To get a copy of your Ohio background check, you have two options through the Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI): visit a certified WebCheck vendor for a fingerprint-based electronic check, or mail a signed request form, a photocopy of your ID, and a $22 payment to BCI’s office in London, Ohio. WebCheck is faster; the mail-in route exists specifically so you can review your own record for accuracy.1Ohio Attorney General. Requesting Your Own Criminal Records
Getting Your Check Through WebCheck
WebCheck sends your fingerprints electronically from a certified vendor to BCI, which compares them against its criminal fingerprint database. Results usually come back within a few days, though complicated cases can take up to 30 days.2Ohio Attorney General. Civilian Services This is the Attorney General’s preferred method, and all fingerprints submitted to BCI must go through WebCheck or a card scan unless you qualify for a specific exemption.3Ohio Attorney General. Background Check
To use it, bring a government-issued photo ID to a certified vendor. You’ll be fingerprinted digitally, and the vendor transmits the request to BCI on your behalf. Find a location by searching the Attorney General’s WebCheck Community Listing by county or zip code, and call ahead. Recent upgrades to meet FBI standards mean some locations may need updated equipment, and many require appointments.4Ohio Attorney General. Webcheck Community Listing Payment policies also vary. Some vendors take only cash. You’ll pay a BCI processing fee plus whatever the vendor charges for its service.
Requesting Your Record by Mail
If you’d rather not visit a vendor, you can request your own computerized criminal history directly from BCI. Download the request form from the Ohio Attorney General’s website and follow the instructions on submission.
What to Put in the Envelope
Your packet needs to include:
- The completed request form with your full legal name, any former names or aliases, Social Security number, date of birth, and current mailing address.
- A clear photocopy of a valid government-issued photo ID, such as a driver’s license.
- A $22 payment made out to the Treasurer of State of Ohio. BCI accepts business checks and money orders. Personal checks are not accepted.
Incomplete packets get returned, so check everything before sealing the envelope.
Where to Send It
Mail your packet to the Bureau of Criminal Investigation at P.O. Box 365, London, OH 43140.5Ohio Attorney General. Bureau of Criminal Investigation Mail-in requests can take as long as a month to process and return, depending on volume.2Ohio Attorney General. Civilian Services If you’re on a deadline for a job or a license, use WebCheck instead.
Adding a Federal FBI Check
A BCI check only covers Ohio records. If you need a national search, or if a licensing board or employer requires one, add an FBI check. It compares your fingerprints against a nationwide criminal database and is commonly required for teachers, healthcare workers, and other licensed professionals.
FBI checks run through the same WebCheck system. At most vendor locations you can request the Ohio BCI check and the federal FBI check in one visit. The FBI check has its own processing fee on top of the BCI fee, so the total will be higher.3Ohio Attorney General. Background Check
What Your Report Will Show
If BCI has a record on you, the transcript will summarize arrests and convictions reported by Ohio law enforcement agencies and courts. It reflects what those agencies have submitted to BCI’s central repository, not a comprehensive life history. Charges never reported to BCI, and any records from other states, will not appear on an Ohio-only check. If BCI has nothing on file, you’ll get a response confirming that no record was found. Either way, the document is official verification of what BCI holds about you.
Juvenile Records
BCI generally cannot release juvenile adjudications as part of a background check. Juvenile records are non-public. The exceptions are murder and sexually oriented offenses, which can appear on an adult record. Other juvenile adjudications should not show up on your results.
If You Find an Error
Reviewing your own record matters because mistakes happen. Court dispositions go unreported, charges get attributed to the wrong person, and dismissed cases can still show as pending. If you find inaccurate information, you can challenge it using the Attorney General’s “Request for Challenge and Review of Criminal History Records” form.6Ohio Attorney General. Request for Challenge and Review of Criminal History Records
Submit a written request to BCI’s Identification Division, identify the specific entries you believe are wrong, and attach supporting documentation such as court records showing a dismissal or that the conviction belongs to someone else. The Ohio Revised Code authorizes the Attorney General to set procedures for how individuals receive and challenge this information.7Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Code 109.57 – Duties of Superintendent Correcting an error before it reaches an employer is far easier than explaining a wrong record after the fact.
Getting a Copy of a Check Someone Else Ran
If what you want is a copy of a specific background check that another party already ran on you through BCI, that’s a different process. Use the “Request for Copy of Ohio BCI Check” form. A copy can only be issued if the original check was processed for a reason authorized under the Ohio Revised Code.8Ohio Attorney General. Request for Copy of Ohio BCI Check