Lancaster County Background Check Records Online

Lancaster County background check records are available through the Court of Common Pleas, the Pennsylvania State Police PATCH system, and the statewide UJS Portal. Lancaster County is one of the most populous counties in Pennsylvania, with over 560,000 residents spread across south-central PA. The Clerk of Courts office in Lancaster maintains criminal court records for all felony cases and misdemeanor appeals filed in the county. This page explains how to search Lancaster County criminal records through local and state resources.

Lancaster County Criminal Records Overview

Lancaster County sits in south-central Pennsylvania and is well known as the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch country. The county has a long history and a large, diverse population. Its Court of Common Pleas handles criminal cases at the county level, and the Clerk of Courts is the office responsible for keeping those records. Anyone can request access to criminal case records under Pennsylvania's Right-to-Know Law. The county processes a significant volume of cases each year given its size and population.

Criminal background check records in Lancaster County cover felony charges, misdemeanor appeals from Magisterial District Courts, summary appeals, Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (ARD) cases, and post-conviction matters. These records are part of the public court file. The Lancaster County government website provides information on all county offices and their services. Records in the Court of Common Pleas go back many decades, and older records may require an in-person visit to review.

Lancaster County also has 19 Magisterial District Courts that handle lower-level criminal matters, traffic cases, and preliminary hearings. These courts are spread across the county to serve different communities. Records from Magisterial District Courts are also searchable through the statewide UJS Portal.

Note: Lancaster County background check records from the Clerk of Courts reflect only cases filed in the county court system, not statewide criminal history, which requires a separate PATCH request through the Pennsylvania State Police.

How to Search Lancaster County Background Records

There are several ways to search background check records in Lancaster County. The fastest option for most people is the online UJS Portal at ujsportal.pacourts.us. This free tool lets you search by name, docket number, or police incident number. You can filter results by court type, case category, and date range. Results include docket sheets with case details, charges, hearing dates, and dispositions. The portal covers all 67 Pennsylvania counties including Lancaster County.

For a complete criminal background check across all of Pennsylvania, use the PATCH system at pa.gov/agencies/psp. PATCH is the Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History database run by the Pennsylvania State Police. This system provides official criminal history records and is more thorough than a county-level court search alone. In-person requests are also accepted at the Lancaster County Government Center at 150 North Queen Street in Lancaster. Staff at the Clerk of Courts can search by name or case number and provide copies for a fee.

Lancaster County Clerk of Courts Records

The Lancaster County government website connects visitors to all county departments including the Clerk of Courts. The office is the central keeper of criminal court records in the county. Visiting the office in person is the best way to review full case files or request certified copies.

The Lancaster County Clerk of Courts is located at 150 North Queen Street, Suite 335, Lancaster, PA 17603. The office handles all criminal records for the Court of Common Pleas. You can request records in person, by mail, or through the UJS Portal for recent cases. Staff process name-based searches, case number lookups, and certified copy requests.

Lancaster County criminal court records contain a wide range of information. Each file typically includes the defendant's full name and any aliases, date of birth, charges filed with statutory citations, offense grade (felony or misdemeanor), offense date, bail records, all hearing dates and their outcomes, disposition details, and sentencing information. Appeal records are also kept in the same file. Civil records are maintained separately by the Lancaster County Prothonotary, which handles Protection from Abuse orders, civil judgments, and family court matters. The Lancaster County Sheriff maintains warrant records and active enforcement matters.

PATCH System and UJS Portal Access

The Pennsylvania State Police runs the PATCH system, which is the state's official criminal history database. PATCH stands for Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History. It draws from records across all 67 counties, making it the most complete source for a statewide criminal background check on any Lancaster County resident or anyone who has lived in Pennsylvania.

You can access PATCH through the Pennsylvania State Police website. Requests require creating an account and submitting identification. Results are typically available within 7 to 14 business days. The PATCH system covers criminal history records statewide and is separate from the county-level records kept by the Lancaster County Clerk of Courts. For court case details, the UJS Portal provides free public access to docket sheets for cases filed in Lancaster County courts. The UJS Portal covers Magisterial District Courts, Courts of Common Pleas, and appellate courts. Searches by name or docket number return detailed case information including charges, hearing dates, bail data, and dispositions. The portal also supports the PAeDocket mobile app for iOS and Android devices.

Note: The UJS Portal is not a substitute for an official PATCH background check. It provides public docket information only and should be used as a research tool alongside official criminal history requests.

Public Records and Right-to-Know in Lancaster County

Pennsylvania's Right-to-Know Law gives the public access to many government records, including certain criminal court records in Lancaster County. The Office of Open Records oversees this law and handles appeals when agencies deny record requests. Most criminal court records held by the Lancaster County Clerk of Courts are open to the public. You do not need to be a party to the case to request records.

To request records from a Lancaster County agency, submit a written request to the agency's open records officer. The agency has five business days to respond. If a request is denied in whole or in part, you can appeal to the Office of Open Records within 15 business days. Some records may be exempt from disclosure, such as records that could compromise an ongoing investigation or records sealed by court order. Juvenile records are not available to the general public under Pennsylvania law.

The Office of Open Records also provides guidance on what records are available and how to request them. Their website at openrecords.pa.gov has sample request forms, appeal instructions, and a searchable database of past decisions. Lancaster County residents can use these tools to access criminal justice records beyond what the court docket shows.

Lancaster County Megan's Law Sex Offender Registry

Pennsylvania's Megan's Law Registry is maintained by the Pennsylvania State Police and is searchable by county. Lancaster County residents and property owners can search the registry to find registered sex offenders living, working, or attending school in the county. The registry includes names, photos, addresses, offense history, and compliance status for registered individuals.

You can search the Lancaster County portion of the registry at pameganslaw.state.pa.us. The search tool lets you filter by county, municipality, or geographic radius. Email alert subscriptions are also available. These alerts notify you when a registered offender moves into or out of a specified area in Lancaster County. The registry is updated regularly based on registrations and compliance checks.

Pennsylvania classifies sex offenders as Tier I, Tier II, or Tier III under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). The tier determines how long an offender must register and how often they must verify their information. The public registry does not include all details held by law enforcement, but it provides the core information needed for community awareness in Lancaster County.

Clean Slate and Expungement in Lancaster County

Pennsylvania's Clean Slate law, codified at 18 Pa.C.S. Section 9122.2, allows certain criminal records to be automatically sealed from public view without requiring a court petition. Qualifying misdemeanors that are more than 10 years old and for which all restitution has been paid are eligible for this automatic sealing process. Once sealed, these records do not appear in standard background check searches through the PATCH system.

Expungement is a separate process that fully removes a record from the criminal history database. Under Pennsylvania law, expungement is available for cases where charges were dismissed, where the defendant was found not guilty, or where the person successfully completed an ARD program. In Lancaster County, an expungement petition must be filed with the Court of Common Pleas. Once the court issues an order, the Lancaster County Clerk of Courts and the Pennsylvania State Police both update their records. The expungement process can also apply to DNA records collected at the time of arrest under specific circumstances.

Note: The Clean Slate law excludes serious offenses such as violent felonies, sexual offenses, and crimes involving children, so not all Lancaster County criminal records are eligible for automatic sealing.

Cities in Lancaster County

Lancaster city is the county seat of Lancaster County and the hub for court record access in the region. Criminal cases for the entire county are heard at the Court of Common Pleas located in Lancaster city.

Nearby Counties

Lancaster County shares borders with several other Pennsylvania counties. If you are searching records for someone who may have lived in a neighboring county, use the links below to find the right court records office.

View All 67 Counties