On this page
- Background Information
- Out Of State Residents Requesting A New Jersey Fingerprint Based Criminal Background Check
- Accessing CHRI
- Individual Criminal History Record Checks (FORMS A & B)
- Instructions For Obtaining Your Criminal History Record
- Noncriminal Justice Licensing / Employment Requests (FORMS C , D & NAME SEARCHES)
- Noncriminal Justice Volunteer Background Checks
- Volunteer Care Provider (VCP) Program - Name and State Background Check
- Volunteer Review Operations (VRO) - State and Federal Criminal History Record Checks
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.
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.
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.
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:
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)
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.
N.J.A.C. 13:59-1 et seq. provides background checks for noncriminal justice licensing or employment to the following: :
There are two (2) options available to a requester to conduct a noncriminal licensing / employment 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.
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:
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.
N.J.A.C. 13:59-1 et seq. provides background checks for noncriminal justice volunteers to the following:
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.
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:
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:
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