Utah's criminal history system is built around the Bureau of Criminal Identification (BCI) under the Department of Public Safety. Access to the full criminal history is restricted: only the subject of the record can obtain their own complete criminal history from BCI -- third-party requests require the subject's consent or proper legal authority. For the general public, the free MyCase court case search at utcourts.gov provides the most accessible online access to case records. Utah also enacted one of the clearer Clean Slate automatic expungement frameworks in the country -- though the automatic process experienced a pause from October 2024 to January 2026 and resumed with the new year. This guide covers the full system.
What Makes Utah Arrest Records Public
Utah's public records framework is governed by the Government Records Access and Management Act (GRAMA) at Utah Code 63G-2. Most government records, including arrest records, are presumptively public under GRAMA. Agencies must respond to records requests within 10 business days.
The Bureau of Criminal Identification (BCI) under the Department of Public Safety serves as the central repository for criminal history records in Utah. BCI maintains records of arrest, investigation, detention, and conviction.
The critical access limitation: the BCI criminal history database is not open to general third-party public searches. Only the subject of the record can obtain their own complete criminal history from BCI. Third-party requests require the subject's written consent or a specific legal authority. Agencies on the Utah Right of Access list have statutory authority to access records without consent for specific purposes (employment in childcare, healthcare, law enforcement, and similar fields).
Exemptions from public access include BCI criminal history for non-subject requesters without consent, juvenile records, expunged records, active investigation materials, and child abuse or sexual assault victim information.
What a Utah Arrest Record Contains
An arrest record is a booking document. It reflects the facts of an arrest at the time of booking and carries no presumption of guilt.
A Utah BCI criminal history record includes personal identifying information, arrest data, investigation and detention records, conviction and sentencing information, and post-conviction status including probation and parole. The record spans the person's full criminal history in Utah.
Local law enforcement records at county sheriff offices and police departments include full booking information: name, DOB, date and time of arrest, location, arresting agency, charges, bail amount, court date, and booking photograph. Many county sheriff offices publish booking information online, some updated very frequently.
How to Search Utah Arrest Records
For personal criminal history: BCI accepts individual requests by mail or in person. The fee is $15. In-person requests at BCI headquarters: 4315 South 2700 West, Suite 1300, Taylorsville, UT 84129. The Criminal History Record Application form is available from BCI. Processing times vary.
For third-party requests without consent: not available through BCI. The practical public access tools are:
MyCase at utcourts.gov is Utah Courts' free public case search tool. It provides access to court case records from district courts and justice courts statewide. Search by name, case number, or other criteria. Results include charges, case status, and dispositions. This is the most accessible free tool for the general public.
XChange through the Utah Courts website provides more detailed court case records but requires registration and payment of search fees.
County sheriff offices maintain booking records for recent arrests. Utah has 29 counties and each county sheriff manages the local detention facility. Many counties publish online booking rosters updated frequently.
For broader multi-source searches that aggregate public record data across Utah's 29 counties and other jurisdictions, TruthFinder is a practical option.
VINELink at vinelink.com connects to the Utah DOC system and many county facilities and provides free real-time custody status and notification registration.
County Jail Records in Utah
Utah has 29 counties and each county sheriff manages the local jail. County jails hold people recently arrested, those awaiting trial, and individuals serving shorter sentences. Most county sheriff offices publish online booking rosters.
When someone is convicted and sentenced to state prison, they enter the Utah Department of Corrections system. UDOC provides a free online offender search at corrections.utah.gov. You can search by name or offender number to locate current state inmates and get facility, offense, and sentence information.
Federal Arrests in Utah
Federal arrests in Utah are made by agencies including the FBI, the DEA, U.S. Marshals, the ATF, and Homeland Security Investigations. Utah is home to the U.S. District Court for the District of Utah in Salt Lake City.
The BOP Inmate Locator at bop.gov/inmateloc is the official free tool for locating anyone serving a federal sentence. Search by name or BOP register number. Federal court records are available through the PACER system at pacer.gov.
Federal arrests and convictions are not part of the BCI criminal history system.
Arrest Records Versus Conviction Records
An arrest record documents that law enforcement took someone into custody. A conviction record documents a court's finding of guilt. Utah's BCI system includes both arrest and conviction data, but public access to the full system is restricted to subjects and authorized entities. The MyCase public court search provides case-level information including non-conviction outcomes.
Non-conviction arrests and dismissed cases remain in BCI records and court records until expunged. Utah's expungement law covers both arrest-only records and certain conviction records.
Utah Expungement Under UCA Title 77, Chapter 40a
Utah's expungement statute at UCA Title 77, Chapter 40a defines expungement as sealing or otherwise restricting access to the record. After BCI receives a signed expungement order, it completely deletes all information about the case from publicly accessible databases. The information is then stored in a separate expungement file accessible only to specifically authorized agencies listed under UCA 77-40a-403(2). After expungement, the person may respond to any inquiry as though the arrest or conviction did not occur.
