St. Louis Police Records
St. Louis police records are public documents held by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department (SLMPD) and made available under Missouri's Sunshine Law. This page covers how to obtain incident reports, crash reports, arrest records, and local criminal background checks from the SLMPD Records Service Center, what fees apply, and what online tools are available.
St. Louis Police Records Quick Facts
St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department Records
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department operates the Records Service Center at 1915 Olive Street, St. Louis, MO 63103. The center is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The main non-emergency line is 314-231-1212. For records specifically, call 314-444-5420. Sunshine Law requests and media requests can also be sent by email to sunshinelawrequest@slmpd.org.
St. Louis is an independent city. It is not part of any county in Missouri. This matters when you are searching for criminal court records. Cases from St. Louis city courts are handled by the 22nd Judicial Circuit, not by St. Louis County. If you need court records for cases that arose in the city, search Missouri Case.net using the 22nd Circuit or contact the Circuit Clerk directly. St. Louis County, which surrounds the city, is a separate jurisdiction with its own police and court system. See the St. Louis County police records page for county-level records.
How to Request St. Louis Police Records
SLMPD offers an Express Pick-up option for convenience. Submit your request online through the SLMPD Public Records portal. The department will notify you when records are ready. You must appear with a photo ID and payment. A notary is not required when accessing your own records in person.
For crash reports, the department requires a completed "Incident Request" form. Crash reports take about five days from the date of the incident before they are ready. You can check the status of a crash report through the SLMPD Online Traffic Accident Webpage before making the trip. Incident reports are available to involved parties. Non-involved parties may request records through the Sunshine Law process.
Attorneys and insurance companies are not allowed to pick up records at the Records Service Center. They must submit a formal Sunshine request through the records portal or by email. Police reports cannot be released until they are completed and approved, regardless of who is asking.
SLMPD Fee Schedule
Copy fees are $0.10 per page. Research and report location fees run $15.00 per hour, prorated. A simple police report usually costs less than $5.00 total. A city-only local record check costs $4.50 each. A city and county record check combined costs $9.00. Payment at the Records Service Center must be made by cash, money order, or business check. Personal checks and debit or credit cards are not accepted at the counter.
If your request is submitted online through the portal, a staff member will contact you with fee details before records are released. For in-person pick-ups, bring exact payment or a money order to avoid delays. Online requests may accept additional payment methods.
Note: All fees are set in accordance with Missouri Sunshine Law Section 610.023(3). The department cannot charge more than what state law allows for standard copy and research fees.
Types of Records and Identification Requirements
SLMPD maintains crash reports, criminal incident reports, non-criminal incident reports, local record checks, and arrest records covering both open and closed cases. The distinction between open and closed records matters here.
Open records include all arrests within the last 30 days and any arrest that resulted in a conviction or probation while probation is still active. Anyone can access open records without special authorization. Closed records are a different category. These include records where charges were not filed after 30 days, cases that were dismissed or refused, not-guilty findings, and cases where probation has been completed. Closed records are only available to the subject of the record, or to a third party who has a notarized release signed by the subject. Certain employers, such as law enforcement agencies, child-care providers, and nursing homes, may also access closed records under Missouri law.
To pick up records in person, bring a state-issued photo ID or a valid passport. If you are requesting a record on behalf of someone else, you need a notarized release from that person. For local record checks, acceptable identification includes a state ID or passport, a Social Security card plus photo ID, or a birth certificate plus photo ID.
Missouri Sunshine Law Compliance in St. Louis
The SLMPD operates under RSMo Chapter 610. The Public Information Division manages all Sunshine Law compliance for the department. Under Section 610.100, investigative reports are closed records while an investigation is active. Once a case becomes inactive, those reports are open. Active investigation records may be withheld or redacted even if part of the file is otherwise available.
The three-business-day response requirement under Section 610.023 applies to SLMPD. For complex or voluminous requests, the department must provide a written explanation if more time is needed. Requesters who believe their rights have been violated can contact the Missouri Attorney General's Office at SunshineComplaint@ago.mo.gov or 573-751-8905.
For expungements, petitions must go directly to the Missouri Courts through the Missouri Courts Judicial Website. The SLMPD does not handle expungement orders directly. The department will update its records once it receives a court order. Public fingerprinting through SLMPD has been permanently discontinued. Private fingerprinting services are available through IdentoGO by Idemia.
Note: The SLMPD Public Information Division does not make determinations about whether a record is open or closed. That decision rests with the department's legal staff under Sunshine Law guidelines.
Online Resources for St. Louis Police Records
Missouri Case.net is free and covers criminal and civil cases filed in the 22nd Judicial Circuit, which handles St. Louis city matters. Search by name or case number to find charges, court dates, and dispositions. No login is required for basic searches.
For statewide background checks, MACHS provides name-based searches for $15 and fingerprint-based searches for $20 plus vendor fees. Fingerprint searches return more complete data including records from agencies outside Missouri. The Missouri Sex Offender Registry is free and searchable by name or location. The Missouri DOC offender search covers current and former state inmates.
Nearby Cities
These nearby cities in the St. Louis metropolitan area also maintain local police records departments.