How to Fill Out and Submit the OSBI Criminal History Background Check Request Form

The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation’s Criminal History Record Information Request form is a fillable PDF you complete in two sections — requester and subject — and submit with payment by mail, fax, or in person at OSBI headquarters in Oklahoma City. Use the paper form when you need a fingerprint-based search or an official printed report; for a routine name-based check, the online CHIRP portal is faster.¹

When to Use the Paper Form Instead of CHIRP

Fingerprint-based searches cannot be submitted online. If your purpose requires fingerprints, or you need an official report on OSBI letterhead for an employer, licensing board, or court, use the paper form. Name-based searches that don’t require a printed report can be run through the CHIRP portal at chirp.osbi.ok.gov, which returns most results within minutes.¹

Where to Get the Form

The Criminal History Record Information Request form is posted as a fillable PDF on the OSBI website under the Criminal History Reporting Unit page. You can also pick up a paper copy at OSBI headquarters, 6600 N. Harvey, Oklahoma City, OK 73116.¹

Filling Out the Requester Information

The first section identifies who is asking for the record. Enter your name (or organization name if you’re requesting on behalf of a business), mailing address, and contact details. The OSBI mails the completed report back to the address in this section, so verify it carefully before submitting. If you’re mailing your request, plan to include a self-addressed stamped envelope for the return.¹

Filling Out the Subject Information

The subject section identifies the person whose record is being searched. Under the Oklahoma Open Records Act, 51 O.S. § 24.A.5.2, every criminal history request must include at least the subject’s full legal name and date of birth. Without both, the OSBI cannot process the request.¹

Include as many additional identifiers as you have. Alias names — maiden names, former married names, and known nicknames — help catch records filed under a different name. A Social Security number, when available, narrows the search and reduces the chance of a false “No Record Found” caused by a common name or a spelling variation. The OSBI’s system searches its Computerized Criminal History database three years before and after the date of birth you provide, so a minor error in the recorded birth date won’t automatically hide a match.²

Adding a Fingerprint Card, If Required

For a fingerprint-based search, an original fingerprint card must be submitted with the form. Local police departments and sheriff’s offices are the most common places to be fingerprinted, and private fingerprinting vendors also offer the service. Call ahead: law enforcement agencies are not required to fingerprint members of the public, and both availability and cost vary by location.¹

Fingerprint cards cannot be faxed. The OSBI requires the physical original card, so a fingerprint-based request must be mailed or delivered in person.¹

Fees

Fees are set by 74 O.S. § 150.9 and depend on the type of search you’re requesting.³

Name-based search (OSBI database): $15.00
Fingerprint-based search (OSBI database): $19.00
Sex Offender Registry search (Department of Corrections): $2.00
Violent Offender Registry search (Department of Corrections): $2.00

Accepted payment methods for paper submissions are cash (in person only), cashier’s checks, money orders, business checks, and credit cards. Personal checks are not accepted. If you’re faxing the form, you must pay by credit card.¹

How to Submit the Completed Form

You have three ways to send the paper form to the OSBI.¹

Mail. Send the completed form, payment, and a self-addressed stamped envelope to Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, 6600 N. Harvey, Oklahoma City, OK 73116.

In person. Bring your paperwork to OSBI headquarters at the same address. The public lobby is open from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, but the cashier’s office — where payment is handled — operates from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Monday through Friday, excluding state holidays. Any transaction requiring payment has to happen during cashier hours.⁴

Fax. Send the form with credit card payment information to (405) 879-2503. Do not fax a fingerprint card; that request must be mailed or delivered in person.

Receiving Your Results

Reports from paper submissions are mailed back in the return envelope you provided. Processing time depends on the current volume at the Bureau’s identification unit, so plan for at least a few business days and potentially longer during busy periods.

The completed report shows the subject’s recorded interactions with Oklahoma’s criminal justice system, including arrest dates, the nature of any charges, and court dispositions — whether a case ended in conviction, acquittal, or dismissal. Because reports are printed on official OSBI letterhead, they are suitable for employers, licensing boards, and legal proceedings that require verified documentation.

One point worth flagging: the OSBI’s records aren’t automatically updated when a court later modifies a disposition, dismisses a charge, or grants an expungement. If a report shows information you believe is inaccurate or out of date, you have the right to dispute it with the OSBI under 28 CFR § 16.34, typically by submitting supporting court records or, in some cases, being fingerprinted again.⁵

1
Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation. How to Request a Criminal History Background Check
2
Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation. Welcome to CHIRP (Criminal History Information Request Portal)
3
Oklahoma State Courts Network. Oklahoma Code 74-150.9 – System of Criminal History Records – Fees for Records or Fingerprint Analysis
4
Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation. Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation
5
Oklahoma.gov. Criminal History Dispute