All candidates seeking their first Ohio educator license, certificate or permit must submit both Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) and FBI criminal background checks. Your background checks must be no older than one year (365 days) at the time the Department issues your initial credential.

Additionally, everyone who holds a credential issued by the Ohio Department of Education must complete FBI background checks every five years. Please note that credential holders are responsible for obtaining required updated background checks within the five-year timeframe prescribed by law, even if the expiration date of a background check does not coincide with the expiration date of the Department-issued credential.

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First log into your account and view your background check information under My Background Checks from your CORE Dashboard. If you cannot find the information you need on your CORE Dashboard, you may call the Office of Educator Licensure at 1-877-644-6338 (toll free) or (614) 466-3593 for assistance. You may also contact BCI at 877-224-0043 or P.O. Box 365; London, OH 43140.

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Check first with your local school district or your region’s Educational Service Center. If they do not use WebCheck to complete background checks, then check with your local law enforcement agency, or use the Ohio Attorney General’s website to find a convenient location.

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Please request the results be sent directly to the Ohio Department of Education.

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Ohio residents must have both BCI and FBI background checks completed electronically through WebCheck unless one of the following applies:

• If you live 75 miles or more away from the nearest WebCheck facility, please email your name and mailing address to the Office of Educator Licensure at the Ohio Department of Education and request fingerprint cards.
• If you have a history of “bad quality prints” that cannot be captured on a WebCheck screen, please contact BCI at 877-224-0043 for assistance.

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All Ohio credential holders must submit FBI background checks to the Department every five years. You may also need to submit BCI background checks every five years if any of the following occur:

• You live outside of Ohio at any time after obtaining the BCI check; or
• You allow your Department-issued credential to expire.

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Costs vary, depending on the location or agency providing the service. Please contact the WebCheck facility for cost information.

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Please check with your employer. Employers are not required to pay for employee background checks, but they may offer to do so.

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All Ohio credential holders must be enrolled in the BCI Rapback service. After the Office of Educator Licensure approves your application for initial licensure, the Office of Professional Conduct enrolls you into the Rapback service. If you continuously maintain an active credential, you will remain enrolled in the Rapback service.

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Rapback enrollment requires your BCI background check. All candidates seeking their first Department issued credential must submit fingerprints through the BCI background check process. You must have your background checks completed no more than one year (365 days) before the date the Department issues your initial credential for enrollment in Rapback.

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You may log into your account and view your Rapback enrollment status from your CORE Dashboard under My Background Checks.

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If you allow your Department issued credential to lapse for longer than a year, you will be unenrolled from the Rapback system. If you have been unenrolled from the Rapback system and wish to become licensed again, you must have a current (no older than 365 days) BCI background check on file at the time the Department issues your credential.

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Please review the Frequently Asked Questions About Rapback webpage for more information regarding the Rapback system.

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The Department must use the background checks reported electronically by BCI. Please do not send paper copies to the Department, and do not upload copies of your background checks to your account.

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Due to differences in state statutes regarding the scope of educator criminal background checks, you may not use your out-of-state background check for credentials issued by the Department.

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The Department receives only electronic verification of your background check information and cannot forward this information to anyone.

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If you submit the wrong code for a BCI background check, please contact BCI at 877-224-0043. BCI will determine if the code submitted can be updated to the one required for licensure. If it can be updated, print the BCI Request for Copy of Ohio Background Check form on the Ohio Attorney General’s website and submit the completed document and payment as directed on the form. If the code that was used does not allow for an update, then you must submit new fingerprints using the correct code.

If you submit the wrong code for an FBI background check, you must submit new fingerprints using the correct code. The FBI does not have any process to update a background check.

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The Department will hold the background check results and match them with your application once you apply for a credential, provided your identifying background check information matches the information you included in your application.

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The Department will hold applications for a maximum of 60 days to allow sufficient time for receipt of background check results. Your application will automatically decline, and you will be charged a nonrefundable $25 processing fee if you do not have your background checks completed and submitted to the Department within the 60-day hold period.

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Please contact BCI at 877-224-0043 to learn the specifics regarding this and what steps to take to have your criminal background checks reported.

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The Department checks for certain offenses listed under section 3319.31 of the Ohio Revised Code. Schools, districts and Educational Service Centers (ESCs) must also request background checks for applicants who will be assigned duties involving interaction with or the regular responsibility for children, per section 3319.39 of the Ohio Revised Code.

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