Explore Free Virginia Probation Search Tools (Information Lookup)

Virginia probation search results are readily available to the general public through online search tools and via direct contact with various court systems. There’s no cost to run an online search, and fees only apply for printed copies.

Judges allow probation instead of jail time for minor offenses, while the parole board offers early release to qualified offenders convicted of more serious crimes. These offenders must complete some prison time before becoming eligible for community release.

This concise yet helpful article explains how to get more information about accessing records for specific inmates or those released on probation. Some information about parolees is also included as both are offenders released under community supervision.

How To Run a Free Virginia Probation Search

The Virginia Freedom of Information Act ensures online access to the vast majority of criminal records, so users can run a free state probation search.¹ With the exception of Fairfax and Alexandria counties, all court systems in Virginia report their case outcomes in near real-time.

The Virginia Judicial System separates access based on the level of the court providing the information. To complete a thorough probation search in Virginia, interested parties will need to run the same search on multiple online databases for the supreme court, district court and circuit court.

However, the combined records are available for most counties through the Online Case Information System 2.0 (OCIS).² Record requesters should start with the OCIS and if it doesn’t return any results, widen the search.

This system doesn’t contain many records from prior to 2017, and some counties don’t participate at all court levels. The judiciary separates information about traffic offenses committed and prosecuted in Norfolk County, while Alexandria County doesn’t post any court records with OCIS.

Fairfax County Circuit Court doesn’t report online, but the district court does. When running a search, check for other listed exceptions.

Using the OCIS Database: Doing a search using the OCIS search function online is fast and intuitive.

After accepting the terms of service, input the name in question, the case number or the hearing date. Users can put in partial names, but that may return hundreds, or even thousands, of results if it’s a common name.

Using the full, legal name of the person of interest reduces the number of search results to a more manageable number. For example, a search for Robert Smith brings up records for anyone with Robert and Smith in their name. Smith J. Roberts appears in search results along with Robert J. Smith.

When the information is available, adding the type of court (district, circuit, or juvenile and domestic relations) or selecting a specific court or courts helps filter the results page.

On the results page, locate the right record and click on the case number. When the specific case record loads, scroll to the bottom of the screen and note the probation type, duration and start date.

Searching by Location: Through the Virginia Judicial System, users can run queries about specific courts. For example, when searching for district court information for a case heard in Alexandria District Court, a user would need to select that court from the left drop-down menu and then put in the name of the offender.⁴ This system also offers the option to search by case number or hearing date.

Search results for these online databases are comprehensive. Results show all court interactions and clearly list the probation status at the bottom of the page. It also provides information about how to access records by mail and potential fees.⁵

The Virginia Department of Corrections is the agency that manages all community monitoring. Once you’ve verified an offender has probation, there are several levels of supervision that may be ordered by the court.⁶

There are also community release programs designed to help prevent repeat offenses, such as community residential programs and substance abuse services. For more information, contact:

Virginia Department of Corrections
P.O. Box 26963
Richmond, VA 23261

Phone: 804-674-3000
Email: [email protected]

Check County & Municipal Agencies for Virginia Probation Records

Running a probation search in Virginia is best when searching through the online database for court case information. However, not all counties post information in the OCIS database, so it’s important to know how to access Virginia case information and other public records from individual counties.

As an example, when a requester does an OCIS search, the results won’t include Fairfax records. When they make a Fairfax County search, it won’t include results for the rest of the state. Below is a list of ways to access probation information for some of the most populated counties in the state.

Fairfax County: Not all courts in Fairfax County participate in the OCIS system.² While users can search district court records online, circuit court records are only available with a request sent directly to that court.

The Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court is another option for finding information about probation programs.⁷ There is also a separate monitoring department for juveniles.⁸ Searchers also have the option to obtain records in person or via telephone.

To make a mail-in or in-person request:

Fairfax County Circuit Court
4110 Chain Bridge Road, Suite 409
Fairfax, VA 22030-0458

Phone: 703-691-7320

Searchers can also use the online record request form on the Attorney General’s site to send in a records request.

The counties below use the OCIS system; researchers may also make information requests in person or over the phone.

How To Find Someone’s Probation Officer & Violations in Virginia

There are many reasons why someone might want to run a probation search in Virginia. If a loved one was recently released on probation, a family member might want to report a safety concern. Someone might worry about the safety of a probationer or worry about their own safety with that person released into the community.

Another reason someone might be searching for a probation office might be to report a violation. Every probationer agrees to certain rules and restrictions while released into the community, and a violation can cause a judge to revoke probation. Then, a former probationer serves the remainder of their sentence in jail. Generally, judges offer probation as an alternative to jail time for more minor crimes during sentencing.

The Virginia Department of Corrections manages all probation and parole agreements in the state through various local agencies, often administered via county courthouses.⁹ In Virginia, there are several levels of probation and multiple programs that exist to streamline an offender’s return to the community.⁶

For example, a drug offender might agree to complete a substance abuse program as a condition of probation. During their initial time on probation, the residential program in which they’re enrolled handles the administration of the supervision agreement.

Virginia has more than 40 local probation offices, along with offices for the Community Corrections Alternatives program. To communicate with an officer about an offender in that community, find the nearest location by searching for your county name and probation and parole office. If that office can’t accept reports about the offender in question, contact the Virginia Department of Corrections via mail, email or phone.

Virginia Department of Corrections
P.O. Box 26963
Richmond, VA 23261

Phone: 804-674-3000
Email: [email protected]

How To Verify Who Is on Parole in Virginia

There are several ways to find parole information in Virginia. However, Virginia has no voluntary parole option. This means sentencing and time served is standardized and anyone convicted of a felony is required to serve 85% of their time before they can have their first parole hearing.

The Virginia Parole Board posts all decisions made regarding early release on a monthly basis, so those actively looking for parole information who know the hearing date can check the decisions list to get more information.

Contact the Virginia Parole Board at the following address:

Virginia Parole Board
6900 Atmore Drive
Richmond, VA 23225

Phone: 804-674-3081
Fax: 804-674-3284

Crime Victims: Victims of a crime have more direct services available. They can opt-in to automated notifications about an offender who may become eligible for parole.

When registered with the Victim Services Unit’s Notification And Assistance for Victim Inclusion (NAAVI) system, users get notifications about inmate status changes via text, email, phone, mail and/or TTY, depending on the method of communication selected during registration.¹¹ For help with the NAAVI system registration, contact:

Victim Services Unit
Virginia Department of Corrections
P.O. Box 26963
Richmond, VA 23261

Phone: 804-674-3243

Some victims may also want to send in opposition letters to deny parole to their offender. Information and letters can be sent to:

Virginia Parole Board
Victim Input Program
6900 Atmore Drive
Richmond, VA 23225

Fax: (804)674-3284

Not all crime victims are eligible for this information, and there may be a delay between registration and approval for notifications.

General Public: The public can get information about parolees by using the Inmate Locator tool from the Virginia Department of Corrections.¹² To run a search, input the full last name and at least the first letter of an inmate’s first name. Then, select community supervision from the location menu. For information about missing records, contact:

Virginia Department of Corrections
Correspondence Unit
P.O. Box 26963
Richmond, VA 23261

Phone: 804-674-3000

For questions about the Inmate Locator tool, contact [email protected].

If a loved one is the victim of a crime or an offender, having access to parole and probation information is important to ensure they’re safe or integrating back into the community. When running a Virginia probation search, most documentation is available online and totally free.