Chicago DUI Records

Chicago DUI records come from two main sources: the Chicago Police Department, which holds arrest and RAP sheet data, and the Circuit Court of Cook County, which handles all DUI case filings, hearings, and court dispositions for charges brought within the city. This page explains how to find Chicago DUI records, what each source provides, and what state systems you can use to pull conviction and driving record data tied to a Chicago case.

Chicago Police Department Records

The Chicago Police Department is headquartered at 3510 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60653. The main line is 312-744-4000. For records requests, the CPD Records Division is at the same address and can be reached at 312-745-5508. Chief Larry Snelling leads the department. The CPD is one of the largest municipal police forces in the country and handles DUI enforcement across all 77 community areas of the city.

The CPD offers a RAP sheet, which stands for Record of Arrests and Prosecutions. This document lists all Chicago Police arrest entries tied to a person, including DUI arrests. The fee for a RAP sheet is $16. Fingerprinting appointments are available Tuesday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Results are mailed within 7 to 10 business days. The RAP sheet shows arrest history but does not include court outcomes. For final case dispositions, you need the circuit court clerk records.

The CPD website at chicagopolice.org has more information about records request procedures, FOIA submissions, and how to contact the Records Division directly. Chicago police DUI arrests are also reported to the Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification, so ISP criminal history records will reflect Chicago DUI data as well. Both sources can be useful depending on what you need.

The CPD website provides access to records request forms, contact details for the Records Division, and information about the fingerprint appointment process for RAP sheet requests.

Circuit Court of Cook County

All Chicago DUI cases are filed in the Circuit Court of Cook County. This court is the official repository for DUI case filings, hearing transcripts, plea entries, verdicts, sentencing orders, and final dispositions. The Cook County Clerk of the Circuit Court maintains these records. For court case information, visit the Cook County Clerk of Court website at cookcountyclerkofcourt.org.

Cook County operates a case search portal that lets you look up DUI cases by name or case number. The portal is free to use and covers criminal cases including DUI filings from Chicago and other Cook County municipalities. Full document access may require an in-person visit to the clerk's office or a written request. The clerk's offices are located at the Richard J. Daley Center in downtown Chicago and at several suburban courthouses across the county.

Chicago DUI cases span a range of charge types and severity levels. Under 625 ILCS 5/11-501, DUI covers impairment from alcohol, cannabis, controlled substances, prescription drugs, intoxicating compounds, and methamphetamine. A first-offense DUI is a Class A misdemeanor. The third offense is a Class 2 felony. Aggravating factors, including a minor in the vehicle or an accident causing serious injury, can elevate charges even on a first offense. The circuit court records show what was charged, whether any counts were amended, and the final outcome for each case.

More information about the Cook County courts is on the county page at Cook County DUI Records.

Illinois State Police and Chicago DUI Records

The Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification is the central state-level repository for all DUI criminal history data in Illinois. When a Chicago DUI arrest is made, the CPD submits fingerprints to the ISP. When the Circuit Court of Cook County reports a conviction, the ISP attaches that outcome to the fingerprint record. The result is a statewide criminal history that includes every Chicago DUI arrest and conviction in the ISP system.

Under 20 ILCS 2630/5.2, DUI convictions in Illinois cannot be expunged or sealed. This applies to every Chicago DUI conviction in the ISP system, no matter how old the case is or how much time has passed. That rule is firm and has no exceptions for first offenses or misdemeanor charges. Conviction data is public under the Uniform Conviction Information Act.

The ISP criminal history page at isp.illinois.gov/BureauOfIdentification/CriminalHistory explains how to request a criminal history that includes Chicago DUI data. Authorized users can also access the ISP CHIRP portal at chirp.isp.illinois.gov. CHIRP provides online access to Illinois criminal history for individuals checking their own records and for employers with proper ISP certification.

The City of Chicago portal at chicago.gov provides links to city departments, FOIA request forms, and public records access for Chicago residents and researchers looking into city records including police data.

Driving Record and License Actions for Chicago DUI Cases

A DUI conviction from a Chicago case triggers mandatory license revocation through the Illinois Secretary of State. The SOS handles this as a separate administrative process, independent of the criminal court case. Reinstatement requires a formal hearing. Waiting periods and conditions vary depending on how many prior DUI convictions a driver already has on their Illinois record.

The Statutory Summary Suspension kicks in before the criminal case is over. If a driver fails or refuses a chemical test during a Chicago DUI stop, the suspension takes effect 46 days after the officer issues the notice. A first-offense test refusal means a 12-month suspension. A first-offense test failure means a 6-month suspension. Drivers can challenge the suspension through an SOS administrative hearing. Details on how that process works are at ilsos.gov/departments/administrative-hearings.html.

Driving record abstracts showing Chicago DUI convictions, suspensions, and revocations are available from the SOS at ilsos.gov. The abstract costs $20. It shows the full license action history tied to a driver's Illinois record, including any actions that came from Chicago DUI cases.

Chicago DUI Enforcement and What the Records Show

Chicago generates more DUI arrests than any other city in Illinois each year, which reflects both the size of the city and the scale of CPD enforcement activity. The CPD runs dedicated DUI patrols and participates in statewide enforcement campaigns throughout the year. DUI task forces and saturation patrols are common on weekends and holidays.

The records that come out of a Chicago DUI case can include the initial arrest report, any field sobriety or chemical test results documented by the officer, the court case file at the Circuit Court of Cook County, the disposition reported to the ISP, and any license action taken by the SOS. Each source holds a different piece of the record. The CPD Records Division handles the arrest-level data. The circuit clerk handles the court case data. The ISP and SOS handle the statewide conviction and license records.

For researchers, attorneys, or people trying to understand a specific Chicago DUI case, working through each source in sequence is the most complete approach. Start with the circuit court case search to find the case number and outcome. Use the CPD Records Division for arrest-level details. Check the ISP and SOS for statewide conviction and license data. The Illinois Courts website at illinoiscourts.gov/courts/circuit-court has background on how the Circuit Court of Cook County operates and how DUI cases move through the system.

Nearby Cities

These nearby cities also have DUI records pages with local police department and court information.