DUI DWI Offenders

Establish the outcome before using an offender label

To verify a DUI or DWI record, begin with the jurisdiction, the person and the precise claim. An arrest, a charge and a conviction are different events. A charging entry does not establish the final result, and an old conviction does not establish current custody or driving eligibility. Record the court, case number, offense date and available identifiers before describing anyone as an offender. If those essentials are unknown, the inquiry is not ready for a person-level conclusion.

There is no open nationwide DUI list supplied by the FBI’s personal-review service. Its Identity History Summary is an individual’s fingerprint-based record drawn from submissions to the FBI, with a disposition when known. A search engine result or commercial name match is a lead to inspect, not a substitute for the court judgment and a reliable identity match.

Locate the court holding the prosecution

Use the jurisdiction printed on a citation, charging document or reliable case reference. USA.gov can help locate state and local government websites; from there, use the court’s own case-search and records instructions. Search with the case number when available, otherwise the name and permitted identifiers. Preserve the court designation and case number for each possible result so that matters from different counties or states are not merged.

If the proceeding was in federal court, use the U.S. Courts’ PACER route with an account, or the filing court’s clerk. PACER document access costs $0.10 per page, generally capped at $3 per document; the court’s fee guidance has further billing rules. Court-site viewing is free, while printing from a public terminal costs $0.10 per page. A federal search does not replace a state or municipal search. Local access, fees and turnaround vary by jurisdiction, so read the selected court’s instructions before ordering.

Request the judgment or disposition you actually need

• Identify the defendant, court and case number, with an approximate filing or hearing date.
• Name the document or outcome needed: for example, the final judgment, dismissal, sentencing order or disposition for a particular charge.
• State whether the recipient requires a certified copy and ask about page charges, certification, delivery and processing before payment.
• Read every relevant charge’s disposition. Keep an amended charge or dismissal distinct from the original allegation, and retain the date and source of the evidence.

An online case index may help locate the file without providing its underlying documents. If the image or final outcome is missing, contact that court’s clerk instead of assuming either conviction or innocence. For a disputed entry, ask how to submit the supporting order to the responsible records office. Access to sealed or otherwise restricted material depends on that court’s rules, not the fact that a name appears in a public index.

Check driving status through the motor-vehicle route

A current license question belongs with the state motor-vehicle agency. NHTSA’s National Driver Register maintains the Problem Driver Pointer System, PDPS, for reported serious traffic-related offenses and license actions such as suspension or revocation. It points an authorized inquiry to the state that maintains the actual driver status and history. The pointer is not a downloadable nationwide set of DUI court judgments.

NHTSA provides a personal request route for your own PDPS status and warns against obtaining or disclosing PDPS information without authorization. Follow the linked request instructions and then contact the reporting state to clarify its entry. Do not assume that an old DUI disposition proves a present suspension, or that a restored license erases the court record.

Review your own fingerprint history when appropriate

The FBI’s direct Identity History Summary fee is $18 per person. Apply online through the FBI-linked electronic service and submit fingerprints at a participating U.S. Post Office after completing the application and payment, or follow the fingerprint-card mail option. Additional fingerprint-service charges may apply. A full mail request uses the signed application, current fingerprints and payment sent to FBI CJIS Division – Summary Request, 1000 Custer Hollow Road, Clarksburg, WV 26306.

The published processing estimates at the October 2, 2026 check were within 48 hours after electronic Post Office fingerprinting, about ten days after receipt of a mailed card for an electronic request, and up to fifteen days for mail requests, plus delivery. These personal summaries are for review, correction or proof that no summary exists; the FBI says they are not for employment or licensing. Use the requesting state agency’s authorized process for those purposes.

Keep custody and identity questions separate

For current detention, use the responsible county jail or state corrections agency’s current information, reached through its official government site. Save the date and any booking or custody identifier. A historical DUI case, a scheduled hearing or a sentence written years ago cannot by itself establish that someone is in custody today. A custody listing also does not replace the court’s disposition.

Compare more than a shared name before attributing any court, custody or driver result. If available details conflict, stop the attribution and resolve the discrepancy with the record holder or subject. Keep an unresolved person match labeled as unresolved instead of repeating an allegation as a proven criminal outcome.

Correct a screening error with the right organization

If your FBI summary is wrong, use its linked Identity History Summary Challenge route. If a commercial employment report contains the wrong person’s DUI record or omits a dismissal, dispute it with the reporting company and provide supporting documentation. The FTC says the employer must obtain written permission for a company background check and provide the report and a summary of rights before an adverse decision based on it.

After a job denial based on the report, you can request an additional free copy from the reporting company within 60 days. Ask the company to send a corrected report to the employer and verify that the correction appears. A commercial dispute does not automatically correct the originating court or agency record, so address a source-record error with that custodian as well. For a specific legal consequence or dispute, consult a qualified lawyer in the relevant jurisdiction.