How to search Virginia court records
Virginia runs a single statewide case-lookup system, so one search — with the name spelled correctly — reaches courts across the entire state. There's no charge and no account required — results are visible to anyone who searches.
statewide free criminal data
Open the official Virginia portal →
What's actually there
Online Case Information System (OCIS) is free and covers circuit and district courts including criminal cases.
Other official lookups for Virginia
How Virginia's courts are organized
Virginia has three trial-level courts below the Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court. Every city and county has a circuit court, the trial court with the broadest powers. It hears serious felony cases, most civil cases over $25,000, family matters such as divorce, and appeals from the two district courts.
The general district court hears civil, criminal and traffic cases, sharing civil cases between $4,500 and $25,000 with the circuit court. The juvenile and domestic relations (J&DR) district court handles juvenile and family matters. Each court is local to a city or county, so the same county name can appear three times in a court list.
Searching Virginia court records online
Virginia's Online Case Information System (OCIS) is free and runs one statewide name search across general district courts, J&DR courts and circuit courts. You can search by defendant name, case number or hearing date and narrow to a court level or specific courts. OCIS covers criminal and traffic cases only. Fairfax Circuit Court does not use the statewide circuit case system and is not in OCIS; you contact that court directly.
For civil cases, use the separate General District Court Case Information and Circuit Court Case Information systems on the Virginia courts website. Those search one locality at a time, by name, case number or hearing date. The circuit system covers select circuit courts, not all of them.
- Not in OCIS: protective orders, mental health commitment proceedings, medical emergency custody orders and concealed handgun permits
- Not in OCIS: juvenile civil, juvenile delinquency and support cases in J&DR courts
- OCIS shows case information, not filed documents, and cannot take payments
Getting copies and certified copies
Circuit court records are open to inspection under Va. Code 17.1-208, and the clerk of the circuit court will furnish copies on request. Under Va. Code 17.1-275, the fee is $0.50 per page (or per image for electronic records), $2 for the clerk's seal and certificate, and $0.50 more if you also want the judge's certificate attached. A party who receives a final order is entitled to an attested copy at no charge.
For general district or J&DR cases, ask the clerk of that court in the city or county where the case was heard. Some clerks, such as Virginia Beach Circuit Court's, ask for a self-addressed stamped envelope with mailed requests.
Records that are not public
Under Va. Code 19.2-392.2, a person who was acquitted, had a nolle prosequi entered or had a charge dismissed can petition the circuit court where the case ended to expunge the police and court records, with no court fee. A revised version takes effect December 1, 2026 and widens it to anyone charged but not ultimately convicted.
Virginia also has a sealing law, Chapter 23.2 of Title 19.2. Section 19.2-392.6 seals some misdemeanor convictions automatically after seven years without a new reportable conviction, Section 19.2-392.8 seals misdemeanor acquittals and dismissals with prejudice unless the person objects, and Section 19.2-392.12 lets people petition to seal eligible misdemeanors after seven years and some felonies after ten. The Virginia courts say the sealing legislation took effect July 1, 2026, and they post sample sealing forms. For your own case, talk to a lawyer or use the Virginia courts' self-help site.
Tip: Fairfax and the right court level
If OCIS returns nothing for a Fairfax felony, that does not mean there is no case; Fairfax Circuit Court keeps its own system, and the court lists (703) 246-4111 for questions. For civil cases, remember OCIS will not help at all: go to the locality's general district or circuit court case information page and search that court by name.
Sources
- Virginia's Judicial System — Case Status and Information
- Virginia Courts — OCIS About
- Virginia Courts — Online Case Information System
- Virginia's Judicial System — Circuit Court
- Va. Code 17.1-208 (records open to inspection; copies)
- Va. Code 17.1-275 (clerk fees)
- Va. Code 19.2-392.2 (expungement)
- Va. Code Title 19.2, Chapter 23.2 (sealing)
- Virginia Courts — Sample criminal sealing forms
- Virginia Court Self-Help
Checked against the official sources above in October 2026. Court rules and fees change; the court's own site is the final word. This is general information, not legal advice.
Federal cases filed in Virginia
State portals don't cover federal court. If the case you're looking for might be a federal criminal prosecution, civil suit, or bankruptcy, use CourtRecordsFree's live federal search — it queries CourtListener/RECAP directly and isn't limited to any one state.
Search tips
- Try both "Last, First" and "First Last" — courts index names inconsistently.
- Middle initials and suffixes (Jr., III) often matter for common names.
- A date of birth or case number is the only reliable way to confirm you found the right person.
- An arrest or charge shown in a docket is not a conviction — read the disposition.
Frequently asked questions
Is it free to search Virginia court records online?
Yes. Virginia's statewide search is free to use, with no account or subscription required.
Does this include criminal records?
Yes. Virginia's portal includes criminal case records alongside civil cases, though sealed and expunged cases are not shown.
Does one search cover the whole state?
Virginia runs one statewide system, so a single search covers the whole state.
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