We have resources available to help individuals complete their applications.

• Guides: information to help applicants understand what we're asking for in the applications, particularly court documents and personal statements
• Tips and avoiding common problems: recommendations to help avoid problems that could delay your application
• Frequently asked questions (FAQs): answers to common questions about applications

In addition, these overviews of our application processes will help individuals understand what happens after they submit an application to us.

If you still have questions about how to complete your application, please see the contact information at the bottom of this page, or visit our Board Staff page.

A few jobs require employees to have a background check on the Central Registry, which is a collection of databases where the Department of Child Safety keeps information about allegations of child abuse or neglect.  Individuals who don't clear this check may be eligible to apply to the Board of Fingerprinting for a central registry exception.  If granted, a central registry exception allows the person to receive background clearance despite the substantiated allegation of abuse or neglect.

To receive a central registry exception, the applicant must provide to the Board's satisfaction that he or she is rehabilitated from the substantiated allegation of abuse or neglect.

One the applicant has submitted the application, the following steps will occur.

• Investigator review: an investigator will review the application to determine whether it's complete.  If it's complete, the case will be sent to the Board for an expedited review (see below).  If it's not complete, the investigator will send the applicant a letter explaining what we're still missing.
• Expedited review: the Board will conduct an initial review to determine whether the applicant has demonstrated rehabilitation just with the materials submitted in the application package.  The applicant is not present for this review, and no applications are denied at this point.  If the applicant has demonstrate rehabilitation, the Board will approve the application.  If the Board does not find sufficient evidence of rehabilitation, it will schedule the applicant for an administrative hearing so that the applicant has a chance to offer testimony and evidence to support his or her claim to be rehabilitated.
• Administrative hearing: if an applicant is referred to a hearing, he or she will receive a formal notice indicating the date and time.  The hearing is before an administrative law judge, who will allow the applicant to present evidence and testimony and will make a recommendation to the Board at some point following the hearing.
• Board hearing: after the judge files a recommendation, the applicant will receive a formal notice of when the Board will meet to consider the recommendation and make a final decision to grant or deny the application.  The applicant will also receive a copy of the recommendation and have an opportunity to submit a written response and additional evidence.  The applicant doesn't have to attend but is entitled to be present at the Board hearing.  However, the applicant will not be able to speak or present new evidence at that hearing.

At each step of the process, the applicant will receive information and instructions from the Board staff.  However, if an applicant has any questions, he or she can contact us at the information listed on the bottom of this web page.

Please visit our Forms page to download some of the forms for the Board's application packages.

If you can't find the information you need, please see the contact information at the bottom of this page, or visit our Board Staff page.

This page includes information to help you learn about the good-cause-exception process. It includes an overview of the application process, information about application requirements, and articles to help you with particular aspects of the process.

• Good Cause Exception Process: Information on the process after a person's fingerprint clearance card is denied or suspended
• Central Registry Exception Process: Information on the process after a person fails a central-registry background check

You may also want to see our FAQ Page.

Feel free to contact the Board Staff with any questions.  Our contact information is listed at the bottom of this web page.

On the Forms & Helpful Resources page, you can download some of the forms for the good cause exception application package. Applicants may use these forms in case they need duplicates or additional copies.

The Arizona Board of Fingerprinting aims to make its web site as accessible as possible to users with disabilities. Among other methods, the Board uses web standards to improve accessibility. The Board will continue to make changes to its web site to maximize accessibility. The Board web site complies with State Guidelines and the World Wide Web Consortium W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines WCAG 1.0. Although the Board is not a federal agency, this web site complies with the section 508 guidelines of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended by the Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1998.

If you have questions about this accessibility statement, please contact [email protected].

The information on this web site has been prepared from various official sources, including statutes, rules, and publications. The Board has made every effort to ensure that the information on this site is accurate. However, errors may occur, and the Board does not assume any responsibility for the accuracy of the information on this site.

If you have questions about this disclaimer, please contact [email protected].

This purpose of this privacy statement is to inform you about what information may be collected online while you visit this web site or request a service and how that information may be used. Your right to privacy is important to the Arizona Board of Fingerprinting and the State of Arizona.

Online Customer Service and Alternatives
The Board offers access to its public information online that you might otherwise request over the telephone or in person. Our goal is to provide you with a more convenient way of getting the information you seek. If, at any time, you choose not to use online services, your choice will not affect your ability to receive services from the Board in another way. If you prefer to request information by telephone or in person, you may do so. Please visit our Contact Information page to learn how to get in touch with us.

Collection and Use of Information
The web server that hosts the Board's web site gathers certain information about your visit automatically in a standard log file. This information does not identify you personally and consists of only the following.

1. The Internet domain from which you access the Board's web site
2. The IP address from which you access the web site
3. The date and time of your access

The Board may use this information to gather statistics about the amount of use the site receives. This information is not shared, sold, or otherwise disseminated by the Board for purposes not related to official Board business.

Information You Provide
The Board does not provide any benefits or services to the public that require entry of personal information online.

Information Collected from Children
Although the Board does not request information from children, the Board would comply with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998, which requires parental consent before collecting any personal information from an individual under the age of 13. The text of the act is available at http://www.ftc.gov/ogc/coppa1.htm.

Other External Links Disclaimer
The Board web pages may contain links to other web sites operated by other government agencies or other entities. When you link to another web site, you are no longer on the Board's site, and this privacy statement would not apply. Links to web sites outside of Arizona state government are offered solely for your convenience. No State of Arizona agency is responsible for the policies or content of other sites.
Neither the State of Arizona nor any agency, officer, employee, or contractor of the State of Arizona guarantees the accuracy, reliability, or timeliness of information published on the Board's web site. They shall not be held responsible for any losses caused by reliance on the accuracy, reliability, or timeliness of this information. Any person or entity that relies on any information obtained from this web site does so at his, her, or its own risk.

Privacy Statement is Subject to Change
This statement may be updated or revised on occasion, so please reread this statement periodically.

Contact Information
If you have questions about this privacy statement, please contact the Board staff.

• E-mail

[email protected]

• Telephone

(602) 265-0135
(602) 265-6240 (fax)

• Mail

Matthew A. Scheller, Executive Director
Arizona Board of Fingerprinting
Mail Code 185
P.O. Box 6129
Phoenix, AZ  85005-6129

The Arizona Board of Fingerprinting is a state agency that does two things:

• Good-cause exceptions: The Board considers applications from individuals whose fingerprint clearance card has been denied or suspended by the Arizona Department of Public Safety and who are trying to demonstrate that they're rehabilitated and not recidivists.
• Central-registry exceptions: Individuals who have had substantiated allegations of child abuse or neglect are listed in a set of Department of Child Safety (formerly Child Protective Services) databases called the Central Registry. The Board considers applications from individuals who have been disqualified after a central-registry background check and who are trying to demonstrate that they're rehabilitated and not recidivists.