What is a background check?
A background check is an investigation into an individual’s criminal record, employment history, driving record, education, finances, or other aspects of their personal history.
Background checks are often performed by an organization or company in order to screen a subject before a significant financial or legal agreement. However, individuals regularly perform background checks on themselves to make sure that the public information on them matches their personal records.
For more general information on background checks, consult our Background Checks FAQS page.
How do I run a criminal background check in New Hampshire?
New Hampshire does not have a convenient online search tool available to the general public for finding arrest records and other criminal history record information.
In order to view your criminal history record information, you have two options:
1. Request a record in person at the New Hampshire Criminal Records Unit public counter. Complete Section I of the Criminal Record Release Authorization Form and visit the address below between Monday through Friday, 8:15 AM – 4:15 AM. There is a $25 search fee.
33 Hazen Drive
Concord, New Hampshire 03305
Room 106A
2. Submit a Criminal Record Release Authorization Form to the Criminal Records Unit through the mail.
-
- Complete Section II of the Authorization Form.
- Have the form signed and sealed by a public notary.
- Prepare a check or money order for $25 payable to “State of NH – Criminal Records”
- Mail the form and payment to:
Criminal Records Unit
33 Hazen Drive
Concord, New Hampshire 03305
What can I do if my New Hampshire criminal history record has incomplete or inaccurate information?
The New Hampshire Criminal Records Unit outlines a process on the Criminal History Record Information Release Authorization Form that an individual may take for challenging incorrect or incomplete information on an arrest record or other criminal history record document.
The process is as follows:
- Highlight the portion of the document that contains the error.
- Write a note explaining the error and giving a correct account of events.
- Submit the note and the criminal record document to the Criminal Records Unit (address listed above).
- The CRU will conduct a review within 30 days of receiving the challenge and will contact the law enforcement agency or court responsible for the alleged error to determine if the challenge is valid and if action should be taken.
If you have any questions, you can call the Central Repository for Criminal Records at (603) 223-3867.
How do I search for New Hampshire court records online?
Court records from New Hampshire trial courts are available online through the New Hampshire Judicial Branch Case Access Portal. To use the service, you must register an account, however, searching court records is free.
Currently, the following types of court records are available:
- civil cases
- small claims cases
- name change cases
- estate cases
- Superior Court civil cases
- Superior Court criminal cases
Click here to register and perform a search using Case Access. If you have any questions about the Case Access Portal, call 1-855-212-1234.
Where can I find New Hampshire driving records online?
Unfortunately, New Hampshire driving records are not available online.
Instead, Individuals can request their own driving record or the driving record of another person by mail or in person at a New Hampshire DMV office. A request for the driving record of another person can only be processed at the Concord DMV office.
How to request a New Hampshire driving record in person
- Complete and sign a New Hampshire MV Record Release Form.
- Visit a New Hampshire DMV office, present the completed form and pay a $15 fee. If you are requesting the driving record of another person, you must visit the Concord DMV office.
How to request a New Hampshire driving record through the mail
- Complete and sign a New Hampshire MV Record Release Form.
- Prepare a check for $15 per record payable to “State of NH – DMV”
- Mail the form and payment to:
NH Dept. of Safety
DMV – FR Records
23 Hazen Drive
Concord NH 03305
How do I look up new Hampshire vital records such as birth certificates and marriage licenses?
Vital records are records of important life events such as births, deaths, marriages, and divorces that are kept by government agencies and accessible upon request.
Vital records are not public records that can be viewed by anyone, but the subject(s) of the record and authorized family members can view them in-person or order copies through a number of means. Additionally, one or more vital records may be required to complete a background check.
The New Hampshire Vital Records Administration enlists the services of the third-party vendor Vital Chek to enable individuals to order copies of vital records online. The government-endorsed service offers vital records from 50 U.S. states and territories.
Available vital records include:
- birth certificates
- death certificates
- marriage records
- divorce records
Click here to place an order with Vital Chek.
For more information, contact the New Hampshire Vital Records Administration at 603-271-4650.
How do I search for a person’s sex offender status in New Hampshire?
Those convicted of sex-related crimes or certain crimes against children in New Hampshire are required by law to register as sex offenders. Additionally, offenders in the registry are required to notify law enforcement as soon as possible in the case of a physical address change or email address change, or they will be labeled “non-compliant”.
The New Hampshire State Police makes the New Hampshire Sex Offender Registry available online to the general public in the interest of public safety. Users may search by name, city, area, or email address/internet name. However, certain low-risk offenders may not be viewable in the online database.
Click here to perform a search of the New Hampshire Sex Offender Registry. It’s important to stay informed about potential threats in your neighborhood in order to take the necessary precautions.
How do I perform a credit history background check in New Hampshire?
Performing a credit check in New Hampshire follows the same process as in other states. A federal law known as the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) grants every American one free annual credit report each from the three main U.S. credit bureaus:
In order to obtain your free credit report from one of these three bureaus, you must provide the following information:
- Full name
- Address
- Date of birth
- Social security number
