Requesting a Certified Record Check

Certified record checks are not available on this web site. Requests must be mailed to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, and responses are mailed back.

• The record check can be name-based or fingerprint-based.

• The KBI will certify a record check response for a visa application, an adoption, an application for immigration or a similar action in which a formal validation of record content is required. Certification consists of a letter response with original signature of a Kansas Central Repository supervisor that the record check has been conducted and the results of the check are included in the response. This letter will be notarized with an embossed seal of the Central Repository.

• Employment record checks must be initiated by the employer, not be the employee. Kansas statutes prohibit employers from requiring employees or prospective employees to obtain their own criminal history records as a condition of employment. (K.S.A. 22-4710)

• If you are requesting your own record for a personal review, to identify inaccuracies, to correct the record or for other personal reasons, please go to the Reviewing Your Own Criminal History page. There you will be given instructions for obtaining your complete record rather than the abbreviated record released as a certified criminal history record.

Certified record checks are not available on this web site. Requests must be mailed to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, and responses are mailed back.

• The record check can be name-based or fingerprint-based.
   
• Certification consists of a letter response with original signature of a Kansas Central  Repository supervisor that the record check has been conducted and the results of the check are included in the response. This letter will be notarized with an embossed seal of the Central Repository.

  What criminal history record information is released:

Certified record checks consist of the following:

• Court convictions for violations of Kansas law that are felonies or class A or class B misdemeanors. Class C misdemeanor assaults are also part of the database.
• Court convictions for violations of municipal ordinances or county resolutions that are equivalent to class A or class B misdemeanors under state statute.
• Records of arrests within the past 12 months are also released when the record of disposition has not yet been received.

  What criminal history record information IS NOT released:

Certified record checks will not include the following types of criminal history record information from the Central Repository:

• Arrests that have been disposed and that did not result in a court conviction. (For example, the prosecutor declined to file or the subject was found “not guilty” by the court.)
• Successfully completed diversions.
• Expunged arrests, prosecutions and convictions.
• Records of arrests that occurred 12 months ago or longer, when the record of disposition has not yet been received.
• Juvenile offender records.  

  Request Form

Print, complete and mail a copy of the Certified Record Check Request form, along with proper payment. This is the proper form for both name-based and fingerprint-based record check requests. You must mail a printed version of this form (not an e-mail) to the KBI. Be sure to include the fingerprint card if that is your means of identification.

  Certified fingerprint-based record checks

If desired, the certified record check can be based on fingerprint card submission rather than a name-based check. For information on submitting fingerprint cards, go to the Fingerprint Card page.

  Getting the fingerprints taken

You may ask a local Police Department or Sheriff’s Office to roll the prints onto the required fingerprint card. Although local law enforcement agencies are not obliged to provide this service, generally at least one agency that offers this service can be found in all counties in Kansas. You may be charged a reasonable fee to offset the expense of providing the service.

In larger cities, commercial fingerprinting services may also be found.

In Topeka, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) will take your fingerprints only on Monday, Wednesday or Friday from 9am to noon or from 1pm to 3pm. There is a fee of $10 for this service. Simply come to the KBI headquarters at 1620 SW Tyler Street. No appointment necessary.

Only one Applicant fingerprint card is submitted to the Central Repository for each record check.

  Obtaining the Applicant fingerprint card

The fingerprint card used for a certified record check is the standard FBI Applicant fingerprint card, FBI form FD 258.

Applicant fingerprint cards should be obtained from the agency that offers fingerprinting services. If the agency does not have these cards available, they can be obtained from the KBI.  

  Response

The KBI will mail the record check response to either the requestor or, if desired, to a different addressee.

  Fees

Name-based certified record checks are currently $30. 

Fingerprint-based certified record checks are $39.75.
 

  Other types of record checks to consider

• Caregiver. If the record check is being done by an agency, business or institution that qualifies as a caregiver entity, and the subject of the check will be providing direct care to children, the elderly or the disabled. For further information, go to the Caregiver Accounts page.
   
• Personal review. If you are conducting the record check on yourself for purposes other than visa, immigration, adoption or similar actions. For further information, go to the  Reviewing Your Own Criminal History page.
   
• Fingerprint-based. For further information on conducting a record check based on fingerprint comparison, go to the Fingerprint Cards page.
   
• Manual submission. To learn how to conduct a record check without using this web page, go to the page entitled Submitting a Record Check through the Mail.