Oklahoma Arrest Records

Oklahoma Law enforcement agencies are required by law to apprehend persons who violate the tenets of Oklahoma's Penal Code. Arrestees are detained pending a court appearance and incarcerated at a correctional facility if found guilty or released on bail or without charges (if all charges are dropped/dismissed). An Oklahoma arrest record provides an official account of this process and its consequent implications. 

Oklahoma arrest records contain the details of the arrests of individuals suspected of committing a crime within state limits. These records are maintained by the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, which is the central repository of all crime-related records in the state. Local law enforcement agencies also maintain arrest records of arrest cases within their jurisdiction. 

According to reports compiled by Oklahoma's Incident-Based Reporting System (SIBRS), there were over 246,310 arrests in 2021. Approximately 62,013 crimes were committed against persons. Roughly 151,583 arrests were for crimes against property, and 32,714 were for crimes committed against society.

Are Arrest Records Public in Oklahoma?

Yes, Oklahoma arrest records are available for public viewing, inspection, and copying per the Oklahoma Open Public Record Act. The Act stipulates that all records maintained by state or local law enforcement are disclosed to the general public. 

However, there are specific exceptions to this Act. For example, if an arrest record is sealed, it may not be released to the general public without a court order. Juvenile criminal history records, arrest records of ongoing investigations, and disposition information are some examples of restricted information. 

Regardless of the restrictions on arrest records, certain persons/institutions may access arrest records that are exempt from public disclose for criminal justice purposes:

• Law enforcement agencies
• Courts and prosecutors
• Employers (with the subject's consent)
• Licensing boards (with the subject's consent)
• Armed forces (with the subject's consent)
• Attorneys
• Credentialing organizations
• Media organizations
• Private citizens

What is Included in Oklahoma Arrest Records?

Oklahoma arrest records feature information about an arrestee's crimes; these may not be the same crimes the district attorney charges them with.

 Arrest records typically contain the following information:

• Suspect's Identifying Details: This includes the name, age, and address of the person arrested, mugshot
• Suspect's Physical Descriptors: This includes the arrestee's gender, race, height, weight, hair/eye color, tattoos, and scars
• The offense committed by the person: This could specifically be a felony, misdemeanor, or infraction, including the violated statute
• Arrest agency and booking information: This includes the suspect's arrest time, date, location, arresting agency, and officer's name, arrest logs, booking date, booking time, manner of release, the factual incidents leading to an arrest
• Disposition: Details of the outcome of arrest, bail amount, information about the outcome of the arrest, bail information, amount of bail set, manner of release, outstanding probation/ parole, and warrants to which a person is subject.

Find Public Arrest Records in Oklahoma 

The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) partners with law enforcement agencies across the state to collect, maintain, and disseminate public arrest records to the members of the public. Thus, anyone who wants to access arrest records, regardless of the arresting agency, can use the CHIRP online portal maintained by the OSBI to retrieve such data. Per the Oklahoma Open Records Act, Title 51 § 24.A.5.2, all criminal history or arrest record requests must include at least the subject's full name and date of birth to be searched. 

Inquirers may also find public arrest records in Oklahoma by filling out and submitting a criminal history record check form request in person or by mail at the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation headquarters location. 

Likewise, requesters must submit fingerprint-based record checks via mail or in person. Do not fax the fingerprint cards (requesters must submit the original cards). All requests must be submitted through any of the following means: mail or in-person to:

Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation

6600 North Harvey

Oklahoma City, OK 73116

Alternatively, requestors may contact the County Sheriff's Office within the arrest jurisdiction for a paper record of the arrest records. Every county in Oklahoma operates unique policies and principles for processing public record requests. Thus, it is essential to consult these offices to understand the requirements for obtaining arrest records. Since Oklahoma courts maintain records of all criminal proceedings within their jurisdiction, one may also visit or mail them for arrest records at the court's disposal.

The FBI may also provide a person with an Identity History Summary, often called a criminal history or "rap sheet". This contains specific information related to arrests and generated from fingerprint submissions kept by the FBI.

Certain restricted arrest records may not be accessible to the general public through the OSBI database, county court, or sheriff's office. However, one may subpoena the records if need be. 

An Oklahoma arrest record is subpoenaed if an individual has a valid reason and affirms that a criminal history or arrest record is relevant. A subpoena, in this regard, is simply a court order that mandates a person or agency to provide records. Anyone who needs to subpoena an arrest record from the OSBI must first submit a written request to the agency. 

