Updated April 2026 Resources
2026 Independent Expert Review

Criminal & Traffic Records Search —
Only 4 Sites That Actually Deliver

We tested 10+ background check services specifically on criminal & traffic record depth. These are the only 4 that returned complete, reliable results. All searches are 100% confidential.

14+ hours of hands-on testing
10+ services evaluated
100% confidential searches
Updated April 2026
Search Criminal & Traffic Records — Powered by Instant Checkmate, our #1 Pick
All searches are 100% private — the person you search will never be notified.  🔒 Confirmed secure by Google Trust Services.
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What's in a Criminal & Traffic Records Report

More Detail Than Most People Expect

A comprehensive background check report from our top picks covers far more than a basic criminal history check. Here's what you can expect to find.

Criminal Records

Felony and misdemeanor convictions, arrests, charges, court case details, sentencing information, and case dispositions sourced from county, state, and federal court records.

Traffic Records

Moving violations, speeding tickets, DUI and DWI records, license suspensions, and other traffic-related court filings. These are public records available in most jurisdictions.

Address History

Current and past addresses going back years, including locations where records were filed. Useful for verifying someone's history and cross-referencing criminal records against known locations.

Court Records

Civil court judgments, liens, bankruptcies, and other court filings that are part of the public record. Our #1 pick includes civil judgments and tax liens in the base report at no extra charge.

Important: Not for Employment or Tenant Screening

The services on this page are not FCRA-compliant consumer reporting agencies. Their reports cannot legally be used for employment screening, tenant screening, credit decisions, or insurance eligibility. For those purposes, use a compliant provider such as Checkr or GoodHire. These services are for personal, non-FCRA use only.

Common Questions

Criminal & Traffic Records — What You Need to Know

Yes. Every search is completely private. The person you search is never notified by email, text, or any other means. You can search anyone without them ever finding out. This applies to both criminal record searches and general background checks.
Criminal and traffic records are collected from county, state, and federal court systems throughout the US. Much of this data is legally public. Background check services aggregate records from thousands of jurisdictions into a single searchable report. The completeness of a report depends on which jurisdictions the person has lived in and how those jurisdictions share public records.
Yes, in many cases. Arrest records are often public records even if charges were dropped or the person was not convicted. The report will typically include the arrest date, the charge, and the disposition (outcome) of the case, which may show as dismissed, acquitted, or pending.
No. The services we review are not FCRA-compliant. Using them for hiring, tenant screening, credit decisions, or insurance eligibility decisions is prohibited by their terms of service and by federal law. For those purposes, use an FCRA-compliant provider such as Checkr or GoodHire.
Instant Checkmate returned the most complete criminal & traffic record data in our testing, including court case details, disposition information, and civil records — all included at no extra charge. TruthFinder was a close second, with excellent depth on court records and the added benefit of free report monitoring.
Our Top 4 Picks for 2026

Best Sites for Criminal & Traffic Records Search

We tested 10+ services. These 4 returned the most complete criminal & traffic record data. All 100% private.

Service
Score
Best For & Summary
Key Features
Get Started
9.8
113,872 customer reviews
A+ BBB Rating
⚡ Best for Criminal Records — Most Comprehensive

The deepest criminal & traffic record coverage we tested. Returns court records, arrest history, traffic violations, civil judgments, and tax liens — all in one report with no extra charges for premium data. Unlimited searches included.

113,872 five-star customer ratings • A+ BBB rated.
  • Criminal & traffic records
  • Civil judgments & tax liens
  • Unlimited monthly searches
  • A+ BBB rated
  • 100% confidential
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9.5
60,000+ customer reviews

Excellent court record depth, particularly for surfacing records from multiple jurisdictions that other services miss. Free report monitoring means you'll be notified if new records appear. Includes a detailed timeline of court events.

60,000+ five-star customer reviews.
  • Deep court records search
  • Report monitoring included
  • Multi-jurisdiction coverage
  • Criminal & traffic records
  • 100% confidential
Visit Site →
8.7
Established & trusted

Over 20 years in business with solid criminal record coverage. Particularly strong for address history and reverse phone, which can help you cross-reference criminal records against locations and contact information.

20+ years established. Deep reverse phone lookup database.
  • Criminal & traffic records
  • Address history
  • 20+ years established
  • Reverse phone lookup
  • 100% confidential
Visit Site →
8.6
Fast & reliable

The fastest criminal record results we tested — no waiting screens. In business since 1993 with solid core criminal and traffic data. A reliable option when you want results quickly and without the full detail of our top two picks.

In business since 1993. As seen on CBS, CNN & WSJ.
  • Fastest search speed tested
  • Criminal & traffic records
  • Reverse phone lookup
  • Address & email search
  • 100% confidential
Visit Site →

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Our #1 pick returned the most complete criminal record data we tested. Searches are 100% private — results in minutes.

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