Salt Lake County Criminal History
Salt Lake County is home to over 1.1 million people, making it the most populous county in Utah. Criminal history records here are spread across several agencies, including the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office, the Third District Court, Salt Lake City Police, and Unified Police. The Utah Bureau of Criminal Identification maintains the statewide database that covers all Salt Lake County arrests and convictions. This guide covers each source and how to request records from each one.
Salt Lake County Quick Facts
Salt Lake County Sheriff Prisoner Search
The Salt Lake County Sheriff's Corrections Bureau operates two jail facilities: the Metro Jail and Oxbow Jail. Both are located in the Salt Lake area. The Sheriff's Office provides an online Inmate Lookup Tool that lets anyone search by first and last name, booking number, permanent number, or state ID. Daily booking information from Salt Lake County jail facilities is available through the Jail Dockets and Rosters, which cover the past 60 days of bookings.
The Salt Lake County Sheriff prisoner information page links to the statewide warrant search through the Utah Department of Public Safety. Records requests can be submitted through the Salt Lake County GRAMA portal online. The Sheriff's Records Department is at 3365 S. 900 W., Salt Lake City, Utah 84119, and the phone number is 385-468-8870. Working hours are 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday.
For Salt Lake County jail or incident report requests, contact the Sheriff Records department at 385-468-8870. GRAMA requests for arrest records should include the subject name, dates, case numbers if known, type of record, and your mailing address. Fees apply if the search takes more than 30 minutes, at a rate of $25 per hour after the first 30 minutes of staff time.
Note: The Statewide Warrant Search is accessible from the Sheriff's page and covers active warrants from all Utah counties, not just Salt Lake County.
Third District Court Criminal Case Records
The Third District Court handles felony and serious misdemeanor criminal cases for Salt Lake County. It is located at 450 South State Street, Salt Lake City, UT 84114, phone (801) 238-7300. This court is one of the busiest in Utah given the county's population size.
Felony and civil court records are available from the Third District Court at (801) 238-7300. Misdemeanor records are kept only 10 years after the case closes, after which they are purged. For misdemeanor inquiries, contact the Salt Lake County Justice Court at 385-468-8200. Both the free MyCase portal and the subscription-based XChange system provide online access to Salt Lake County criminal case records. MyCase is free and covers basic case status and charge information. XChange costs $30 per month plus $0.15 to $0.35 per search, and provides more detailed document access.
In-person access at the Third District Court is available Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. Bring the case number or the full name of the party. Staff can search by name or case number and provide copies at the current fee schedule. Certified copies cost more than plain copies. Under Utah Code § 53-10-108, criminal offender record information is presumptively public with certain limited exceptions for ongoing investigations or juvenile proceedings.
Salt Lake County Archives Historical Records
The Salt Lake County Archives holds civil and criminal court case files covering the period from 1852 through 1887. These are among the oldest criminal records available in Utah and are maintained by Salt Lake County rather than the state court system. Researchers looking into 19th-century cases or historical background checks will find these records valuable.
For records beyond that period, the Utah State Archives at 346 S Rio Grande St, Salt Lake City, UT 84101 maintains older arrest records for Salt Lake City through several specific record series. Series 4611 covers 1871 to 1894, Series 4612 covers 1892 to 1904, and Series 4658 covers 1891 to 1897. Contact the archives in advance to confirm what is available and to arrange access. The Salt Lake County Archives FAQ page also answers common questions about where to find specific record types.
For questions about obtaining Utah criminal records or information on expungement, the Bureau of Criminal Identification can be reached at (801) 965-4445. That line covers records from the statewide BCI database, not just the historical archive.
Note: For a comprehensive answer about where a specific historical Salt Lake County criminal record is held, the Archives FAQ is the best starting point before contacting multiple agencies.
Salt Lake City Police Department GRAMA Records
Salt Lake City has its own municipal police department separate from the county sheriff. The Salt Lake City Police Department GRAMA records portal is the place to submit requests for SLCPD incident reports, arrest records, and related documents.
The SLCPD Records Unit is available by phone at (801) 799-3101, Monday through Friday from 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM. This office handles requests for police reports involving incidents in Salt Lake City. Live Scan fingerprinting for background checks is available through the department as well. Submit your request online through the GRAMA portal or visit the department in person during office hours.
