Commonwealth, Pennsylvania Criminal Records Search: Cases & Public Records

Where to Search Pennsylvania Criminal Records Online

The correct website depends on whether you need a public court case, a state criminal-history report, a certified court document or corrections information.

How to Search Pennsylvania Criminal Court Records Free Through UJS

The Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System maintains a statewide public-access portal for qualifying court docket sheets. It allows you to search by participant name or docket number and view publicly available information about criminal proceedings.

Unlike PATCH, the ordinary public UJS docket search is free and does not require registration.

Step-by-step Pennsylvania criminal case lookup

1. Open the Pennsylvania Judiciary Web Portal. Go to the UJS Case Information page and choose the public docket sheets or Case Search option. Do not select Secure Web Docket Sheets unless you have authorized access.
2. Select the appropriate court level. Choose Court of Common Pleas, Magisterial District Court, Philadelphia Municipal Court or an appellate court, depending on the case.
3. Choose a search method. Select Participant Name if you are searching for a person. If you already know the case number, select Docket Number for a more precise result.
4. Enter the legal name. Use the last name and first name. The court recommends starting with only a few accurate fields instead of applying too many restrictive filters.
5. Choose the county when known. Select the Pennsylvania county where the case was filed. If you do not know the county, use the broader search options available for the selected court type.
6. Choose the docket type. For a criminal prosecution, select the appropriate Criminal category. For a summary citation, Traffic, Non-Traffic or Summary Appeal may be more appropriate.
7. Run the search and compare results. Verify the county, court, name, docket number, filing date and other available identifiers before assuming a match.
8. Open the Docket Sheet. Review the case chronology, charges, scheduled events, disposition and available financial or court-cost entries.
9. Print or save the available public docket. Use the portal’s docket sheet viewing or printing function. If an institution requires a certified court document, contact the county Clerk of Courts.

What can a Pennsylvania docket sheet show?

Depending on the case, a docket sheet may include:

• Criminal docket number and court location
• Defendant and available participant information
• Filing date and case status
• Offense descriptions and statutory references
• Charges filed, withdrawn or amended
• Hearings and scheduled court events
• Plea, trial and disposition information
• Sentencing and other judicial docket entries
• Available court financial information

Can you search Pennsylvania criminal dockets on a phone?

Yes. The judiciary also provides the free PAeDocket mobile application. According to UJS, it supports searches by docket number, participant name, organization name, offense tracking number, police incident or complaint number, and state identification number.

Use the official UJS website to find PAeDocket in your device’s app store. For advanced desktop search, the browser-based UJS Portal may be more convenient.

Pennsylvania Criminal Court Types: Common Pleas, Magisterial and Philadelphia Municipal

Pennsylvania criminal records may appear at different court levels. Understanding those levels helps you locate the actual prosecution rather than stopping at the first arrest-related or preliminary docket.

Why a felony can have two docket numbers

A criminal complaint may begin in a Magisterial District Court. After preliminary proceedings, a case held for court can proceed to the Court of Common Pleas, where the prosecution receives another docket number.

This means an MJ docket may describe the early criminal complaint, while a related CP criminal docket records the later trial-level case and disposition.

For an accurate conviction search, check the final Common Pleas disposition when applicable. A preliminary hearing or held-for-court status does not establish a conviction.

Philadelphia follows a different lower-court path

Philadelphia uses Philadelphia Municipal Court rather than the usual county Magisterial District Court structure for its lower-court criminal proceedings.

A Philadelphia prosecution may therefore have an MC-51 docket followed by a CP-51-CR Common Pleas criminal docket if the matter proceeds to that court.

How to Read Pennsylvania Criminal Docket Numbers

The UJS Portal uses structured case numbers. Understanding the letters helps you identify the court and case type before requesting documents.

The sample numbers above are illustrative formats, not actual case-search results.

What do CP, MJ and MC mean?

