Find Seminole County Background Check

Seminole County background check services run through the Sheriff's Office in Donalsonville. Located in the far southwest corner of Georgia near the Florida and Alabama borders, Seminole County is part of the Pataula Judicial Circuit. Criminal records in this county come from local law enforcement, the superior court, and the statewide system managed by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. The sheriff's office is the go-to place for anyone looking to search background check records locally. State online tools also let you search Seminole County data from anywhere.

Seminole County Sheriff Background Check

Sheriff Heath Elliott heads the Seminole County Sheriff's Office at 208 Court Street, Donalsonville, GA 39845. The phone number is 229-524-5115. The office processes name-based background checks using local files and the Georgia Crime Information Center database. Bring a valid photo ID to start your request. The staff will search local arrest records and can pull statewide criminal history data as well.

Donalsonville is a small town, and the sheriff's office serves a rural area. The volume of background check requests is lower than what you see in metro counties, so wait times are usually short. But smaller offices also have fewer staff on hand, which means background check services may only be available during certain hours. Call 229-524-5115 before you go to make sure the office is ready to take your request. Simple name searches can come back the same day. If the search needs to reach state databases, it could take a few extra days.

Criminal History and Court Records

Seminole County is part of the Pataula Judicial Circuit, which also serves several other southwest Georgia counties. Felony cases go through the superior court, and the clerk of superior court in Donalsonville keeps those records. Misdemeanor cases and preliminary hearings are handled by the magistrate court. Both sets of records are part of the public file system and can be reviewed in person at the Seminole County courthouse.

Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-34, private citizens can access criminal history records for certain purposes. However, not every record will appear in a background check. The First Offender Act allows some defendants to keep a conviction off their public record after finishing their sentence. Sealed records and juvenile cases are also excluded from standard search results. Keep this in mind when reviewing background check data from Seminole County.

Felony convictions are harder to restrict. They tend to stay on the record longer.

State Background Check Resources

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation manages the central criminal history database for all 159 Georgia counties. Seminole County criminal records feed into this system. You can search these records without traveling to Donalsonville.

The Georgia Felon Search costs $15 per search. It shows felony convictions from across the state, including Seminole County. Enter a name and get results right away. The tool only covers felony convictions, so misdemeanor charges and arrests without a conviction do not appear. For a quick check on felony history, this is the fastest option.

The GAPS fingerprint system through IdentoGo provides a more thorough search. Fingerprints get matched against both GBI and FBI records, covering Georgia and national data. Results come back in one to two business days. The cost is higher than a name-based search. Seminole County residents will likely need to travel to a larger city for the nearest IdentoGo location, since Donalsonville may not have one.

Check the GBI services page for details on every background check option.

The statewide portal above stores criminal history records from Seminole County and all other Georgia counties.

Seminole County Check Fees

A background check at the Seminole County Sheriff's Office generally costs between $15 and $25. Call 229-524-5115 to confirm the current fee. The statewide felon search tool is $15. GAPS fingerprint-based checks cost more due to the dual state and federal database processing, plus there is a separate fee for the fingerprinting service at the IdentoGo site.

Payment methods at small Georgia sheriff offices usually include cash and money orders. Card payments may or may not be available. Check before your visit. For mail requests, always use a money order and never send cash.

Request Records by Mail

Mail requests for a Seminole County background check can be sent to the Sheriff's Office at 208 Court Street, Donalsonville, GA 39845. Include your full name, date of birth, a copy of your photo ID, and a money order for the processing fee. The office will run the search and mail the results to your address. Allow one to two weeks for the full mail process.

Georgia law under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37 sets rules on who can access criminal records and for what reasons. State your purpose in the letter. The sheriff's office can deny requests that fall outside the allowed uses under Georgia law.

Contact the Sheriff's Office

Get in touch with the Seminole County Sheriff's Office for questions about background checks. The Georgia Sheriffs' Association has a directory of all county sheriffs if you need to verify contact details.

• Address: 208 Court Street, Donalsonville, GA 39845
• Phone: 229-524-5115
• Sheriff: Heath Elliott

Seminole County sits near the state line. If the person you are researching has ties to neighboring states, you may need to run separate checks in Florida or Alabama as well. Georgia records only cover activity within the state.

Nearby Counties

Seminole County borders a few other counties in far southwest Georgia. Background check records for nearby areas are available on these pages.