Background Check California

Are you the record subject or an authorized agency?

Personal accuracy review is different from employment or licensing.

For your own review, DOJ’s processing fee is $25; check the Record Review instructions for a possible fee waiver. California residents use Live Scan form BCIA 8016RR, mark Record Review as the application type and reason, and take the completed form to a Live Scan provider. Budget separately for the provider’s rolling fee.

Outside California or the United States, use application BCIA 8705 and a manual FD-258 fingerprint card. Include your full name, date of birth, sex and return mailing address on the card; mail the application, card and $25 payment to California DOJ, Record Review & Challenge Section, P.O. Box 160207, Sacramento, CA 95816-0207. The instructions accept a personal check drawn on a U.S. bank, money order or certified check payable to California Department of Justice.

Follow DOJ instructions rather than a name-only workaround.

For an authorized employment/licensing check, obtain BCIA 8016 from the requesting agency rather than using the personal-review form. Confirm the agency ORI, agency name, five-digit mail code, applicant type, working title and required DOJ/FBI service level. Take the agency form and valid photo ID to the Live Scan provider and retain the ATI transaction number. For fingerprints taken outside California, follow the agency’s FD-258 submission procedure through that agency.

Applicant processing charges depend on the authorized purpose and required checks, and provider rolling/service fees are separate. Use DOJ’s Applicant Agencies fee-schedule link and ask the requesting agency which processing fees it pays; confirm the provider’s total before fingerprinting. The $25 personal-review fee is not a universal employment/licensing price.

Use court records for case documents and docket context.