​Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
Criminal History Background Check

The Commonwealth contracts with IDEMIA (IdentoGo or MorphoTrust) for digital fingerprinting. You can register with IDEMIA and be fingerprinted at an IdentoGo site. The fingerprint-based background check is a multi-step process.

For questions about FBI clearances, contact the ChildLine Verification Unit at 717-783-6211 or 1-877-371-5422. For IDEMIA registration, processing, or billing questions, please contact IDEMIA/IdentoGo at 1-844-321-2101.

Cost

• $25.25 — Employees, Foster/Adoptive Parents
• $23.25 — Volunteers
  

Fingerprinting Process

IDEMIA, the Commonwealth's fingerprinting vendor, requires applicants to pre-register for fingerprinting prior to visiting an IdentoGo center one of two ways:

• Online:  Visit www.Identogo.com
• Telephone:  Call 1-844-321-2101 and listen to the options menu.

Applicants must provide a service code when pre-registering for fingerprinting. IDEMIA uses service codes to ensure applicants are processed for the correct purpose. For assistance with determining the appropriate service code, applicants should contact the Department of Human Services (DHS)—Office of Children, Youth, and Families (OCYF) at RA-PWCPSLQUESTIONS@pa.gov and specify the purpose for which they are obtaining an FBI background check (e.g., adoption, foster care or kinship placement, employment/paid work, volunteering/unpaid work, student teaching, fieldwork or internship, etc.) – to include the type of agency/organization they will be working for, the setting(s)/place(s) they will be working, whether their role/position will be paid or unpaid, and the age group(s) of individuals they will be working with, having contact with, and/or having routine interaction with (e.g., ages 0-17, 18-59, and/or 60+).

Applicants may visit an IdentoGO center during its posted hours of operation and be fingerprinted as a walk-in; however, scheduling an appointment may lead to lesser/no wait times. It is strongly encouraged applicants contact the site prior to visiting to confirm hours of operation. All applicants will also need to refer to the list of acceptable identification documents provided during registration as one must be presented when visiting an IdentoGo center.

Please note, current and prospective employees of public and private schools, intermediate units, and area career and technical schools governed by the provisions of the Public School Code of 1949 will need to contact the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE), at RA-PDE-SchoolService@pa.gov, for a PDE service code. This includes but is not limited to:

• Teachers;
• Substitutes;
• Janitors;
  
• Cafeteria workers;
• Independent contractors and their employees who have direct contact with children;
• Bus drivers employed or offered employment by a school district, private school, nonpublic school, intermediate unit or area career and technical school or by an independent contractor;
• Student teachers; and
• Student teacher candidates.

Minors Requiring FBI Digital Fingerprinting

If a minor applicant does not have acceptable identification at the time of the fingerprinting appointment they must present:

• The Pennsylvania Photo ID Waiver for Minors form; AND
• One of the listed identification documents for the minor (listed in the waiver), which includes: 
• Original or certified copy of a birth certificate issued by the appropriate Bureau of Vital Statistics or equivalent agency from a U.S. state, U.S. territory, the District of Columbia, or a Canadian province. A birth record issued by a hospital is not acceptable under this category;
  
• Original or certified copy of a U.S Department of State Certification of Birth Abroad issued to U.S citizens born abroad (Form FS‐240, DS‐1350, or FS‐545);
  
• Original or certified copy of court order with name and date of birth indicating an official change of name and/or gender from a U.S. state, U.S. territory, the District of Columbia, or Canadian providence; or
  
• Social Security Card (actual card).
  

Payment Process

Employees or volunteers are required to pay for fingerprinting at the time of service. If an employer is paying, an authorization code must be provided; otherwise the employee or volunteer will be required to pay out of pocket. If an employer wishes to set up a payment agreement with IDEMIA/IdentoGo/Morphotrust, please scroll down to the end of the page titled, "IDEMIA Payment Option" for more information.

If you are an organization or agency accessing this site to inquire about remaining or becoming a Commonwealth affiliate fingerprinting site, or questions surrounding equipment, please note the following important information:

If you would like your location to remain a Commonwealth-affiliated fingerprinting site or become a fingerprint site, please visit www.identogo.com/partners.

• At the bottom of that page is a link to their Partner Inquiry Form. 
• Express interest by providing IDEMIA with your business' information. Your inquiry will go to their partner team for follow up. Public and private agreements are considered. 
• If there is no need in your specific area, you will receive an email letting you know IDEMIA will hold onto your information until a need arises. 
• IDEMIA has a process in place for approving locations and equipment. For more information, visit www.identogo.com or call 844-321-2101.

IDEMIA Payment Option — No Charge Authorization Code (NCAC)

IDEMIA offers employers the option to pay for digital fingerprinting services using an NCAC Agreement. Interested employers must go to the website at: IdentoGo.com to find, complete, and submit the Idemia NCAC Agreement. This agreement is backed by a credit card, which must be provided at time of account setup.  The account must be established prior to sending applicants to the fingerprint site.

Questions

If you have additional questions, please contact IDEMIA by phone, toll free at (844) 321-2101.

Effective: October 31, 2022

DHS Identogo Applicants Receiving Electronic Results

This opportunity only applies to results with no record. During the registration process applicants will be asked for an email address and will be asked to create a security question and a security answer.  It is very important that once the user creates the security question and answer that they retain this information. Three unsuccessful logins will prevent the applicant from retrieving their results electronically. In order to prevent any unauthorized release of information their security information cannot be reset.  

Shortly after their fingerprints have been taken and a result can be provided, they will receive an email. They will be advised to click on the link within the email and enter the security question and answer.  If they lock themselves out of the security question and answer the result will be transmitted by US Mail.  Current Mailing timelines take 7-10 business days to reach the intended destination.  

When the applicant does access the results, it is important that they be able to download it, save it and print it for future needs. There will be no second access to this electronic result.

Additionally, if they registered for fingerprints on August 30, 2022, or after and used the purpose type of employee 14 years of age or older and having contact with children they will receive their result via email notification.  An email notification will only be received after September 21, 2022, if they provided an email address and created a security question and answer.  

If any result has a record associated with it, those results will not be electronically available and can only be transmitted by US Mail. Current mailing timelines take at least 7-10 business days to reach the intended destination.  

All results will still be transmitted by US Mail to all applicants.

 Suspect Child Abuse? Call Childline: 1-800-932-0313