Kanawha County, WV Arrests & Jail Records

The Kanawha County Sheriff is tasked with maintaining and disseminating records of detainees to the public. You can obtain copies of arrest records by completing the Incident Report Request Form and send in person or by mail to:

Kanawha County Sheriff's Office

301 Virginia Street East

Charleston WV 25301

Phone: (304) 357-0200

Kanawha County police departments keep arrest records and ensure public access through their websites. Requesters can look up the websites to find contact details and instructions on how to request detailed arrest reports. While arrest reports are generally available online for free, paper copies may incur a fee. Some major police departments in Kanawha include the following:

• Charleston Police Department
• South Charleston Police Department
• St. Albans Police Department
• Dunbar Police Department
• Nitro Police Department

The WVSP Criminal Identification Bureau is responsible for maintaining and providing access to criminal history records for individuals who request them. Offenders' arrest information such as charges filed, arresting agency, and court dispositions are included in criminal history records. Access to these records is primarily available to law enforcement agencies, employers conducting background checks, and individuals requesting their own records.

Name-based criminal history searches are not available in West Virginia. As such, eligible applicants must obtain fingerprint-based background checks through IdentoGO, a service operated by IDEMIA. To get fingerprints, applicants must schedule an appointment with IdentoGO online or call (855) 766-7746. On the appointment day, visit the fingerprinting location with valid government-issued IDs and required fees. The cost for a fingerprint-based background check is approximately $32.50. Payments can be made using credit cards (Visa and MasterCard), certified checks, or money orders. Processing times vary depending on request volume, but applicants can expect results within a few days to a few weeks. Once processed, the results are either mailed directly to the requester or made available through the appropriate agency handling the request.

The Circuit Clerk holds criminal court records filed in Kanawha County. To get these public documents, requesters can complete and send formal requests to:

Kanawha County Circuit Clerk

111 Court Street

Charleston, WV 25301

Phone: (304) 357-0440

Arrest information on criminal case files is accessible online through the Magistrate Case Record Search. Users can search the state's online portal by providing details like party type, party name, case ID, case type, court location, and case filing dates. An alternative way to find Kanawha County arrest records online is via reputable third-party websites like InfoTracer.