Data You Give Us Directly
Search Queries
A name or place entered in a search tool is transmitted directly to the outside company operating that service. The provider processes the request and supplies its results. Virginia Criminal History does not retain or record those search terms on its own systems.
Messages and Contact Submissions
We may retain a message sent by email or through a contact channel for the purpose of responding. Such correspondence remains within our organization unless disclosure is required by law.
Data We Gather Automatically
Our servers automatically receive standard technical details when a visitor loads a page, including:
- Page-view dates and times
- The pages viewed and the duration of each visit
- Device category and operating system
- Browser type and version
- The referring website, when available
- The Internet Protocol address used by the device
Cookies and Analytics
Cookies are small files placed on a device. They and outside analytics services help us view combined traffic patterns, such as popular pages and common exit points. A browser can be configured to reject cookies, although disabling them may change the way some website functions operate.
What We Do With This Data
- Diagnosing errors and other technical problems
- Operating the website and maintaining its performance
- Directing a search request to the selected outside provider
- Assessing which resources are useful and which should be improved
- Displaying advertising that may reflect a visitor's interests
No Criminal-Record Data on File
Virginia Criminal History does not keep, assemble, or sell a database of personal criminal-record information. It publishes reference material about obtaining Virginia records from the Virginia State Police Central Criminal Records Exchange, the Virginia Department of Corrections, the Virginia Sex Offender and Crimes Against Minors Registry, courts, and agencies in the project's 107 local jurisdictions. The site is not a consumer reporting agency under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Visitor information is not combined into consumer reports or third-party criminal dossiers. Official CCRE dissemination is separately controlled by Virginia Code § 19.2-389.
Third-Party Search Partners
Independent companies provide the search tools appearing on the website. Their privacy policies, rather than this policy, govern any information entered into those tools. Each partner decides how long it retains data and when it shares data. Review the applicable provider's policy before starting a search.
Links to Other Websites
Links may lead to Virginia agency resources, court portals, sheriff or clerk websites, legal-aid organizations, and commercial search services. Once a visitor follows an external link, the destination's privacy practices apply. Those practices should be reviewed before personal information is submitted.
Some advertising providers use their own systems to observe activity across websites and select targeted advertising. We do not operate that tracking.
Who Might See Your Data
Personal data is not sold by Virginia Criminal History. It may be disclosed to:
- Government or law-enforcement authorities acting under a valid legal demand
- Advertising networks that serve content on the website
- Search providers processing a query selected by the visitor
- Analytics vendors measuring traffic and technical performance
How We Protect Your Data
Reasonable, standard security measures are used to protect collected data. No Internet-based system can be guaranteed completely secure, however, and Virginia Criminal History cannot promise that unauthorized access or a breach will never occur.
Users Under 18
The website is intended for adults, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from a person under 18. If we learn that a minor supplied personal data, we will remove it promptly.
Your Data Rights
Applicable privacy and consumer-protection law may provide additional rights based on where a visitor lives. The Virginia Freedom of Information Act, Virginia Code § 2.2-3700 et seq., applies to qualifying public records held by Virginia government bodies; it does not turn this private website's visitor data into a government record. A visitor may still:
- Opt out of certain forms of data processing
- Request deletion of personal data
- Ask that inaccurate information be corrected
- Request a copy of personal information we retain
Updates to This Policy
This privacy policy may be revised from time to time. Any revision will be posted here and identified by a new effective date. Visitors should review the page periodically for current information about our practices.
Effective date: August 11, 2026