Child care background checks
Who's required to complete a background check?
Covered individuals working for a licensed, certified, or approved child care program must complete a background check through the Office of Background Processing (OBP). Covered individuals include:
- Providers
- Provider designees
- Owners
- Directors
- Director designees
- Caregivers
- Teachers
- Other staff
- Volunteers
- Household members (12 years old and older)
How do I complete a background check?
If you just submitted a new application, allow up to 4 business days before submitting background checks for your program.
- Click on the button below and complete the form. If the covered individual is an adult, they must complete this form themselves.
- After the covered individual submits their background check form, the provider will need to log into the provider portal and authorize the covered individual's background check.*
- Covered individuals 18 years old or older must also submit fingerprints as part of their background check. Caregivers 16 years old or older must submit fingerprints as part of their background check if working for a DWS approved program. After authorizing a new background check, the provider will need to download the fingerprint form from the provider portal for the covered individual.** See the additional resources below for more information about fingerprinting.
- Pay background check and fingerprint processing fees. To learn more about these fees and the process of making a payment, visit the make a payment page.
*OBP will not process a background check until the provider has authorized it in the provider portal.
**The covered individual will need to take a physical copy of this form with them when having their fingerprints taken.