State of Wisconsin Criminal Records Search

Where to Search Wisconsin Criminal Records Online

Wisconsin maintains criminal records through several agencies. The court system handles cases and judgments, while the Department of Justice maintains a separate criminal-history repository.

How to Search Wisconsin Criminal Records on CCAP (WCCA)

The official public website is named Wisconsin Circuit Court Access (WCCA). It is supported by Wisconsin’s Consolidated Court Automation Programs (CCAP), which maintains electronic case-management systems for the state’s circuit courts.

People commonly call the public website “Wisconsin CCAP.” Both names refer to the same Wisconsin court records search workflow.

Step-by-step Wisconsin CCAP criminal case search

1. Open the official Wisconsin Circuit Court Access website.

   Visit wcca.wicourts.gov. Follow the public access agreement and proceed to the search page.

2. Choose the appropriate search method.

   WCCA offers public case searches, including simple and advanced search options. Advanced searching is useful when you want to limit results to criminal case categories.

3. Enter the defendant’s name or case number.

   For a name search, use the first and last names. A case number is preferable when available because names can match more than one person.

4. Choose statewide or a specific county.

   If the case location is unknown, begin statewide. If you know that it was filed in Milwaukee, Dane, Waukesha, Brown or another county, select that county.

5. Apply the criminal case-type filters.

   Where available, select the case categories for Felony, Misdemeanor and Criminal Traffic rather than searching all civil, family, traffic and other case types.

6. Run the search and compare results.

   Review the defendant names, case numbers, filing dates, counties and case classifications. Do not assume that two same-name results belong to the same person.

7. Open the matching criminal case.

   Review the publicly accessible case summary, court assignments, charges and available docket events.

8. Read the court record chronologically.

   Check initial charges, hearings, plea entries, disposition dates, sentencing activity and later court actions.

9. Identify each charge’s final disposition.

   A case can have several counts. One may be dismissed while another results in conviction. Review the outcome of each count separately.

10. Contact the court clerk if original documents are needed.

    WCCA generally provides case information rather than downloadable trial-court document images. The original county Clerk of Circuit Court is the appropriate source for permitted documents and certified copies.

What information can WCCA display?

Depending on the case and its access status, the public case summary can include:

• Wisconsin case number and case type.
• Filing county and assigned court.
• Defendant or party information.
• Criminal charge descriptions and statute references.
• Offense classification and charge information.
• Filing dates and case status.
• Scheduled hearings and court appearances.
• Available docket or court event entries.
• Charge dispositions and disposition dates.
• Sentencing information and financial obligations where applicable.

Wisconsin Criminal Case Numbers: CF, CM and CT Explained

Wisconsin WCCA case numbers typically include the filing year, a case-type code and a numeric identifier.

The case-type letters are useful for recognizing the type of proceeding before opening the full case.

Why case classification matters

A traffic forfeiture or municipal ordinance violation does not automatically establish that the person has a criminal conviction.

Likewise, the original classification of a criminal case does not necessarily identify the final offense of conviction. A felony allegation may be amended or resolved through a different count.

Always review the final disposition and judgment.

How Long Do Wisconsin Criminal Records Stay on CCAP?

Wisconsin distinguishes between how long a court preserves a record and how long the case remains visible through WCCA.

The official Wisconsin court system has a special internet-display policy for criminal cases where every charge ended in dismissal or acquittal.

Two-year display policy for completely dismissed or acquitted cases

Wisconsin’s published WCCA policy, implemented in March 2018, limits online display of qualifying criminal felony and misdemeanor cases to approximately two years after disposition when all charges were dismissed or resulted in acquittal.

This shorter online period is different from the original court file’s retention period under Wisconsin Supreme Court Rule 72.

What if the case is more than two years old?

First determine whether the case ended with every charge dismissed or acquitted. If so, the public online display policy may explain why it no longer appears.

If the original record remains public and has been retained, the filing county’s Clerk of Circuit Court may be able to explain the appropriate method for inspecting or requesting it.

Are older convicted criminal cases removed automatically?

Not under the same blanket two-year rule.

Conviction cases can remain displayed according to their applicable record-retention and display policies. Other laws or court orders can still restrict access in individual circumstances.