• CP: Court of Common Pleas.
• MJ: Magisterial District Court.
• MC-51: Philadelphia Municipal Court.
• CR: Criminal case.
• TR: Traffic case.
• NT: Non-traffic summary matter, where applicable.

The number following the court prefix identifies the court or jurisdiction, while other components distinguish the docket type, sequential case number and filing year.

Pennsylvania PATCH Criminal Background Checks: Official Fees and Search Process

The Pennsylvania State Police administers Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History (PATCH). This service searches criminal-history information maintained in the Pennsylvania State Police Central Repository.

PATCH is intended for qualifying personal, employment, organizational and volunteer screening purposes.

How to request a Pennsylvania criminal-history check online

1. Open the official PATCH website. Use epatch.pa.gov, the Pennsylvania State Police’s public criminal-history request system.
2. Choose Submit a New Record Check. For an ordinary individual request, follow the nonregistered-user process. Companies that need frequent checks may qualify for registered-user accounts.
3. Provide requester details. Enter the required requester’s name and address information.
4. Enter the subject’s identifying information. Provide the legal name and other information requested by PATCH. Review it carefully to avoid errors.
5. Choose the correct type of check. A standard check and a qualifying volunteer check have different requirements and fees.
6. Review payment. A standard check costs $22. Online credit-card PATCH transactions are also subject to a 2% processing fee under the notice effective April 22, 2026.
7. Submit the record request. Save the assigned PATCH control number and request date.
8. Retrieve the completed response. Return to PATCH to check the result and print the certificate or record response when available.

What do PATCH results mean?

The State Police says many No Record requests are returned immediately. When a request requires review, processing may take approximately two to four weeks, depending on the request.

Important Pennsylvania PATCH changes in 2026

PATCH currently publishes these operational rules:

• Effective April 22, 2026, online credit-card transactions incur a 2% processing fee.
• Registered users and qualifying mail-in checks paid by check are not charged that online credit-card processing fee.
• For requests submitted online, the requester is responsible for printing the completed result.
• Requests for notarized criminal-history checks must be submitted by mail.
• An ordinary criminal-history check can be notarized for an additional $5; qualifying free volunteer checks cannot be notarized.

How to Request Your Own Complete Pennsylvania Criminal Record

Pennsylvania State Police offers a distinct Individual Access and Review procedure for people who want to examine their own full Pennsylvania criminal-history record.

Unlike an ordinary public PATCH clearance, Access and Review includes available nonconviction information as well as convictions. It is useful for reviewing inaccurate entries and preparing an expungement petition.

Steps to obtain your personal Pennsylvania criminal-history record

1. Download Form SP 4-170. Open the Pennsylvania State Police background-check page and choose the Individual Access and Review form.
2. Complete the personal information. Provide the identifying details required by the form.
3. Prepare your supporting documents. Include a copy of an acceptable government-issued photo ID and any required representation documents.
4. Arrange the $20 payment. Follow the accepted certified check or money-order instructions, payable to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
5. Mail the completed request. Use the State Police Central Repository mailing address published below.
6. Review the returned history. Compare arrest dates, charges, cases and final dispositions. Follow the official correction or expungement procedure if necessary.

Pennsylvania Criminal Records by County: Philadelphia, Allegheny, Bucks and Other Courts

The Unified Judicial System provides statewide public docket searching, but the original case files are maintained through the courts and county records custodians.

For certified copies, older files or record corrections, identify the actual county where the case was filed.

Philadelphia criminal court records

Philadelphia criminal cases can appear under Philadelphia Municipal Court and the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas.

The city’s Office of Judicial Records – Criminal handles qualifying criminal case records for the First Judicial District.

For a felony that began in Philadelphia Municipal Court, search both the MC and CP criminal dockets where applicable. The first docket may document preliminary proceedings, while the Common Pleas record identifies the later prosecution and outcome.

