FBI Identity History Summary Checks for Employment and Licensing
From time to time we receive a request asking if we, as an accredited background screening company, can access the FBI’s Identity History summary to check if a person has a criminal record with the government. The FBI is empowered only to exchange Identity History Summary information with officials of state and local governments for licensing, employment, which includes volunteers and other similar non-criminal justice purposes, if authorized by a state statute that has been approved by the Attorney General of the United States.
The FBI’s Identity History information is only available for use by and for “public” purposes meaning, potential or current employees or volunteers of government agencies. Additionally, the state statute establishing guidelines for a category of employment or the issuance of a license must, in itself, require fingerprinting and authorize the governmental licensing or employing agency to exchange fingerprint data directly with the FBI.
Clearly said, the results of the FBI’s background investigations may be given to requesting government agencies that need to determine if a person is suitable for certain licenses, a job or if they can be given access to secret government materials.
A person may choose to request the results of their own background investigation through the Freedom of Information/Privacy Acts. Often referred to as a criminal history record or a rap sheet, a request must be made by submitting a written request to the Criminal Justice Information Services Division. This request must include proof of identity and payment of an $18 processing fee by credit card, money order or cashier’s check made payable to the U.S. Treasury
The FBI does not provide copies of arrest records to individuals other than the subject of the record (in other words, you can’t request someone else’s records).
