FAQs

This Criminal History Record guide provides an example of a criminal history record and what type of information can be included.

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1. Schedule an appointment to have your fingerprints taken. Visit the IdentoGo website or call 877-472-6915 to do this. You must provide one of the following service codes:

15464Z: Suppressed Record

15465F: Unsuppressed Record

If you are requesting a record for international purposes, you must select "travel/other country" or other "international purpose" as the reason for fingerprinting. This allows DCJS to provide the required, signed and notarized document so you can obtain an apostille from the Department of State.

2. Bring the following with you to your fingerprinting appointment:

One form of identification. Visit the IdentoGo website or call -877-472-6915 for information about acceptable forms of identification.

If you are a parent or guardian making a request for child ranging in age from 11 to 17 who does not have an acceptable form of ID, you must complete this New York Photo ID Waiver for Minors form.

AND

Payment: $13.50 (as of 1/1/2022). Credit cards, checks and money orders are accepted. Checks or money orders must be made out to "Idemia."

3. After DCJS receives your request:

• Your request will be processed and response returned via U.S. mail within three to four weeks. You cannot pick up your response in person.
• Your response may include one or more of the following: your criminal history record, information about fingerprints you submitted as required by law for employment, licensing, or other purpose(s), or a “no record” response.
• You also will receive information explaining how to challenge the accuracy of any reported information.

1. Visit the IdentoGo website and enter one of the following service codes:

15464Z: Suppressed Record
15465F: Unsuppressed Record

If you are requesting a record for international purposes, you must select "travel/other country" or other "international purpose" as the reason for fingerprinting. This allows DCJS to provide the required, signed and notarized document so you can obtain an apostille from the Department of State.

2. After entering the appropriate service code, click “Locate an Enrollment Center” and enter your zip code, or your city and state, to find a center near you.

3. Schedule your appointment and bring the following with you:

One form of identification. The IdentoGo website has information about acceptable forms of identification.

If you are a parent or guardian making a request for child ranging in age from 11 to 17 who does not have an acceptable form of ID, you must complete this New York Photo ID Waiver for Minors form.

AND

Payment: $43.50 (as of 1/1/2022). Credit cards, checks and money orders are accepted. Checks or money orders must be made out to "Idemia."

If there is no IdentoGo location near you:

Download, print and complete an FBI (FD-258) fingerprint card and then contact your local law enforcement agency to have your fingerprints taken on the card.

Once the card is complete with your fingerprints, visit the IdentoGo website and enroll for Cardscan submission. You must provide one of the following service codes:

15464Z: Suppressed Record
15465F: Unsuppressed Record

If you are requesting a record for international purposes, you must select "travel/other country" or other "international purpose" as the reason for fingerprinting. This allows DCJS to provide the required, signed and notarized document so you can obtain an apostille from the Department of State.

If you are a parent or guardian making a request for child ranging in age from 11 to 17 who does not have an acceptable form of ID, you must complete this New York Photo ID Waiver for Minors form.

IdentoGo charges $13.50 (effective 1/1/2022) for this service; the fee must be paid when you enroll for Cardscan submission.

After you complete your enrollment and pay the fee, you will receive a confirmation page with a barcode printed on the top right of the page. Print and sign the confirmation page and mail the signed confirmation page and the completed fingerprint card to:

IDENTOGO
Cardscan Department-NY Program
340 Seven Springs Way, Suite 250
Brentwood, TN 37027

NOTE:

IDENTOGO will not forward pre-paid envelopes to DCJS.

If you are out of country, please contact the Record Review Unit at 518-457-9847 or 518-485-7675.

4. After DCJS receives your request:

• Your request will be processed and response returned via U.S. mail within three to four weeks. You cannot pick up your response in person.
• Your response may include one or more of the following: your criminal history record, information about fingerprints you submitted as required by law for employment, licensing, or other purpose(s), or a “no record” response.
• You also will receive information explaining how to challenge the accuracy of any reported information.

If you are unable to pay the $13.50 fingerprint processing fee, you must request a criminal history record fee waiver application packet by:

Email: RecordReview@dcjs.ny.gov

or

Surface Mail: Records Review Unit, New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services, 80 South Swan St., 5th Floor, Albany, New York 12210

Note: You must provide your current, complete mailing address so DCJS can mail the application packet to you.

Sealing means that all of the arrest, court and prosecution records related to certain convictions are confidential and cannot be seen except under the following circumstances as required by state law:

• If an individual is applying for a job as a police or peace officer; and,
• If an individual is applying for a pistol permit.

Marijuana Convictions

State law requires the sealing of convictions for the following offenses that occurred prior to March 31, 2021: unlawful possession of marijuana; third-, fourth-, and fifth-degree criminal possession of marijuana; and fourth- and fifth-degree criminal sale of marijuana.

In addition, state law allows individuals convicted of unlawful possession of marijuana and fifth-degree criminal possession of marijuana to seek destruction of those conviction records. A formal request to destroy those records must be made through the state Office of Court Administration (OCA). Please visit the OCA website for more information about that process.

Note: If you are satisfied with the confidentiality that record sealing already provides, you are not required to apply for expungement or destruction of conviction records.

Other Convictions

Individuals who have no convictions on their record for at least 10 years and have no charges pending may apply to a court to request that certain New York State convictions be sealed:

• English »
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• Application Forms and Instructions

You or your lawyer can use these forms to receive verification from DCJS that a court-ordered seal under state Criminal Procedure Law (CPL) Sections 160.59, 160.55, or 160.50 has been applied to your New York State criminal history record.

• CPL 160.59 Seal Verification Form – Use this form if you received a court order seal related to a conviction that occurred more than 10 years ago.
• CPL 160.55 Seal Verification Form – Use this form if you are requesting verification of a seal related to a felony or misdemeanor arrest that resulted in a conviction to either a traffic infraction or violation.
• CPL 160.50 Seal Verification Form – Use this form if you are requesting verification of a seal related to an arrest that resulted in the termination of the criminal proceedings in their favor (for example: decline to prosecute, dismissal or acquittal). 

Note: A copy of the signed court seal order must be mailed with the verification form.