Authorized Individual Instructions

General Instructions for Issues and Services

In order to assist you, an Authorized Individual, Sterling Identity offers phone and email support from 5:00am to 7:00pm PST, Monday through Friday and 6:00am to 5:00pm PST on Saturday. If any problems arise with your CHRI request, please follow the instructions below to help us resolve the problem as quickly as possible.

  1. Incomplete or missing data: All required online registration form fields need to be completed otherwise you will not be able to submit the form. If any field inadvertently contains incorrect data, you will be able to correct or update the information at the kiosk. All data needs to match the government issued photo ID and at least one of the IDs brought to the fingerprinting location needs to have your current valid US address.
  1. Illegible fingerprints: illegible fingerprint submissions will yield a rejection by the FBI. Sterling Identity will be notified of the rejection directly by the FBI. Sterling Identity’s fingerprinting administrator (who is cleared by the FBI to view fingerprints) will review the rejected prints and determine whether to send a livescan re-invitation or to redirect you to our hard card process (in the event that your fingerprint quality is extremely low and further livescan attempts will not be considered feasible). An appropriate notification will be sent to your email address. If you are redirected to the hard card process, the Sterling Identity fingerprint administrator will review the hard card upon receipt from you, and will not submit the form to the FBI unless the hard card is legible. Only one retake submission is free of charge. If your fingerprints are rejected again, a new order must be placed.
  1. Transmission or data packet problems:
    • FBI Record Receipt – If you have problems receiving your FBI record, please notify Sterling Identity customer support. A resolution ticket will be filed within one business day, and Sterling Identity will resolve the problem as quickly as possible.
    • Blank or Incomplete CHRI – if you receive a blank or partial CHRI, please notify Sterling Identity immediately. We will work with the FBI to correct the situation. Once we receive an updated CHRI from the FBI, it will be disseminated to you. If your record is sealed by a court order, the CHRI may once again be partial or blank. We will attempt to confirm that determination with the FBI and convey any pertinent information to you.
  1. Payment of fees: Our online registration process will only accept exact credit card payment. Your credit card will be charged upon online registration submission.
    • If you are unable to capture your fingerprints or decide to cancel your order prior to capturing your fingerprints, we will refund the order fee (less $7.50 processing fee) back to the credit card used for the transaction.
    • If you don’t capture your fingerprints at one of our network locations in 60 days (after registration submission), you will receive an automatic refund of the order fee (less $7.50 processing fee) back to the credit card used for the transaction.
    • After the fingerprints are captured and submitted to the FBI, the order will not be cancelable, and we cannot provide a refund.
    • If your credit card account fails to perform the payment transaction after pre-approval, you will receive an email notification to update your credit card information or use another credit card. You will also receive an “Awaiting payment notification” in your portal account. We will not submit your fingerprints to the FBI until the payment is transacted.
    • If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Sterling Identity customer support directly. 
  1. Status of a fingerprint submission: You will be provided statuses of your fingerprint order in your fingerprint portal account. Status types will include:
    • Ready for fingerprints – your registration has been successfully received, and you will need to capture your fingerprints at a Sterling Identity network location. Instructions and a link to our location finder is included in your invitation.
    • Fingerprints submitted – your fingerprints have been submitted to the FBI
    • Ready for download – your FBI record is ready for download (note: you can only download your FBI record once, so please ensure you have adequate ability to do so, and that you are on a device that can store the file. The FBI record can only be downloaded within the borders of the US and its territories. Download outside of the US and its territories is against FBI regulations)
    • Complete – you have downloaded your FBI record and your order is complete
    • Awaiting payment update – if your credit card account fails to perform the payment transaction after pre-approval, you will receive an email notification to update your credit card information or use another credit card. You will also receive an “Awaiting payment notification” in your portal account. We will not submit your fingerprints to the FBI until the payment is transacted.
    • Awaiting Review – if your fingerprints were rejected by the FBI due to quality, you may have an additional chance to recapture your fingerprints at no additional charge. A trained Sterling Identity technician will review your fingerprints and determine if you should attempt electronic fingerprint capture again or be redirected to our hard card (ink and paper) process. Once review is completed, you will receive an appropriate invitation with instructions on how to retake your prints.
    • Canceled – either you have cancelled your order voluntarily prior to capturing fingerprints, or you have received an auto cancellation because you have not captured your fingerprints in 60 days after submitting your online registration.
  1. Equipment associated issues: all fingerprint capture equipment at our network locations is owned and maintained by Sterling Identity. We continuously remotely monitor all equipment for proper functionality, but if you become aware of any problems, please contact Sterling Identity customer support immediately as we may be able to resolve the issue while you are at one of our locations.
  1. Expedited processing for FBI record delivery: the FBI record is provided to you through your online account as soon as Sterling Identity receives the results from the FBI. In special circumstances where a mailed FBI record was requested; Sterling Identity offers an expedite order option for tracked UPS second day delivery.
    • Note: most results are sent from the FBI within an hour after receiving the FBI record request from Sterling Identity, but some submissions take up to 48 hours or longer (pending manual review for situations of poor candidate fingerprint quality).

