NJ Criminal History Records Information

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Background Information

The New Jersey State Police frequently receives inquiries from government, business, and citizens on the regulations and procedures for obtaining an individual's criminal history record. This web site has been developed to assist you in answering the most common questions asked about this process.

New Jersey Administrative Code (N.J.A.C.) 13:59-1 et seq. authorizes the dissemination of New Jersey criminal history record information (CHRI) by the New Jersey State Police (NJSP), Identification & Information Technology Section (I&ITS), State Bureau of Identification (SBI) for noncriminal justice purposes. The following entities are authorized to obtain from the SBI all records of convictions in the New Jersey state courts and, regardless of their age, all records of pending arrests and charges for violations of New Jersey laws, unless such records have been expunged.

• Governmental entities of this state, the federal government, or any other state for any official governmental purpose, including, but not limited to, employment, licensing and the procurement of services;
• A person or non-governmental entity of any state, that seeks to directly engage the services of the subject of the record, for the purpose of determining the subject's qualifications for employment, volunteer work or other performance of service;
• Attorneys-at-law licensed by any state for use in any contested matters docketed in any state or federal court or administrative agencies of this state;
• Private detectives licensed by the Division of State Police pursuant to N.J.S.A. 45:19-8 et seq. for the purposes of obtaining information in the furtherance of the performance of their statutorily authorized functions, as specifically enumerated by N.J.S.A. 45:19-9(a)1 to 9.
• A person for the purpose of obtaining his/her personal record request.

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Out Of State Residents Requesting A New Jersey Fingerprint Based Criminal Background Check

If you need a background check within the state of New Jersey but are no longer a resident, please email the Division of State Police, Criminal Information Unit, at CIU@gw.njsp.org. We will supply you with a package, including a fingerprint card and full instructions. In the event you are unable to email you may call (609) 882-2000 extension 2918.

If you are an out of state applicant but live, work, or attend school within a 10 mile radius of the New Jersey borders, you must report to a IDEMIA site to be fingerprinted. Please check the following list of zip codes. If your zip code is on the list you must go to the nearest NEW JERSEY MorphoTrust site to obtain a fingerprint based background check.

• Zip Code Restictions for Applicants - (PDF 815kb)

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Accessing CHRI

Requests for CHRI by requesters shall be on forms prescribed by the Superintendent of the State Police, with the exception of Attorneys-at-law who may obtain this information through the lawful issuance of a subpoena.

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Individual Criminal History Record Checks

The Division of State Police, Criminal Information Unit (CIU) provides fingerprint-based criminal history record background checks to any individual requesting a copy of his/her own record. A personal record request is typically for the purpose of:

• GOOD CONDUCT
• IMMIGRATION
• NATURALIZATION
• PERSONAL RECORD
• VISA
• INTERNATIONAL ADOPTION
• FOREIGN BUSINESS
• EXPUNGMENT

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Instructions For Obtaining Your Criminal History Record

An individual may obtain a criminal history record check via electronic live scan at one of the approved sites. The New Jersey State Police uses the live scan fingerprinting services provided by IDEMIA, a private company under contract with the State of New Jersey. In order to be fingerprinted for one of the purposes listed above, you are required to contact IDEMIA to schedule a time and place to have your fingerprints captured. The quickest and easiest way to schedule your appointment is via the Web at the URL noted on the Universal Fingerprint Forms below. Web scheduling is available 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Applicants who do not have Web access should call IDEMIA at the company’s toll-free telephone number, 1-877-503-5981 (Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Saturday, 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon). Spanish-speaking operators are available upon request.

You must download the appropriate Universal Fingerprint Form and bring this form with you to your scheduled fingerprint appointment. In addition to this form, you must bring proper identification as outlined on the form. The home address that you fill out on the Universal Fingerprint Form should be the same as the home address printed on the identification that you provide to IDEMIA. YOUR EMPLOYER / VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATION ADDRESS MUST BE COMPLETE AND ACCURATE, AS RESULTS ARE SENT OUT VIA US MAIL. To ensure accuracy, please legibly complete blocks #9 thru #26 on the front of the form prior to scheduling your appointment.