Utah has two pathways to expungement:
Automatic Clean Slate Expungement (UCA 77-40a Part 2): Enacted by HB 431 in 2019 (effective May 1, 2020), Utah's Clean Slate law provides automatic expungement of qualifying non-conviction records, infractions, and misdemeanor conviction records without requiring the individual to file a petition. The automatic process resumed on January 1, 2026 after a pause from October 2024 to December 2025 during which individuals had to submit a request form. As of January 1, 2026, courts automatically identify and process eligible cases.
Clean Slate-eligible cases include most non-conviction records, traffic violations dismissed with prejudice, and qualifying misdemeanor convictions meeting the applicable waiting period and criteria. DUI is not covered by Clean Slate.
Petition-based expungement (UCA 77-40a Part 3): For cases that don't qualify for automatic expungement, a person may file a petition. The process requires first obtaining a Certificate of Eligibility from BCI (which verifies the person's complete criminal history and eligibility -- because eligibility is based on total criminal history, not just individual cases), then filing the petition in the court where the offense was adjudicated.
Waiting periods for petition-based expungement after case closure:
Non-conviction records: eligible at any time.
Infraction: 1 year.
Class B or C misdemeanor: 4 years.
Class A misdemeanor: 5 years.
Third degree felony or higher: 7 years.
Misdemeanor DUI: 10 years.
Offenses that can never be expunged include capital felonies, first-degree felonies involving violence or sexual conduct, felony DUI, and other specifically enumerated serious offenses.
InmateAid's guides on expungement and Clean Slate sealing cover Utah's framework in more detail. Mugshot removal from third-party sites after expungement is addressed in InmateAid's resources on that topic.
Frequently asked questions
Are Utah arrest records public?
Most arrest records are public under GRAMA (UCA 63G-2). However, BCI's full criminal history database is not open to general public access -- only the subject of the record can obtain their complete history, with third-party access requiring the subject's consent or specific legal authority. Court case records are publicly accessible through MyCase at utcourts.gov. Expunged and juvenile records are not publicly accessible.
How do I search Utah arrest records?
For your own criminal history, request from BCI ($15) in person at 4315 South 2700 West, Suite 1300, Taylorsville, UT 84129, or by mail. For court case records, use MyCase at utcourts.gov (free). For more detailed court documents, use XChange (paid). For recent arrests, check the relevant county sheriff's website. For multi-source results, TruthFinder aggregates public record data. For custody notifications, VINELink at vinelink.com is free. For UDOC state inmates, search at corrections.utah.gov.
What does a Utah arrest record contain?
A BCI criminal history record includes personal identifying information, arrest data, investigation and detention records, conviction and sentencing information, and post-conviction status. Local law enforcement records include name, DOB, arrest date/time/location, charges, bail, court date, and booking photograph.
Is an arrest the same as a conviction in Utah?
No. An arrest documents that someone was taken into custody. A conviction reflects a court's finding of guilt. BCI records include both arrest and conviction data. Non-conviction arrests and dismissed cases remain in BCI and court records until expunged. Utah's Clean Slate automatic expungement covers qualifying non-conviction records with no action required from the individual.
How do I find someone in a Utah county jail?
Check the county sheriff's website where the arrest occurred. Many of Utah's 29 counties publish frequently-updated online booking rosters. VINELink at vinelink.com connects to many Utah facilities and provides free notification registration. For someone in state prison, use the UDOC offender search at corrections.utah.gov.
Can I search federal arrest records in Utah?
Federal court records are available through PACER at pacer.gov. For someone serving a federal sentence, the BOP Inmate Locator at bop.gov/inmateloc is the free official tool. Federal arrests and convictions are not part of the BCI system.
How long does an arrest stay on record in Utah?
Utah arrest records remain in BCI and court records until expunged. Non-conviction records may qualify for automatic Clean Slate expungement. Conviction records have waiting periods ranging from 1 year (infractions) to 10 years (misdemeanor DUI). Capital felonies, felony DUIs, and certain other serious offenses can never be expunged.
Who qualifies for expungement in Utah?
Under UCA 77-40a: non-conviction records qualify for petition-based expungement at any time, and many qualify for automatic Clean Slate expungement. Infractions qualify after 1 year, Class B/C misdemeanors after 4 years, Class A misdemeanors after 5 years, third-degree and higher felonies after 7 years, and misdemeanor DUI after 10 years. Capital felonies, felony DUI, first-degree violent and sexual felonies, and other specifically enumerated offenses cannot be expunged. Eligibility is based on total criminal history, not just the individual case.
What is Utah's Clean Slate automatic expungement?
Utah's Clean Slate law (HB 431, 2019), codified at UCA 77-40a Part 2, provides automatic expungement of qualifying non-conviction records, infractions, and misdemeanor conviction records without requiring the individual to file a petition. Courts identify eligible cases and issue expungement orders automatically. As of January 1, 2026, the automatic process resumed after a pause from October 2024 to December 2025. DUI is not covered by Clean Slate.
Why does my record show an arrest but no conviction?
Non-conviction arrests remain in BCI and court records until expunged. Utah's Clean Slate automatic process covers qualifying non-conviction records, so many should be expunged automatically. If a non-conviction arrest is still showing, you may be able to submit a petition-based expungement request through BCI and the court at any time. MyCase at utcourts.gov shows current case status. ---
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