Conduct a Missouri Background Check

The state of Missouri is bound by the guidelines of the Freedom of Information Act to make public all criminal and court records that have not been declared sealed by the court or have not been expunged. Thus, arrest records, sex offender records, driving records, court records, and certain educational records in Missouri are considered public domain. Citizens are encouraged to research them to conduct a Missouri background check.

Reasons for a Missouri Background Check

A thorough Missouri background check is the best way to delve into the criminal past of a person and take measures to safeguard yourself and your family. You would also need to carry out a comprehensive background check into the credentials of a new employee or a loan applicant before hiring or granting credit. Conducting such a check in many cases helps prevent legal troubles later on.

Accessing Missouri Background Check Information

There are many commercial websites that house Missouri background check records. However, it is always wise to obtain the information from government law enforcement agencies, which are authentic and reliable.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol authorities list the names of all those drivers who have recently been arrested for violating traffic laws. The list is available at http://www.mshp.dps.mo.gov/HP71/search.jsp and a typical search result provides these details: the name and age of the driver, the arrest date and the name of the county where s/he had been arrested, and information about the offense committed.

In Missouri, you can access driver records with personal details only if they are exempt under the guidelines established by the federal Driver’s Privacy Protection Act (DPPA). Download form DOR-4681 from http://dor.mo.gov/mvdl/drivers/forms/4681.pdf, fill it out completely, and either submit it to any Missouri driving license office or send it to: Motor Vehicle and Driver Licensing Division, 301 West High Street – Room 360, Jefferson City, MO 65101.

To obtain drivers’ records without personal information, submit a written request containing the name, date of birth, the license number of the driving record you are seeking, and the required fee in personal or cashier’s check or money order to the above mentioned address.

If you want to request a National Driver Register (NDR) file check on a current or prospective employee licensed in Missouri, you must fill out the Current or Prospective Employee Form and submit it to the office of the local motor vehicle agency. You will have to verify the identity of the person from his/her driver records, if you are informed that s/he is found on an NDR file or that there are possible matches.

Megan’s Law dictates that all sex offenders residing and/or working within a state have to register with the local law enforcement officials. The officials have to make available to the public information on these criminals. In Missouri, you can conduct a search on sexual offenders at http://www.mshp.dps.mo.gov/MSHPWeb/PatrolDivisions/CRID/SOR/http://www.peoplepublicrecords.org/SORPage.html. You may also call the toll free number 1-888-SOR-MSHP (767-6747) to request information on these criminals.

The Missouri State Courts Automated Case Management System allows you to view court case information. Scouring through court records and learning the details of thecases that an individual has been involved in is an integral part of your background check procedure.

This case management system, found at https://www.courts.mo.gov/casenet/base/welcome.do, however, contains information on only those cases that are considered public as per the Missouri Revised Statutes.