For historical records, the Wisconsin State Law Library’s Court Records Guide also explains that some older court materials are transferred to historical repositories after the relevant retention period.

How to Request a State of Wisconsin Criminal History Check Through WORCS

Wisconsin’s formal adult criminal-history repository is maintained by the Wisconsin DOJ Crime Information Bureau (CIB).

The agency offers public adult criminal-history checks through the Wisconsin Online Record Check System (WORCS).

Unlike the free WCCA court portal, WORCS charges for a background-check request.

How to submit a public Wisconsin criminal-history search

1. Open the official WORCS website.

   Visit recordcheck.doj.wi.gov. Make sure you are using the Wisconsin Department of Justice website.

2. Choose Public Access.

   If you do not have a registered agency account, select the option to submit a public background-check request.

3. Select Submit Request.

   The DOJ allows unregistered members of the public to submit name-based requests without creating an organizational billing account.

4. Enter the required identifying information.

   Follow the WORCS form instructions. Accurate name and birth-date details help narrow potential matches.

5. Complete the required request details.

   Use the appropriate request purpose or category. Specialized caregiver or other regulated screening programs may require different processing.

6. Pay the background-check fee.

   Complete payment through the authorized payment processor. Review the total before confirming.

7. Save the order reference number.

   This is especially important if you submit a request without registering for an account.

8. Review the result when processing is complete.

   The result may be available promptly, but the DOJ warns that some requests may remain queued for additional processing.

9. Read the record carefully.

   Compare the information on the result with the person intended to be checked. Do not assume a potential name match proves identity.

10. Download or retain the response securely.

    WORCS results are available through the system for a limited period. Save the response in accordance with your legitimate purpose and applicable privacy requirements.

Can you use WORCS without registering?

Yes. The DOJ’s official FAQ explains that an unregistered user can submit a request from the Public Access section and pay electronically.

Registered users can also request checks and review their recent requests through their account.

How long can you retrieve a previous WORCS result?

Wisconsin DOJ states that completed background-check results remain available in WORCS for six months from the request date.

Registered users can retrieve recent requests from their account. Unregistered users can enter their saved order reference number in the Review Prior Search Results section.

What if WORCS says the request is still processing?

The DOJ has posted notices that some requests may queue during system delays.

Do not immediately purchase a second check. Use the existing order reference or registered account to review the pending request, and contact the Crime Information Bureau if the problem persists.

Wisconsin Criminal Records Search Fees: CCAP, WORCS and Court Copies

You can often obtain the court case details you need without paying for a formal background check. Fees apply when you request a DOJ report, copied court documents or certification.

The Wisconsin court copy charges come from the official Wisconsin Circuit Court Fee, Forfeiture, Fine and Surcharge Tables, updated in 2026.

The Wisconsin DOJ name-based background check fee is governed by Wisconsin Statutes section 165.82. Online payment processing and specialized background-check services may have additional applicable charges.

How to Request Wisconsin Criminal History by Mail

If you cannot use WORCS or need a paper-based Wisconsin criminal-history request, the Department of Justice also provides official request forms.

The standard single-subject form is DJ-LE-250. For multiple subjects, the agency provides DJ-LE-250A.

Wisconsin DOJ mail request steps

1. Open the DOJ Criminal History Forms page.

   Download the current DJ-LE-250 form for one person.

2. Complete the requester information.

   Provide the required return address and requester category.

3. Choose the request purpose.

   Use the general-information category for an ordinary request. Specialized caregiver or authorized-agency requests have additional requirements.

4. Enter the subject’s identifying information.

   Follow the form’s fields for name and other required identifiers.

5. Include the applicable payment.

   The DOJ’s mail instructions specify check or money order payment for non-billed paper requests.

6. Include a self-addressed, postage-paid envelope.

   This is required for ordinary mailed requests under the published instructions.

7. Mail the request to the Crime Information Bureau.

   Use the official mailing address below and retain a copy of the completed request.

The DOJ’s paper request instructions advise allowing approximately 10 business days for Crime Information Bureau processing, plus postal delivery time.

Can you request a police certificate or statement of good conduct online?

