Search Harris County Background Check

Harris County background check records are managed through the Sheriff's Office in Hamilton, in west-central Georgia near Columbus. The sheriff's office keeps arrest data, booking logs, and warrant information for the county. Harris County is part of the Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit. Criminal cases go through the superior court in Hamilton, and state databases through the GBI also hold records from this county. You can run a search through local or state channels. Each path has different steps, costs, and turnaround times depending on the type of search you need.

Harris County Sheriff Background Check

Sheriff Mike Jolley leads the Harris County Sheriff's Office. The mailing address is PO Box 457, Hamilton, GA 31811. You can call 706-628-4211 to find out about background check procedures, office hours, and what you need to bring. Walk-in visits are how most people get a check done here. Bring a valid photo ID and be ready to pay the fee. The office runs a name-based search pulling from local files and the Georgia Crime Information Center database. Results from a Harris County background check include arrest records, booking data, and any criminal history tied to the county.

Harris County is not a densely populated area. The sheriff's office handles a moderate workload compared to urban counties. That often means shorter wait times and faster turnaround on requests. Some name-based searches come back the same day. Others may need a few business days, especially when the search goes through state-level records. The office also keeps information about active warrants and jail bookings for the county.

Always call ahead. The office is busy with law enforcement work and hours can shift.

Harris County Criminal History Records

Criminal records in Harris County come from the Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit. This circuit covers Harris County along with several other counties in the Columbus region. The superior court handles felony cases and the most serious criminal matters. State court and magistrate court take care of misdemeanors and preliminary hearings. The clerk of superior court in Harris County holds case files at the courthouse in Hamilton. You can go in person and look through dockets, case documents, and court outcomes. These records are part of the public record system, but some files may have limits on access.

Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-34, the GBI can share criminal history data with private citizens when conditions are met. Georgia law also protects certain records from public view. The First Offender Act allows some people to restrict a conviction after finishing their sentence. Juvenile records are sealed in most cases. So a Harris County background check may not show every case that has passed through the court system. If you need information about a particular case, the clerk of court can help determine what is accessible.

State Background Check Tools for Harris County

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation operates the statewide criminal history database. Harris County arrest and conviction data feeds into the GBI's system through the Georgia Crime Information Center. You do not need to go to Hamilton to use these tools. Two main options are available.

The Georgia Felon Search website lets you search for convicted felons across all 159 Georgia counties. The fee is $15 per search. Only felony convictions appear in the results. Misdemeanor cases, arrests that did not lead to a conviction, and pending charges are excluded. You enter a name and get results immediately if a match exists. This is a useful first step for a Harris County background check when felony history is what you are looking for.

For a more thorough search, the GAPS fingerprint system through IdentoGo pulls data from state and federal databases. This fingerprint-based check costs more and takes 24 to 48 hours. The accuracy is better because fingerprints avoid mix-ups with common names. Harris County residents can find IdentoGo fingerprinting sites in the Columbus area, which is not far from Hamilton.

Learn more about GBI services at gbi.georgia.gov/services.

The GBI portal connects to statewide databases that hold Harris County criminal history records alongside data from every other Georgia county.

Harris County Background Check Fees

The cost of a Harris County background check depends on the method. A local name-based search at the sheriff's office typically falls between $15 and $25. Call 706-628-4211 to confirm the current fee before you visit. The state felon search is a flat $15. Fingerprint-based checks through GAPS are pricier because they cover both state and FBI databases, plus there is a service fee at the fingerprinting location.

Cash and money orders are usually accepted at the sheriff's office. Card payments may or may not be an option. Call ahead to make sure you bring the right form of payment and avoid an extra trip to Hamilton.

Mail Requests for Harris County Records

You can request a Harris County background check by mail when an in-person visit is not possible. Send your request to the Harris County Sheriff's Office at PO Box 457, Hamilton, GA 31811. Include your full name, date of birth, and a photocopy of your photo ID. Put in a money order for the processing fee. Do not send cash through the mail. The office will process the search and send the results to your return address. Expect the whole thing to take one to two weeks when you factor in shipping time on both ends and office processing time.

Georgia law under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37 governs access to criminal history records and how that information can be used. Your request must fall within the legal guidelines for disclosure. The sheriff's office has the right to reject requests that do not meet these requirements.

Harris County Sheriff Contact

Get in touch with the Harris County Sheriff's Office for background check questions. The Georgia Sheriffs' Association also maintains a statewide directory of all county sheriffs.

• Address: PO Box 457, Hamilton, GA 31811
• Phone: 706-628-4211
• Sheriff: Mike Jolley
• Hours: Call to confirm current office hours

Harris County sits right next to Muscogee County and the city of Columbus. People in the area sometimes need to check records in both counties since the Columbus metro region spans more than one jurisdiction. The Harris County Sheriff's Office can only access records from their county and the state system. For Columbus or Muscogee County records, you would need to go through that county's offices. Starting with a call to 706-628-4211 is the best way to get your Harris County background check rolling.

Nearby Counties

Harris County borders several counties in west-central Georgia. If your search goes beyond Harris County, these nearby pages may be useful.