Salt Lake County Background Check Records

Salt Lake County is Utah's most populous county, home to more than 1.2 million residents across dozens of cities and townships. Running a background check in Salt Lake County means pulling from several sources: the county sheriff's office, Salt Lake City and other municipal police records divisions, the Third District Court, and the Utah Bureau of Criminal Identification. This guide covers how to access those records, what each source provides, and how to submit a formal request under Utah's Government Records Access and Management Act.

Salt Lake County Sheriff Background Check Office

The Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office is the primary law enforcement body for unincorporated Salt Lake County and maintains criminal records, booking data, and warrant files for its jurisdiction. The Sheriff also operates the county jail and provides online tools for searching current inmates and active warrants. If you need records related to an arrest made by sheriff's deputies in an unincorporated area, the sheriff's records division is your first stop.

One useful public tool offered by the Salt Lake County Sheriff is the "Find a Prisoner" inmate lookup system. This tool shows booking details and current charges for people held in the county jail. The Sheriff also maintains the Utah Statewide Warrants file, commonly called the SWW, which allows members of the public to check whether a person has an active warrant in the state. These are free tools available online at any time.

For arrests made inside incorporated cities like Salt Lake City, West Valley City, or Sandy, records are held by each city's police department, not the sheriff. Those agencies maintain their own records divisions and process GRAMA requests independently. Contact the specific city department where the arrest occurred.

The sheriff's office handles records for unincorporated Salt Lake County and operates the county jail booking system.

Salt Lake County Criminal History Records

Criminal history records in Salt Lake County include arrest reports, charging documents, conviction records, and sentencing outcomes. These records are generated by law enforcement agencies when a person is arrested and then processed through the court system. A full criminal history background check for a Salt Lake County resident typically draws on records from the arresting agency, the Third District Court, and the Utah Bureau of Criminal Identification.

The Utah Bureau of Criminal Identification, known as BCI, holds statewide criminal history records and is the most complete source for an individual's Utah record. BCI is located at 4315 South 2700 West Suite 1300, Taylorsville, Utah 84129. The phone number is (801) 965-4445, and office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. You can request your own criminal history record in person or by mail. BCI's criminal records page explains the Right of Access process, which carries a fee of $20 as of July 1, 2025. Mail requests go to 3888 West 5400 South, Salt Lake City, UT 84129.

Criminal records at BCI typically include identifying details such as name, date of birth, and physical description, along with arrest information like date, charges, and the arresting agency. Court case data, dispositions, and sentencing outcomes are also reflected when courts report them to BCI. Not every agency reports with the same speed or completeness, so a BCI record may not always reflect the most current status of an open case.

Salt Lake County Court Criminal Records

The Third District Court, housed at the Scott M. Matheson Courthouse in Salt Lake City, handles felony cases and serious misdemeanors originating in Salt Lake County. Court records from these proceedings are among the most detailed public records available. They document charges, plea agreements, trial outcomes, and sentencing orders. These records are separate from police records and are maintained by the Utah courts system.

The Utah Courts system offers two main online tools for accessing court records. MyCourtCase is a free viewer that shows case history for most cases, including case numbers, hearing dates, and final dispositions. For more detailed access, including documents and party information across multiple cases, XChange is the courts' subscription-based system. XChange requires an account and subscription but provides a more complete view of the state's court records. Both tools are managed by the Utah Courts administration.

Note: Court records showing an arrest do not always mean a conviction. Check the full case record for disposition before drawing conclusions about a person's record.

Salt Lake County Inmate Search and Jail Roster

The Salt Lake County Sheriff's "Find a Prisoner" tool is the most direct way to check whether a person is currently in the county jail. The tool is available online and shows booking details and current charges for each inmate. It is updated as people are booked and released, so it reflects current jail population in near real time. This is a public resource and requires no account or fee.

Salt Lake City Police maintains its own records division at 475 South 300 East and accepts in-person GRAMA requests on weekday afternoons.

The Salt Lake City Police Department processes records requests for incidents involving city officers at the Public Safety Building, 475 South 300 East, Salt Lake City, UT 84111. In-person requests are accepted Monday through Friday from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., excluding holidays. Acceptable forms of identification include a current U.S. driver's license, U.S. ID card, U.S. passport, U.S. visa, permanent residence card, employment authorization card, concealed weapon permit, or military ID. A Driver Privilege Card is not accepted as sole identification.

Salt Lake County Warrant Search

Active warrants in Salt Lake County are tracked at both the local and statewide level. The Salt Lake County Sheriff maintains the Utah Statewide Warrants file, which covers active warrants across Utah. Members of the public can access this tool through the sheriff's website to check for outstanding warrants by name.

Court-issued warrants are also reflected in the Utah court records systems. MyCourtCase shows case status, which can indicate whether a bench warrant has been issued in connection with a court case. For criminal warrant history tied to a specific case, XChange provides more complete data. Keep in mind that warrants connected to open investigations may be protected under GRAMA and may not appear in public searches. Utah Code 63G-2 classifies records related to active criminal investigations as protected and not subject to public disclosure.

GRAMA Public Records Requests in Salt Lake County

Utah's Government Records Access and Management Act, found at Utah Code Title 63G, Chapter 2, gives the public the right to access government records. Under GRAMA, a public record is any record prepared, owned, received, or retained by a government entity that is not classified as private, controlled, or protected. Any person can submit a public records request, regardless of their reason for wanting the records.

Private records are those relating to an individual's personal interests where disclosure would be an unwarranted invasion of privacy. Controlled records typically contain medical, psychiatric, or psychological information. Protected records include open or ongoing investigations. If you are the subject of a record, such as the person arrested or the victim named in a report, you may be entitled to access information that would otherwise be protected from general disclosure.

You can submit GRAMA requests online through the state's GRAMA Portal. Agencies must respond within 10 business days under Utah Code 63G-2-204. Viewing records is generally free. Agencies may charge around $0.25 per page for printed copies. If you need records from a specific Salt Lake County city agency, such as West Valley City or Sandy Police, contact that city's records office directly since municipal agencies handle their own GRAMA responses.

Salt Lake County's website connects residents to the full range of county government offices that maintain public records.

Utah Expungement and Salt Lake County Records

An expungement removes a conviction or arrest from a person's public criminal record. In Utah, the expungement process runs through BCI and the courts. Waiting periods depend on the offense type. Under Utah Code Title 77, Chapter 40a, the waiting periods are: DUI, 10 years; felony, 7 years; Class A misdemeanor, 5 years; Class B misdemeanor, 4 years; and Class C misdemeanor or infraction, 3 years. These periods run from the date of conviction or release from incarceration, whichever is later.

Utah also has an automatic Clean Slate program for qualifying cases. Cases that meet the eligibility criteria and occurred after May 1, 2020, may be automatically sealed without requiring the individual to file paperwork. For cases that do not qualify for automatic sealing, a person can apply through BCI. The BCI expungement page explains the process in detail. A Certificate of Eligibility costs $65 per offense and is valid for 90 days. The full process typically takes 4 to 6 months to complete. Once an expungement is granted, the record is sealed and should not appear in public background check searches.

Note: An expungement order issued in Salt Lake County applies statewide and should result in the BCI record being sealed across all Utah databases.