As it is known in Arizona, the Card is a Fingerprint Clearance Card that proves legal approval to pursue a job, a professional license, or admission to an educational program. The small, laminated card works as a sort of ID to prove that a person’s criminal background has been checked and they do not have anything that would cause them not to be able to pursue gainful employment on their record.
Which Arizona Jobs Require the Fingerprint Clearance Card?
The Card is a simple way for employers to establish that an employee has a clean background. By providing the card number, the employee or potential employee’s name, and social security number, the employer can ensure that the card is valid by calling (602)223-2279. Your employer should never make a copy of your card, nor should they accept a copy of your card.
In Arizona, these are some of the professions that require the Fingerprint Clearance Card:
- Managers for assisted-living facilities
- Members of the Board of Dental Examiners
- Employees and members of the board of fingerprinting
- Employment with public and charter schools
- Daycare providers
- Programs concerning child nutrition
- Careers with child protective services, child welfare, and adolescent behavioral health treatment services
- Contractors, vendors, and subcontractors with the public and charter schools, as well as the Department of Economic Security
- Employment with the Department of Emergency and Military Affairs
- Those providing services to domestic violence shelters
- Licensing for foster care
- Students and clinical assistants of health science programs
- Employees of home health agencies
- Employees for shelters for the unhoused
- Participants in the JOBS/WIA programs
- Administrators of nursing care institutions
- Realtors
- Employees of residential or nursing care facilities
- Teacher certification
Your employer should never make a copy of your card and should also not accept a copy. If a person is under 18 or over 99 years old, they are exempt from fingerprinting requirements. However, people in those age brackets must be visually supervised by a personnel member with a fingerprint clearance card.
How to Get an Arizona Fingerprint Clearance Card
The Fingerprint Division of the Department of Public Safety is responsible for issuing the Cards. They are accountable for performing background checks on all applicants seeking a card so they may pursue various educational and employment opportunities. The Division updates the clearance cards periodically by performing criminal records checks.
To obtain a Fingerprint Clearance Card, you must apply for one with the Fingerprint Division of the Department of Public Safety. Many employers will provide the application. Suppose you were not provided an application package by your potential employer. In that case, you can acquire one by reaching out to the Arizona Department of Public Safety in one of the following ways:
- Call them at (602) 223-2279
- Fax them at (602) 223-2947
- Write to them at Applicant Clearance Card Team, Arizona Department of Public Safety, P.O. Box 18390, Phoenix, AZ 85005-8390
- Stop by the office at Arizona Department of Public Safety, 2320 North 20th Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85005
The Card costs $69 for paid employees and the teacher certification program. Volunteers must pay $65 to obtain the card. If the applicant has no criminal record, they can expect a three to five-week processing time once the division receives the application. If the applicant has a state or federal criminal record, the process typically takes between four and eight weeks to complete.
When applying for the Fingerprint Clearance Card, applicants must submit a complete set of their fingerprints to the Fingerprint Division of Public Safety. The division does not take fingerprints, so the applicant can use a private service or go to a local law enforcement agency for prints. Every six years, a new set of fingerprints must be submitted so background checks can be updated.
If You Have Trouble Attaining a Fingerprint Clearance Card, Reach Out to Us For Help
Contact an Arizona professional license defense attorney Stewart Law Group to discuss your options if you have been denied a Fingerprint Clearance Card and believe it is an error or feel that the denial is unfair. In Arizona, the Fingerprint Clearance Card opens doors to career opportunities you do not want to be excluded from. Reach out today so we can help.
