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 Oklahoma?
The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation provides an online, fee-based service called the Criminal History Information Request Portal (CHIRP) that this general public can use to conduct name-based criminal history searches to find arrest records and other information on anyone with records in the database.
Here’s some important information about CHIRP:
- Users must create an account to use CHIRP. Creating an account is free, and users are only billed once they conduct a search.
- Each criminal history database search costs $15, which users can pay with a credit or debit card or through an online bank transfer. Those paying with a credit card must pay an additional $1 transaction fee.
- The three required search criteria are first name, last name, and date of birth. Putting in aliases and social security numbers is optional but may improve the search results.
- Users can also search the Oklahoma Sex Offender Registry and Mary Rippy Violent Offender Registry databases with CHIRP for an additional $2 per database.
What can I do if my Oklahoma criminal history record has incomplete or inaccurate information?
If your Oklahoma arrest record or other criminal history document contains incorrect or incomplete information, contact OSBI Headquarters at 405-848-6724 for instructions on how to challenge the information and have it corrected.
You can also send a message to the OSBI using this web portal.
How do I search for Oklahoma court records online?
Individuals can search for the public Oklahoma court records of dozens of participating courts in the state using the Oklahoma State Courts Network service.
The service is free-to-use, and users have the option of searching all Oklahoma courts, or choosing a specific court from the drop-down menu.
The Oklahoma State Courts Network includes the following search options:
- Case number search
- Party search
- Lower case number search
- Traffic citation number
If you have any questions or issues with OSCN, send an email to [email protected].
Where can I find Oklahoma driving records online?
Oklahoma driving records (referred to on the site as a motor vehicle report) can be purchased online through the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety.
Here’s some key info on the MVR that can be ordered online:
- The motor vehicle report includes three years of driving history for one individual.
- The fee for one MVR is $25 plus a $2.50 transaction fee.
- If you wish to purchase a certified copy, there is an additional $3 fee.
After you complete the transaction, you will be presented with a PDF version of the motor vehicle report that you can print, as well as an emailed link to a downloadable copy that expires 30 days after the transaction.
Click here to order an Oklahoma motor vehicle report (driving record).
How do I look up Oklahoma 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 Oklahoma Vital Records Office 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
Click here to place an order with Vital Chek.
For more information, contact the Oklahoma Vital Records Office at [email protected] or 405-271-4040.
How do I search for a person’s sex offender status in Oklahoma?
Those convicted of sex-related crimes or certain crimes against children in Oklahoma 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 Oklahoma Department of Corrections makes the Oklahoma Sex & Violent 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 Oklahoma Sex & Violent 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 Oklahoma
Performing a credit check in Oklahoma 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
