Source: Office of the Attorney General of California
BACKGROUND CHECK STATUS
An applicant may only request the status of their background check with the agency that requested their background check
since the background check response may only be one part of the employment or licensing process. The DOJ’s system can
provide a simplistic status of the background check processing status, but this status should not be construed as an indication
of the employment or licensing status. The review of an applicant’s criminal history is only one piece of an agency’s process in
making a suitability determination. The ATI number identifies the transaction. Answers to background check process
questions will only be responded to if asked by the agency’s designated Custodian of Records.
Applicant Background Check Status: https://applicantstatus.doj.ca.gov/
You will need the following information: (1) your date of birth; and (2) the 10-digit Applicant Transaction Identifier (ATI)
number that appears at the bottom of the Department of Justice form requesting Live Scan fingerprint background checks.
ATI# (what we receive from the system): the first letter is B, then 3 numbers, then your initials; first 2 letters of
your last name and the first letter of your first name, then 3 numbers. Example: B100ABC012
The system does not tell you the results. Only shows you that your search is; In progress or Completed mm/dd/yyyy.
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Source: Office of the Attorney General of California
How do I check my Live Scan results?
You need to contact your “Requesting Agency”, you can find the information for your requesting agency on the “Request
for Live Scan form” that you used when submitting your live scan transaction.
Update: Truncated Social Security Number
The DOJ’s Applicant Program made a recent change to Applicant responses according to the requirements of
Assembly Bill 499 (2019-20), which amended Government Code section 11019.7, prohibiting state agencies from sending
outgoing mail to an individual that contains the individual’s social security number unless the number is truncated to the
its last four digits.
The DOJ has begun truncating SSNs for all Applicant responses, including responses available in the electronic response
portal used by Applicant Agencies. If your Requesting/Applicant Agency needs further direction or clarification, they may
reach out to the CA-DOJ Applicant Program at appagencyquestions@doj.ca.gov
What if I submitted fingerprints and have not received a response?
Please allow a minimum of thirty days before making a status inquiry. Applicants should check first with the applicant agency
that requested the background review since the DOJ sends results directly to the applicant agency. Poor quality fingerprints,
records that contain criminal information, erroneous information submitted on the fingerprint transaction, and individuals
born before 1920 who have submitted manual fingerprints in the past may delay the reporting of results.
Why fingerprints get rejected?
My employer is asking for a copy of my criminal history record? May I give it to them?
No. California Penal Code section 11142 prohibits you from giving a copy of your criminal record to an
unauthorized third party. In addition, California Penal Code section 11125 prohibits an individual or agency from
requiring you to provide him/her or the agency with a copy of your criminal record or proof that a record does
or does not exist. Violation of either of these sections is a misdemeanor offense.
Source: California Department of Social Services
For Applicant’s with California Department of Social Services forms:
Estimated time to receive results from date of submittal to Department of Justice (DOJ) if there is no criminal history:
Live Scan
Fingerprints (DOJ) Approximately 3 days
Fingerprints (FBI) Approximately 5 days
Child Abuse Index check 4-6 weeks
Time frames will be significantly longer if the applicant has a criminal history or if a fingerprint/Live Scan transmittal is
rejected by the Department of Justice.