Belmont County Background Check Records
Background check resources in Belmont County are some of the most detailed in eastern Ohio. The county has multiple access points for record searches, including the Sheriff's Office, Clerk of Courts, a three-division court system, and the County Commissioners office. Belmont County offers three WebCheck locations for fingerprint-based checks. The county seat is St. Clairsville, where most offices are based. If you need a background check in Belmont County, you have several options for both local and state-level searches.
Belmont County Background Check Overview
Belmont County Sheriff's Office Checks
The Belmont County Sheriff's Office is at 68137 Hammond Road, St. Clairsville, Ohio 43950. Phone: 740-695-7933. They handle fingerprint-based background checks and incident report requests. Incident reports can be emailed for free. Black and white copies cost $0.10 per page. Color copies run $0.20 per page. CD or DVD copies are $1 per disc.
You can submit a Public Records Request Form by mail or in person. Payment options include cash, check, or money order. Record requests are generally responded to within three business days. The Sheriff's Office is one of three WebCheck locations in Belmont County. The other two are McKeen Security Inc and the St. Clairsville Police Department.
Belmont County Court Record Search
The Belmont County Clerk of Courts maintains all records for the General Division of the Common Pleas Court. This covers civil, criminal, and domestic relations cases, as well as the Seventh District Court of Appeals. The office is on the 3rd floor of the Belmont County Courthouse at 101 West Main Street, St. Clairsville, OH 43950. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The Title Division operates separately at 52180 National Road, Suite A, St. Clairsville, OH 43950. Title Office hours are Monday 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Tuesday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. The Clerk's office provides online case records search for public access. This is useful when a background check turns up an arrest and you need to find the outcome.
The Belmont County Courts also offer a public records search. You can search all Belmont County Court public records across the Eastern, Northern, and Western divisions by name, case type, status, and more. The system uses CourtView, an online public records search portal. It covers criminal, civil, and traffic cases.
Note: The Belmont County Court System has three divisions (Northern, Eastern, Western) so be sure to search all of them for complete background check results.
Background Check Fees in Belmont County
Fees for Belmont County background checks follow Ohio's standard structure. BCI state checks cost $22 through ePayment. Local offices charge $27 to $37. FBI national checks run $24 to $50. Combined BCI and FBI checks total $46 to $91. Under ORC 109.572, fees cannot exceed actual processing costs.
The Belmont County Commissioners office has its own copy fee schedule for public records. Standard copies are 5 cents per page for 8.5 x 11 inch one-sided black ink. Photos, disks, and other materials are charged at actual cost. You do not need to fill out their Public Records Request Form or identify yourself under Ohio law, though the form can help speed things up.
Belmont County Public Records Policy
The Belmont County Commissioners accept public records requests Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Under ORC 149.43, public records include any document created or received by a public office that documents organization, functions, policies, decisions, procedures, or operations.
Some records will not be released. These include:
- Attorney-client privileged information
- Social Security numbers
- Ongoing investigation records
- Medical records
- BMV records
- Sealed records
- Peace officer residential and familial information
The Ohio Attorney General's Sunshine Laws page has the full manual on open records. Ohio's public records laws are among the most comprehensive in the nation. If a Belmont County office denies your request, they must tell you why and cite the specific legal authority.
WebCheck Sites in Belmont County
Belmont County has three WebCheck locations for fingerprint-based background checks. The Belmont County Sheriff's Office is one. McKeen Security Inc is another. The St. Clairsville Police Department also offers the service. Having three options gives you flexibility with hours and availability.
The Ohio Attorney General's BCI WebCheck page lists all approved locations statewide. Results take 4 to 5 business days if no record is found. With a record, it can be 4 to 6 weeks. BCI processes about a million checks each year. For questions, call 877-224-0043 between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
The Belmont County Clerk of Courts website shows the online case search portal used for background check research.
Search court records through the Belmont County Clerk of Courts website.
The Clerk's office handles Common Pleas, domestic relations, and appeals court records for Belmont County.
The Belmont County Courts CourtView portal provides an additional search option.
CourtView covers all three divisions of the Belmont County Court system with criminal, civil, and traffic case records.
The Belmont County Commissioners public records policy page details the request process and fee schedule.
This page covers copy fees, exemptions, and the request form for Belmont County public records.
Cities in Belmont County
Belmont County includes St. Clairsville, Martins Ferry, Bellaire, and other communities. No cities in Belmont County have the population for a dedicated page. All background check services are available through the county offices in St. Clairsville.