Find Background Check Records in Nantucket County

Nantucket County is unlike any other county in Massachusetts. The town and county governments are fully consolidated into one body, which means you deal with a single set of offices for almost everything. Background check records here flow through the same statewide CORI system managed by DCJIS, and local court records are accessible through the state's case search portal. The island sits about 30 miles off Cape Cod, so getting records in person requires planning ahead. This page covers every source for Nantucket County background check records, from the sheriff's office and courts to local police and the state CORI portal.

Nantucket County Sheriff's Office

Sheriff James A. Perelman leads the Nantucket County Sheriff's Office, which operates out of 20 South Water Street in Nantucket. The office handles civil process, court security, and inmate transport. As with other Massachusetts counties, the sheriff's office is not the primary source for criminal history records. That role belongs to DCJIS and the iCORI system. But the sheriff's staff can point you in the right direction and assist with civil process documentation.

You can reach the office at two numbers: (508) 228-7263 and (508) 228-7264. Email goes to nantucket@islandsheriff.com. The mailing address is P.O. Box 419, Nantucket, MA 02554. Because Nantucket is an island, it is worth calling ahead before making any trip to the office. The sheriff's department page on mass.gov provides updated contact details and service information for anyone who needs civil process or law enforcement support on the island.

The Nantucket County Sheriff's Department page on mass.gov lists office details, civil process information, and how to contact the sheriff's office for various services.

The page is a good first stop if you need to understand what civil process services are available or how to reach the department by phone or email.

Nantucket County Courts

All Nantucket courts share a single address at 16 Broad Street. You will find the Superior Court, District Court, and Probation office in the same building. This makes it easy to visit multiple departments in one trip when you are on the island. Court records from Nantucket County are searchable through the Massachusetts Trial Court's free online portal at masscourts.org. You can look up case status, hearing dates, and basic case information without traveling to the island.

The Nantucket District Court handles criminal arraignments, small claims, and civil matters under $50,000 for the island. Every arraignment at this court creates a CORI record that feeds into the DCJIS database. If someone was charged with a crime in Nantucket County, the District Court is almost certainly where it was processed. The Superior Court takes on felony cases and larger civil matters. Probation, which handles supervision and compliance for sentenced individuals, is also at 16 Broad Street and can be reached at (508) 228-3232.

The Nantucket District Court page on mass.gov has hours, contact details, and directions for visiting the courthouse.

Calling ahead is wise since island courts may have adjusted hours during off-season months.

Note: For certified copies of court documents, contact the clerk's office at (508) 228-2559 to confirm availability and copy fees before visiting.

Nantucket Police Department

Because Nantucket's town and county governments are consolidated, there is one police department for the entire island. The Nantucket Police Department is at 4 Fairgrounds Road. For non-emergency calls, reach them at (508) 228-1212. Public records requests go to (508) 325-4166. The Records Access Officer is Deputy Chief Charles Gibson, who handles formal requests under Massachusetts public records law.

Under M.G.L. c. 66, section 10, most police records are public. You have the right to request incident reports, call logs, and arrest logs from the Nantucket Police Department. Written requests get a response within ten business days under state law. Some records may be exempt if they involve an open investigation or involve juveniles. If your request is denied, the denial must state the specific exemption that applies. Arrest records that led to court charges will also appear in the CORI system through DCJIS.

Requesting a Nantucket County Background Check

The fastest way to get a background check tied to Nantucket County is through the state iCORI system. This is true regardless of which island you are asking about. CORI pulls criminal arraignment data from every Massachusetts court, so any case processed at 16 Broad Street in Nantucket will appear in a CORI search. You do not need to travel to the island to get this information.

To request your own CORI record online, go to the iCORI portal at icori.chs.state.ma.us. You will need a valid Massachusetts driver's license or state ID to register. The fee is $25 and the result comes back right away. If you lack a Massachusetts ID, you can submit a notarized paper request with a $25 money order to DCJIS at 200 Arlington Street, Suite 2200, Chelsea, MA 02150. Allow two to three weeks for mail requests. The DCJIS office can answer questions at (617) 660-4640, Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM. More on the individual request process is at mass.gov.

For court case records rather than criminal history, the free public portal at masscourts.org covers Nantucket District and Superior Court cases. You can search by name, case number, or case type. If you need a certified copy of a case document, contact the Nantucket clerk's office directly at (508) 228-2559. In-person visits during business hours allow you to view full case files and request certified copies on the spot.

The individual CORI request guide on mass.gov walks through every step of the process, from registration to receiving your results.

Reading this page before you begin saves time and helps you choose the right request method for your situation.

CORI Records and Massachusetts Law

CORI, or Criminal Offender Record Information, is the state's main system for tracking criminal history in Massachusetts. Every arraignment in a Massachusetts court goes into CORI, which is maintained by the Department of Criminal Justice Information Services. This includes cases from Nantucket District and Superior courts. Under M.G.L. c. 6, section 172, DCJIS is the official custodian of this data and sets the rules for who can access it and how.

CORI records are organized by access level. A standard request returns misdemeanor convictions from the past five years and felony convictions from the past ten years, plus any pending charges and offenses involving murder, manslaughter, or sex crimes regardless of how old they are. Open-access public requests cost $50 and return a more limited set of information. Personal requests by the subject of the record cost $25 and return the full record. Under M.G.L. c. 276, section 100A, individuals can petition to have old records sealed once they have served the required waiting period: three years for misdemeanors and seven years for felonies. Sealing a record removes it from standard CORI searches but does not erase it from law enforcement systems.

Nantucket's consolidated government structure does not change how CORI works. The state system treats this county the same as any other. Whether a case was heard in Nantucket or on the mainland, the resulting record flows into the same DCJIS database and is retrieved the same way.

The Massachusetts CORI overview page explains access levels, fees, and what records are included in each type of search.

This page is the best starting point for anyone who is new to the CORI system and wants to understand what a background check in Massachusetts actually returns.

Sex Offender Registry for Nantucket County

The Sex Offender Registry Board maintains a public list of Level 2 and Level 3 sex offenders registered in Massachusetts, including those living in Nantucket County. Level 1 offenders are considered low risk and are not publicly listed. You can search the SORB database by name or by location on the board's website. The SORB phone line is (978) 740-6400, available Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 5 PM.

Nantucket's year-round population is small, and the registry reflects that. But the island's seasonal population swells significantly during summer months, which makes community awareness tools like the SORB database useful for residents who want to stay informed. The registry is free to search and does not require you to create an account or explain why you are looking. Searches can be done entirely online without contacting any local office.

Note: The SORB database is updated regularly but may not reflect the most recent registration changes within the past 24 to 48 hours.

The Town of Nantucket

Nantucket County and the Town of Nantucket are the same governing body. There is one town, one set of courts, and one police department for the entire island. Because the town's population does not meet the threshold for a dedicated city page on this site, there is no separate Nantucket city page. All background check records for the island, whether tied to the Town of Nantucket or to the county as a whole, are accessible through the same offices listed on this page.

Nearby Counties

Nantucket sits about 30 miles south of Cape Cod. If you need records from the nearest mainland counties, or from Martha's Vineyard, these are the counties to check. Each has its own page with local court and sheriff details.