The WORCS website specifically states that certain requests, including a Police Certificate or Statement of Good Conduct, cannot be completed through the ordinary online background-check process.

Those requests require the appropriate mailed forms and a letter explaining the certified background-check requirement.

How to Get a Certified Wisconsin Criminal Court Record

The WCCA website provides public case summaries, but the original filed record is maintained by the Clerk of Circuit Court in the county where the proceeding occurred.

If you need a certified conviction, sentencing order, dismissal, court order or criminal complaint, request the particular document from that office.

Step-by-step certified copy request

1. Find the case number on WCCA.

   Record the case year, case-type code, case number and county.

2. Identify the originating Wisconsin circuit court.

   Use the state’s Clerk of Circuit Court directory rather than contacting an unrelated county.

3. Ask for the exact document needed.

   Examples include the Judgment of Conviction, criminal complaint, order dismissing charges or another publicly accessible filing.

4. State whether the copy must be certified.

   A certified copy includes an official court certification and carries an additional fee.

5. Confirm the total charge.

   The published schedule is $1.25 per page for ordinary copies and an additional $5 to certify a document.

6. Follow the county clerk’s delivery process.

   Depending on the office, requests may be handled in person, by mail or through another approved method.

7. Keep the record for future reference.

   The certified document may help establish how a case ended or support a criminal-history correction request.

Can you download the criminal complaint from CCAP?

Not through ordinary WCCA public case search.

The Wisconsin Judicial Branch explains that WCCA displays parties, court dates, filings and orders but does not provide public trial-court documents or transcripts in the same way federal PACER provides electronic files.

The case participant’s authorized electronic filing access, courthouse public access and ordinary WCCA public case searching are distinct services.

Wisconsin Criminal Records Search by County

Wisconsin has 72 counties, and circuit court criminal records are maintained at the county level.

WCCA lets you search statewide, but certified document requests and questions about original filings generally go to the relevant county Clerk of Circuit Court.

Searching Racine, Kenosha, Outagamie, Winnebago and other counties

You do not need a different criminal case-search website for every Wisconsin circuit court.

Use WCCA and select the correct county. Wisconsin’s official judiciary directory provides links to clerks and court offices across the state.

For original filed documents, older cases or a certified judgment, contact the county where the case was filed.

Wisconsin Municipal Court Records vs. Circuit Court Criminal Records

Wisconsin municipal courts generally handle municipal ordinance violations rather than ordinary felony and misdemeanor prosecutions under state criminal law.

For example, some city-issued traffic citations and other ordinance matters may be maintained by a municipal court and not by the same WCCA criminal case system used for circuit court prosecutions.

A municipal court case may later produce a circuit court proceeding through an authorized appeal, but that does not mean every underlying municipal court file is searchable through statewide WCCA.

How to find a Wisconsin municipal court record

1. Identify the city, village or town that issued the citation.

   Check the citation or court notice.

2. Locate its municipal court.

   Use the official Wisconsin Court System municipal court directory or the municipality’s website.

3. Search the available local case system.

   Some municipal courts provide online access, while others require contacting the court clerk.

4. Ask about copies or the outcome.

   The municipal court can explain which documents are public and available.

The Wisconsin State Law Library notes that municipal records are held by the individual municipal courts rather than the State Law Library’s general court records collection.

Wisconsin Supreme Court and Court of Appeals Criminal Records

Wisconsin’s appellate criminal proceedings are searched through the Wisconsin Supreme Court and Court of Appeals Case Access (WSCCA) system.

This is different from the trial-court WCCA public database.

What can you find in WSCCA?

• Public appeals filed in Wisconsin appellate courts.
• Appellate case status and case number.
• Filing dates and available case history.
• Relevant motions, orders and decisions.
• Qualifying electronically filed briefs.
• Published and unpublished appellate opinions.
• Information about review by the Wisconsin Supreme Court.

The appellate portal generally includes appeals that were considered open from the end of 1993 onward. Its published access description also identifies availability of electronically filed briefs beginning July 1, 2009.

How to check whether a Wisconsin conviction was appealed

1. Locate the trial court case number.

   Start with WCCA and the underlying criminal case.

2. Open WSCCA.

   Follow the public appellate search agreement.

