Background Check

Many public and private employers require background checks for employment purposes.  State law mandates that schools, day care centers, health care facilities, and others require such checks as part of the hiring process.  Some individuals are also required to have a background check to obtain professional licensure.

The Ohio Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) regularly processes about a million background checks a year.  BCI completes such background checks by comparing fingerprints received against a database of criminal fingerprints to determine if there is a criminal record. All fingerprints must be submitted to BCI electronically through WebCheck or a card scan unless the required reasons for an exemption are met.

To obtain a background check, visit or contact one of the Web Check locations identified on the listing.

If you have questions, please take a look at the frequently asked questions, or call BCI at 877-224-0043.