Questions and Answers for DPW Fingerprint Services in the State of Pennsylvania

1. Why conduct FBI background checks?

Section 6344 of Title 23, Pa. C.S. Chapter 63 (relating to the Child Protective Services Law) was amended by Act 73 of 2007. The law requires that as of January 1, 2008, all prospective foster and adoptive parent applicants, as well as household members over the age of 18 must obtain a fingerprint based FBI clearance prior to approval. The law also requires that as of July 1, 2008, any prospective employees of a child care service, self-employed family day care operators and individuals applying for employment with a significant likelihood of regular contact with children must obtain a fingerprint based FBI clearance as a condition of employment

2. What's the process?

First, you must register with Cogent Systems at https://www.pa.cogentid.com/dpw. Then, you may choose to visit any site for fingerprinting - there are no restrictions based on your home address.  However, some fingerprinting sites require an appointment to be made. Visit https://www.pa.cogentid.com/dpw and look under "Print Locations and Hours" for more information. While online registration is the preferred method of registering, telephone registration can also be completed by calling 1-888-439-2486.  

Payment arrangements must be made prior to having fingerprinting completed.  Upon arriving to the site, you must have paid in advance online or brought a money order or cashier's check with you in order to have your prints completed.

Be advised that fingerprint traffic is typically heavy.  Plan your visit to fingerprint locations accordingly. 

3. Where do I register for fingerprinting?

Registration is best conducted online at https://www.pa.cogentid.com/dpw.  This way you can insure the correctness of all demographic information you submit. Registration involves collecting pertinent demographic information that is required by law from each applicant.  During registration you will also be given the chance to pay electronically for your background check.   Online registration alleviates many data collection problems and effectively speeds processing at the fingerprint site. 

You may also register by phone at 1-888-439-2486.

4. What if I make a mistake on my registration?

If you discover a mistake on your registration prior to being fingerprinted, you may re-register at no additional cost.  This re-registration will cancel out the initial registration.

Registrations and payments are linked via the applicant's social security number.  As long as changes are made to the registration and the social security number is kept the same, payment will not be affected.  Payment is only taken after prints are collected and sent to the FBI.

Registration address in PA does not have to match address of Photo ID.
Photo ID's are only used for verification of likeness, name and social security number.

Livescan operators have been informed that the address need not match. 

Once you are fingerprinted, no changes can be made without additional payment.

5. I just registered to be fingerprinted and I paid online.  How much time do I have to get fingerprinted?

We recommend that printing take place within 60 days of registration, but there is no time limit.

6. How can I pay for my fingerprinting?

Applicant background checks are $40.00.  Payment may be made online at the time of registration using a debit or credit card.  Payment may also be made with a Money Order or Cashiers Check at the fingerprint site.  Money Orders and Cashiers Checks must be made payable to COGENT SYSTEMS.  NO CASH, PERSONAL CHECKS and NO ELECTRONIC PAYMENTS for background checks will be accepted at the fingerprint sites.

Go online at https://www.pa.cogentid.com/dpw to register and to make payment 

7. Where are the fingerprint locations in my area?

There are sixty-two (62) fingerprint machines established across the State.  Fingerprint sites hours of operations and procedures may differ from site to site.  Please review the Cogent Systems web site at https://www.pa.cogentid.com/dpw often and the site specific web page (if provided) to learn more about the site nearest you.

8. What am I required to bring to the fingerprint site?

You must be registered prior to proceeding to a fingerprint site.  At the fingerprint site you will be asked to produce a qualified State or Federal photo ID before processing may begin.  See "What to bring" for a list of approved ID types at https://www.pa.cogentid.com/dpw.  Applicants will not be processed if they cannot produce acceptable identification.

9. Will applicants receive a receipt verifying that fingerprinting has been completed?

Registration Status and Proof of Print Transaction may be viewed on and printed from the Cogent systems website at http://www.pa.cogentid.com/dpw.

