Box Elder County Public Background Check Records
Box Elder County stretches across the northwest corner of Utah, bordering both Idaho and Nevada, with Brigham City serving as its county seat and home to a population of roughly 60,000. A background check in Box Elder County involves records from the Box Elder County Sheriff's Office, the First District Court in Brigham City, the Utah Bureau of Criminal Identification, and, for incorporated cities, municipal police departments. This page explains how to access those records, what each source contains, and how to navigate Utah's open records process for Box Elder County.
Box Elder County Quick Facts
Box Elder County Sheriff Records Office
The Box Elder County Sheriff's Office is the primary law enforcement agency for unincorporated Box Elder County. The Sheriff maintains arrest records, booking data, warrant files, and jail records for cases handled by sheriff's deputies. The office is located at 52 South 1000 West, Brigham City, UT 84302. The main phone is (435) 734-3800, the fax is (435) 734-3867, and the jail can be reached at (435) 734-3838.
For arrest records held by the Sheriff, submit a GRAMA request at the office in person or by mail. Bring valid government-issued identification and include as much identifying information as possible: full name, date of birth, and any case or incident numbers you have. The office will respond within ten business days by providing the records, issuing a written denial, or notifying you of a processing delay. Standard state copy fees apply.
Brigham City police handles records for arrests made within Brigham City limits. If you are not sure whether the arrest occurred in an unincorporated area or inside city limits, check with both agencies. The GRAMA process is the same for both; the records are simply held in different offices.
The Utah Bureau of Criminal Identification is the statewide source for criminal history records and processes background check requests across all Utah counties including Box Elder.
BCI maintains the statewide fingerprint-based criminal history database used for official background checks throughout Utah.
How to Conduct a Box Elder County Background Check
Pulling a full background check for a Box Elder County resident means combining records from several sources. The Sheriff holds records for unincorporated county areas. Brigham City Police and other municipal departments hold records for arrests inside city limits. The First District Court holds case filings and dispositions for all criminal proceedings in the county. And BCI holds the statewide criminal history database, which draws from all Utah law enforcement agencies.
BCI is the most efficient single source for a Utah-wide criminal records check. The BCI Criminal Records Section accepts mail requests at 3888 West 5400 South, Salt Lake City, UT 84129. The Right of Access fee is $20.00 per request (effective July 1, 2025) when requesting your own record. BCI's main office is at 4315 South 2700 West, Suite 1300, Taylorsville, UT 84129, phone (801) 965-4445, open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Third-party access to another person's criminal history requires separate legal authorization under Utah Code Section 53-10-108.
Court records add another layer of detail. Court filings document the charges, hearings, plea entries, and final dispositions that follow an arrest. The MyCourtCase portal provides free basic searches by name or case number. The XChange subscription system provides full document access. Both tools cover Box Elder County cases filed in the First District Court.
The Utah Courts website provides access to MyCourtCase and XChange, the two primary online tools for searching criminal case records statewide.
Utah Courts operates both a free public case viewer and a subscription records system covering all district courts in the state including Box Elder County's First District.
Note: Neither the court case viewer nor the BCI database will show records that were sealed or expunged; those records are removed from public-facing searches after a court order takes effect.
Box Elder County Criminal History and Court Records
Criminal records in Box Elder County begin at the point of arrest. The arresting agency generates a report, assigns a case number, and forwards the case to the county or city prosecutor. If charges are filed, the case enters the First District Court system, which is located at 81 North Main Street, Suite 102, Brigham City, UT 84302, phone (435) 734-3329. The court maintains hours of Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Court records include the charging document, all hearings, motions, plea agreements, verdicts, and sentencing orders. For Box Elder County, these records are held at the Brigham City courthouse and are searchable online through MyCourtCase or XChange. An arrest that did not lead to charges will not have a court record; for those situations, the Sheriff's Office or the arresting municipal agency is the only source.
Inmate Search and Jail Booking Records
Box Elder County jail records can be searched through Vinelink, a national inmate locator operated by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Vinelink allows searches by offender ID or full name and covers inmates in many Utah county jails and state facilities. The Box Elder County jail is connected to the Sheriff's Office at the main address in Brigham City, and the jail phone is (435) 734-3838.
For people under state supervision after release, the Utah Department of Corrections Offender Search covers parolees and people on probation across Utah. The Sex Offender Registry maintained by Utah Courts and BCI provides a separate searchable database for registered offenders with last-known addresses and supervision status.
Box Elder County Warrant Checks
Active warrant checks in Box Elder County can be done through the BCI Statewide Warrants file, known as the SWW. This database consolidates warrants issued by courts and entered by law enforcement agencies across Utah. Checking the SWW provides the broadest coverage for active warrants in the state.
You can also check warrant status by calling the Box Elder County Sheriff's Office at (435) 734-3800 or by contacting the First District Court clerk at (435) 734-3329. In-person inquiries are accepted at both offices during normal business hours. Bring valid identification when asking about a specific individual's warrant status.
Bench warrants are issued by judges when someone fails to appear in court. Arrest warrants are issued based on probable cause presented by law enforcement. Both types are entered into the SWW and can be confirmed through the court clerk or the Sheriff. Some local bench warrants may take time to appear in the statewide file after issuance.
GRAMA Public Records Requests in Box Elder County
The Government Records Access and Management Act, codified at Utah Code Title 63G, Chapter 2, governs access to public records held by Box Elder County agencies. Under GRAMA, any person can request public records from any government body in Utah. The agency must respond within ten business days by providing the record, issuing a written denial with reasons, or notifying you that more time is needed.
To request records from the Box Elder County Sheriff's Office, contact the office at 52 South 1000 West, Brigham City, UT 84302, or call (435) 734-3800. For county government records, contact the Box Elder County Clerk's Office. Include the full name of the subject, date of birth, date of the incident or arrest, and any case number in your written request. Standard fees apply: $10.00 for the first ten pages and $0.25 for each additional page.
The Utah GRAMA Portal at openrecords.utah.gov accepts online submissions to some participating agencies. Box Elder County agencies may or may not participate; confirm before submitting through the online portal to make sure your request reaches the right office. If denied, the GRAMA statute outlines a formal appeal process through the agency head and then the Utah State Records Committee.
The Box Elder County Recorder's Office accepts and processes documents for recording and provides public access to land records and property records, which can be useful when cross-referencing identity information during a records search.
Expungement and Record Clearing in Box Elder County
Utah's expungement statute at Utah Code Title 77, Chapter 40a sets the waiting periods for clearing a criminal record. DUI convictions require ten years. Felony convictions require seven years. Class A misdemeanors require five years. Class B misdemeanors require four years. Class C misdemeanors and infractions require three years. These periods run from the date of conviction or final discharge from supervision.
The first step is applying for a Certificate of Eligibility through BCI's expungement unit. The certificate costs $65.00 per offense and takes four to six months to process. Once you receive it, you file a petition with the First District Court in Brigham City, which handled the original case. The court reviews the petition and may schedule a hearing before issuing a final expungement order.
After a successful expungement, the record is sealed from public searches. Law enforcement and certain other agencies may still access the record under specific legal conditions. Not every conviction qualifies; some offenses are permanently ineligible under the statute. Speaking with a licensed Utah attorney can help clarify which records in your history are eligible.