Turner County Background Check
Turner County background check records are available through the Sheriff's Office in Ashburn. The county is in south-central Georgia and falls under the Tifton Judicial Circuit. Criminal history data comes from local law enforcement, court records, and the statewide system run by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Ashburn is the county seat and the main town in Turner County. The sheriff's office handles public requests for background checks, and state online tools also provide access to Turner County criminal data from anywhere.
Turner County Quick Facts
Turner County Sheriff Background Check
Sheriff Andy Hester runs the Turner County Sheriff's Office at 1301 Industrial Drive, Ashburn, GA 31714. The phone number is 229-567-2401. The office processes name-based criminal history searches using local records and the Georgia Crime Information Center database. Bring a valid photo ID and the processing fee to start a Turner County background check. The staff will search local arrest logs and can pull statewide data.
Ashburn is a small city along Interstate 75 in south Georgia. The sheriff's office handles a modest number of background check requests. Walk-in visits are how most people get checks done. Call 229-567-2401 ahead of time to confirm hours and make sure you have everything the office requires. Some name searches return results the same day. Others take a few business days if the search needs to reach state databases. The office also keeps booking records and can check for active warrants in Turner County.
Turner County Criminal History
Turner County is part of the Tifton Judicial Circuit, which it shares with neighboring Tift County. The superior court handles felony cases, and the clerk of superior court at the Turner County courthouse in Ashburn stores all case records. These include indictments, plea agreements, trial verdicts, and sentencing details. Magistrate court covers misdemeanor offenses and preliminary hearings. Both courts produce public records that can be reviewed in person at the courthouse.
Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-34, private citizens can request criminal history records from the GBI for certain purposes. Some records will not appear in a Turner County background check. The First Offender Act allows qualified defendants to serve their sentence without a formal conviction on their public record. Sealed records and juvenile cases are also excluded from standard results. Felony convictions stay on the public record longer and are harder to restrict than misdemeanor charges.
Talk to the clerk's office if you need more detail on a particular case file.
State Search Tools
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation maintains the statewide criminal history database. Turner County arrest and conviction records flow into this system through the Georgia Crime Information Center. You can access these records without traveling to Ashburn.
The Georgia Felon Search is a $15 online database. Enter a name and get instant felony conviction results from all 159 counties, including Turner. Only felony convictions show. Misdemeanors, pending charges, and arrests that did not end in a conviction are not part of the results. This is the quickest option for a basic Turner County felony check.
For a more detailed search, the GAPS fingerprint system through IdentoGo pulls from both GBI and FBI databases. Fingerprint-based results cover state and national records. Processing takes one to two business days and costs more, but the depth is much greater. Turner County residents can check for IdentoGo locations in Tifton or another nearby city, since Ashburn may not have one.
The GBI services page lists all background check options available to the public.
The GBI website is where statewide records including Turner County criminal data are stored.
Use this portal to search statewide databases that hold Turner County arrest and conviction records.
Turner County Check Fees
Fees at the Turner County Sheriff's Office typically range from $15 to $25 for a background check. Call 229-567-2401 to confirm the current amount. The Georgia Felon Search is $15. GAPS fingerprint checks cost more due to processing through both state and federal databases plus the fingerprinting service fee at the IdentoGo location.
Payment methods at small Georgia sheriff offices usually include cash and money orders. Card acceptance is not guaranteed. Check with the Turner County office before your visit. For mail requests, always use a money order and never send cash.
Mail-In Requests for Turner County
If you cannot visit Ashburn, mail your background check request to the Turner County Sheriff's Office, 1301 Industrial Drive, Ashburn, GA 31714. Include your full name, date of birth, a photocopy of your photo ID, and a money order for the fee. Do not send cash through the mail. The office will run the check and send results to your address. Allow one to two weeks for the full process due to mailing time.
Georgia law under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37 sets rules on who can request criminal records and for what purposes. State your reason in the letter. The sheriff's office can reject requests that do not meet the legal requirements for disclosure.
Contact Turner County Sheriff
Get in touch with the Turner County Sheriff's Office for background check questions. The Georgia Sheriffs' Association has a directory of all county sheriffs in Georgia.
- Address: 1301 Industrial Drive, Ashburn, GA 31714
- Phone: 229-567-2401
- Sheriff: Andy Hester
Ashburn sits on I-75, making it easy to reach from both directions. The sheriff's office handles law enforcement for all of Turner County. Call first to make sure the office is ready for your background check request.
Nearby Counties
Turner County borders several south-central Georgia counties. These pages cover background check resources for the surrounding area.