Private School Fingerprinting Process

Section 1002.42(2)(c)1., Florida Statutes, requires each person who is an owner or who establishes, purchases, or otherwise becomes an owner of a private school to file with the Department of Law Enforcement a complete set of fingerprints for state processing and checking for criminal background. The fingerprints shall be taken by an authorized law enforcement officer or an employee of the school who is trained to take fingerprints. The costs of fingerprinting, criminal records checking, and processing shall be borne by the applicant or private school. The result of the criminal records checking by the Department of Law Enforcement shall be forwarded to the owner of the private school and shall be made available for public inspection in the private school office as soon as it is received.

Please follow the instructions below to obtain the required fingerprint results for the private school’s owner/chief administrative officer:

1. The owner/chief administrator must prepare a written statement declaring that he/she is the owner or chief administrative officer of a private school registered with the State of Florida as required by Section 1002.42(2)(g), Florida Statutes. The owner’s contact information must be included. This will allow FDLE to set up an account/ORI number (Originating Agency Identification number) for your school and release sealed and/or expunged criminal history data.
2. The owner must send the above information to the following address:
   Florida Department of Law Enforcement USB Public Records Section
   Post Office Box 1489
   Tallahassee, Florida 32302-1489
3. FDLE will send correspondence and a blank fingerprint card to the owner/chief administrator listing the school’s account/ORI number.
4. The owner/chief administrator must take the fingerprint card to local law enforcement for fingerprinting.
5. Send the fingerprint card to the FDLE address listed above along with the $24.00 processing fee.
6. VECHS entities also have the following options in submitting fingerprints electronically:
   • Purchase your own live scan device. While this may be expensive it may be cost-effective depending on the number of submissions necessary for your entity.
   • Use service providers to submit fingerprints electronically on your behalf.
   • Use local law enforcement agency if services are offered to the public.
7. Within approximately one week, FDLE will send a report back to the private school.
8. For questions, please call the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Criminal History Services, at 850-410-8161.

Note: Section 1002.421(1)(p)., Florida Statutes, requires private schools that intend to participate in state scholarship programs to have each owner/chief administrator and operator undergo a level 2 background screening regardless of direct contact with scholarship students. Each owner/chief administrator and operator MUST submit fingerprints electronically through the Volunteer and Employee Criminal History System (VECHS) for a level 2 background check. Further information on the VECHS program can be obtained at http://www.fdle.state.fl.us/Background-Checks/VECHS-Home.aspx or by calling 850-410-8161.