Salt Lake City Police records cover incidents within city limits only. For incidents that occurred in unincorporated Salt Lake County or in other incorporated cities, the Salt Lake County Sheriff or the respective city police department holds those records.
Unified Police Department Records
The Unified Police Department of Greater Salt Lake serves multiple cities and communities in Salt Lake County that contract for law enforcement services. Their Records Unit is at 5190 Heath Ave, Kearns, UT 84118, phone (385) 468-9755. The fee for obtaining a police report from Unified Police is $10 per report.
Unified Police handles records for Kearns, Millcreek, Holladay, Magna, and several other Salt Lake County areas. Traffic tickets handled by Unified Police are separate from the county sheriff's records. Confirm which agency has jurisdiction over the location of the incident before submitting a records request. Submitting to the wrong agency causes delays and does not start the 10-day GRAMA response clock.
Records from Unified Police are governed by GRAMA under Utah Code § 63G-2-201. Most incident reports and arrest records are presumptively public. Certain portions involving ongoing investigations or victim privacy may be withheld with a written explanation.
Utah BCI Criminal History Records Search
The Utah Bureau of Criminal Identification is the statewide repository for criminal history records, including all Salt Lake County arrests and convictions. BCI is the most comprehensive source for a full Utah background check. The BCI office is at 4315 South 2700 West Suite 1300, Taylorsville, UT 84129. The mailing address for record requests is 3888 West 5400 South, Taylorsville, UT 84129. The main phone line is (801) 965-4445.
Individuals can request their own criminal history in person at BCI. Bring a valid government-issued photo ID. Utah Driving Privilege Cards are not accepted. The fee for a name and date of birth search is $20. Fingerprint-based searches are also $20. For mail-in requests, download the application from bci.utah.gov, complete all fields, and mail it with the fee. Third-party requests require a signed Third-Party Release Form. BCI reports are never sent by fax or email for security reasons.
Under Utah Code § 53-10-108, the release of criminal offender record information is governed by the Criminal Identification Act. BCI coordinates with county agencies to maintain accurate records and with the FBI for interstate reporting. For Salt Lake County, BCI records are the most thorough because the county has a high volume of case filings and the data is updated regularly by local agencies.
Note: Juvenile offender records are not maintained by BCI. Contact the Juvenile Court directly for Salt Lake County juvenile case information.
Salt Lake County Expungement Resources
Salt Lake County has dedicated expungement resources through the county government. The Salt Lake County Expungement Tool Kit from the Office for Homelessness and Criminal Justice Reform walks through the process step by step.
When BCI receives a certified copy of an expungement order, it removes the record from the Utah Criminal History database and notifies the FBI to expunge their records as well. BCI sends a confirmation letter to the individual documenting removal from state and federal databases. That confirmation letter is more important than the court order itself for verifying the record was sealed. If you do not receive the confirmation within 90 days of the court order, contact BCI directly with a certified copy of the order.
Expunged records allow individuals to lawfully state that the criminal incident never occurred on most applications. However, government entities can still view sealed records for limited purposes, including sentencing in future felony cases and concealed firearm permit determinations. Utah's Clean Slate law took effect in February 2022 and allows automatic expungement of qualifying lower-level offenses. For cases requiring a petition, the filing fee with the Third District Court is $135, and the BCI Certificate of Eligibility costs $65. The Utah Courts expungement guide details all eligibility requirements and steps.
Corrections and State-Level Offender Data
Individuals convicted of felonies in Salt Lake County and sentenced to state prison are in the custody of the Utah Department of Corrections. The DOC offender search is free and covers both current and past state inmates by name. This tool is separate from the county jail inmate lookup maintained by the Sheriff's Office.
Active warrants from Salt Lake County can be verified at no cost through the Utah statewide warrants database. This database is maintained by the Utah Department of Public Safety and covers all active warrants filed with the court. For bench warrants issued in ongoing Salt Lake County cases, you can also check the Third District Court case docket through MyCase.
Cities in Salt Lake County
Salt Lake County includes many large cities and communities. Criminal history records for incidents in each city may be held by the Salt Lake County Sheriff, the local city police, or Unified Police depending on jurisdiction. The Third District Court in Salt Lake City handles criminal cases from across the county.
Nearby Counties
Salt Lake County borders four Utah counties. If a criminal case involves a neighboring area, records may be held by those county agencies or courts instead.