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Fingerprinting Requirements

The Board of Behavioral Sciences requires a Department of Justice (DOJ) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) criminal history background check on all applicants for licensure or registration. CORI shall be accessible only to the records custodian and/or hiring authority charged with determining the suitability for employment or licensing of an applicant. The information received shall be used by the requesting agency solely for the purpose for which it was requested and shall not be reproduced for secondary dissemination to any other employing or licensing agency. Upon determination of employment or licensing, the records shall be destroyed to the extent that the identity of the individual can no longer be reasonably ascertained (Code of Regulation, Title 11, Section 708). The Board recommends completing Live Scan no more than thirty days prior to submitting your application. Live Scan results without corresponding applications on file are destroyed after six months. If Live Scan results have been destroyed, you will be required to re-print.

There are currently two methods available for submitting fingerprints, applicant live scan, or the ten-print hard card) applicant fingerprint card. Applicants should review the following information carefully to determine the appropriate method. If you have already submitted Live Scan for registration you do not need to submit it again for licensure, unless your registration has cancelled or expired. If you are are unsure if you should submit the Livescan, please contact the Board office.

1. Applicant Live Scan

Applicant Live Scan is a system for the electronic submission of fingerprints. DOJ is able to process up to 95% of live scan applicant fingerprint submissions in 72 hours or less. In those instances where a complete record is not available or manual processing is required, additional time is needed for a response.

If you currently reside in the State of California you must use Live Scan to submit your fingerprints. Please use the Request For Live Scan Service Applicant Submission form. (Form BCII 8016). Carefully follow the enclosed instructions for obtaining live scan fingerprints.

Please check with your local police department, sherriff's department, or school district to determine if they offer Live Scan services. A complete list of the Live Scan sites may be obtained by visiting the DOJ Applicant Live Scan website. Applicants are strongly encouraged to call the Live Scan service site to determine if an appointment for fingerprinting is required.

To check the status of your Live Scan fingerprint submission, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has established an integrated voice response system that enables callers to obtain status information 24 hours a day at (916) 227-4557. The voice response system can be accessed from any touch-tone telephone. Using the telephone key pad, callers will be instructed to enter the applicant's date of birth, and the Applicant Tracking Identifier (ATI) located at the bottom of the Request for Live Scan Service form. Once the system has located the applicant's record, the caller will be provided with 1) the date the applicant's fingerprints were received by DOJ, 2) a status of in "process" or "completed," and 3) if completed, the date the applicant response was sent to the Board.

2. Ten-Print "Hard Card" Applicant Fingerprint Card

The Applicant Live Scan process is currently only available within the Sate of California. If you reside outside of the State of California, you must use the "hard card" fingerprint method. Contact the Board office as soon as possible and request that the "hard card" fingerprint cards be mailed to you. Please be advised that the DOJ processing time for hard card fingerprints is a minimum of 8 to 12 weeks, or longer. In order to avoid processing delays and additional costs that result from fingerprint rejects, fingerprints must be taken at a law enforcement agency in the state of residence.

If you have additional questions, or are unsure if you should submit the Livescan, please contact the Board of Behavioral Sciences at (916) 574-7830 or send an e-mail to BBSWebMaster@bbs.ca.gov.

Updated: May June 4, 2007