Search Dawson County Background Checks

Dawson County background check requests go through the Sheriff's Office on Tucker Avenue in Dawsonville. The county sits in the north Georgia mountains and has seen steady growth over the past decade. Sheriff Jeff Johnson runs the office and oversees criminal history record requests for the area. A Dawson County background check pulls from local arrest records, court files from the Northeastern Judicial Circuit, and state databases maintained by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Whether you visit in person or use a state search tool, there are several ways to access criminal history data tied to this county.

Dawson County Sheriff Background Check

The Dawson County Sheriff's Office is at 19 Tucker Avenue in Dawsonville. Call 706-344-3535 if you need to ask about background check procedures or what to bring. Sheriff Jeff Johnson and his staff handle name-based searches by running your information through local files and the Georgia Crime Information Center database. Walk-in requests are the most common way to get a background check done here. Bring a valid photo ID and be ready to provide your full legal name and date of birth. The staff will search their records and give you a report of any criminal history tied to your name within the county.

Dawson County has grown a lot in recent years, so the sheriff's office can be busier than you might expect for a north Georgia county. Some checks come back the same day. Others take a few business days, especially if the search needs to pull data from state-level systems. Booking records and active warrant information are also available through this office.

Criminal Records in Dawson County

Dawson County is part of the Northeastern Judicial Circuit. Criminal cases handled in the superior court become part of the public record, and the Clerk of Superior Court in Dawsonville keeps files on felony and misdemeanor cases. You can visit the courthouse to review these records in person. The clerk maintains case documents that include charges, plea information, trial outcomes, and sentencing details. Phone requests for basic case information are sometimes possible, but the most thorough access comes from an in-person visit.

Georgia law controls what criminal records are open to the public. Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-34, the GBI can share criminal history data with private citizens when certain conditions are met. Some records are off limits. Juvenile cases and sealed records will not appear in a standard check. The First Offender Act allows some people to keep their conviction off the public record after completing their sentence. That means a Dawson County background check might miss cases that were handled under this law.

Felony records generally stay on file longer and are harder to seal than misdemeanor records.

State Background Check Options

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation operates statewide search tools that cover Dawson County. You do not need to be in Dawsonville to use these. The Georgia Felon Search is a quick online tool that costs $15 per search. Type in a name and you can see any felony convictions tied to that person across all 159 Georgia counties. The results only show felony convictions, though. Misdemeanors, arrests without conviction, and pending charges are not included.

The GAPS fingerprint system through IdentoGo gives more complete results. This is a fingerprint-based check that searches both state and federal databases. Because it uses fingerprints instead of just a name, the results are more accurate and avoid false matches that happen when people share common names. The turnaround is usually 24 to 48 hours. Dawson County residents can find IdentoGo fingerprinting locations in the north Georgia area, including Gainesville and other nearby cities.

Visit gbi.georgia.gov/services for the full list of background check options from the GBI.

The GBI website provides access to statewide records that include criminal history data from Dawson County and every other Georgia county.

Dawson County Background Check Fees

Fees for a background check in Dawson County vary by method. A local name-based search at the sheriff's office runs between $15 and $25. The exact amount can change, so call 706-344-3535 to verify before you go. The state felon search costs $15 online. Fingerprint-based checks through GAPS have a higher fee because they cover both state and FBI databases. There is also a separate service fee at the fingerprinting location. The sheriff's office typically takes cash and money orders, though some offices have added card payment options.

Always confirm the current fee and payment methods before you make the trip to Dawsonville.

Mail Requests for Dawson County

You can send a background check request by mail if you can not go to Dawsonville. Write to the Dawson County Sheriff's Office at 19 Tucker Avenue, Dawsonville, GA 30534. Your letter should include your full name, date of birth, a copy of your photo ID, and a money order for the processing fee. Do not send cash through the mail. The office will run the check and mail the results back to you. Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37, Georgia law limits how criminal history information can be used. Make sure your request falls within the allowed uses before submitting.

Mail requests add time to the process. Expect one to two weeks from when you mail the request to when you get results back, between shipping and processing.

Dawson County Contact Details

Contact the sheriff's office for background check questions. The Georgia Sheriffs' Association also maintains a directory of all county sheriffs statewide.

• Address: 19 Tucker Avenue, Dawsonville, GA 30534
• Phone: 706-344-3535
• Sheriff: Jeff Johnson
• Hours: Call to confirm current office hours

Dawson County is close to several other fast-growing counties in the north Georgia foothills. If you need records from nearby areas, the sheriff's offices in those counties follow similar procedures. Starting your Dawson County background check with a call to the office is the easiest way to make sure you have everything in order before your visit.

Nearby Counties

Dawson County shares borders with several north Georgia counties. These links may help if you need background check records from a neighboring area.