Virginia Beach Arrest Records Search

Arrest records for the City of Virginia Beach are maintained by the Virginia Beach Police Department, the primary law enforcement agency for the most populous independent city in Virginia. Virginia Beach operates entirely separate from any county and runs its own courts and police. You can search court case records free at vacourts.gov, and the city also provides police offense data through its Open Data Portal.

Virginia Beach Police Department

The Virginia Beach Police Department is the primary law enforcement agency for the city and handles all arrests, bookings, and incident reports. As an independent city, Virginia Beach has no county sheriff operating within its boundaries. The department is the right agency to contact for local arrest record requests.

Contact the department in person or by mail. Include the full name of the person, approximate arrest date, and any case number. Some requests need formal FOIA submissions. Staff at the Records Division can explain the forms and fees. The department headquarters is on Princess Anne Road.

Virginia Beach is the most populous city in Virginia and one of the largest in the eastern United States. The department handles a high volume of records requests. For statewide criminal history, use the Virginia State Police CARE system rather than requesting directly from the local department.

Virginia Beach Open Data Portal

The City of Virginia Beach provides police offense reports through its Open Data Portal. This publicly available dataset includes offense reports generated when the police department responds to a reported crime. Data fields include offense type, date, time, and general location information. The portal is updated regularly with new offense reports.

This open data is a useful general resource but is not the same as an official criminal history record. The data covers offense reports, not necessarily arrests. For official certified records, you still need to go through the Virginia State Police CARE system or request directly from the Virginia Beach Police Department Records Division.

Police scorecard data for Virginia Beach from 2022 showed the department reported 25,093 arrests for various offenses in that year. Earlier data from 2018 showed that roughly 90 percent of arrests in Virginia Beach that year were for non-serious, non-violent charges. These figures come from publicly reported law enforcement data and do not reflect individual case outcomes.

How to Find Virginia Beach Arrest Records

The Virginia Courts Case Information System at vacourts.gov is the free option for court case searches. Enter a name or case number to find Virginia Beach Circuit Court and General District Court results. The system shows charges, dates, and case dispositions. No fee or account is required.

For certified criminal history, use the Virginia State Police CARE program. Form SP-167 requires a notarized signature and $15 fee. Mail to the VSP. Processing is about 15 business days. Download forms at vsp.virginia.gov. Employers use form SP-230, which costs $27 and gives conviction data only.

For state prison inmates, check the VADOC Offender Locator. For local jail detainees, contact the Virginia Beach Police Department or the Virginia Beach Correctional Center.

In-person searches at the Virginia Beach Circuit Court or General District Court are available. Bring photo ID. Public terminals at the courthouse allow name and case number searches during business hours.

Virginia Beach Court Records

Virginia Beach has its own Circuit Court and General District Court as an independent city. All criminal cases from the city go through these courts. Virginia Beach also has a Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court that handles minors and family matters.

The Circuit Court handles felony charges, jury trials, and sentencing. Records are at the clerk's office and searchable online. Certified copies carry a per-page fee.

The General District Court handles misdemeanor cases, traffic violations, and preliminary felony hearings. The volume of cases in Virginia Beach is among the highest in the state given the city's population. Both courts are in the Virginia Beach Judicial Center on Virginia Beach Boulevard. Under Virginia Code § 19.2-389, all criminal history records for Virginia Beach are part of the statewide Central Criminal Records Exchange at the Virginia State Police.

Virginia Beach Police Department Records

The screenshot below shows the Virginia Beach Police Department's portal, where you can learn about requesting arrest records and accessing public safety data.

FOIA Requests in Virginia Beach

Virginia's FOIA law at § 2.2-3704 gives you the right to request public records from Virginia Beach city agencies. Police incident reports, arrest logs, and related documents are covered. Agencies must respond within five working days. Records are presumed open unless an exemption applies.

Submit a written FOIA request to the Virginia Beach Police Department Records Division or the city's FOIA officer. Describe the records clearly with the subject's name, dates, and type of record. No reason is required. Fees are limited to actual costs. Deposits may apply if estimated costs exceed $200.

Arrest identities and charges are public. Active investigations and juvenile records are exempt. Contact the Virginia FOIA Advisory Council at (804) 698-1810 for free guidance.

Expungement in Virginia Beach

Under § 19.2-392.2, expungement is available for dismissed charges, acquittals, and arrests that never resulted in charges. Virginia does not typically allow expungement of convictions, though new laws effective July 2025 allow sealing of some misdemeanor and felony convictions after applicable waiting periods.

File your petition at the Virginia Beach Circuit Court. Include arrest details and legal basis for relief. Fingerprints through the Virginia State Police are required. Filing fees apply. The Commonwealth's Attorney receives notice. A hearing is held if there is opposition.

Hampton Roads Legal Aid and other organizations in the region can assist Virginia Beach residents with eligibility questions and the expungement filing process.

Nearby Independent Cities

Virginia Beach is the largest city in Virginia by population and borders several other independent cities in Hampton Roads.