Who can conduct a Criminal Record Check?

In general, criminal record checks can be conducted by:

Police services

Using name-based and biographical information, police services search national police databases as well as their own local records when conducting criminal record checks.

If required, police services submit fingerprints to the RCMP's Canadian Criminal Real Time Identification Services (CCRTIS) for searches of the National Repository of Criminal Records. Depending on the police service, applicants may be referred to an accredited fingerprint company to be fingerprinted.

Only a police service of local jurisdiction can conduct and issue the results of a vulnerable sector check. Organizations requesting a vulnerable sector check must refer applicants to the police service of local jurisdiction where the individual resides.

Companies that perform name-based checks

Companies enter into agreements with municipal police services to conduct name-based criminal record checks of the RCMP's Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC) system. This normally includes a check of the National Repository for Criminal Records based on the applicant's name and date of birth and may include checks of other national data banks.

Some companies may request name-based checks of other national data banks, however, not all police services contribute to these data banks, and those that do may not share all of their information.

The municipal police service conducting the name-based check may or may not be in the same part of Canada as the person/organization requesting the name-based criminal record check.

Accredited fingerprint companies

Accredited fingerprint companies are authorized to submit fingerprints to the RCMP's Canadian Criminal Real Time Identification Services (CCRTIS) for searches of the National Repository of Criminal Records. The results of these criminal record checks do not include information from other national or local data bases.

In addition to taking fingerprints electronically, several of these companies have the ability to receive fingerprints that have been taken on paper, convert them to electronic transactions, and submit them directly to CCRTIS for processing. This service is also available to individuals whose fingerprints were taken outside of Canada.

Accredited fingerprint companies are not authorized to conduct vulnerable sector checks but may fingerprint applicants who are referred to them by the police of local jurisdiction.

Following is a list of RCMP-accredited fingerprint companies. Many are affiliated with other companies that also have the ability to submit fingerprints electronically to CCRTIS.

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