To run an NH criminal background check, submit a Criminal Record Release Authorization Form (DSSP 256) to the New Hampshire State Police Criminal Records Unit in Concord. A public conviction check on anyone costs $25 and does not require the subject’s consent. A full state-and-FBI fingerprint check for licensing or sensitive employment costs $47. Requests can be filed online, by mail, or in person.
What a New Hampshire Background Check Actually Shows
Before you order a check, know which of the two categories you’re pulling. State law separates them sharply, and the difference decides what you’ll see.
Public criminal history covers convictions for felonies, misdemeanors, and certain violations. That is the data anyone can obtain on anyone else. It lists the offense, the conviction, and the sentence, and nothing more.
Confidential criminal history is broader. Under RSA 106-B:1, it includes arrests without a final disposition, dismissed charges, acquittals, mistrials, cases thrown out for lack of jurisdiction, and annulled records.1New Hampshire General Court. New Hampshire Code 106-B:1 – Definitions Only law enforcement and the person whose record it is can access this material.2New Hampshire State Police. Criminal Records Consumer reporting agencies running employment screens can obtain conviction records for felonies, misdemeanors, and violations if they follow the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act.3New Hampshire General Court. New Hampshire Code 106-B:14 – Criminal Records, Reports; National Crime Prevention and Privacy Compact
One practical consequence: if you’re checking someone else, you can only see what they were convicted of. Arrests that went nowhere, dismissed charges, and annulled cases will not appear.
Requesting a Public Conviction Check on Someone Else
This is the standard background check. The subject does not need to consent, sign anything, or be told a check was run. Notarization is not required for public conviction requests.3New Hampshire General Court. New Hampshire Code 106-B:14 – Criminal Records, Reports; National Crime Prevention and Privacy Compact
The Form
You need the Criminal Record Release Authorization Form (DSSP 256), available on the New Hampshire Department of Safety website.4New Hampshire Department of Safety. Documents and Forms It asks for the subject’s name and identifying details so the search runs against the right person.
The Fee
Every request costs $25, whether or not any record turns up.5Legal Information Institute. New Hampshire Code Saf-C 5703.06 – Criminal Record Check Fee Volunteers working with elderly, disabled, or child populations through a nonprofit pay $10.6Legal Information Institute. New Hampshire Code Saf-C 5703.07 – Fee Exemption
Three Ways to Submit
In person: walk-in service is available at 33 Hazen Drive, Concord, Room 106A. Payment options at the counter include cash, check, money order, and Visa, MasterCard, or Discover.7New Hampshire State Police. Criminal History Record Requests
By mail: send the completed form with a check or money order payable to “State of NH – Criminal Records” to the Criminal Records Unit at 33 Hazen Drive, Concord, NH 03305. Credit cards are not accepted for mailed requests.7New Hampshire State Police. Criminal History Record Requests
Online: the State Police operates a Criminal Records Portal for public conviction checks. Payment features are still being expanded, so confirm current options on the site.8New Hampshire State Police. New Hampshire State Police Criminal Records Portal
How Long It Takes
Online requests usually return results within one business day, though some need manual review that can take up to a week. Mailed requests take three to five business days to process once received, on top of mail time each way.9New Hampshire State Police. Criminal Records FAQs
Requesting Your Own Full Record
If you want your own complete history, including confidential material like arrests that did not lead to conviction, the paperwork changes. You use the same DSSP 256 form, but both sections must be completed. If you mail the request, your signature must be notarized by a Notary Public or Justice of the Peace.10New Hampshire Judicial Branch. Criminal History Record Information Release Authorization Form If you appear in person, only Section I of the form is required.7New Hampshire State Police. Criminal History Record Requests
Pulling your own record before a job search or a licensing application is worth the fee. You get to see what the employer or board will see, and you have time to correct errors before they cost you the opportunity.
Fingerprint Checks for Licensing and Sensitive Jobs
Certain positions require more than a name-based conviction check. Work involving children, elderly people, or other vulnerable populations triggers a fingerprint-based check that runs against both state and FBI databases.
Childcare workers are the clearest example. Anyone with regular contact with children in a licensed child care setting, including staff and household members 18 or older in home-based programs, must undergo a check that covers the state criminal record, the NH abuse and neglect registry, the sex offender registry, and a national FBI fingerprint search.11New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services. Background Checks for Child Care Personnel Fingerprints must be captured on a LiveScan device; ink cards are not accepted.12Legal Information Institute. New Hampshire Code He-C 6920.04 – Background Check Requirements
Educators face a similar requirement. First-time applicants for any New Hampshire education credential, from superintendent down through paraeducator and school bus driver, must pass a criminal history records check that includes the DCYF Central Registry.13New Hampshire Department of Education. Bureau of Credentialing
The combined state and FBI fingerprint check costs $47, or $20 for qualifying volunteers, payable to “NH State Police – Criminal Records.” The employing agency, licensing board, or school district typically provides scheduling instructions. The preferred method is digital capture on a LiveScan device at the State Police office in Concord.7New Hampshire State Police. Criminal History Record Requests
Fixing an Error on Your Record
Mistakes are not unusual. A charge might show the wrong disposition, or a dismissed case might still read as pending. New Hampshire Administrative Rule Saf-C 5703.12 gives you a right to challenge and correct inaccurate information.
To use it, you or your attorney must appear in person at the central repository in Concord and review the record. If you find an error, you identify the entry you believe is wrong, state what you think the correct information is, and explain why. The director then has 30 days to compare your claim against the original records from the arresting agency or court. If there is a discrepancy, the record is corrected and you are notified. A denied challenge can be appealed under RSA 541.
What an Employer Can Do With the Result
New Hampshire has no comprehensive statewide “ban the box” law for private employers, though it does restrict public-sector hiring inquiries into criminal history. Federal law still applies to every employer that uses criminal background checks.
The EEOC’s enforcement guidance under Title VII warns that a blanket policy rejecting every applicant with a record can amount to unlawful discrimination if it disproportionately affects protected groups. The EEOC recommends an individualized assessment before an employer rejects an applicant on the basis of a criminal record.14U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Enforcement Guidance on the Consideration of Arrest and Conviction Records in Employment Decisions under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act That means giving the applicant notice, letting them explain, and weighing factors like how long ago the offense occurred, similar work held since, rehabilitation, and whether the conviction actually relates to the job.
One boundary matters if you have an annulled record. Under RSA 651:5, any employment application question about criminal history must be phrased to exclude annulled offenses, and a person whose record has been annulled is legally entitled to deny having been arrested or convicted.15New Hampshire General Court. New Hampshire Code 651:5 – Annulment of Criminal Records