NOTICE: The building at 335 Randolph Avenue is closed to the public until April 22, 2022.
Fingerprints must be submitted to the Criminal Background Check Program (CBCP) on a fingerprint card. CBCP staff continue to telework part time. The office is staffed daily; however, the office may not be staffed during all business hours. We recommend sending fingerprints and forms by USPS or courier (e.g., UPS, FedEx) rather than bringing them to the office in person.
The average time for the criminal background check (CBC) to be completed from the time the fingerprints and forms are received in the CBCP office until the CBC report is delivered to the board is five business days. However, it is not unusual for the process to take up to two weeks. Want to expedite this process? See CBC Tips.
1. Receive & Review fingerprints and forms — 1 day
The CBCP office receives your fingerprints and consent forms in our office by mail. Mailed cards and forms are usually logged in our database within one business day, which sends a status update email to you letting you know they were received; they are then reviewed for compliance. Please note that in periods of high volume, it can take up to a week to process fingerprint cards. Also be aware that if any information is incomplete or incorrect, you will receive an email requesting additional information or documentation.
2. Transmit Fingerprints — 1–2 days
The CBCP transmits the prints to the BCA, who in turn transmit them to the FBI. Fingerprints mailed to our office are usually processed and transmitted within three business days; however, during high volume periods it can take up to a week to transmit the prints. You will receive a status update by email at the time the prints are transmitted.
3. Report received by CBCP — 1 day
There is a typical two-week turnaround time from the time the prints have been transmitted to the BCA until the CBCP receives the report. We do not provide any status updates during this time. Most of the reports (85–90%) are received in less than two weeks. A few (2%) exceed a three-week turnaround time.
4. Process report and deliver to Board — 1 day
When the report is received in the CBCP office, it is processed either the same day it is received or on the next business day. You will receive a status update email informing you that the report is being delivered to the board.
NOTE: Additional time required for prints found to be unclassifiable by the FBI — 1–2 months
If the report is returned to the CBCP with notification that your prints were not classifiable, you will be required to submit a second set of fingerprints. If the second set is rejected, depending on the reason the prints were not classifiable, you may be required to pay an additional CBC fee to the Board and then submit an additional set or sets of prints. Depending on the reason for the rejections, after a second set has been submitted, our office may be able to place a background check request with the BCA based only on your name and date of birth. It is a requirement under current Minnesota law that two sets of fingerprints be rejected before an alternative method is allowed. This part of the process can take up to one or two months as each time the prints are submitted we are required to wait for the results before we transmit another set. Rejections occur in about 3% of all board applicants.
