What U.S. document do you actually need?
The United States does not issue one universal document formally called a “criminal record certificate.” Depending on why the document is being requested, the correct record may instead be an FBI Identity History Summary, a state criminal-history report, a local police clearance, a certified court disposition, or an authenticated background-check document for use abroad. Choosing the correct document first can prevent rejected applications, duplicate fingerprinting and unnecessary fees.
Match the document to the reason it was requested
The phrase “criminal record certificate” is used widely outside the United States, but U.S. agencies use more specific names. Before paying for fingerprints or copies, read the requesting authority’s instructions carefully.
| If someone asks for… | Likely U.S. equivalent | Where to request it |
|---|---|---|
| Nationwide FBI criminal background | FBI Identity History Summary | Federal Bureau of Investigation |
| Statewide criminal-history certificate | State criminal-history record / record check | State Police, State Bureau of Investigation, DOJ, DPS or State Identification Bureau |
| Local police clearance | Police clearance / good-conduct letter | Local police or sheriff, where offered |
| Proof of how a court case ended | Certified disposition / certified court record | Court clerk where the case was filed |
| Criminal-record document for use overseas | Often FBI or state record plus apostille/authentication | Issuing authority + appropriate authentication office |
| Employment or professional license check | Process specified by the employer/licensing authority | State bureau, authorized fingerprint provider or approved screening route |
The FBI Identity History Summary is the closest federal equivalent
The FBI calls its fingerprint-based personal criminal-history response an Identity History Summary. It is also commonly described as a rap sheet, criminal-history record, police background clearance or police/good-conduct certificate.
The record is based on fingerprint submissions maintained by the FBI and may contain information connected with arrests and, in some cases, federal employment, naturalization or military service.
FBI Identity History SummaryHow to obtain an FBI criminal-history document
Choose electronic or mail submission
The FBI accepts direct electronic requests and mailed requests. Electronic submission generally moves faster once fingerprints are received.
Complete the request information
Enter your legal identity information accurately. The name entered on the electronic request is the name that appears on the FBI response letter.
Submit fingerprints
The FBI requires fingerprints because it does not provide an Identity History Summary based only on a name search.
Pay the FBI fee
The current direct FBI charge is $18 per Identity History Summary request.
Receive the response
Electronic requesters can receive an electronic response and may also choose a mailed response. Mail-only requesters receive their result by U.S. First-Class Mail.
Authenticate it only if the receiving authority requires it
A document being used outside the United States may need an apostille or authentication, depending on the destination country and its rules.
Fingerprint requirements are important
The FBI does not perform a simple name-only search for a personal Identity History Summary. Fingerprints establish the identity of the person whose history is being reviewed.
If you submit electronically directly to the FBI, you can use a participating U.S. Post Office location for electronic fingerprint submission after completing the online request. Additional fingerprinting charges may apply.
If you submit by mail, fingerprints can be taken by many local law-enforcement agencies or qualified fingerprint providers. The FBI accepts the FD-1164 fingerprint form and requires complete rolled and plain impressions.
FBI FD-1164 Fingerprint FormFBI fee, payment and extra copies
| Item | Current FBI guidance | Practical note |
|---|---|---|
| Identity History Summary fee | $18 | Same base FBI fee for direct electronic or mail requests. |
| Additional fingerprinting | Provider fee may apply | USPS or private fingerprint locations can charge separately. |
| Electronic copies | Print as many copies as needed | Useful when a receiving authority accepts a printed electronic result. |
| Additional sealed mailed response | New $18 request required | Each additional sealed FBI response requires another paid request. |
| Fee waiver | Possible in qualifying circumstances | Contact the FBI before submitting the request. |
The FBI does not accept cash, personal checks or business checks for direct Departmental Order requests. Follow the current payment options shown in the FBI application.
What if you have no FBI criminal history?
If the FBI fingerprint search does not identify an Identity History Summary associated with your fingerprints, the response can serve as evidence that the FBI did not locate a summary under the submitted fingerprints at the time of the search.
Is the FBI background check a certified criminal-record certificate?
This question causes a lot of confusion.
The FBI’s standard Identity History Summary response is authenticated by the FBI with a watermark and the signature of a division official. That makes it suitable for later authentication or apostille processing when required.
However, the FBI separately states that an individual cannot request the special certified copy of fingerprints or Identity History Summary information that the FBI provides for certain court and law-enforcement purposes.
