Wheeler County Background Check

A Wheeler County background check is available at the Sheriff's Office in Alamo. Wheeler County is a small, rural county in south-central Georgia. Sheriff Glenn Giles runs the department and oversees public record services. The office processes name-based criminal history searches through local files and the state database maintained by the Georgia Crime Information Center. For more comprehensive searches including federal records, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation offers tools that also cover Wheeler County data. Alamo is the county seat and the location for all county-level record requests.

Wheeler County Sheriff's Office

The Wheeler County Sheriff's Office is at 21 West Forest Avenue, Alamo, GA 30411. Sheriff Glenn Giles leads the department. The phone number is 912-568-7107. Background checks are handled through walk-in visits. Bring a valid government-issued photo ID. Driver's licenses and state-issued ID cards are accepted. Social Security cards on their own are not valid identification. You must give your full name, date of birth, sex, race, and Social Security number to have the search processed.

Staff runs your name through Wheeler County records and the Georgia Crime Information Center statewide database. Wheeler County has a small population, so the local criminal record volume is limited. Name-based checks can come back quickly for this reason. If the state database pulls additional records that need review, it could take longer. Call the office before you visit. Small offices sometimes run on reduced hours. Ask about the fee and payment methods so you are ready when you arrive.

Wheeler County is part of the Oconee Judicial Circuit. Cases from superior court, state court, and magistrate court all contribute to the records that show up in a background check.

Criminal History Records

Wheeler County criminal records come from cases processed through the Oconee Judicial Circuit courts. Felony cases go through superior court. Misdemeanors go to state court. Magistrate court handles preliminary matters. The clerk of superior court at the Wheeler County courthouse in Alamo keeps case files open for public review. You can visit to search dockets and read filings in person during business hours.

Georgia law under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-34 allows citizens to request criminal history records. The maximum fee is $20 for a name-based search. Not everything will appear. The First Offender Act (O.C.G.A. § 42-8-60) lets some individuals seal their convictions once they complete their sentence. These sealed records will not appear in a Wheeler County background check. Felony convictions are very difficult to seal and typically stay on the record.

Record restriction under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37 can further limit what shows up. This replaced the old expungement process in Georgia. Some Wheeler County records may have been restricted from public view. The same statute sets the personal record inspection fee at up to $15.

Note: Because Wheeler County is small, you may find that state-level tools give you more complete results than the local office alone.

State-Level Search Tools

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation operates the central criminal history system. Wheeler County records are part of this database. You can run state searches without going to Alamo.

The Georgia Felon Search costs $15 per lookup. It covers felony convictions statewide. Enter a name and get results emailed instantly. Only felonies appear. No misdemeanors or pending cases. This is a simple way to check for serious criminal history tied to Wheeler County or any other county in Georgia.

For the most thorough search available, the GAPS fingerprint system through IdentoGO pulls from both state and federal databases. Fingerprint-based results take one to two business days. The cost is higher than a name-based check. Biometric matching makes it more accurate. Wheeler County residents may need to travel to Vidalia, Dublin, or another nearby city with an IdentoGO location.

The GBI services page explains all available search types. The GBI FAQ covers common questions about costs and turnaround.

This screenshot of the GBI services page shows the different types of criminal history checks available to Wheeler County residents.

Wheeler County Fees

The Wheeler County Sheriff's Office charges for background checks under the $20 state cap from O.C.G.A. § 35-3-34(d.3). Call 912-568-7107 to confirm the fee and what payment they accept. Very small offices may only take cash. The Georgia Felon Search is $15. GAPS fingerprint checks cost more and include the IdentoGO fingerprinting fee.

If you want to review your own criminal record, the inspection fee is up to $15 under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37. This is a different service from requesting a background check on someone else. Contact the sheriff's office or the GBI for more details on the process.

How to Get a Wheeler County Check

Visit the Wheeler County Sheriff's Office at 21 West Forest Avenue in Alamo. Bring your government-issued photo ID and the identifying information listed above. Staff processes the search and returns results. Simple, clean records tend to come back fast. More complex checks need extra time.

Mail-in requests may be possible. Call the office to find out. If they accept mail, include your full name, date of birth, a copy of your ID, and a money order for the fee. Never send cash. Allow extra processing time for mail. The Georgia Sheriffs' Association has verified contact details for Sheriff Giles and every other Georgia sheriff.

Wheeler County Contact

• Wheeler County Sheriff's Office: 21 West Forest Avenue, Alamo, GA 30411
• Phone: 912-568-7107
• Sheriff: Glenn Giles
• County Seat: Alamo
• Judicial Circuit: Oconee

Wheeler County is a small rural county in south-central Georgia. The sheriff's office is the main source for both law enforcement and public record services. The courthouse in Alamo has the clerk of superior court for court record searches.

Cities in Wheeler County

Wheeler County has no cities that qualify for a separate page on this site. Alamo is the county seat. All background check requests go through the sheriff's office in Alamo.

Nearby Counties

Wheeler County borders several counties in south-central Georgia. These nearby county pages may help if your search goes past Wheeler County.