Search St. Charles Criminal History Records
St. Charles criminal history records are held by multiple offices in the city and across St. Charles County. The St. Charles Police Department keeps local arrest and incident data, while the 11th Judicial Circuit Court maintains all state-level criminal case files. Whether you want a free search on CaseNet or a full criminal history check through the state MACHS system, this page covers each step in the process. St. Charles sits along the Missouri River just west of St. Louis, and its criminal history records go through the same county courts as other cities in St. Charles County.
St. Charles Quick Facts
Which County Handles St. Charles Criminal Cases
St. Charles is the county seat of St. Charles County. All criminal cases from the city go through the 11th Judicial Circuit Court. The circuit court clerk's office is at 300 North Second Street, Suite 217, St. Charles, MO 63301. You can call them at 636-949-3080.
The court is open on weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Copy fees for court records run $0.25 per page. Certified copies cost $1.50 per document on top of the page fee. If you need a full criminal history check that goes past court files, the court will send you to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. The circuit court does not do statewide background checks on its own.
St. Charles County also has a sheriff's office that keeps criminal records. The Sheriff's Records Division is at 101 Sheriff Dierker Court in O'Fallon, MO 63366. They charge $5 per copy for criminal record checks. You must bring a valid ID such as a driver's license, state ID, or military ID. For records on someone else, you need a notarized statement.
St. Charles Police Department Criminal History Records
The St. Charles Police Department is at 1781 Zumbehl Road, St. Charles, MO 63301. The main phone line is 636-949-3300. The Records Division handles all requests for police reports and incident data.
The department uses an online system called JustFOIA for records requests. You can submit your request through this portal and track it. This is the fastest way to get police reports from St. Charles. Walk-in requests are also taken at the station.
St. Charles police also run a GIS crime mapping portal. This tool lets you see crime data on a map. It shows where crimes took place and what type of incident was reported. This is a good way to look at crime trends in the city without pulling individual criminal history records.
Under Missouri Revised Statute Section 610.100, police investigative reports stay closed while a case is still active. Once the case becomes inactive, the report can be released. If your request is denied, you should get a written reason that cites the specific law. The Missouri Sunshine Law gives you the right to appeal a denial through the courts.
St. Charles Municipal Court
The St. Charles Municipal Court handles city ordinance violations and some traffic cases. Phone: 636-949-3378. The court deals with local charges that do not rise to the level of state criminal cases.
Court records from the municipal court can be found through the Missouri CaseNet system. Online payment for fines and citations is available through nCourt. If you want copies of municipal court records, you need to file a request under the Missouri Sunshine Law. The city must respond within three business days.
Keep in mind that municipal court criminal history is separate from circuit court criminal history. A search on CaseNet may show both, but municipal cases and circuit court cases are filed by different offices. For a complete criminal history picture in St. Charles, check both the municipal court and the St. Charles County Circuit Court.
How to Search Criminal History in St. Charles
Start with Missouri CaseNet. It is free. You do not need an account. Search by name, case number, or filing date. Set the county filter to St. Charles County to find cases from the city. CaseNet shows charges, docket entries, parties, and case outcomes for most criminal cases filed in the circuit court.
If a case does not show up, it may be sealed. Only a party to a sealed case can view it, and they must go in person with a photo ID.
For a full criminal history search that covers all of Missouri, use the MACHS portal. The Missouri State Highway Patrol runs this system. Under Section 43.503 RSMo, all law enforcement in the state must send arrest and charge data to the Highway Patrol's central database. A name-based criminal history search costs $15. Fingerprint-based checks cost about $43 total, which covers both the state and FBI portions.
The St. Charles County Sheriff's Office also offers local criminal record checks for $5 per request. You can go to their office in O'Fallon with a valid ID. Results take up to three business days. Mail requests take 4 to 6 weeks to process.
- CaseNet search: free, no sign-up needed
- MACHS name search: $15 per request
- MACHS fingerprint search: about $43 total
- Sheriff local records check: $5 per copy
- Court copy fees: $0.25 per page
- Police report: submit through JustFOIA portal
Criminal Record Expungement in St. Charles
Missouri law lets you petition to have certain criminal records expunged. Under Section 610.140 RSMo, you file the petition in the circuit court in the county where the arrest took place. For St. Charles cases, that means filing at the St. Charles County Circuit Court.
Not all crimes qualify. Violent felonies and some other offenses are excluded. There is a waiting period that depends on the type of charge. Misdemeanors have a shorter wait than felonies. The court charges a filing fee. You may also need to notify the prosecuting attorney and the arresting law enforcement agency.
Once a criminal history record is expunged, it no longer shows up on CaseNet or in standard criminal history checks. The records get sealed. You can then say the arrest or charge did not happen. This is worth looking into if you have an old criminal record in St. Charles.
Records Access Under Missouri Sunshine Law
The Missouri Sunshine Law, Chapter 610 RSMo, gives the public a right to access government records. This covers criminal history records held by St. Charles police, the municipal court, and other city offices. When you file a request, the office must respond within three business days.
If your request is denied, you must get a written explanation that cites the specific statute. Closed records under the Sunshine Law include active investigation files, juvenile records, and sealed cases. Most criminal case records at the circuit court level are open to the public unless a judge has ordered them sealed. The St. Charles Police Department uses JustFOIA to handle these requests, which makes the process easier to track.
Nearby Cities
Other major cities near St. Charles also have criminal history records available through their courts and police departments.
St. Charles County Resources
For full details on criminal history records across the county, visit the St. Charles County criminal history page. It covers the Sheriff's Office, circuit court, and all records search options in St. Charles County.