Walker County Criminal Check

A Walker County background check begins at the Sheriff's Office in Lafayette. Walker County is in the far northwest corner of Georgia, close to the Tennessee and Alabama borders. Sheriff Steve Wilson runs the department and oversees public record services including criminal history requests. The sheriff's office is the go-to local agency for name-based background checks. Staff runs searches through Walker County files and the state criminal history system. State databases from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation provide an additional layer of search capability for broader or fingerprint-based requests.

Walker County Sheriff's Office

The Walker County Sheriff's Office mailing address is PO Box 767, Lafayette, GA 30728. Sheriff Steve Wilson heads the department. Call 706-638-1909 for background check questions. Walk-in visits are the standard way to request a check. You need a valid government-issued photo ID. A driver's license or state ID works. Social Security cards alone are not accepted as valid identification. Give the staff your full name, date of birth, sex, race, and Social Security number to process the search.

The sheriff's office searches Walker County records and the Georgia Crime Information Center database for statewide criminal history. A name-based search can return results the same day for straightforward cases. If there are complications or multiple records to sort through, it could take a few business days. Walker County is not a huge county, so the process tends to move at a reasonable pace. Still, calling ahead is smart. Hours can shift, and the office might be closed on certain days due to staffing.

Walker County Criminal Records

Criminal records in Walker County come from cases handled in the Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit. Superior court processes felonies. State court takes misdemeanor cases. Magistrate court deals with preliminary hearings and minor matters. Each court feeds records into the public system. The clerk of superior court at the Walker County courthouse in Lafayette maintains case files that are open to the public. You can visit in person to search through dockets and read filings.

Georgia law under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-34 permits private citizens to request criminal history records. The statute caps the fee at $20 per name-based check. But a Walker County background check may not show every record. The First Offender Act under O.C.G.A. § 42-8-60 lets some people seal their convictions once they finish their sentence. Restricted records will not appear in a standard check. Felony convictions typically stay visible much longer than misdemeanors.

The record restriction process under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37 allows certain Walker County records to be hidden from public view. This statute also governs the fee for personal record inspection, which caps at $15. If a record was restricted, it will not appear in a background check result.

Note: The GCIC does not accept background check requests directly from the public, so a local law enforcement agency like the Walker County Sheriff's Office must process your request.

State Resources for Walker County

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation manages the state criminal history database. Walker County arrests and convictions are part of this system. You do not have to travel to Lafayette to search state-level records.

The Georgia Felon Search is a fast option. It costs $15 per search. You enter a name and get results by email instantly. Only felony convictions are included. No misdemeanors, no pending charges, no arrests without convictions. This covers Walker County and every other county in Georgia. The Georgia Felon Search FAQ explains what the search covers and its limits.

The GAPS fingerprint system through IdentoGO goes deeper. It checks both state and federal databases using fingerprints. Results take one to two business days. Fingerprint-based checks are more reliable because they use biometric matching. Walker County residents can find IdentoGO locations in the Chattanooga, Tennessee area or in Dalton, depending on which is closer.

This screenshot shows the GCIC page where Walker County criminal history data feeds into the state system for background check searches.

Walker County Background Check Fees

Walker County Sheriff's Office charges for background checks. The max fee is $20 per search under Georgia law. Call 706-638-1909 to find out the exact amount and which payment methods they take. Some rural offices accept cash only. Others take money orders. The statewide felon search is $15 per name. GAPS fingerprint checks have a separate cost that includes the IdentoGO service fee.

Record inspection fees are capped at $15 under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37. This applies when you review your own criminal record for accuracy. It is different from requesting a background check on someone else. The process has its own forms and requirements.

Requesting Walker County Records

Go to the Walker County Sheriff's Office during business hours with your photo ID. Provide the required identifying information. Staff will run the check through local and state systems. Results for clean records often come back the same day. Records with hits may take additional time.

Mail-in requests might be possible. Contact the office to ask. If they accept mail requests, you would need to send your full name, date of birth, a photocopy of your ID, and a money order for the fee. Do not mail cash. Give it extra time for mailing and processing. An in-person visit is always the fastest route for a Walker County background check.

The Georgia Sheriffs' Association keeps a current directory of all 159 county sheriffs in Georgia, including Sheriff Wilson of Walker County.

Walker County Contact

• Walker County Sheriff's Office: PO Box 767, Lafayette, GA 30728
• Phone: 706-638-1909
• Sheriff: Steve Wilson
• County Seat: Lafayette
• Judicial Circuit: Lookout Mountain

Walker County sits at the northwest tip of Georgia. The sheriff's office serves the whole county. Call ahead to confirm business hours and payment details before making the trip to Lafayette for your Walker County background check.

Cities in Walker County

Walker County does not have any cities with populations large enough for a separate city page on this site. Lafayette is the county seat. All Walker County background check requests are processed through the sheriff's office there.

Nearby Counties

Walker County borders several other counties in northwest Georgia. If you need to search beyond Walker County, these pages cover the neighboring areas.