The fee for this service is $42.80, which includes the $12 vendor fee and associated state sales tax. The following forms of payment are accepted: VISA, Master Card, American Express, Discover, prepaid debit cards, or electronic debit (ACH) from a checking account. Accounts will be debited immediately. At the time of scheduling your appointment, payment will be required and charged to your account. Appointments must be canceled by 5:00p.m. on the business day prior to your scheduled time (you must cancel by Saturday at noon for a Monday appointment). If you fail to cancel your scheduled appointment prior to these deadlines, you will forfeit the $12.80 portion of your fingerprint fee that is payable to IDEMIA. You will also forfeit the $12.80 portion if you fail to bring the Universal Fingerprint Form and proper ID when reporting to your fingerprinting appointment.

Failure to utilize the Universal Form for its intended purpose and/or failing to provide complete and accurate information may result in having to be fingerprinted again and incurring additional costs. Questions or revisions to responses must be made within a ninety-day period or the full process will have to be completed again. If you do not receive your response within 10 working days please contact the Criminal Information Unit.

Any questions regarding the use of this form can be directed to the New Jersey State Police, Criminal Information Unit at 609 882-2000 ext. 2918

Please select from the following background checks below:

FORM A - (PDF 36kb)

Applicants that require one of the following fingerprint-based background checks and need the results mailed back to the applicant’s address must use form “A”. (A Criminal Hit will result in full disclosure of criminal record)

• Good Conduct
• Immigration
• Naturalization
• Personal Record
• Visa
• Expungement

FORM B - (PDF 36kb)

Applicants that require one of the following fingerprint-based background checks and need the results notarized and mailed back to the applicant’s address must use form “B”. (A Criminal Hit will result in full disclosure of criminal record)

International Adoption Requiring Notarization

Foreign Business Requiring Notarization

PDF files require a free reader available from Adobe.

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Noncriminal Justice Licensing / Employment Requests

N.J.A.C. 13:59-1 et seq. provides background checks for noncriminal justice licensing or employment to the following: :

• Governmental entities of this State, the federal government or any other state for any official governmental purpose;
• A person or non-governmental entity of any state, that seeks to directly engage the services of the subject of the record, for purposes of determining the subject's qualifications for employment, volunteer work or other performance of services
• Private detectives, licensed by the Division of State Police, for the purposes of obtaining information pursuant to their statutorily authorized functions

There are two (2) options available to a requester to conduct a noncriminal licensing / employment check.

State Fingerprint Check

A requester may elect to conduct a more thorough check, based on a fingerprint comparison by using the proper Universal Fingerprint Form provided in this section. The fee for electronic fingerprinting is $42.80.

FORM C - (PDF 36kb)

Applicants that require a fingerprint-based criminal history record check for employment purposes and need the results mailed back to the applicant’s address must use form “C”. (A Criminal Hit will result in the disclosure of convictions and pending data only)

Employment - response returned to applicant

(If response needs to be returned directly to employer use Form D)

FORM D - (PDF 36kb)

Applicants that require a fingerprint-based criminal history record check for employment purposes and need the results mailed back to the employer address must use form “D”. (A Criminal Hit will result in the disclosure of convictions and pending data only)

YOUR EMPLOYER ADDRESS MUST BE COMPLETE AND ACCURATE, AS RESULTS ARE SENT OUT VIA US MAIL.

See complete instruction on downloaded forms.

Employment - response returned to employer

(If response needs to be returned directly to applicant, use Form C)

PDF files require a free reader available from Adobe.

Any questions regarding the information on these forms, or if you fail to receive your response after ten (10) working days once fingerprinted, can be directed to the New Jersey State Police, Criminal Information Unit at 609 882-2000 ext. 2918.

Name Check

The SBI 212B Form was developed to provide the following entities with the ability to request named-based only criminal history record checks by submitting a subject's name, date of birth, social security number, and other descriptive information:

• Governmental entities of this State, the federal government or any other state for any official governmental purposes, including, but not limited to, employment, licensing, and the procurement of services;
• A person or non-governmental entity of any State, that seeks to directly engage the services of the subject of the record, for purposes of determining the subject's qualifications for employment, volunteer work or other performance of services;
• Private detectives, licensed by the Division of State Police, for the purposes of obtaining information pursuant to their statutorily authorized functions.

If an authorized requester elects to conduct a more thorough check, based on fingerprint comparison, he/she may use Universal Fingerprint Form D. These responses will go directly back to the employer address that was listed on the Universal Form completed by the applicant.

SBI 212B requests can now be submitted online using the following URL:
https://www.njportal.com/njsp/212b/

The fee for an SBI 212B online submission is $20, payable by credit or debit card.  Valid email addresses must be provided for both the requester (employer) and subject (employee) of the name-based criminal history record check.  Payment can be made by either the requester (employer) or the subject (employee), but the subject must consent to the criminal history record check via the online verification process (with the exception of licensed private detectives performing their statutorily authorized functions.) The requester (employer) must initiate the online 212B process for the specific subject (employee). The subject (employee) can NOT initiate the process for the requester (employer).

