National Service Criminal History Check Steps: Effective May 1, 2021 (updated April 1, 2022)

Grant Recipient action using 

NSOPW.gov and State Repository for 

NSOPW, State and FBI checks

NSCHC Tip Grant Recipient action when using 

agency-approved vendors for 

NSOPW, State and FBI checks

How agency-approved vendors 

assist NSCHC process

Policies and 

Procedures

Develop and maintain your 

organization’s NSCHC policies and 

procedures

See Recommendations for Effective NSCHC Policy 

and Procedures resource

Develop and maintain your 

organization’s NSCHC policies and 

procedures

NSCHC 

Annual ECourse

Take NSCHC annual e-course 

training (and maintain 

documentation)

eCourse training should be completed by the 

individual responsible for conducting NSCHC

Take NSCHC annual e-course

training (and maintain

documentation)

Consent Obtain and maintain a person’s 

consent before conducting the 

state and FBI components of the 

National Service Criminal History 

Check

• As soon as you select a candidate, begin the 

NSCHC process

• Remember all checks must be completed and 

eligibility must be determined no later than the day 

before an individual starts work/service!

• If an individual refuses to consent to NSCHC, they 

are ineligible to serve/work

Vendors will capture and maintain 

consent from applicant

Service/Work 

is Contingent 

on NSCHC

Provide and maintain notice that 

selection for work or service is 

contingent upon the organization’s 

review of the NSCHC component 

results

Vendors will provide and document 

notice to the applicant that 

selection for work or service is 

contingent upon the organization’s 

review of the NSCHC component 

results

Conduct the 

Checks

Go directly to: NSOPW.gov to 

conduct NSOPW checks; State 

criminal history repository or 

AmeriCorps designated alternative 

to conduct State of Service and 

Residence checks and FBI checks

• State of Residence Checks: The state the 

individual is in physically at the time of application

• If an individual refuses to consent to NSCHC, they 

are ineligible to serve/work

• Applicants seeking to serve or work in a position 

that requires NSCHC may not be charged for the 

cost of any component of a National Service 

Criminal History Check

• Order NSOPW and State checks 

from agency approved vendor, 

Truescreen, and ensure applicant 

completes their portion of the 

process

• Provide AmeriCorps Fieldprint 

code to applicant to set up a 

fingerprinting appointment

Receive the 

Results

Receive the results; Turnaround time 

varies by state

• Receive the results. 

Average turnaround time: 

• Truescreen: 1-5 days

• Fieldprint: 2 days 
Grant Recipient action using 

NSOPW.gov and State Repository for 

NSOPW, State and FBI checks

NSCHC Tip Grant Recipient action when using 

agency-approved vendors for 

NSOPW, State and FBI checks

How agency-approved vendors 

assist NSCHC process

Adjudicate

(Eligibility 

Determination)

Adjudicate the results (make an 

eligibility determination)

• If the individual is registered, or is required to be 

registered, on a state sex offender registry or the 

National Sex Offender Registry; or has been 

convicted of murder, as defined in 18 U.S.C. 1111, 

they are ineligible to serve/work.

• Suitability is determined by the grant recipients 

and subrecipients, or service sites. The suitability 

criteria must be consistent with state and federal 

Civil Rights and nondiscrimination laws.

• An individual may be eligible to work or serve in a 

position, but a grant recipient, subrecipient, or 

service site may determine that an individual is not 

suitable to work or serve in such a position based on 

criteria that the grant recipient or subrecipient or 

service site establishes.

Review vendor adjudication 

recommendations and adjudicate 

the results (make an eligibility 

determination)

Vendors will provide an 

adjudication recommendation; 

grantees must make a final 

adjudication decision

Document 

Adjudication

(Eligibility 

Determination)

Document adjudication decision

(document eligibility determination)

• Document your adjudication 

decision in vendor system.

• If a vendor returns a “do not 

recommend” result, more 

information is needed to make a

final eligibility determination. 

Maintain documentation of the

process implemented to make an 

eligibility determination.

Opportunity to 

Challenge

Grantees must provide a 

reasonable opportunity for the 

person to review and challenge the 

factual accuracy of a result before 

action is taken to exclude the 

person from the position. This must 

be documented.

• If applicable, follow the vendor’s 

process for allowing the applicant 

to challenge results. Document 

whether the applicant challenged 

the results and the outcome.

Vendors will notify and provide 

opportunity for applicant to review 

and challenge the factual 

accuracy of a result before action is 

taken to exclude the person from 

the position. The process varies 

between vendors.

Protect 

Information

Grantees must take reasonable 

steps to protect the confidentiality 

of any information relating to the 

criminal history check, consistent 

with authorization provided by the 

applicant

Vendor systems protect PII; if 

grantees print any documentation 

be sure to protect the 

confidentiality of any information