10. What happens to my fingerprints after they are submitted?

The applicant's scanned fingerprints will be electronically transmitted to the Pennsylvania State Police, who in turn submits the fingerprints and demographic information to the FBI as required by federal statute. The Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare (DPW) will receive the Federal Criminal History Record from the FBI. 

DPW’s Verification Unit within ChildLine and Abuse Registry will return the results of the Federal Criminal History Record to the applicant or the agency if the agency was the payee.  The results will be printed on standard 8.5" X 11" paper with the Commonwealth Seal imbedded on the paper.  This document constitutes an official Record.  If an applicant presents their Federal Criminal History Record and the Commonwealth Seal is not embedded on the paper, it should be considered as invalid and not an official Record.

11. What happens if my fingerprints are rejected by the FBI?

Poor fingerprint detail may be caused by age, trade, or some other environmental/physical condition. In the case of an fingerprint rejection by the FBI, applicants are requested by the FBI to submit a second set of fingerprints, at no charge to the applicant. This second submission must occur before alternative means of conducting a federal background can be initiated. If an applicant receives an FBI rejection letter they must submit a second set of fingerprints if they wish to complete their applicant background check. Individuals should take their rejection letter and proper identification to the nearest Pennsylvania Fingerprint location. A second fingerprint submittal will be conducted at no charge. Individuals do not need to re-register for their second fingerprinting session if they received an FBI rejection letter. If an individuals fingerprints are rejected a second time by the FBI, notification is forwarded to ChildLine by the FBI. ChildLine will then conduct a name based check based on the demographic information on the initial application. Results of the FBI name based record check are also forwarded by the FBI to ChildLine for interpretation.

12. What happens if I do not receive my official Federal Criminal History Record?

After your fingerprints have been submitted, do not contact the fingerprint site.  Do not contact Cogent Systems.  Cogent Systems does not have the means to give the applicant the status of their background check nor are they involved in the summary execution of your background check. 

Complete processing of the FBI Criminal History Record should take no longer than 4-6 weeks. If the applicant does not receive their results from DPW within this time frame, they should call

(717) 783-6211.

13. What other clearances do I need?

There are three required reports: the State criminal report, the FBI criminal report, and the State Child Abuse report. The procedures for obtaining the FBI report are outlined above, and the remaining two are:

PENNSYLVANIA STATE CRIMINAL HISTORY RECORD
Applicants use Form SP-164, Pennsylvania State Police Request for Criminal Record Check.

CHILD ABUSE REPORT
Applicants use Form CY-113, Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance

14. How do I know if my personal information is secure?

Your personal data traveling from the fingerprint equipment is comprehensively secured and regulated by both Cogent Systems and State and Federal regulations governing the use of that data.

The Cogent statewide fingerprint service is housed within a secured network that is protected by firewall devices configured explicitly to allow only permissible protocols and traffic.  Cogent ensures that all of the fingerprint machine's background checks submissions adhere to both the FBI's and Pennsylvania State Police's Security requirements.  All communication traffic to and from the fingerprint machine is either encrypted or conducted through encrypted ports. 

15. What is contained in the FBI criminal report?

An FBI Identification Record, often referred to as a Criminal Applicant Response, Criminal History Record or Rap Sheet, is a listing of certain information taken from fingerprint submissions retained by the FBI in connection with arrests and, in some instances, federal employment, naturalization, or military service. If the fingerprints are related to an arrest, the Identification Record includes name of the agency that submitted the fingerprints to the FBI, the date of arrest, the arrest charge, and the disposition of the arrest, if known to the FBI. All arrest data included in an Identification Record is obtained from fingerprint submissions, disposition reports and other reports submitted by agencies having criminal justice responsibilities.

16. I don't agree with something on my record, who do I contact?

If you have questions about the content of your report, contact your local or State Police.  The Department of Public Welfare cannot change the content of your report.

17. I still have additional questions, who do I call?

The fingerprint sites cannot answer questions except those involving times and locations of their fingerprint machines.  All additional information regarding process, policy and print locations may be found at https://www.pa.cogentid.com/dpw.

Fingerprint applicants should call (717) 783-6211.