The fee for online submissions by volunteer organizations (as defined below) is reduced to $12.

Licensed private detectives will need to setup an account on the website prior to submitting SBI 212B requests.

SBI 212B Forms MAY NOT be used for a person requesting his/her own criminal history record.  Anyone wishing to receive his/her own record must submit fingerprints by utilizing Form A or B above, in accordance with N.J.A.C. 13:59-1 et seq.

Further questions regarding obtaining criminal history record background checks or noncriminal justice licensing/employment checks should be directed to the Criminal Information Unit, (609) 882-2000, extension 2918.

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Noncriminal Justice Volunteer Background Checks

N.J.A.C. 13:59-1 et seq. provides background checks for noncriminal justice volunteers to the following:

• Any person who volunteers with a qualified entity, as that term is defined by the National Child Protection Act of 1993, 42 U.S.C. §§ 5119, 5119c;
• Any person who volunteers his or her services to an entity that has been qualified by the Internal Revenue System as exempt from Federal income tax pursuant to 26 U.S.C. § 501(c)(3); or
• Any volunteer of a nonprofit youth serving organization.

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Volunteer Care Provider (VCP) Program

There are two (2) options available to a requester under the VCP.

State Fingerprint Check
A requester may elect to conduct a more thorough check, based on a fingerprint comparison by down loading and using Universal Form provided in this section. The fee for electronic fingerprinting is $30.80. These responses will go directly back to the employer address that was listed on the Universal Form completed by applicant. The following forms of payment are accepted: VISA, Master Card, American Express, Discover prepaid debit cards, or electronic debit (ACH) from a checking account. Accounts will be debited immediately.

YOUR EMPLOYER / VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATION ADDRESS MUST BE COMPLETE AND ACCURATE, AS RESULTS ARE SENT OUT VIA US MAIL.

Name-Based Check
If only a name-based criminal history record check is desired, please refer to the SBI 212B Form information listed above.  The fee for name-based volunteer submissions is reduced to $12.

Volunteer Care Provider Form - (PDF 36kb)

No personal checks will be accepted.

All inquiries should be directed to the Criminal Information Unit, (609) 882-2000 extension 2918.

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Volunteer Review Operation (VRO) - State and Federal Criminal History Record Checks

Requires nonprofit youth serving organizations to register with the VRO for the purposes of obtaining criminal history record checks pursuant to P.L. 1999, c. 432 (C. 15A:3A-1). The agency must provide the following to register:

1. Short Form of Standing from the Dept. of Treasury:  (Division of Revenue Web Site)
2. Federal Tax Exemption with the IRS - Letter of Determination; and
3. Agree with and Execute the Memorandum of Understanding.

Applicants are required to use the contract vendor IDEMIA, which provides the electronic fingerprint live scan services for VRO background checks. Instructions and Universal Applicant Forms may be downloaded below.

The VRO program will supply the agency with an agency specific identification number (VRN# 6 digit), a Universal Fingerprint Live Scan Form, and detailed instructions for submission.

The VRO will process the applicant fingerprint cards, review records**, and respond to the registered agency with a letter reporting a recommendation of approval or denial.

** The registered agency will not receive a copy of the applicant's record under this program. The VRO will review and make a determination based on disqualifiers enumerated in law.

VRO Fees:

• Employees - $53.91 ($56.05) NEW FEES EFFECTIVE JUNE 1, 2019
• Volunteers - $21.91 ($24.05)

All fees will be made at the time of scheduling by credit card or electronic debit card.

No personal checks will be accepted.

Further questions regarding obtaining noncriminal justice criminal history record checks through the VRO at (609) 882-2000, extension 2762.

PDF files require a free reader available from Adobe.

Application Document for Non-Profit Organizations Only - (PDF 194kb)

Application Document for Church/Government Use Only - (PDF 163kb)

Registered Organization may download Universal Form below.

** Block number 7 (VRN#) on Universal Form must be 6 characters and does not support the alpha letter O, only the numeric number zero (0).

YOUTH SERVING ORGANIZATION EMPLOYEE - (PDF 102kb) Updated 05/29/2019

YOUTH SERVING ORGANIZATION VOLUNTEER - (PDF 102kb) Updated 05/29/2019