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Clearance or Visa Criminal Checks Letter

Clearance or Visa Criminal Check service is available through the Madison Police Department for the general public. The criminal check is for the City of Madison only. Results of the check will be provided in the form of a notarized letter. The letter would list any City of Madison physical arrests since the age of 17. This does not include any arrests where a Misdemeanor or Ordinance Citation was issued and the party was not booked into the Dane County Jail nor the existence of pending criminal charges or outstanding warrants. Any questions about the dispositions of arrests, citations, or warrants should be forwarded to the Madison Municipal Court or Dane County Circuit Court.

Clearance and Visa Letters take 7-10 business days to process. We require pre-payment of $9.00 for each person requiring a letter. We can either call the requestor to pick-up the letter upon completion or we can mail to the address provided. For letters needing to be mailed outside of the United States, an addressed and pre-paid postage envelope must be provided. Requests may be made in person or mail only. See the linked document for additional information.

For more information on clearance or visa letters please contact:
  • Phone: 608-261-8015
  • Mailing address:
    Madison Police Court Services
    Attn: Backgrounds Room GR10
    211 S Carroll Street
    Madison, WI 53703

Please Note: Wisconsin State Statute 48.396(1) does not allow us to release any records of children under eighteen (18) years of age prior to January 1, 1996. Any arrests for criminal matters on or after January 1, 1996 for children under seventeen (17) years of age will not be released.

Miscellaneous Background Checks - No longer offered 6/20/2023

The Madison Police Department no longer provides criminal background checks. MPD can provide Madison Police Department police contacts upon request. To request police contacts please email pdrecords@cityofmadison.com. See Additional Background Check Resource Information below for Wisconsin Department of Justice criminal background check information.

Requesting Madison Police Department Police Contacts for an Individual

To request Madison Police Department contact sheets for an individual, you may fill out the form below and email it to pdrecords@cityofmadison.com or make your request by phone at (608) 266-4075. Requests may also be made in person in the City County Building 210 MLK Blvd, GR 10 window.

Additional Background Check Resource Information

To request a background check that encompasses the entire State of Wisconsin, you may contact the Wisconsin Department of Justice.

To request a background check for the entire United States, you may contact the FBI.