How can I obtain a criminal history statement in Nevada?

Posted on February 10, 2020

Step 1: Complete the record request form

Fill out the Identification File Request Form (DPS-006). Note that people cannot request other people’s records. Each person must request his/her own record.

Make sure the form is filled out completely and written legibly. Otherwise the form will be returned.

Step 2: Get fingerprinted

Get fingerprinted by a local fingerprinting service on a standard fingerprint card FD-258. The card must include all ten fingerprints scanned simultaneously. Another term for this is plain or flat impressions.

The card must also include:

Name
Date of birth (dob)
Place of birth
Sex
Race
Height
Weight
Hair color
Eye color
Signature

Finally, the card has to be dated and signed by the fingerprinting technician. And the card must be an original, not a copy.

Step 3: Pay the fee

The cost of a Nevada criminal history statement is $27. The payment can be in the form of either:

Money order, or
Certified check

The payment must be made out to the Nevada Department of Public Safety. It must be signed. And it must be for the exact amount of $27. If more than one person is mailing in a record request in the same envelope, it should include separate money orders or certified checks for each person.

The state does not accept cash or personal checks.

Step 4: Prepare the paperwork and mail it

Staple the request form, fingerprint card, and fee together. Then mail it to:

Department of Public Safety Records, Communications and Compliance Division

333 West Nye Lane

Suite 100

Carson City, Nevada 89706

Step 5: Wait for a response

It will take about 45 days for the Repository to send back either:

The criminal record, or
A letter indicating that there is no criminal record

If 45 days pass, call the Repository to ask for an update. The phone number is (775) 684-6262. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

Step 6: Petition to seal the record (strongly advised)

Everyone is advised to seal their criminal records if possible. The process requires extra paperwork and takes several months to complete. But once the record gets sealed, it will no longer show up on background checks (with some exceptions).

Dismissed charges can be sealed in Nevada right away. Otherwise, there is a mandatory waiting period before a person is eligible for a seal:

Nevada conviction	Waiting period to get a record seal (after the case closes)
Any case that gets dismissed (no conviction)	Right away
Most misdemeanors	1 year
Gross misdemeanors, category E felonies, and misdemeanor battery, harassment, stalking, or violation of a protection order	2 years
Most category D felonies, category C felonies, or category B felonies	5 years
Misdemeanor DUI and battery domestic violence	7 years
Some category A felonies, burglary of a residence, and felony crimes of violence	10 years
Felony DUI, certain sex crimes, and certain crimes against children	Never

Once a record is sealed, the person can legally deny under oath that he/she ever had a record. But there are some circumstances where a person may have to reveal a sealed criminal record. For instance, the Nevada Gaming Commission usually has access to sealed records.

Learn how to seal Nevada criminal records.

About the Author

Neil Shouse

A former Los Angeles prosecutor, attorney Neil Shouse graduated with honors from UC Berkeley and Harvard Law School (and completed additional graduate studies at MIT). He has been featured on CNN, Good Morning America, Dr Phil, The Today Show and Court TV. Mr Shouse has been recognized by the National Trial Lawyers as one of the Top 100 Criminal and Top 100 Civil Attorneys.