An FBI background check, officially called an Identity History Summary, is your federal criminal record, based on your fingerprints. People also call it an FBI rap sheet, an FBI clearance or a federal background check. Here’s what it shows.
What’s on the Report
- Arrests across the United States that were reported to the FBI, with details of each one: the charge and what happened in the case, known as the disposition.
- In some cases, charges from abroad.
- Fingerprint records from some federal employment, naturalization or military service.
If there’s nothing on file, the report says so.
What It May Not Show
The FBI and each state keep separate databases, so the FBI check may not pick up everything that’s on a state record, such as your California record, and the level of detail can vary from case to case. In our experience, it’s usually very accurate.
Who Asks for It
You’ll usually need one for a visa, residency or citizenship abroad, for some jobs, or for an adoption.
How to Get Yours
We take your fingerprints electronically at our Los Angeles office, or we come to you, and submit them through an FBI-approved channeler. The FBI then emails you the details to log in and download your report, almost always the same day. It’s $80, or $300 with the federal apostille. See FBI Background Check for details, and How Long Does an FBI Background Check Take? for timing.
