Find Canton Background Check

A Canton background check starts with the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office and the Canton Police Department. Canton is the county seat of Cherokee County and sits north of Atlanta along Interstate 575. The Cherokee County Sheriff's Office processes criminal history checks for the entire county. Canton Police keeps its own records from cases and arrests within city limits. For a Canton background check, you work with these local offices or use the state's online search tools for records that go beyond Cherokee County.

Cherokee County Sheriff Background Check

The Cherokee County Sheriff's Office is the primary source for a Canton background check. Sheriff Frank Reynolds runs the office at 498 Chattin Drive in Canton, GA 30115. The phone is 678-493-2400. Since Canton is the county seat, the sheriff's office is right in town. You go in person with a valid photo ID. Give the staff the full name and date of birth of the person being checked. They run a search through local Cherokee County records and the state criminal history database. Results come back in a few business days. The fee is at or below the $20 state cap.

Cherokee County has grown fast. Canton has gone from a small town to a mid-size city. More residents mean more records in the system. The sheriff's office handles all county-level criminal records, including arrests, jail bookings, and court proceedings from Canton and every other part of Cherokee County. Having the sheriff's office right in Canton saves residents the trip that people in other Cherokee County cities like Woodstock have to make. You can walk in, submit your request, and be done without a long drive.

Canton Police Department Records

The Canton Police Department handles law enforcement within city limits. The department keeps records from incidents and arrests that Canton officers handled. These records are separate from what the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office holds. If Canton Police responded to a call or made an arrest, that report is in their system. You can request arrest reports and incident records from the department to add to a background check.

Canton's police department covers the city only. Anything that happened outside Canton but still in Cherokee County goes through the sheriff's office or Georgia State Patrol. For a thorough Canton background check, you want records from both the city police and the county sheriff. The two agencies operate in overlapping territory but track records in different systems. An arrest by Canton Police stays in their files. An arrest by a Cherokee County deputy stays in the county system. Both sources matter when you need a full picture of someone's criminal history in the Canton area.

Note: Canton Police and the Cherokee County Sheriff keep separate record systems, so both should be checked for a thorough search.

State Tools for Canton Checks

Georgia's state-level search tools work for a Canton background check just like anywhere else in the state. The Georgia Felon Search is $15 per search. It is online. Enter a name and get felony conviction results sent to your email. It works fast. But it only shows felony convictions. No arrests. No misdemeanors. No pending cases from Canton or Cherokee County. If you only care about felony convictions, this tool is enough. For anything more, you need other sources.

The GAPS fingerprint system through IdentoGO is the deepest level of search available. Fingerprint checks pull from both the GBI and FBI databases. They use prints, not names. This means they catch records tied to aliases or different names a person may have used. They also pull out-of-state records that a Cherokee County check would never show. There are IdentoGO locations in the north metro Atlanta area that serve Canton residents. Combining a GAPS check with a local Cherokee County check gives you the most complete Canton background check you can get.

Canton Background Check Image

The Cherokee County Sheriff's website provides details on background check services available to Canton residents.

This is the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office that handles all county-level background check requests for Canton.

Canton Background Check Laws

Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-34, the GBI shares criminal history data with authorized parties. The maximum fee is $20 per record. Cherokee County charges at or below this cap. The GCIC runs the central database that holds all Cherokee County records. But the GCIC does not do name-based searches for the public. You have to go through a local agency or use the Felon Search or GAPS tools to get a Canton background check done.

Record restriction under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37 can affect what shows on a Canton background check. Dismissed charges and acquittals may be restricted from public view if the person files for it. Once restricted, those records vanish from standard check results. The First Offender Act under O.C.G.A. § 42-8-60 also changes how records appear. Someone who served their sentence under this act does not carry a conviction. The arrest record remains but the conviction is not listed as one. These rules apply across all of Cherokee County, including Canton.

Note: The First Offender Act under O.C.G.A. § 42-8-60 can change how a conviction appears on a Canton background check.

Canton Background Check Fees

• Cherokee County Sheriff background check: up to $20
• Georgia Felon Search: $15 per search (online, felony only)
• GAPS fingerprint check: varies by IdentoGO location
• State fee cap: $20 per O.C.G.A. § 35-3-34(d.3)

Confirm the current fee and payment types with the Cherokee County Sheriff at 678-493-2400 before visiting. Some offices change their payment rules. A phone call takes a minute and can save you the hassle of showing up without the right payment. The Felon Search accepts credit and debit cards online. GAPS checks are paid when you visit an IdentoGO center for fingerprinting. Each tool has a different cost and method, so plan based on what you need.

Contact Info for Canton

• Canton Police: cantonga.gov/police
• Cherokee County Sheriff: 498 Chattin Drive, Canton, GA 30115, 678-493-2400
• GBI: gbi.georgia.gov
• GCIC: gcicweb.gbi.state.ga.us

For a Canton background check, the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office in town is the best starting point for local records. Add the Canton Police Department for city-level data from their cases. Then use the Felon Search or GAPS for state and national records. Each source adds a different layer of information. Combining all of them gives you the most complete picture of someone's criminal history in the Canton and Cherokee County area.

Nearby Cities

These cities near Canton have their own background check pages with local agency details and contacts.