Hawaii Background Check Records

A Hawaii background check pulls records from the Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center, known as HCJDC. This state agency runs the criminal history system for all islands and answers most Hawaii background check requests. You can search Hawaii background check records through eCrim, an online tool that shows adult conviction info for a small fee. You can also drop by a Public Access Site or the HCJDC office on King Street. For court files tied to a case, the state offers eCourt Kokua at no cost. Hawaii background check searches are open to the public.

Where to Get a Hawaii Background Check

The main source for a Hawaii background check is the Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center. The HCJDC falls under the Hawaii Department of the Attorney General. It holds the statewide criminal history record system known as CJIS-Hawaii, the Automated Fingerprint Identification System, the Hawaii sex offender list, and the eCrim site for adult Hawaii convictions. The office sits at the Kekuanaoa Building, 465 S. King Street, Room 102, in Honolulu, Hawaii. Hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, and the office closes for lunch from noon to 1:00 p.m.

You can learn more on the HCJDC main page. The image below shows the agency's home page, which lists each background check service and contact number.

Call the Criminal History Record Checks Unit at (808) 587-3279 for background check questions. Sex offender registration is reached at (808) 587-3350. Expungements are at (808) 587-3348. General HCJDC background check questions go to (808) 587-3100. You can also get Hawaii background check records at Public Access Sites on every major island, though the fee differs from online rates.

How to Search Hawaii Background Check Records

Hawaii gives you four ways to get a background check. The online eCrim Hawaii portal is the fastest route. You can also go in person at the HCJDC office in Hawaii, send a request by mail, or visit a Hawaii Public Access Site. Each Hawaii background check route has its own fee and turnaround time.

The eCrim system is run by the state and lets you search Hawaii adult conviction data right from a web browser. You enter a name and can add a date of birth or other info to narrow the result. A search costs $5. If you want to buy an official eCrim Hawaii background check report, the cost is $12 per record. You can reuse searches in the same login. After 30 minutes of no use, the system logs you out and your background check results drop.

The HCJDC Criminal History Record Check Services page lists each Hawaii background check method. Online, mail, and in-office options are all on offer. Staff can help set up a fingerprint visit or answer a mail-in question. Under HRS § 846-2.7, state and national criminal history record checks are run by the HCJDC and by qualified Hawaii agencies for reasons such as permits, licensing, and care-related fitness.

An eCrim Hawaii background check may return "No Criminal Convictions Found." That is a valid result. It means the name you typed did not match any adult conviction on file with the state.

Name-Based and Fingerprint-Based Hawaii Background Check

Hawaii offers two main types of background check requests. A Hawaii name-based background check uses identifiers like name, date of birth, or social security number. A Hawaii fingerprint background check uses rolled prints to match against the AFIS database. Fingerprints are the most reliable way to confirm identity on a Hawaii background check, since a subject may have used an alias at the time of arrest in Hawaii.

A name-based background check is easiest to run. On the HCJDC Name-Based page, you can pick online via eCrim, mail-in, or walk-in. The in-office name check is $30 and needs no appointment. Add $20 for a certified copy. Turnaround is 3 to 5 business days, or 7 to 10 days if you want notary service. HCJDC will not take cash. Credit, debit, Apple Pay, money order, or cashier's check made out to "State of Hawaii" are fine. Card payments add a 3% service fee on any Hawaii background check.

Fingerprint background checks are run for most licensing and care-related reviews under state law. The HCJDC Fingerprint page lists hours, fees, and rules for the fingerprint Hawaii background check.

All in-office fingerprint services are by appointment only. Call (808) 587-3279 to book a time. The in-office background check fee is $55 and a mail-in print card costs $35. Add $20 for certification of the Hawaii background check. Turnaround runs the same 3 to 5 business days. Office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., closed for lunch from noon to 1:00 p.m.

Hawaii Background Check Fees

The cost of a Hawaii background check varies by the type of search and by the way you submit it. Online service is the cheapest for most people. Fingerprint service is the priciest but gives the most accurate result.

Hawaii background check fee basics:

• eCrim name search: $5 per search, $12 for a certified record
• Name-based in-office or mail: $30, plus $20 for certification
• Fingerprint in-office: $55, plus $20 for certification
• Fingerprint by mail: $35, plus $20 for certification
• Public Access Site printout: $25 per search
• eCourt Kokua document: $3 flat for 1 to 30 pages

Card payments for a Hawaii background check at HCJDC add a 3% non-refundable fee. Cash is not taken for any service. Money orders and cashier's checks must be made out to "State of Hawaii." No refunds are given once a name-based check is run, so make sure the info you enter is right.

