A background check in Georgia costs anywhere from nothing to about $52, depending on what you’re pulling and how you order it. The cheapest official option, a two-year driving history through the state’s mobile app, is free. A basic online felony search costs $15. A fingerprint-based criminal history check through the state runs $39.99 for Georgia records or $51.99 for a combined Georgia and FBI search. Driving records cost $6 to $8. Third-party screening companies set their own prices on top of, or instead of, these state fees.
Criminal History Check Prices
Georgia offers three official ways to check criminal records, and the price tracks how thorough the search is.
The Georgia Felon Search is the cheapest. It’s an online tool that tells you whether someone has a Georgia felony conviction, and each search costs $15 whether or not it returns a record.1Georgia.gov. Georgia Felon Search It only covers felony convictions, so misdemeanors, arrests without convictions, and pending charges won’t show up.
A fingerprint-based check through the Georgia Applicant Processing Service (GAPS), operated for the Georgia Crime Information Center (GCIC), gives you the fuller picture most employers and licensing boards require. A Georgia-only check costs $39.99, and a combined Georgia and FBI check costs $51.99.2Georgia Bureau of Investigation. GCIC Fees Results usually come back within 24 to 48 hours after you’re fingerprinted.3Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Georgia Applicant Processing Service
If you go through a local law enforcement agency instead of GAPS, the base GCIC fee is lower: $30.00 for Georgia only, $42.00 for Georgia and FBI.2Georgia Bureau of Investigation. GCIC Fees The catch is that the agency processing the request can add its own handling fee, so the total sometimes lands close to what GAPS charges.
Driving Record Prices
The Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS) sells Motor Vehicle Reports at flat rates that don’t change based on how you order:4Georgia Department of Driver Services. Fees and Terms
- 3-year report: $6.00
- 7-year report: $8.00
- Lifetime report: $8.00
Online, in person, and mail-in requests all cost the same. If you only need a quick look at your own recent driving history, the DDS 2 GO mobile app shows two years for free.5Georgia Department of Driver Services. Getting a Motor Vehicle Report – Driving History
Third-Party Screening Services
Private screening companies bundle several searches together: criminal records from national databases, employment and education verification, and sometimes credit information. Basic packages from well-known providers typically start around $25 to $40, and more comprehensive searches run higher.
You’re paying for convenience, not necessarily accuracy. Third-party services depend on whatever databases they can access, which may not be as current as pulling directly from GCIC. They can miss records that haven’t been digitized, and they can return records that belong to someone else with a similar name. A fingerprint-based GCIC check avoids that problem because it matches prints rather than names.
How to Place the Request
For a criminal history check on yourself, visit a GAPS fingerprint enrollment site (run by IdentoGO) and pay the applicable fee when your prints are taken.3Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Georgia Applicant Processing Service You can also inspect your record in person at the GCIC Lobby Office in Decatur by appointment; call 404-244-2639 and select option 1 to schedule.6Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Obtaining Criminal History Record Information Frequently Asked Questions
For a driving record, you can order online (you’ll need to set up a DDS account and pay by card), walk into a DDS Customer Service Center for a certified copy on the spot, or mail a letter or completed Form DDS-18 with a check or money order payable to the Department of Driver Services and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Any method requires the driver’s full name as it appears on the license, the license number, and date of birth.5Georgia Department of Driver Services. Getting a Motor Vehicle Report – Driving History
Pulling Someone Else’s Record
Price isn’t the only limit on running a background check on another person. To get someone’s Georgia criminal history from GCIC, you generally need their signed consent on a form the state prescribes, along with their full name, address, Social Security number, and date of birth.7Justia Law. Georgia Code 35-3-34 – Disclosure and Dissemination of Criminal Records The Georgia Felon Search is the exception; because felony convictions are public information, you can run that $15 search without the subject’s consent.8Georgia.gov. FAQs: Georgia Felon Search
Driving records have their own consent rule. To request another driver’s record, you need written authorization from that person that includes their name, date of birth, license number, and a statement of who is allowed to receive the record. The person making the request has to prove they have proper authorization.9Georgia Secretary of State. GAC – Subject 375-3-8 Access for Motor Vehicle Records
Choosing the Right Check for the Price
Match the search to why you need it. If a licensing board or employer has told you to submit fingerprints, the $39.99 or $51.99 GAPS fee is the price of admission; a $15 felony search won’t satisfy them. If you’re a landlord or small employer trying to spot a serious criminal history on your own, the Georgia Felon Search at $15 is a cheap first pass, though it misses everything short of a felony conviction. If you want the fullest picture of your own record before applying for a job or filing for record restriction, pay for the fingerprint check and get the complete GCIC file rather than guessing from an online summary. And if all you need is your recent driving history, check the free DDS 2 GO app before spending $6.