulnerable people (e.g., banking, finance, law, security, and child education).
• Criminal records may result in discrimination in housing and job opportunities.
• Immigration Issues: The existence of a record can subject an individual to more scrutiny when applying for visas and traveling. Non-citizens may also be at risk of deportation.
• Criminal records also make it harder for people to access resources, government relief, and financial aid.

Does Your Criminal Record Clear After 7 Years in Minnesota?

No. However, per state laws, 15 years after the completion of a sentence imposed by a conviction, the criminal record becomes private data. The public can no longer access details about the arrest, information on convictions after 15 years, court information, and juvenile records. At this stage, what is considered public information includes the offense, date of commission of the offense, court location, court dates, sentence, convictions(not older than 15 years), probation agency, or holding facility.

Further, an individual may file a petition to the court under Minnesota Statutes § 609A.03 to seal records relating to an arrest or conviction if they meet the criteria for eligibility in § 609A.02, Subdivision 3. The general waiting period to file for an expungement for petty and gross misdemeanors is two years after the sentence is completed. Meanwhile, for felonies, it can be five years or more if the offense is eligible to be sealed. The expungement process itself is not instant. It can take anywhere between one to five years to be finalized.

Arrest Record Vs Criminal Record

An arrest record is a document that proves a person has been placed in police custody or has been arrested as a prime suspect of a crime. Creating an arrest record is not a guilty verdict. In some cases, the arrested person may be released without charges. And where charges are filed, they may be dropped or dismissed after in-depth investigations.

On the other hand, criminal records indicate that a person has been convicted of an offense. It contains details of the category of the offense, level of conviction, guilty version, sentence, parole, probation, and other necessary judicial proceedings. Criminal records can result in suspension or termination of professional or occupational licenses. It can also breed difficulty in getting approved for loans, housing, jobs, employment, and visa applications.

Minnesota Police Records

Minnesota police records include arrest records, traffic citations, incident reports, accident reports, complaints, search and arrest warrants, body cam footage, and 911 audio recordings. Residents of Minnesota can visit police departments in their localities to request or search for records. Although not all records are public, Police departments in Minnesota upload arrest logs, inmate rosters, and crime watch information to their websites for accessibility. Information that is likely to be restricted from public access are investigatory materials, juveniles, witnesses and victim identity, and records relating to domestic violence, sexual assault, and mental health.