Montana Criminal Records

Know what Montana’s public history covers

Montana DOJ’s public criminal history is a repository response, not a copy of every local police or court file. Public release can include felony and misdemeanor arrest and prosecutor/court information, subject to privacy rules. Deferred cases later dismissed are not publicly released. CHOPRS excludes federal and tribal offenses, out-of-state records, active warrants and protection orders; do not describe a clear response as a nationwide clearance.

Decide first whether you need a public name search, a fingerprint-supported identity check, or a specific court order. An employer or licensing agency may require its own process. Ask the recipient to identify the acceptable product before paying, particularly if it requires fingerprints or a national FBI check. A local court search and a Montana repository check answer different questions.

Run the public name search with complete identifiers

At CHOPRS choose the public-user search; a registered account is not required. Each search costs $20, paid by credit card or eCheck. Enter the complete name and date of birth, plus your own name as requester. Up to four aliases are included without extra charge. A Social Security number is optional for this online route. Verify spelling and dates before submitting: an incorrect search still incurs the fee.

Name matches can attach someone else’s record or miss an entry filed under different identifiers. If CHOPRS returns “No Unique Candidate,” its instructions call for fingerprints to resolve identity. “Search Pending” means manual review is needed, which may take up to three business days; it does not itself mean a criminal record was found.

Save the response and order notarization when needed

Keep the receipt and confirmation PIN. Previous-search access uses that PIN with the searched name and birth date. CHOPRS instructs users to print the report within 14 days after first viewing it; its instructions also describe a 14-day record-link window. Save the completed result promptly instead of relying on permanent portal access.

A notarized copy is available without another notarization charge after the search is complete. When the status is ready, open the record and choose the notarized-copy request. CHOPRS says it mails that copy within two weeks. Tell the receiving organization which search was performed and when; notarization does not expand the geographic or public-release scope of the record.

Compare mail and fingerprint requests

For a mailed name search, the DOJ background-check page lists the subject’s Social Security number among the information to include, while the CHOPRS FAQ says to supply it if available. If you cannot provide it, ask CRISS at 406-444-3625 which identifiers it will accept before sending payment. The online route expressly treats the number as optional.

Mail to Montana Criminal Records, P.O. Box 201403, Helena, MT 59620-1403. Fingerprint cards need the applicant’s and fingerprint-taker’s signatures, identifiers, contact information and the result recipient’s name/address; the published reason-box wording is “State Only / WIN background check.” DOJ labels this route state-only/non-federal, while its CHOPRS FAQ describes WIN coverage in Montana, Alaska, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. Confirm the requested product with CRISS rather than assuming either Montana-only coverage or a national FBI report.

Get the underlying document from its own office

Police reports, transcripts, warrant information and probation/parole records must be requested from the appropriate local agency or court. The state check does not provide credit or immigration-status information. When an entry lacks a final outcome, retain the arrest date and agency or case reference, then ask the court for the specific disposition and whether the recipient requires a certified copy. A repository entry is not the judgment itself.

Challenge an error or address a non-conviction

For an inaccurate Montana history, contact Criminal Records at 406-444-3625 with the current response and supporting agency or court paperwork. Factual correction, non-conviction removal and sealing are separate processes. DOJ tells applicants to obtain a current public check before pursuing removal or sealing, so the request concerns what is actually being released.

The removal page says eligible non-conviction arrest data is automatically removed under the post-July-2017 process, but also provides a request route for remaining entries. CRISS needs court documentation of the outcome; if it cannot obtain that documentation, you may need to secure it from the court. The agency describes a response letter and a process that can take up to 30 days. For an undismissed deferred sentence, its sealing instructions direct you to the court first.