{"id":286689,"date":"2016-07-27T16:33:39","date_gmt":"2016-07-27T21:33:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/dui\/cases\/how-to-get-your-dui-arrest-records.html"},"modified":"2026-04-20T15:53:53","modified_gmt":"2026-04-20T20:53:53","slug":"how-to-get-your-dui-arrest-records","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/dui\/cases\/how-to-get-your-dui-arrest-records.html","title":{"rendered":"How To Get Your DUI Arrest Records"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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How To Get Your DUI Arrest Records<\/h1>\n\n
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\n By FindLaw Staff<\/a> | Legally reviewed by Melissa Bender, Esq.<\/a>\n | Last updated\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

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If you were arrested for drunk driving, knowing what\u2019s in your public criminal record<\/span> can be helpful. Your arrest record and police reports<\/span> can affect housing and employment background checks<\/span>. In some states, expungement<\/span> can remove a DUI arrest from public information<\/span>.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n

Suppose you’ve been arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI). Your interactions with the criminal justice system may be a matter of public record.<\/p>\n

This article provides information on how to obtain your DUI arrest records, including state-specific examples. There’s also an explanation as to why you might need to access these records.<\/p>\n

Get legal advice<\/span> for your criminal defense<\/span> case after a DUI arrest. A DUI defense<\/span> lawyer<\/a> can give you clear answers to your questions about the legal process.<\/p>\n

Reasons To Request Your Arrest Record<\/h2>\n

The hard truth is that one simple\u00a0DUI arrest<\/a>\u00a0can haunt you in several ways. This is true even if the DUI charges were dropped or never filed in the first place. Even a clerical error, left unchecked, can cause headaches.<\/p>\n

It may sound unfair, but your police record can significantly influence your future plans. Your DUI arrest record<\/span> may be all a potential employer needs to see to eliminate you from consideration for a job. It likely won\u2019t matter that charges were never filed or that it\u2019s your first DUI.<\/p>\n

This could also come up if the job for which you\u2019re applying requires you to hold a\u00a0commercial driver\u2019s license<\/a>\u00a0(CDL). An employer may require a clean driving record. They may rule out a DUI offender right away.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s important to know what arrest records are out there. That information can help determine your eligibility for\u00a0DUI expungement<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n

Arrest Records, Court Records, and Rap Sheets<\/h2>\n

Before you begin looking for your records, it\u2019s essential to understand the differences among police records, court records<\/span>, and rap sheets<\/span>. Each of these tracks your criminal background and criminal offenses in a different way.<\/p>\n

Your court records<\/span> include actual convictions and related court proceedings.<\/p>\n

Your police records include all recorded interactions with the police. That includes arrests that don\u2019t result in charges or a conviction, stretching back up to seven years. Police records show convictions for misdemeanor<\/span> or felony offenses<\/a>, including prior DUI offenses.<\/p>\n

Your record of arrests and prosecutions \u2014 often called a “rap sheet<\/span>” for short \u2014 contains any contact you\u2019ve had with the criminal justice<\/span> system. A rap sheet<\/span> is maintained by the\u00a0Federal Bureau of Investigation\u00a0(FBI).<\/p>\n

What Criminal Records<\/span> of a DUI Can Other People Find?<\/h2>\n

The limits of what records a third party, such as an employer, may\u00a0access and use for decision-making<\/a>\u00a0are subject to federal and state law. Limits sometimes vary by county. Enforcement of these laws can be difficult, though. However, third-party access to your rap sheet is limited to certain state and federal agencies for background checks and security clearances.<\/p>\n

Arrest records of juveniles<\/a> aren’t generally available to the public. This privacy doesn’t extend to adult drivers under 21 who are arrested for underage drunk driving<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Also, police records considered too sensitive for release may be barred from public view. For instance, if the release of records would endanger someone’s life or interfere with an investigation, the release would be prohibited.<\/p>\n

How To Access Your DUI Arrest Records<\/h2>\n

The process for accessing your police records will vary by state and jurisdiction. Some police departments require you to contact them directly for arrest records. Others make them available online. To\u00a0obtain a copy of your rap sheet<\/a>, you must submit a signed application and a set of fingerprints to the FBI, along with a processing fee.<\/p>\n

Several privately operated sites aggregate publicly available police and court records, sometimes for a fee. If you aren’t sure where to look, the\u00a0Freedom of Information Act<\/a>\u00a0(FOIA) website is a good starting place.<\/p>\n

Keep in mind that a DUI is a traffic violation<\/a> in addition to being a criminal offense. Therefore, a DUI is likely to show up on your department of motor vehicles (DMV) records.<\/p>\n

Below is a non-exhaustive sampling of state-specific resources:<\/p>\n