Frequently Asked Questions - Applicant Agencies

  1. Home
  2. Background Checks
  3. Applicant Agencies
  4. Frequently Asked Questions - Applicant Agencies

General FAQs

  1. What are some of my responsibilities?
  2. What do I do if:
    a. After the initial background check, I decided not to hire the individual; or
    b. The employee recently separated from my agency; or
    c. The individual is no longer licensed or eligible to renew his/her license?
  3. How do I inform DOJ if my agency has changed names or changed address, etc?
  4. What do I do if I forgot to request an FBI check for my applicant or if I made other mistakes on the Live Scan form?
  5. What if I filled out the Live Scan form correctly, but the Live Scan operator transposed numbers, or left information off the submission?
  6. What do I do if I received my California response, but the FBI rejected the applicant submission due to poor quality fingerprints?
  7. What do I do if my monthly billing statement is incorrect?
  1. What are some of my responsibilities?

    Applicant agencies must not divulge or share criminal record history information, including responses that no criminal record history exists unless expressly authorized. Information received must be kept in a secure and confidential file with access restricted to a designated Records Custodian and/or person responsible for confirming the character and fitness of an applicant.

    Release of information to unauthorized individuals can result in civil fines and criminal penalties under California Penal Code sections 11142 and 11143. Applicant agencies must destroy criminal history record information once the organization's business need is fulfilled.

  2. What do I do if:
    a. After the initial background check, I decided not to hire the individual; or
    b. The employee recently separated from my agency; or
    c. The individual is no longer licensed or eligible to renew his/her license?

    If your Agency currently receives Subsequent Arrest Notifications, you are required to notify DOJ when your employment or licensing relationship with the individual has concluded. Upon receipt, we will update our records so you will no longer receive Subsequent Arrest Notifications for that individual.

  3. How do I inform DOJ if my agency has changed names or changed address, etc?

    Anytime your agency moves, changes names or contact information, you should notify the DOJ by submitting the Applicant Submitting Agency Request to Change, pdf. This ensures the DOJ has the most current information by which to contact you.

  4. What do I do if I forgot to request an FBI check for my applicant or if I made other mistakes on the Live Scan form?

    You will have to send the applicant to be fingerprinted again – as if it was the initial transaction. All fees will be charged and have to be remitted the second time.

  5. What if I filled out the Live Scan form correctly, but the Live Scan operator transposed numbers, or left information off the submission?

    Unfortunately, with the volume of fingerprint transactions submitted, the DOJ cannot correct most errors. In most cases, you will have to send the applicant to be fingerprinted again – as if it was the initial transaction. All fees will be charged again. The Live Scan operator should not charge a rolling fee the second time, if the mistake was his/hers. Also, you may be able to work out a compromise on paying the processing fees with the Live Scan operator.

    If you continually have problems with the accuracy of information from specific Live Scan sites, please contact DOJ’s Client Services Program at 916-227-3332 during regular business hours. You may also want to discourage your applicants from using those sites.

  6. What do I do if I received my California response, but the FBI rejected the applicant submission due to poor quality fingerprints?

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) may reject fingerprints even if the images were accepted by the DOJ. If this happens, the applicant will need to be reprinted using the original ATI (OATI) submission number. If rejected because of poor quality by the FBI on the second attempt, the applicant agency must request an FBI name check. To do so, please complete and submit the FBI Name Check Request, pdf.

    NOTE: Both rejections must be for the same applicant type and applicant title. The name check must be received by DOJ within 75 days of the second rejection notice.

  7. What do I do if my monthly billing statement is incorrect?

    If you find a discrepancy on your billing detail, you may request a credit using the following form and the DOJ will research your request.
    BCII 9006 - Live Scan Credit Request Form, pdf.

    IMPORTANT: Regardless of any potential discrepancy, you must pay your monthly invoice in full upon receipt.

Back To Top