When you need a state criminal-history certificate instead
Every state has a central agency responsible for criminal-history records. The agency name varies and may include:
- State Police
- Department of Public Safety
- Bureau of Criminal Investigation
- State Bureau of Investigation
- Department of Justice
- State Identification Bureau
The FBI maintains an official directory of State Identification Bureaus that can help identify the correct agency.
Find your State Identification BureauA local police clearance is different from an FBI record
Some U.S. police departments or sheriffs issue documents described as a police clearance letter, local criminal-history letter, good-conduct letter or similar certificate.
These records commonly cover only the issuing agency or local jurisdiction. They should not automatically be described as nationwide background checks.
Police clearance
Usually limited to records held by the city, county or local agency issuing the letter.
State criminal history
Covers the state repository according to that state’s reporting and disclosure rules.
FBI Identity History Summary
Fingerprint-based federal summary drawing from information maintained through FBI systems.
Use a certified court disposition when the outcome of a case matters
An FBI or state criminal-history report summarizes data. It is not always the best document when someone needs official proof of how a particular prosecution ended.
For that purpose, request the record from the court that handled the case. The document may be called:
- certified disposition
- certificate of disposition
- certified judgment
- certified docket
- certified court record
- certified judgment and sentence
When a certified disposition is especially useful
Immigration
An immigration authority may need the exact disposition of an arrest or prosecution.
Record correction
State or FBI criminal-history corrections can require official court documentation.
Licensing or legal use
A licensing board or court may require proof authenticated by the clerk rather than an online docket.
Criminal-record certificates for immigration and visa purposes
Immigration document requirements depend on the country and visa process. The phrase “police certificate” is especially common in immigrant-visa procedures.
The U.S. Department of State’s immigrant-visa guidance requires qualifying applicants to obtain police certificates from certain foreign countries where they lived or were arrested.
Country-specific civil-document requirements are published in the Department of State’s reciprocity guidance.
Visa Reciprocity & Civil DocumentsUsing a U.S. criminal-history document in another country
A foreign government, visa office, employer or licensing authority may ask for the U.S. background record to be authenticated before accepting it.
The correct process depends on:
- whether the document is federal or state-issued
- the country where it will be used
- whether that country participates in the Hague Apostille Convention
- whether translation is required
- whether the receiving authority wants an original or certified copy
How to get an FBI background check apostilled
An apostille is commonly used when a U.S. federal document will be presented in a country participating in the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention.
FBI Identity History Summary results are federal documents. The FBI authenticates its fingerprint-search response with a watermark and official signature; the document can then be submitted to the U.S. Department of State when an apostille is required.
Obtain the FBI Identity History Summary
Request the current FBI response using fingerprints.
Confirm the destination country’s requirement
Make sure the receiving authority actually requires an apostille rather than another form of authentication.
Complete Form DS-4194
Use the current U.S. Department of State authentication-services form.
Include the current fee
The Department of State currently lists a nonrefundable authentication-services fee of $20 per document.
Submit the document
Follow the current mailing or in-person instructions published by the Office of Authentications.
Office of Authentications — mail
U.S. Department of State
Office of Authentications
44132 Mercure Circle
P.O. Box 1206
Sterling, VA 20166-1206
The Department of State currently advises mailing authentication requests when travel is five weeks or more away. Processing options and appointments can change, so check the live Office of Authentications page before sending documents.
Non-Hague countries may require authentication instead of an apostille
If the destination country is not part of the Hague Apostille Convention, the document may need an authentication certificate rather than an apostille.
The Department of State explains that authentication confirms the signature and seal of the issuing official; it does not independently verify the factual contents of the document.
Federal document
A qualifying FBI federal document can be submitted through the U.S. Department of State authentication process.
State or local police record
A state-issued document generally must first be authenticated by the state that issued it. The appropriate authority may be the Secretary of State, lieutenant governor or another state-designated office.
What is an FBI-approved Channeler?
An FBI-approved Channeler is a private organization authorized to receive your fingerprints and identifying information, electronically forward them to the FBI for a national Identity History Summary check and return the FBI result to you.
A Channeler can make submission more convenient, but it may charge its own service fees in addition to the FBI-related cost.
Do not use the personal FBI review process for every employment check
The FBI states that the personal Identity History Summary process under its public review procedure is designed for personal review, correction and related purposes.
If the criminal-history check is required for employment, licensing, adoption or another legally authorized purpose inside the United States, the person may instead need to submit fingerprints through:
- a State Identification Bureau
- a licensing authority
- a requesting government agency
- another legally authorized fingerprint channel
Can you obtain another person’s criminal-record certificate?
