Get Fingerprinted
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
Employees & Foster/Adoptive Parents
$26.20
Volunteers
$24.20
Please note: Effective June 15, 2024, the cost to register and obtain an FBI background check for Employees, Foster/Adoptive Parents will increase from $25.25 to $26.20. The cost to register and obtain an FBI background check for the purpose of volunteering will increase from $23.25 to $24.20.
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).
- 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;
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.
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.
FBI Fingerprinting Updates
- February 13, 2023 — On October 31, 2022, the Department of Human Services (DHS) began offering the ability for an applicant to receive their FBI results electronically. This opportunity is only available for applicants who are determined to be eligible and who do not have a record. Because of this process, modifications were made to the result letter. Specifically the acronym "FBI" and the reference to "fingerprint" were removed as dissemination of protected FBI information via email is prohibited. By removing these two items from the result letter it no longer contains any criminal justice information (CJI) which is protected by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) security policy. It is of utmost importance that an applicant's CJI remains confidential and protected.
- Effective October 31, 2022 — DHS applicants who register under Identogo for fingerprints will now have the opportunity to receive their results electronically
- April 17, 2021 — ChildLine has changed the format of the FBI Fingerprint Clearance Result letter. The major change you will observe in new format is the consolidation of result boxes. Instead of the four checkboxes previously used on the letter, all result letters now display only two boxes and either "ELIGIBLE" or "INELIGIBLE" will be checked. Any agency that receives these result letters and wishes to verify the validity may contact ChildLine at 1-877-371-5422. We cannot discuss the specific outcome for the applicant(s) with third parties, but can verify your receipt of the new letter template.
The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS), which is in part comprised of the Office of Children, Youth, and Families (OCYF) complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex.