Schley County Background Check

Schley County background check requests are handled by the Sheriff's Office in Ellaville. This small county in southwest Georgia is part of the Southwestern Judicial Circuit. Criminal records here come from local arrest logs, court filings, and the statewide database maintained by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Because Schley County has a small population, the sheriff's office is the main point of contact for anyone looking to run a background check. State tools also give you a way to search records tied to this county without driving to Ellaville.

Schley County Sheriff Background Check

Sheriff Scott Nelson runs the Schley County Sheriff's Office. The mailing address is PO Box 809, Ellaville, GA 31806. You can call 229-937-2101 to ask about hours and what you need to bring for a background check. The office runs name-based searches using local files and the Georgia Crime Information Center database. Walk-in visits are the most common way to get a check done here. Bring a valid photo ID and be ready to pay the processing fee. The staff will run your name and pull up any records tied to Schley County or statewide data.

Schley County is one of the smaller counties in Georgia. The sheriff's office handles a lower volume of requests than urban areas, which can mean shorter wait times. But the office also has fewer staff, so hours may be limited. Calling ahead is a good idea so you know when the office is open for background check processing. Same-day results are possible for simple name searches, though some checks take a few business days when state records need to be pulled.

The office also handles warrant checks and can tell you about active warrants in the county.

Criminal Records in Schley County

Schley County falls under the Southwestern Judicial Circuit. Criminal cases heard in the superior court become part of the public record. These include felony charges, plea deals, trial results, and sentencing details. The clerk of superior court in Ellaville stores these case files, and members of the public can review them at the courthouse. Magistrate court records for minor offenses are also kept at the county level.

Georgia law controls who can see criminal history records. Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-34, private citizens can get criminal history data from the GBI under certain conditions. Not all records show up in a standard background check. Cases sealed by court order or handled under the First Offender Act may be excluded from results. The First Offender Act lets certain defendants complete their sentence without a formal conviction on their public record. Felony records are harder to seal and usually stay visible longer than misdemeanor cases.

State Background Check Tools

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation runs the main statewide criminal history system. Arrest and conviction data from Schley County feeds into this central database. You do not need to visit Ellaville to search these records.

The Georgia Felon Search portal costs $15 per search and returns felony conviction records from all 159 counties. Type in a name and get results right away if there is a match. Only felony convictions appear. Misdemeanor charges and arrests that did not lead to a conviction will not show. This tool works well for a basic Schley County background check focused on serious offenses.

For a deeper search, the GAPS fingerprint system through IdentoGo pulls data from both state and FBI databases. This is a fingerprint-based check that gives you a more complete picture. Results take 24 to 48 hours. The cost is higher than a name search, but the results are more thorough. Schley County residents may need to travel to a nearby city for fingerprinting since there may not be an IdentoGo site in Ellaville.

Visit the GBI services page for a full list of background check options available statewide.

This portal connects to the statewide databases that include Schley County criminal history data.

Schley County Background Check Fees

Fees for a background check at the Schley County Sheriff's Office typically fall in the $15 to $25 range. The exact amount can change, so call 229-937-2101 to confirm before you go. The state felon search charges $15. Fingerprint-based checks through GAPS cost more because they cover both state and federal databases, plus there is a separate fingerprinting service fee at the IdentoGo location.

Cash and money orders are the most common payment methods at small Georgia sheriff offices. Some now take cards, but not all do. Check with the Schley County office before you make the trip to avoid any issues.

Mail Requests for Schley County

If you cannot visit Ellaville in person, you may be able to request a Schley County background check by mail. Send a written request to the Schley County Sheriff's Office, PO Box 809, Ellaville, GA 31806. Include your full name, date of birth, a photocopy of your ID, and a money order for the fee. Do not send cash. The office will process the check and mail the results back to you. Mail requests take longer because of shipping time on both ends. Allow one to two weeks for the full process.

Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37, there are rules about who can access certain criminal history records and how the data can be used. Make sure your request falls within the allowed uses under Georgia law.

Contact Schley County Sheriff

Reach the Schley County Sheriff's Office for background check questions at the details below. The Georgia Sheriffs' Association also keeps a directory of all county sheriffs in the state.

• Mailing Address: PO Box 809, Ellaville, GA 31806
• Phone: 229-937-2101
• Sheriff: Scott Nelson

Ellaville is a small town, so the sheriff's office may keep limited hours. Call ahead to make sure the office is open and staffed for record requests when you plan to arrive. The staff can answer questions about what forms to fill out and what documents you need for a Schley County background check.

Nearby Counties

Schley County borders several other counties in southwest Georgia. You may want to check background records in these neighboring areas as well.