Self Background Check in Missouri (2026): How to See What Employers See

Why Run a Self Background Check in Missouri?

Missouri's criminal records cross 114 counties plus the City of St. Louis, with data feeding into the MSHP from circuit courts, sheriffs, and municipal police departments. With that many sources, knowing what made it into your file, and what didn't, is worth the $14 it costs to find out.

1. Find and Fix Errors Before Employers See Them

Disposition lag is real in Missouri. Cases that were dismissed in 2022 sometimes still appear on the MACHS report as "open" in 2025 because the court clerk's office never closed the loop with the MSHP. A self-check catches these, and the MSHP has a formal dispute process to fix them.

2. Confirm Your SB 588 Expungement Took Effect

Missouri expungements granted under RSMo 610.140 require a court order that's then transmitted to the MSHP for removal from the state record. The transmission isn't always instantaneous. If you've been granted an expungement, running a self-check 60–90 days later confirms the record is actually gone.

3. Prepare for Healthcare, Casino, and Licensed Profession Reviews

Missouri's gaming industry, healthcare facilities, schools, and licensed professions all run fingerprint-based checks. These pull both state and federal records and disqualifying offenses are spelled out by statute or by board rule. Knowing what's on your record beforehand lets you address concerns proactively rather than reactively.

4. Tenant Screening Across the State

Landlords in Kansas City, Columbia, Springfield, and the Lake of the Ozarks region routinely pull criminal background reports from commercial screening services. Errors in the underlying state data flow downstream to those reports, and the easiest place to fix them is at the source.

What Shows Up on a Personal Background Check in Missouri?

Felony and Misdemeanor Convictions

Felony convictions and Class A and B misdemeanor convictions processed in Missouri courts appear on the MACHS report unless expunged. The report shows offense, court of conviction, conviction date, and sentence.

Arrest Records

Missouri reports arrests on the MACHS report, including arrests that didn't lead to conviction (with disposition status). Missouri is one of several states where arrest records remain in the criminal history database, though the FCRA still limits how third-party reports can use them for employment.

Pending Charges

Active cases that have been filed but not yet resolved show up as "pending" on the MACHS record. If your case was dismissed and the record still says "pending," that's an error you can dispute.

What's Excluded

Federal court cases, out-of-state convictions, juvenile records (sealed by default in Missouri), most traffic offenses (except DWI), and civil litigation are not on the MACHS record. A comprehensive personal check usually pulls these from separate sources.

How to Check Your Own Background in Missouri

Option 1: Online MACHS Name-Based Check ($14)

The fastest official option is the Missouri Automated Criminal History Site. Create an account, enter your name and date of birth, pay $14 by credit card (plus a small convenience fee), and receive a PDF report instantly. This is the same source most Missouri employers use for name-based checks.

Option 2: Mail-In Name-Based Check ($14)

If you'd rather not use the online portal, submit Form MSHP-167 and a $14 check or money order to the MSHP Criminal Records Section in Jefferson City. Turnaround is 2–3 weeks.

Option 3: Fingerprint-Based Check ($44)

For the most accurate record, and what licensed professions and casino jobs require, schedule a fingerprint appointment through IDEMIA, the MSHP's contracted vendor. The $44 fee covers both state and FBI portions and gets results back to you and any applicable agency in 5–7 business days.

Option 4: Search Missouri Case.net

Missouri's free public court record system,, lets you search circuit court records statewide. This catches cases that may not yet have made it into the MSHP system and shows full case histories.

Option 5: FBI Identity History Summary ($18)

For nationwide coverage based on fingerprints, request an Identity History Summary from the FBI. Useful if you've lived or been arrested in multiple states.

Missouri Background Check Laws You Should Know

Senate Bill 588 / RSMo 610.140 (Expungement)

Effective January 1, 2018, SB 588 was the most significant overhaul of Missouri's expungement law in decades. Key features:

• Most non-violent felonies are eligible for expungement after 3 years from completion of sentence
• Most misdemeanors and infractions are eligible after 1 year
• Lifetime cap of 1 felony and 2 misdemeanors expunged per person
• Disqualified offenses: violent felonies, sexual offenses, DWIs (with limited exceptions), and offenses requiring sex offender registration

Expungement is petition-based, you file in the court of conviction. There is no automatic Clean Slate system.

Executive Order 16-04 (Ban the Box)

Signed in April 2016 by Governor Nixon, this order removed criminal-history questions from initial applications for state executive-branch jobs. It does not extend to private employers statewide, though Kansas City and St. Louis have passed local ordinances doing so.

RSMo 314.200 (Closed Records)

Arrest records where the case was dismissed, the defendant was acquitted, or no charges were filed within 30 days can be made "closed records," meaning they are not disclosed to private employers (with exceptions for criminal justice agencies, courts, and licensing boards).

Federal Fair Credit Reporting Act

Third-party employment background checks in Missouri are governed by the FCRA: written consent required, pre-adverse-action notice required, right to dispute errors, and 7-year cap on non-conviction reporting.

Missouri Gaming Commission Standards

Casino employees in Missouri undergo enhanced fingerprint-based checks through the Gaming Commission, with disqualifying offenses listed by statute. The Commission can also disqualify based on character and fitness factors beyond the strict list.

Should You Check Your Background Before Applying in Missouri?

If you have any conviction older than the SB 588 waiting period, an old arrest you're not sure was closed, or a disposition that's supposed to be recorded but you've never confirmed, yes. The $14 online MACHS check is the cheapest sanity check you can run, and it gives you a real PDF you can hand to a landlord or use to dispute errors.

FAQs: Self Background Check in Missouri

How do I run a self background check in Missouri?

The fastest official route is the MACHS online portal: $14 + small convenience fee, instant PDF. For deeper coverage, file a fingerprint-based check through IDEMIA ($44), pull case histories (free), or use a professional multi-state service.

How far back do background checks go in Missouri?

Missouri has no state cap on how far back convictions can be reported. The federal FCRA caps non-conviction records at 7 years on third-party employment reports. Convictions can be reported indefinitely unless expunged under SB 588.

Will expunged records show up on a Missouri background check?

Records expunged under RSMo 610.140 are removed from the MSHP database and should not appear on FCRA-compliant employer background reports. If you find an expunged record on your own MACHS report, contact the MSHP Criminal Records Section to correct it.

How much does a background check cost in Missouri?

MACHS online: $14 (+ small convenience fee). MACHS mail-in: $14. Fingerprint-based via IDEMIA: $44 (state + FBI). FBI Identity History Summary: $18. Professional comprehensive multi-state checks: $20 to $80.

Do Missouri employers need my permission to run a background check?

Yes, when they use a third-party background check company, the federal FCRA requires written authorization. Employers requesting records directly from the MSHP must also generally have your authorization. You always have the right to see any report used in a hiring decision and dispute errors before final action.