Criminal Background Checks

Who needs a background check?

• Adoption
  • Adoptive parents
  • All adults living in the adoptive home
• Adult Foster Care 
  • Adult foster care provider
  • Agency foster home for adults (all employees)
  • All adults residing in adult foster care, but not receiving care
  • Respite providers
  • Substitute caregivers
• Child Care (North Dakota licensed or regulated child care programs)
  • All individuals providing licensed child care, including self-declaration providers
  • All adult household members of family or group providers (ONLY if operating in your home)
  • All individuals working, volunteering, or providing therapy services in a licensed child care
• Child Care (Out-of-state licensed or regulated child care programs)
• Children's Advocacy Center
• Foster Care Related
  • Licensed Foster Home
  • Relative Caregivers
  • TANF Kinship Caregivers
  • All adult household members in homes providing care
• Guardianship of Children 
  • All adult household members.
• Guardianship of Adults - Background check process from ND Courts
• Licensed Child Placement Agency Employment
• Residential Facility and Certified Shelter Care Employment
  • Supervised Independent Living Program (SILP) Employees
  • CERTIFIED Shelter Care Employees (Shelter Must Be Certified)
  • Qualified Residential Treatment Facility (QRTP) Employees
  • Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility (PRTF) Employees

Where can I get fingerprinted?

• ND DHHS provides 8 fingerprinting locations throughout the state. Please check the table below for the location that covers your county.
  • No fingerprinting fee.
  • You must schedule an appointment.
  • You must bring all your completed authorization forms, including authorization forms for other states to your appointment.
  • You must bring a valid government issued photo ID (driver’s license, state ID, military ID, passport, tribal ID). If you do not have a valid photo ID, you will not be fingerprinted.
• Law enforcement agencies, or any other agency that is authorized to conduct fingerprinting
  • You are responsible for paying any fees charged for fingerprinting.
  • Contact the agency for days and times they do fingerprinting.
  • You must bring a blank Fingerprint Identity Verification Form (SFN 836) to be completed by the official that rolls your prints.
  • You must bring a valid photo ID (driver’s license, state ID, military ID, passport, tribal ID). If you do not have a valid photo ID, you will not be fingerprinted.
  • Ink-rolled fingerprints MUST be sealed in an envelope by the official that rolled your prints BEFORE giving you the print cards.
  • You are responsible for mailing all your authorization forms, authorization forms for other states and fingerprints to the Criminal Background Check Unit in Bismarck.

What records will be reviewed?

• All background checks include the following:
  • ND criminal record (non-public)
  • FBI Criminal Record (non-public)
  • ND Child Abuse/Neglect Index (non-public)
  • ND Sex Offender Registry
  • ND Offenders Against Children Registry
  • Interstate Child Abuse/Neglect Registry for each state of residence during the previous 5 years.
  • ND Courts Records Inquiry Website
  • MN Trial Court Public Access Website
  • Tribal Court, Child Welfare and Sex Offender Registry (as needed)
• Child Care background checks will also include the following:
  • National Sex Offender Registry (non-public)
  • Interstate Sex Offender Registry for each state of residence during the previous 5 years (non-public).
  • Interstate criminal repository for each state of residence during the previous 5 years (non-public).

FAQs

Q: How many years back do you look for convictions? 
A: Lifetime, regardless of age (excludes juvenile adjudications), the length of time that has passed since conviction, or location of conviction.

Q: Do I have to report all criminal convictions or just felonies? 
A: All convictions. Failure to disclose a criminal conviction may result in your background check being returned unprocessed.

Q: I was fingerprinted for a concealed weapons permit, teaching license, etc., can I use those finger prints or do I have to have my fingerprints re-done. 
A: No. Fingerprints, and the results derived from those prints, can only be used for the purpose stated at the time you were fingerprinted. If you need fingerprints for another purpose, new prints must be submitted.

Q: Can I use background check results from another state? 
A: No. Background check results or criminal record search results are not transferable from state to state.

Q: Does my adult child have to complete a background check if they are home for the summer and living in my home? 
A: Yes. Any adult living in the home must complete a background check.

Q: Does my minor child living in my home have to complete a background check if they work in my child care?
A: Yes.

Contact Information

Criminal Background Check Unit
600 E. Boulevard Avenue, Department 325
Bismarck, ND 58505-0250
Phone: (701) 328-7575
Toll-Free: (800) 472-2622, 711 (TTY)
Fax: (701) 328-0358
Email: dhscfscbc@nd.gov