Allegheny County criminal records

For criminal cases in Pittsburgh and other Allegheny County communities, start with the statewide UJS criminal docket search and select Allegheny County.

Bucks County criminal records

For criminal cases in Doylestown, Bensalem, Bristol and other Bucks County communities, use the UJS search with Bucks County selected.

How to find the other 64 county Clerks of Courts

The Pennsylvania judiciary maintains the official contact directory for Clerks of Courts throughout the Commonwealth.

The directory includes counties such as Montgomery, Chester, Delaware, Lancaster, Berks, York, Dauphin, Lehigh, Luzerne, Erie and all other Pennsylvania counties.

How to Obtain Certified Pennsylvania Criminal Court Records

A UJS docket sheet is useful for identifying the criminal case, but official purposes may require a certified disposition, judgment, sentencing order or other court-issued document.

How to request a certified criminal disposition

1. Find the court docket. Search UJS using the participant name or docket number.
2. Identify the county and court. Determine whether the case is in the Court of Common Pleas, a Magisterial District Court or Philadelphia Municipal Court.
3. Record the complete docket number. Copy it exactly, including the court prefix and filing year.
4. Determine the correct document. For a conviction, you may need the signed judgment of sentence. For a dismissed prosecution, you may need the official dismissal order.
5. Contact the court custodian. Use the county Clerk of Courts for Common Pleas criminal matters or the specific Magisterial District Court office for its paper records.
6. Request certification if required. Ask whether the document can be provided as a certified paper copy or through an approved electronic procedure.
7. Confirm fees and delivery. Copying, certification, searches and mailing charges can vary by court or county. Obtain the current amount before submitting payment.

Can you get criminal case documents online through UJS?

Public UJS docket sheets are accessible online, but the public case search does not provide unrestricted access to every underlying filed document.

Specialized electronic filing or secure court services may have additional documents for authorized users. Those systems should not be confused with ordinary public docket access.

If you need a signed order, conviction judgment, indictment or case exhibit, request it through the correct court office.

Pennsylvania State Prison, Parole and County Jail Records

The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections maintains the official Inmate and Parolee Locator for qualifying state-sentenced incarcerated individuals and people under department supervision.

How to find a Pennsylvania state inmate

1. Open the Department of Corrections inmate locator.
2. Choose the appropriate inmate or department-supervised individual search.
3. Enter the last name or inmate number.
4. Use the first name when necessary to narrow common surnames.
5. Review available institution, committing county and supervision details.
6. Contact the correctional agency if an exact custody status must be confirmed.

The Department of Corrections states that its information is updated daily. However, it does not cover every county jail inmate or people held under another state’s or the federal prison system’s authority.

What if the person is in a county jail?

Pennsylvania county prisons and local jails are separate from the state correctional system.

For someone recently arrested in Philadelphia, Allegheny, Bucks, Montgomery or another county, contact the county prison or sheriff’s office using its official website.

A missing Department of Corrections result does not prove that the person is not in local custody.

Pennsylvania State Police Megan’s Law Sex Offender Registry

The Pennsylvania State Police operates the official public Megan’s Law website for qualifying registrants under Pennsylvania law.

The registry provides public information intended for community safety. It is not a statewide list of every person convicted of a sex offense or every person with criminal history.

How to use the registry

1. Open the Pennsylvania State Police Megan’s Law website.
2. Read the warning and accept the public-access conditions.
3. Select the available offender-name or geographic search option.
4. Enter the known name, county or ZIP code information.
5. Review publicly available results and compare identifiers carefully.
6. Use the State Police contact procedure to report potentially incorrect registry information.

The registry warns that information may be outdated or inaccurate and that fingerprint comparison is the reliable method of positive identification.

Using registry information to threaten, intimidate or harass a registrant is prohibited.

Pennsylvania Clean Slate, Record Sealing and Criminal Expungement

Pennsylvania allows qualifying criminal records to become unavailable to ordinary public searches through expungement or limited-access record sealing.

