Does the FBI provide arrest records at the request of private citizens?

Yes. You can obtain a copy of your own ”Identification Record”—often referred to as a criminal history record or a "rap sheet"—by submitting a written request to our Criminal Justice Information Services Division. We check various systems for any arrest records, a process that is generally known as a criminal background check. Your request must include proof of identity and payment of an $18 processing fee by credit card or by money order or cashiers check made payable to the U.S. Treasury. The FBI does not provide copies of arrest records to individuals other than the subject of the record (in other words, you cannot request someone else’s records). See our Identification Record webpage for information and forms.