Placing an FBI record order through your attorney’s office: Prior to your attorney placing the FBI record request through our website, we will need to receive a statement from your attorney on the attorney’s office letterhead stating your FBI record is to be released directly to the attorney. The statement must include your full legal name, the attorney’s contact information along with your signature and the signature of your attorney. Your attorney’s office must be within the US and its territories, and the FBI result must be downloaded within the US and its territories. Please have your attorney send the statement to support@sterlingidentity.com.

  1. Requesting on-site fingerprinting services: Sterling Identity offers executive/VIP individual fingerprinting. For an increased customized fee, a trained technician will arrive at your public office location and fingerprint you on-site. If you are interested in requesting this service, please contact Support at 844.787.3431 or support@sterlingidentity.com for a quote.
  1. All other general questions: Sterling Identity has a long record of exceptional customer service. If you have any other questions or concerns, please contact our customer service directly using the contact information above.

Notification of Email and Mailing Address Ownership

The email and mailing address that you provided for your FBI record request at registration must belong to you. The email address must be a personal account, not shared with anyone. The mailing address must be your current valid residential address within the US or its territories. If you are placing your FBI record request through an attorney, the email and mailing address must belong to your attorney. The email address must be the attorney’s business email, and the mailing address must be the same business address as on the signed request (on attorney’s office letterhead) stating your FBI record is to be released directly to the attorney (see placing an FBI record order through your attorney’s office section)

Notification of FBI Criminal History Report Download Within the US

The FBI does not allow the dissemination of the Criminal History background report outside of the US and its territories. When you download the Criminal History background report, you must do so within the borders of the US and its territories. Downloading the Criminal History background report outside of the US and its territories is a violation of FBI regulations.

Instructions for Fingerprint Capture

The instructions below appear on the fingerprinting invitation generated by Sterling Identity. You will receive a copy of these instructions once you complete the online registration process. The instructions advise how to find our network locations, what to do before the capture session to prepare, and what you can expect at the capture location:

To find the location closest to you, please go to sterlingidentity.com/locations. Local fingerprinting service availability may fluctuate in response to COVID-19. Please call your preferred location in advance to confirm hours and service availability.

Follow these steps to submit your fingerprints.

Before You Go

  • Print or bring this email with you on your mobile device
  • Bring a government-issued photo ID and a secondary ID document from sterlingidentity.com/id-documents for identity verification
  • Clean your hands and use oil-free lotion if your skin is dry
  • Bring a face mask with you to wear

At the Location

  • Ask for the Identity Network Kiosk
  • Scan your code using the kiosk’s camera, or enter it manually
  • Verify and/or update your order information
  • Work with a technician to
    • Verify your identity
    • Capture your fingerprints

If you have any questions, please contact Support at 844.787.3431 or support@sterlingidentity.com.

