The California Department of Justice will waive the $25 state processing fee for a copy of your own criminal history record if you receive certain public benefits or your household income is low enough. The California DOJ fee waiver for criminal records is requested on Form BCIA 8694, submitted with proof of eligibility and alongside your Live Scan fingerprint request. One thing to know upfront: the waiver covers the state’s $25 fee only, not the separate rolling fee the Live Scan operator charges to take your prints.1California Department of Justice – Office of the Attorney General. Apply for a Fee Waiver
Who Qualifies
You must be a California resident and fit into at least one of three categories the DOJ recognizes:
- You receive public assistance such as CalFresh (Food Stamps), Medi-Cal, or disability benefits.
- Your household income is low relative to the number of people in your household.
- You have no income at all.
The DOJ does not publish specific income cutoffs on its fee waiver page, and the threshold scales with household size, so a single applicant faces a lower ceiling than a family of four.1California Department of Justice – Office of the Attorney General. Apply for a Fee Waiver If you are close to the line, apply anyway. A denial costs nothing but time, and you can reapply if your situation changes.
What the Waiver Does and Does Not Cover
Approved waivers eliminate the $25 DOJ processing fee. They do not touch the rolling fee the Live Scan operator charges for capturing your fingerprints, which typically runs $20 to $40 and is paid directly to the operator at your appointment.1California Department of Justice – Office of the Attorney General. Apply for a Fee Waiver No state program reimburses that fee. County sheriff offices and police departments sometimes charge less than private vendors, so calling a couple of locations before booking can trim the out-of-pocket cost.
Forms and Documents to Gather
Form BCIA 8694
Form BCIA 8694, “Application for Claiming Fee Waiver,” is the main document. Download it from the DOJ’s fingerprint forms page.2California Department of Justice – Office of the Attorney General. Fingerprint Forms Enter your full legal name, date of birth, and any aliases. The financial declaration section asks you to indicate which qualifying condition applies.
Attach proof of whatever you claim. For public assistance, include a current benefit verification letter or recent notice of action from the issuing agency. For low income, provide recent pay stubs, a tax return, or similar documents showing household earnings. Make clean copies and use documents dated within the last few months. Illegible or outdated proof is a common reason for rejection.
Form BCIA 8016
You also need the Request for Live Scan Service form, BCIA 8016.3California Department of Justice. BCIA 8016 – Request for Live Scan Service Mark the type of request as “Record Review” so the DOJ routes your fingerprints to the correct unit. The two forms travel together so the DOJ can link your financial waiver to your fingerprint submission.
Identification
Live Scan providers verify your identity before taking prints. A California driver’s license or DMV-issued ID card is the easiest option. Without either, you can usually combine secondary documents such as a U.S. passport, military ID, or birth certificate with supplemental proof like a utility bill, voter registration card, or bank statement. Bring more than you think you need; being turned away for insufficient ID means another trip.
How to Submit
Go to a Live Scan location to have your fingerprints captured electronically. The technician processes the BCIA 8016 and transmits your prints to the DOJ. Then mail the completed BCIA 8694 with your supporting financial documentation to the DOJ’s Record Review Unit at P.O. Box 903417, Sacramento.4California Department of Justice – Office of the Attorney General. Record Review
If approved, your criminal history summary arrives by mail at the address you listed on the application. If denied, the DOJ sends a written explanation. Keep copies of everything you submit in case you need to reapply or dispute the decision.
If You Find Errors on the Record
When your summary arrives, check it closely. Arrests belonging to someone else, dispositions that were never updated, and charges that should have been dismissed can all appear and cause problems with employers, licensing boards, and immigration proceedings. Form BCIA 8706, “Claim of Alleged Inaccuracy or Incompleteness,” ships with the summary. Complete it, attach supporting documentation, and mail it to the address printed on the form.5California Department of Justice – Office of the Attorney General. Frequently Asked Questions – Criminal Records – Request Your Own The DOJ investigates and responds in writing, and a successful challenge produces a corrected copy of your record.
Do Not Overstate Your Eligibility
You sign the BCIA 8694 under penalty of perjury. Claiming public assistance you do not receive, or understating income to qualify, is not a paperwork technicality. Under Penal Code Section 118, certifying a material fact as true under penalty of perjury while knowing it is false is perjury, a felony in California.6California Legislative Information. Penal Code – PEN – Section 118 If your finances are borderline, apply honestly and let the DOJ decide.