3. Search by trial court case number or appellate case information.

   The appellate Clerk’s instructions allow searching through available appellate identifiers, including trial-court numbers and litigant information.

4. Review the appellate disposition.

   Determine whether a ruling was affirmed, reversed, remanded or otherwise affected.

5. Check the trial court for subsequent action.

   An appellate ruling may lead to further proceedings in the original circuit court.

Wisconsin Prison, Offender and Arrest Records Search

A court case search does not necessarily show whether a person is currently incarcerated, under community supervision or held in a county jail.

For people in the Wisconsin Department of Corrections system, use the official public offender locator.

What the DOC locator can help determine

• Whether a qualifying person is in Wisconsin DOC custody.
• Available offender identification information.
• Corrections or supervision status, when publicly available.
• Information provided through the department’s authorized public offender services.

The DOC locator is not a complete record of every arrest or criminal case in Wisconsin.

How to find a Wisconsin county jail inmate

County jail information is usually maintained by the county sheriff, not by the statewide WCCA court portal.

If you are looking for someone booked into a jail in Milwaukee, Dane, Brown, Racine or another county, use the appropriate Sheriff’s Office inmate or detention information service.

Where to request a Wisconsin arrest report

Contact the law-enforcement agency that created the report. That could be a municipal police department, county sheriff or another authorized agency.

Request procedures and available information vary. Investigatory records, confidential information and other protected materials may be withheld or redacted under Wisconsin law.

How to Read Wisconsin Criminal Court Records Correctly

A WCCA criminal case may contain several charges and numerous docket events. The correct legal outcome is not always obvious from the original complaint.

What if a Wisconsin Criminal History Search Shows the Wrong Person?

The Wisconsin DOJ warns that name-based criminal-history checks can return records belonging to another person.

A record may contain a name used by someone during arrest that differs from their actual identity.

This is one reason a person’s name, even together with a date of birth, should not automatically be treated as fingerprint confirmation.

What is a Wisconsin WiUPIN?

Wisconsin uses a Wisconsin Unique Personal Identification Number (WiUPIN) to help address mistaken identity in criminal-history searches.

A person who successfully challenges a false match can receive a WiUPIN associated with that challenge.

When the WiUPIN is supplied in an eligible future search, the DOJ can apply the successful challenge to avoid reporting the incorrectly matched record.

How to challenge a mistaken criminal-history match

1. Read the DOJ result and identify the apparent mistake.

   Compare the listed identity and arrest information with your actual details.

2. Open the Wisconsin DOJ Criminal History Challenge instructions.

   The agency provides an official process for disputing a mistaken identity or false match.

3. Complete Form DJ-LE-247.

   Use the Wisconsin Criminal History Challenge Form.

4. Obtain fingerprint impressions.

   The DOJ requires an applicant fingerprint card, FD-258, for a mistaken-identity challenge.

5. Submit the fingerprint card and challenge form.

   Follow the address and instructions published with the form.

6. Wait for the agency’s review.

   The Crime Information Bureau compares fingerprints to determine whether the reported criminal-history record was incorrectly associated.

7. Keep the decision and WiUPIN if issued.

   Retain the information for future background checks and record corrections.

How much does a Wisconsin criminal-history challenge cost?

The Wisconsin DOJ states that it does not charge a fee for a criminal-history challenge.

A local fingerprint provider may charge separately for collecting fingerprints.

What if the charge or conviction is recorded incorrectly?

If the mistake concerns the charge or disposition, the DOJ advises obtaining a certified copy of the correct court judgment.

Contact the original Clerk of Circuit Court to get supporting documentation, then follow the DOJ’s correction instructions.

Are Expunged Wisconsin Criminal Records Public on CCAP?

Wisconsin law permits expungement of qualifying criminal conviction records under specified circumstances, including Wisconsin Statutes section 973.015.

When a Wisconsin court orders expungement, the applicable court record is sealed and ordinary WCCA display is restricted.

However, the effect of expungement on court records, criminal-history repositories, and other government files depends on the actual order and applicable law.

Do dismissed charges automatically count as expunged?

No.

A dismissed or acquitted case may stop displaying on WCCA under the two-year policy without having been expunged.

