McDonough Background Check

McDonough background check records are filed through Henry County agencies in Georgia. The Henry County Sheriff's Office at 120 Henry Parkway handles criminal history requests for McDonough and the rest of the county. McDonough also has its own police department, which keeps separate case files and arrest records. With a population just over 32,000, McDonough is the county seat of Henry County. That means the courthouse and the sheriff's office are both right in town. Getting a background check done here is straightforward since the main agencies are close by and easy to reach.

Henry County Sheriff Background Check

The Henry County Sheriff's Office is the main place to get a McDonough background check done. Sheriff Reginald Scandrett runs the office at 120 Henry Parkway in McDonough, GA 30253. Call 770-288-7101 for questions about the process. You need a valid photo ID to submit a request. Provide the full name and date of birth of the person you want to search. The staff runs the name through local Henry County records and the state criminal history database. Results can take a few business days depending on how many requests are in the queue at that time.

Henry County is a growing part of the Atlanta metro area. The sheriff's office handles requests for McDonough, Stockbridge, Hampton, Locust Grove, and all other parts of the county. Because McDonough is the county seat, the office is right in town. You do not have to drive far. The fee falls within the state cap set by Georgia law. Bring the right form of payment when you visit. Calling ahead to ask about accepted payment types is a smart idea since these rules can change. The office staff can tell you exactly what they need when you check in.

Note: The Henry County Sheriff's Office serves both McDonough and Stockbridge, so records from either city come from the same source.

McDonough Police Records

The McDonough Police Department keeps its own set of records. These cover arrests, incidents, and cases that McDonough officers handled within city limits. If a McDonough police officer made an arrest, that record sits in the city police system. The sheriff may also have data on the same case if it went through the county jail or court. Both systems feed into the state database over time, but checking each one directly gives you the most current picture for a McDonough background check.

City police records and county sheriff records are not the same thing. They overlap in some areas but not all. It depends on which agency responded to the call or made the arrest. For a full McDonough background check, checking both the police department and the sheriff's office covers more ground. The police department can provide incident reports and arrest records for cases its officers worked. The sheriff's office has a broader county-wide view that also includes court and jail data.

McDonough Background Check Image

The Henry County Sheriff's website shows information about services available for McDonough area background check requests.

This is the main office that handles McDonough background check requests for Henry County residents and anyone searching records in the area.

State Tools for McDonough Records

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation runs the central criminal history system for the state. All McDonough and Henry County records feed into this system through the Georgia Crime Information Center. The GCIC is the hub for criminal records in Georgia. It does not do name-based searches for the public, though. You have to go through a local agency like the Henry County Sheriff or use a state online tool to search by name.

The Georgia Felon Search costs $15 per search. It shows felony convictions only. You put in a name and get results sent to your email right away. This tool will not show arrests, pending charges, or misdemeanor cases from McDonough or anywhere else. For a deeper search, the GAPS fingerprint system through IdentoGO pulls from both GBI and FBI databases. Fingerprint checks are more thorough than name searches. They catch out-of-state records too. There are IdentoGO locations in the metro Atlanta area that serve McDonough residents.

Note: The GCIC does not offer name-based public searches, so you must use a local agency or the Felon Search tool for a McDonough background check.

Georgia Law and McDonough

Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-34, the GBI shares criminal history data with authorized parties. The law caps the fee for a background check at $20 per record. Most local agencies charge at or below this amount. The statute also sets rules about who can get certain types of records and how the data must be managed once received. These rules apply to every background check done in McDonough and across Georgia.

Record restriction matters for McDonough background checks too. Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37, certain records can be restricted from public view. Once a court grants a restriction, that record will not appear in standard background check results. The First Offender Act under O.C.G.A. § 42-8-60 gives another layer of protection. If someone finished their sentence under this act without any problems, the conviction does not show as a conviction on a standard check. It still exists in the system but shows up differently. These laws affect what appears in any McDonough background check result.

McDonough Background Check Fees

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

The state Felon Search is the cheapest option at $15. You pay online with a credit or debit card and get results by email. The sheriff's office fee falls within the $20 cap set by state law. Always call the Henry County Sheriff at 770-288-7101 to confirm the current fee and accepted payment methods before you visit. Fees and payment rules can change, and showing up without the right payment means a wasted trip. For fingerprint-based checks through GAPS, you pay at the IdentoGO location when you get your prints taken.

McDonough Contact Details

• Henry County Sheriff: 120 Henry Pkwy, McDonough, GA 30253
• Sheriff Phone: 770-288-7101
• Sheriff: Reginald Scandrett
• McDonough Police: mcdonoughga.org/police
• Georgia Sheriffs Directory: georgiasheriffs.org

For a McDonough background check, start with the Henry County Sheriff's Office since it is the primary source for criminal history records in the area. The office is located right in McDonough at 120 Henry Parkway. If you also want to check city-level records, the McDonough Police Department can provide its own case files. Both agencies are in the same town, so you can visit both in a single trip if you want a thorough search.

Nearby Cities

These cities are near McDonough and have their own background check pages with local details.