Do I have an FBI Record?

Believe it or not, you may have an FBI record. Why? Well, if you have ever been employed by the government, served in the military, arrested, or have gone through naturalization, you may have a record. The record starts its life with fingerprints, so back in the days of elementary school, more than likely you had prints taken. This isn't something to be necessarily concerned about unless you have fingerprints taken related to an arrest. When an arrest takes place, a record is made that includes dates,name of agency that submitted prints, and the arrest charge. All this data becomes part of the FBI file.



Whats interesting about an FBI file is that it becomes part of an international database known as the "Triple-I". Triple-I stands for Interstate Identification Index. This database is overseen by the National Crime Information Center (NCIC). The NCIC indexes open arrest warrants, missing persons, stolen property, some serious misdemeanors, and felonies with unresolved issues. Law enforcement agencies are only allowed to accesses this database. Why don't all criminal records make it to this index? If county, local, and state agencies do not enter their records into this database, it will not be found there. If a criminal was not incarcerated in a federal prison, it will not be in the Triple-I database.


How Do I Access My FBI Record?


The United States Department of Justice Order 556-73 establishes rules and regulations for the subject of an FBI Identification Record to obtain a copy of his or her own Record for review. The FBI’s Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Division processes these requests. What this means, is that the subject requesting the record, is the only record that can be obtained. You will need to submit a proof of identity which consist of your fingerprints (originals), name, date of birth and place of birth. Fingerprints should be taken by a technician that specializes in this field. In addition to this information you will have to pay $18 in exact amount to the FBI for processing. You then mail the items to the following address:

FBI CJIS Division – Record Request
1000 Custer Hollow Road
Clarksburg, West Virginia 26306

If not all above items are complete, the request will be returned. It usually takes around 16-18 weeks for processing. Any records found to be inaccurate may be challenged according to which agency reported the information. In other words, the FBI is not the source of the information if an arrest was reported by county,local, or state agency. The FBI is not authorized to modify any records without written notification from an appropriate criminal justice agency.