Those are different outcomes:

• Dismissal: A particular charge or proceeding is dismissed.
• Acquittal: A not-guilty result is entered.
• Online display expiration: The WCCA website stops showing a qualifying case under its public display policy.
• Expungement: A legal process restricts the applicable record under Wisconsin law.

Where to ask about Wisconsin expungement

Contact the court that handled the conviction or consult the Wisconsin court system’s official criminal forms and legal resources.

Federal Criminal Court Records in Wisconsin: Eastern and Western Districts

Federal criminal prosecutions in Wisconsin are handled by the federal judiciary rather than Wisconsin’s state circuit court system.

Wisconsin has two federal judicial districts:

• Eastern District of Wisconsin — includes the Milwaukee and Green Bay federal court divisions.
• Western District of Wisconsin — includes the Madison federal court division and other locations within the district.

Public federal case records are searched through the U.S. Courts’ Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) system.

PACER permits searching a known federal district or using the national PACER Case Locator.

Federal case searches and document downloads may involve usage charges, subject to the judiciary’s pricing and fee-waiver rules.

Why a Wisconsin Criminal Records Search May Show No Results

A missing case or background-check result does not necessarily establish that no criminal record exists.

What if the case is very old?

The case may predate electronic case indexing, be archived, have exceeded the applicable WCCA display period or be subject to a retention policy.

The original county court is the correct place to ask about retained records. Some older historical court collections may be held by the Wisconsin Historical Society or another authorized archive.

What if you need proof of no Wisconsin criminal history?

A blank WCCA search is not an official statewide criminal-history clearance.

Use the Wisconsin DOJ’s appropriate record-check or certified police-certificate procedure, depending on the requirement of the organization requesting the proof.

Can Wisconsin Criminal Records Be Used for Employment Background Checks?

Wisconsin adult criminal-history records are generally available through the DOJ’s public WORCS service, and qualifying circuit court cases are accessible through WCCA.

However, public access alone does not determine how criminal-history information may lawfully be used in employment, housing, licensing or other consequential decisions.

Employers using consumer reporting agencies are generally subject to the Fair Credit Reporting Act’s disclosure, authorization and adverse-action requirements.

Wisconsin also has employment discrimination protections relating to arrest and conviction records, subject to statutory exceptions and circumstances.

These rules can require more than simply locating a case on CCAP or obtaining a name-based DOJ report.

Official Wisconsin Criminal Records Search Websites

These Wisconsin judiciary, Department of Justice, county court and federal government sources support the search procedures, record-access limitations and fees discussed in this guide.

• Wisconsin Court System — Official Case Search Directory
• Wisconsin Circuit Court Access — Free WCCA/CCAP Search
• Wisconsin Judicial Branch — Consolidated Court Automation Programs
• Wisconsin Circuit Court Clerks — Records Custodian Directory
• Wisconsin Circuit Courts — County Websites and Court Directory
• Wisconsin Judicial Branch — 2026 Circuit Court Fee Tables
• Wisconsin Court System — Municipal Courts
• Wisconsin Courts — Public Website Document Access and Confidentiality FAQ
• Wisconsin State Law Library — Court Records and Historical Records Guide
• WSCCA — Wisconsin Supreme Court and Court of Appeals Case Access
• Wisconsin Clerk of Supreme Court and Court of Appeals
• Wisconsin Department of Justice — Criminal Background Checks
• Wisconsin Online Record Check System — WORCS
• Wisconsin DOJ — WORCS Registration, Request and Result FAQs
• Wisconsin DOJ — WORCS Contact and Support
• Wisconsin DOJ — Criminal History Request and Challenge Forms
• Wisconsin DOJ — How to Read and Verify a Criminal Record
• Wisconsin DOJ — Criminal History Challenge Procedure
• Wisconsin DOJ — Incorrect Criminal History Information
• Milwaukee County — Criminal and Traffic Court
• Dane County — Clerk of Courts Contacts
• Waukesha County — Clerk of Circuit Court
• Wisconsin Department of Corrections — Offender Locator
• United States Courts — Federal Criminal Case Search
• Federal Trade Commission — Employment Background Check Requirements