Hawaii Court Records and eCourt Kokua

Hawaii court records tie into a Hawaii background check when you want case-level detail. The Hawaii State Judiciary runs eCourt Kokua as a free public background check tool. It shows data from Hawaii traffic cases, District Court and Circuit Court criminal, Family Court adult criminal, District and Circuit civil, Family civil, Land Court, Tax Appeal, and appellate Hawaii cases.

You can search eCourt Kokua three ways for a Hawaii background check. Party Search takes the name of a person, business, or state agency, or a party ID. Vehicle Search uses a VIN or plate number. Case Search uses a case ID or a citation number. Basic case info is free. Downloadable docs with a PDF icon cost $3 for 1 to 30 pages, plus 10 cents per page after that.

Subscription plans are on offer for those who pull a lot of files. A quarterly plan costs $125 and gives unlimited single-document downloads. The yearly plan is $500. Certified court papers are only sold in paper form at each courthouse.

The site is free, but a basic Hawaii background check done through eCourt Kokua does not show all records. Some cases are sealed. Others may need prior court approval. For a full background check view, the HCJDC portal or a Public Access Site is the right route.

Hawaii Sex Offender and Covered Offender Registry

The Hawaii Sex Offender Registry is kept by HCJDC as part of the Hawaii background check system. It is free to use. The Hawaii site lets you search for offenders by name, zip code, offender type, city, street, or status. Offender photos, Hawaii home address, and conviction data are shown. The Hawaii registry is refreshed as offenders update info.

This registry is built under HRS Chapter 846E and Section 846E-2. Persons found guilty of certain sex offenses have to register. The list is meant as a safety tool for the public and is open to any resident.

A Hawaii background check often pairs an eCrim search with a sex offender registry lookup. That combo gives both conviction data and any listing in the sex offender file. Both background check tools are free or low-cost.

Hawaii Agencies That Run Background Checks

Under HRS § 846-2.7, many Hawaii state bodies conduct background checks for permits, licensing, or care-related fitness reviews. The Department of Health, Department of Human Services, the Judiciary, the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and some private schools are on that background check list.

The Hawaii Department of Human Services uses Fieldprint as its designee for a background check. The DHS uses Fieldprint codes to set up a scan. The system also runs Adult Protective Services (APS) and Child Abuse/Neglect (CAN) register checks. Background check results come back as a Green Light or Red Light report.

The Hawaii Department of Health runs its own background check track under Chapter 11-106 of the Hawaii Administrative Rules. It also uses Fieldprint for fingerprint capture, along with state and federal criminal history files plus APS and CAN registry checks.

The Hawaii Med-Quest Division conducts background checks under HRS §§ 321-15.2, 346-97, and 846-2.7. Frequency rules call for a state and FBI print check within 30 days, an eCrim name check within 12 months, APS screens within 30 days, and CAN screens every 12 months.

Public Access Sites for Hawaii Background Check

Hawaii Public Access Sites give walk-in access to Hawaii background check data. They are located inside police agencies on the major Hawaii islands. Each printout runs $25. Only Hawaii conviction data is shown. Arrests in Hawaii that did not result in a conviction are private under HRS § 846-9.

Honolulu holds its Hawaii background check site at the Honolulu Police Department, 801 South Beretania Street. Hawaii County has a site at the Hilo station on 349 Kapiolani Street, and a second site at the Kona District Police Station on Queen Kaahumanu Highway. Maui and Kauai residents can visit their county police record sections for name-based service, while most Hawaii background check needs route through the statewide HCJDC system.

Under HCJDC's FAQ, only adult records are in the Hawaii background check file. Juvenile cases are not in the state system, unless the juvenile case was moved to adult court. To check a juvenile record, call the Hawaii State Judiciary Family Court Juvenile Records at (808) 954-8190.

Are Hawaii Background Check Records Public

Yes, with limits. Adult conviction data is public under Hawaii's Uniform Information Practices Act, known as UIPA, at HRS Chapter 92F. Anyone can request a Hawaii background check and does not need to give a reason. The online eCrim site is open to all.

Non-conviction data is closed under HRS § 846-9. Arrests that did not end in a guilty finding are kept private. Only criminal justice agencies can see those files. Pending arrests are also not public. If a charge is dropped or the case ends in an acquittal due to a mental disease or defect under Chapter 704 of the HRS, the outcome may be in the public file.

Some juvenile case records are sealed under HRS § 571-84. Sealed items stay off both the eCrim site and the Public Access Sites. The sex offender register is a full public Hawaii background check tool with no fee.

Browse Hawaii Background Check by County

Hawaii has five counties. Each runs its own police record section or uses the state system for a Hawaii background check. Pick a county below for local contact info.

View All Hawaii Counties

Hawaii Background Check by City

Pick a city below to see which police district or court serves that area and where to get a Hawaii background check.

View Hawaii Cities