These remedies are different. Expungement can remove qualifying criminal-history information, while limited-access treatment generally restricts disclosure while preserving access for certain authorized purposes.

What changed under Pennsylvania Clean Slate?

Pennsylvania’s Clean Slate laws were expanded by Act 36 of 2023, which took effect in 2024.

The expansion includes additional automatic limited-access relief for qualifying criminal convictions, including certain nonviolent drug felonies after ten years without another conviction and subject to the statute’s other conditions.

The law also reduced the qualifying period for certain summary convictions from ten years to five years and expanded relief for other eligible records.

How to begin a Pennsylvania expungement request

1. Obtain your criminal-history information. Use State Police Form SP 4-170 Access and Review when appropriate.
2. Identify the exact arrest and court case. Check UJS for the docket number, court, charges and disposition.
3. Review legal eligibility. Determine whether the record qualifies for expungement, limited access or automatic Clean Slate treatment.
4. Contact the county Clerk of Courts. Ask for the correct filing instructions and any required county-specific forms.
5. Prepare and file the petition where required. Include certified records and other supporting documents required by the court.
6. Complete court procedures. Follow notice, fee and hearing requirements if applicable.
7. Retain the signed order. Confirm that the Pennsylvania State Police and relevant court-record custodians have received or processed the required order.

Expungement rules depend on the specific offense, age at the time of the charge, final disposition, criminal history and other requirements. For complicated cases, consider Pennsylvania legal aid or an attorney familiar with record clearing.

Why Can’t I Find a Pennsylvania Criminal Record Online?

An unsuccessful UJS or PATCH search does not always mean a person has no criminal history. The systems have different search scopes, reporting rules and confidentiality restrictions.

How to correct an inaccurate Pennsylvania court docket

The UJS Portal states that a party to a case or that party’s attorney can submit the appropriate docket data-correction request to the court where the case was filed.

Review the official UJS Electronic Case Record Public Access Policy and contact the court’s filing office for the correction procedure.

If the problem concerns State Police criminal-history information rather than the court docket, follow the Pennsylvania State Police records review and correction process.

Federal Criminal Records in Pennsylvania

Federal criminal prosecutions are separate from Pennsylvania’s state court system.

Pennsylvania has three federal judicial districts:

• Eastern District of Pennsylvania: Includes Philadelphia and surrounding counties.
• Middle District of Pennsylvania: Includes Harrisburg, Scranton, Williamsport and other central and northeastern areas.
• Western District of Pennsylvania: Includes Pittsburgh and other western counties.

To search federal criminal dockets, use the federal judiciary’s PACER system. If you do not know the federal district, the PACER Case Locator can help identify the court.

PACER registration is available without a charge, but searching, viewing or downloading qualifying case information may incur usage fees, subject to its current policies.

Official Pennsylvania Criminal Records Resources

These official Pennsylvania judiciary, State Police, corrections and government resources support the search procedures and access rules discussed in this guide.

• Pennsylvania UJS – Criminal Court Docket Sheets and Case Information
• Pennsylvania Judiciary Web Portal
• UJS – Official Public Case Search Help
• UJS – Why a Criminal Case May Be Missing
• Pennsylvania Judiciary – Public Court Case Information
• Pennsylvania County Clerks of Courts Directory
• Pennsylvania Judicial District and County Directory
• Pennsylvania State Police – Official PATCH Search
• Pennsylvania State Police – Background-Check Fees and Forms
• Pennsylvania State Police – PATCH Search and Results Guide
• Pennsylvania State Police – Criminal Record Expungement Process
• Philadelphia Office of Judicial Records – Criminal Case Records Request
• Pennsylvania Department of Corrections – Inmate and Parolee Locator
• Pennsylvania State Police – Megan’s Law Sex Offender Registry
• Pennsylvania Criminal History Record Information Act – Title 18, Chapter 91
• PACER – Federal Criminal Court Records