Criminal Background Checks

Instructions and Information for Criminal Background Checks

All applicants applying for initial licensure in Tennessee (not renewal or reinstatement, required for nursing reinstatement) will be required to obtain a criminal background check conducted by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Click to register for fingerprinting services with IdentoGO

Applicants Living in the State of Tennessee

You may register online or by telephone.  Click for electronic print locations. 

You must have your prints scanned within two weeks of registration, or you will be required to re-register and pay the $37.15 processing fee again.  

• Click this link to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and click “Schedule New Appointment”.
• Enter the OCA code provided to you by the requesting agency.
• Follow the prompts to proceed with the registration process.

If Fingerprints Are Rejected

TBI will notify the Health Related Boards and a letter will be sent to the Applicant from the Health Related Boards.

Schedule a Reprint Appointment (If Rejected)

1. Go to this webpage of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation  
2. Click Tennessee on the map or choose Tennessee in the drop down box and click “Go”.
3. Near the bottom of the screen, click “Online Scheduling”.
4. Choose the preferred language by clicking on either English or Spanish.
5. From the “Welcome” screen, scroll to the bottom of the page under “EXISTING APPOINTMENTS”.
6. Click on “I have received a rejection notice and need to schedule an appointment."
7. On the rejection details screen, type the TCR Number provided in the rejection notice in the blank box and click “Go”.
8. Select the location where the reprint appointment will be scheduled.  Selection may be made by entering a zip code, clicking on the picture of the map or choosing a region of the state from the drop down box.  Once the location has been chosen, click “Go”.
9. Choose your preferred location and desired date for reprinting and click on the words “Click to Schedule”.
10. If a date further in the future is desired, click the “Next Week” link.  Once the location and date are selected, choose the appointment time and click “Go”.
11. Print or write down the confirmation number, appointment time and place.  Please make sure that you arrive at your scheduled reprint appointment and location on time.

If you are unable to schedule your reprinting via the internet, the reprint appointment may be scheduled by calling IdentoGO scheduling center at (855) 226-2937 between 9:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday (Central Time). 

When calling, please inform the Customer Service Representative that this is for reprinting and give the representative the TCR #.

Rescheduling

• Applicants paying for fingerprinting fees via credit card online must keep their originally scheduled appointment or be rescheduled within two (2) weeks of that original appointment date. 
• Failure to do so will result in forfeiture of paid fees.Applicants paying via credit card are encouraged to call the scheduling office at (855) 226-2937 to reschedule their appointment.

Refunds

Refunds will be given under the following circumstances:

• Initial fingerprint appointment was not kept and second appointment was unable to be made within two (2) weeks of initial appointment, or appointment was unable to be kept due to unforeseen circumstances agreed to by customer and IdentoGO.

Refunds will not be given under the following circumstances:

• If the customer did not reschedule their fingerprinting appointment within the two (2) week period after their original appointment.
• If the customer rescheduled their fingerprint appointment within the two (2) week period after their original appointment, but did not show up to the second appointment.

Requests for refunds should be sent to:
IdentoGO
6840 Carothers Parkway, Ste. 601
Franklin, TN 37067

Information required in the letter:

Contact person’s name
Contact person’s phone number and address
Email address
Date and method of the payment
Transaction reference number (if applicable)
Reason for request

The customer is advised to send the refund request letter by priority or certified mail to ensure receipt of the request by IdentoGO.  IdentoGO will not be responsible if the customer’s refund request letter is lost in the mail.

Standard turnaround time for refund is within one month from the date IdentoGO receives the customer refund request letter.  IdentoGO will notify the customer of the decision to accept or reject the refund request for the reasons stated within this policy within one month from the date IdentoGO receives the customer refund request letter.

Obtain a Copy of Your Criminal Background Check

Procedures for obtaining a copy of a FBI criminal history records are set forth at Title 28, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Section 16.30 through 16.33. See this Federal Bureau of Investigation webpage. 

Changing, Correcting, or Updating Information on Your Criminal Background Check

• Procedures for obtaining a change, correction, or update of an FBI criminal history records are set forth at Title 28, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Section 16.34. Information is on this FBI webpage. 
• The FBI Noncriminal Justice Applicant’s Privacy Rights are available  on this webpage of the FBI website. 
• The Agency Privacy Requirements for Noncriminal Justice Applicants are available on this page of the FBI website.

Applicants Outside the State of Tennessee

Click here for printable instructions

Additional Information for Fingerprint Cards

You may contact your profession's board and request a fingerprint card.

OCA Professions and Code Numbers

Background Checks to Provide Patient Care

Before any person who will be providing direct patient care is hired, for whom a background check has not been completed, health care facilities, emergency medical services, and individual health professionals are required by law to conduct background checks using the state sex offenders registry, the state abuse registry and the abuse registries for states in which the prospective employee has lived in the previous 7 years, according to Public Chapter 1084.

Read Public Chapter 1084

Tennessee Sex Offender Registry

National Sex Offender Registry

Tennessee Abuse Registry