Union City Background Check

A Union City background check runs through the Fulton County Sheriff's Office since Union City sits in Fulton County. Sheriff Patrick "Pat" Labat oversees the department, which processes criminal history requests for all of Fulton County. Union City has about 28,000 residents and is located in the southern part of the county, south of Atlanta. The Fulton County Sheriff charges $15 for a background check and accepts cash or money order only. All arrest records from Union City feed into the Fulton County system and then into the Georgia Bureau of Investigation statewide database. Fulton is the most populated county in Georgia, so the sheriff's office sees a high volume of requests.

Fulton County Sheriff Background Check

The Fulton County Sheriff's Office is the main local agency for a Union City background check. Sheriff Patrick "Pat" Labat leads the department from 185 Central Ave SW in Atlanta, GA 30303. Call 404-612-5100 for details on the process. The sheriff handles criminal history requests for the entire county, which stretches from north Atlanta down through Union City.

The fee is $15. Payment must be in cash or money order. They do not take checks or credit cards. This is lower than the state cap of $20 set by O.C.G.A. § 35-3-34. Bring a valid photo ID and provide the full name and date of birth of the person you want searched. Staff will run the name through local Fulton County records and the statewide criminal history system.

The sheriff's office is in downtown Atlanta. That means Union City residents have to make the drive north to get this done in person. It is about a 20-minute drive depending on traffic. Plan your trip during off-peak hours if you can. The office can get busy given that Fulton County is the largest county in the state by population.

Note: The Fulton County Sheriff only accepts cash or money order for background check fees.

Union City Check Process

The process is straightforward. Go to the Fulton County Sheriff's Office. Fill out a request form. Present your photo ID. Pay the $15 fee in cash or money order. The staff runs the name through county and state databases. The search pulls arrests, charges, convictions, and other criminal records linked to that name and date of birth.

Name-based searches have a weakness. They rely on exact name and date of birth matches. Common names can return records for the wrong person. This is something to be aware of. Fingerprint-based checks solve that problem because they match prints to records directly. The GAPS system through IdentoGO handles fingerprint checks. You schedule an appointment, provide prints, and the system checks both GBI and FBI databases.

Fulton County is home to Atlanta and many surrounding cities. If someone has lived in different parts of Fulton County, one search at the sheriff's office covers the whole county. You do not need to visit multiple agencies. But if someone has lived in a different county, you would need a separate check there or a statewide search to catch those records.

Union City Background Check Resources

The Fulton County Sheriff services page provides details about available services including background checks for Union City residents.

The Fulton County Sheriff's services page lists the background check process and fees that apply to Union City and all other communities within Fulton County.

State Databases for Union City

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation maintains the statewide criminal history database through the Georgia Crime Information Center. All Union City arrest records flow from Fulton County into this central system. The GCIC holds records from every county in the state. They do not let the public run name-based searches directly though.

The Georgia Felon Search costs $15 per search. That happens to be the same price as the Fulton County Sheriff's in-person check. The Felon Search is online though. You enter a name, pay, and get results by email. It only covers felony convictions. No misdemeanors, no arrests without convictions, and no pending cases. For a Union City background check, the Felon Search is a quick option but the results are limited.

Both the sheriff check and the Felon Search cost $15, but they give you different information. The sheriff check includes misdemeanors and arrest records. The Felon Search only shows felony convictions. If you only care about felonies, the online search saves you a trip to downtown Atlanta. If you need the full picture, the in-person visit is worth the drive.

Georgia Laws on Union City Records

Georgia law governs how a Union City background check works. Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-34, the GBI shares criminal history data with authorized parties. The fee cap is $20. Fulton County charges $15, which is under that cap.

Record restriction under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37 can hide certain records from public view. Dismissed charges, acquittals, and qualifying cases may not appear on a standard check. A restricted record still exists in the state system. It just does not show up in typical search results. This affects what you see on a Union City background check.

The First Offender Act under O.C.G.A. § 42-8-60 changes how some records display. A person who completed a first offender sentence will not show a conviction on a standard check. The charge is in the system but it does not appear as a conviction. This is common in Georgia courts and something to keep in mind when looking at any Union City background check results.

Note: Fulton County's $15 fee is below the state maximum of $20 set by Georgia law.

Union City Check Fees

• Fulton County Sheriff: $15, cash or money order only
• Georgia Felon Search: $15, online, felony convictions only
• GAPS fingerprint check: varies, state and FBI records

The Fulton County Sheriff and the Georgia Felon Search both cost $15. The difference is what you get. The sheriff provides a broader search that includes misdemeanors and arrest records. The Felon Search only covers felony convictions. For a full Union City background check, the sheriff's office provides more detail. GAPS fingerprint checks cost more but are the most complete option available, checking both state and federal databases.

Contact for Union City Check

• Fulton County Sheriff: 185 Central Ave SW, Atlanta, GA 30303
• Sheriff phone: 404-612-5100
• Sheriff: Patrick "Pat" Labat
• Fee: $15 (cash or money order)

The Georgia Sheriffs' Association keeps an updated directory of all sheriffs in the state. For Union City, the Fulton County Sheriff is the local option. The office is in downtown Atlanta, so plan your trip accordingly. Call ahead to confirm hours before driving up from Union City.

Nearby Cities

These cities are near Union City and have their own background check pages.