The request must include:

• The name of the person whose record is being requested 
• The case number 
• Any useful reference associated with the matter
• A self-addressed, stamped envelope for mailing purposes

The OSBI does not charge any fee to subpoena an arrest record. However, other departments, like the Oklahoma Department of Corrections, may request a fee. 

The Oklahoma Department of Health administrative law, an administrative arm of the Oklahoma Supreme Court, also handles subpoena matters. Download the Subpoena Request Form.

How to Lookup Arrest Records Online in Oklahoma 

The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation is the designated state repository for criminal records and offers inquirers a means to look at arrest records online.

According to the Oklahoma Open Records Act, the OSBI performs name-based criminal history searches for interested persons. OSBI's Criminal History Information Request Portal (CHIRP) grants the public unrestricted online access to disclosable public arrest records. 

To process an arrest record request, inquirers must provide the subject's first and last name and date of birth. Oklahoma name-based searches cost $15.00 per search, according to Title 74 § 150.9. 

Interested persons must create an account to access CHIRP for free. Requesters are only charged for searches that they request. Unreported arrests, arrests where fingerprints were not taken, or arrests with poor quality are usually excluded from OSBI criminal history records.

Local agencies like the Oklahoma Department of Corrections offender search database provide the best means to check if an arrestee is in jail. 

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record in Oklahoma 

Arrests may stay on a person's record for different durations depending on the crime. In some cases, the arrests may appear on criminal records forever. However, arrests for minor traffic offenses like speeding tickets, for example, may not show on one's history forever. On the other hand, arrests for violent crimes and sexual offenses (especially those punishable by more than one year in prison) remain on file forever. 

The following arrests may stay on one's file forever:

• Firearm crime
• Drug abuse and possession.
• Child abuse.
• Driving under the influence
• Sexual offenses 
• Domestic violence.

Arrests from theft, robbery, kidnapping, and prostitution may stay on file for ten to fifteen years.

Expunge an Arrest Record in Oklahoma

Expungement of an arrest record in Oklahoma allows a person to seal their arrest record. This means that the public may no longer have access to the information on the record. A Section 18 expungement authorizes a person to expunge their entire arrest record, while a Section 991(c) expungement permits a person who obtained a deferred sentence to expunge their plea and update the case disposition to show the case has been dismissed. 

The disposition will say, "Not guilty, case dismissed". However, this does not expunge (remove) the arrest record.

Expunging an arrest record costs a $150 processing fee, payable to local law enforcement agencies responsible for expunging the record.

Eligible individuals may file an expungement petition with the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI). One may attain eligibility by fulfilling all the requirements of their court sentence and not attract any arrests for (5) years from the date of their last conviction. 

When a requestor sends their Petition for Expungement or an Order of Dismissal and/or Expungement, they must include the following information to complete your expungement. This includes:

• Arrestee's name
• Social security number
• date of birth, 
• Charged crimes 
• The date of arrest
• The disposition (end result) of arrest and/or charges in court 

If one was incarcerated for domestic-related charges, provide a police narrative or report stating the relationship to the victim so that the expungement process is not delayed.

The OSBI will then examine the request and decide if the requester is eligible for record expungement. If approved, the OSBI will send a letter of approval to the court informing them of the decision to expunge the records. Then, the court will forward the order to expunge all agencies with custody of the records.

The completed form, along with the required filing fee of $150.00, must be sent to:

Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation

6500 N Harvey Ave

Oklahoma City, OK 73116-7909

Find more information on arrest record expungement in the frequently asked questions section of the OSBI website.

How Do I Find Recent Arrests in Oklahoma 

Law enforcement agencies and the sheriff's office maintain online repositories and inmate lists where members of the public can find recent arrests in Oklahoma. The Oklahoma County Detention Center, for example, maintains an Inmate Search tool where one can search for and retrieve recent arrests. 

Are Oklahoma Arrest Records Free?

Yes. Members of the public may find arrest records for free in Oklahoma via the county sheriff's office, local enforcement agency, and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI), where the arrest record was filed. While anyone can search for arrest records on the OSBI, they must pay a processing fee to obtain copies of the arrest records for official purposes. Requestors may also receive arrest records from the OSBI by mail, fax, or in person.