Not through the ordinary FBI Identity History Summary process. The FBI does not provide another person’s fingerprint-based Identity History Summary to a private requester simply because that requester knows the person’s name.
If you are trying to research someone else’s public record, use lawful public sources instead:
- official state court case search
- county or local court records
- state public criminal-history system, where permitted
- state corrections search
- federal PACER court records
- public sex-offender registries where relevant
What to do if your FBI criminal record contains an error
The FBI provides a formal challenge process when an Identity History Summary contains inaccurate or incomplete information.
The FBI recommends clearly identifying the information being disputed and including copies of supporting documents, such as court records or expungement orders when available.
The FBI currently says there is no fee to challenge an Identity History Summary. Its published FAQ states that challenges are generally processed in the order received and gives an average response time of within approximately 45 days.
FBI Identity History Summary GuidanceHow long is a criminal-record certificate valid?
There is no universal U.S. expiration period for criminal-history certificates. Validity is usually determined by the authority asking for the document.
Follow employer instructions
The organization may require a new check generated within a specific number of days or months.
Check consular rules
Visa and residence authorities often publish their own age limits for police certificates.
Certified disposition
A certified disposition documents the court outcome, but the receiving authority may still require a recently issued copy.
Common mistakes that cause criminal-record documents to be rejected
Ordering the wrong jurisdiction
A local police clearance may not satisfy a request for an FBI or statewide record.
Skipping fingerprints
The FBI Identity History Summary requires fingerprints; it is not generated from a simple name search.
Using an online court screenshot
A requesting authority may require a certified disposition rather than an unofficial screen print.
Not checking apostille requirements
Foreign-use rules depend on the destination country and issuing authority.
Not checking document age
The receiving authority may reject a criminal-history record that is older than its allowed period.
Using the wrong employment process
Licensing and employment fingerprint checks may require an agency-specific channel rather than a personal FBI request.
Questions people commonly ask before ordering a criminal-history certificate
1. Does the United States issue one nationwide criminal record certificate?
No single U.S. document is universally called a criminal record certificate. The closest federal personal criminal-history document is the FBI Identity History Summary, while states and courts issue separate criminal-history and certified case records.
2. What is the FBI version of a police clearance certificate?
The FBI Identity History Summary is commonly used as the U.S. federal fingerprint-based criminal-history or police-background-clearance document.
3. How much does an FBI Identity History Summary cost?
The FBI currently charges $18 for a direct Identity History Summary request. Fingerprinting providers or FBI-approved Channelers may charge additional service fees.
4. Do I need fingerprints for an FBI criminal-record certificate?
Yes. The FBI requires fingerprints for an Identity History Summary and does not provide this personal record through a simple public name search.
5. Can I obtain another person’s FBI criminal-history certificate?
Not through the ordinary public Identity History Summary procedure. It is designed for the individual whose fingerprint-based record is being requested.
6. Is an FBI background check the same as a certified court disposition?
No. An FBI Identity History Summary is a criminal-history summary. A certified disposition comes from the court and proves how a specific case or charge was resolved.
7. Do I need an apostille for my FBI background check?
Only if the organization or foreign authority receiving the document requires it. For federal documents used in Hague Convention countries, the U.S. Department of State can issue an apostille when the document meets its requirements.
8. How much does the U.S. Department of State charge for an apostille or authentication?
The Department of State currently lists a $20 nonrefundable authentication-services fee for each document submitted. Always verify the current fee before mailing the request.
9. Do U.S. immigrant-visa applicants need a U.S. police certificate for time lived in America?
U.S. Department of State immigrant-visa guidance says present and former residents of the United States generally do not submit a U.S. police certificate for U.S. residence. Applicants should still follow the instructions for their exact visa case.
10. What should I do if my criminal-history certificate contains incorrect information?
Identify whether the error originates with the FBI, state repository or court. Obtain supporting documents such as certified court dispositions and use the issuing agency’s formal correction or challenge process.
Official resources for requesting and authenticating records
- FBI — Identity History Summary Checks
- FBI — Identity History Summary FAQs
- FBI — Approved Channelers
- FBI — State Identification Bureau Listing
- U.S. Department of State — Criminal Records Checks
- U.S. Department of State — Apostille Certificate Requirements
- U.S. Department of State — Authentication Certificate Requirements
- U.S. Department of State — Request Authentication Services
- Department of State — Visa Reciprocity and Civil Documents