Note: Centers may also be affected by power outages and natural disasters like hurricanes, earthquakes, tornados, and wildfires. Please call your preferred location in advance to confirm hours and service availability.

Individual’s Rights

Before fingerprinting, you will be presented with the Noncriminal Justice Applicant’s Privacy Rights information:

Noncriminal Justice Applicant’s Privacy Rights Brochure

https://www.fbi.gov/services/cjis/compact-council/guiding-principles-noncriminal-justice-applicants-privacy-rights

As an applicant who is the subject of a national fingerprint-based criminal history record check for a noncriminal justice purpose (such as an application for employment or a license, an immigration or naturalization matter, security clearance, or adoption), you have certain rights which are discussed below. All notices must be provided to you in writing. ¹ These obligations are pursuant to the Privacy Act of 1974, Title 5, United States Code (U.S.C.) Section 552a, and Title 28 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), 50.12, among other authorities.

  • You must be provided an adequate written FBI Privacy Act Statement (dated 2013 or later) when you submit your fingerprints and associated personal information. This Privacy Act Statement must explain the authority for collecting your fingerprints and associated information and whether your fingerprints and associated information will be searched, shared, or retained. ²
  • You must be advised in writing of the procedures for obtaining a change, correction, or update of your FBI criminal history record as set forth at 28 CFR 16.34.
  • You must be provided the opportunity to complete or challenge the accuracy of the information in your FBI criminal history record (if you have such a record).
  • If you have a criminal history record, you should be afforded a reasonable amount of time to correct or complete the record (or decline to do so) before the officials deny you the employment, license, or other benefit based on information in the FBI criminal history record.
  • If agency policy permits, the officials may provide you with a copy of your FBI criminal history record for review and possible challenge. If agency policy does not permit it to provide you a copy of the record, you may obtain a copy of the record by submitting fingerprints and a fee to the FBI. Information regarding this process may be obtained at https://www.fbi.gov/services/cjis/identity-history-summary-checks and https://www.edo.cjis.gov.
  • If you decide to challenge the accuracy or completeness of your FBI criminal history record, you should send your challenge to the agency that contributed the questioned information to the FBI. Alternatively, you may send your challenge directly to the FBI by submitting a request via https://www.edo.cjis.gov. The FBI will then forward your challenge to the agency that contributed the questioned information and request the agency to verify or correct the challenged entry. Upon receipt of an official communication from that agency, the FBI will make any necessary changes/corrections to your record in accordance with the information supplied by that agency. (See 28 CFR 16.30 through 16.34.)
  • You have the right to expect that officials receiving the results of the criminal history record check will use it only for authorized purposes and will not retain or disseminate it in violation of federal statute, regulation or executive order, or rule, procedure or standard established by the National Crime Prevention and Privacy Compact Council. ³

¹ Written notification includes electronic notification, but excludes oral notification.
² https://www.fbi.gov/services/cjis/compact-council/privacy-act-statement
³ See 5 U.S.C. 552a(b); 28 U.S.C. 534(b); 34 U.S.C. § 40316 (formerly cited as 42 U.S.C. § 14616), Article IV(c); 28 CFR 20.21(c), 20.33(d) and 906.2(d).

FBI Privacy Statement

Authority: The FBI’s acquisition, preservation, and exchange of fingerprints and associated information is generally authorized under 28 U.S.C. 534. Depending on the nature of your application, supplemental authorities include Federal statutes, State statutes pursuant to Pub. L. 92-544, Presidential Executive Orders, and federal. Providing your fingerprints and associated information is voluntary; however to do so may affect completion or approval of your application.

Social Security Account Number (SSAN): Your SSAN is needed to keep records accurate because other people may have the same name and birth date. Pursuant to the Federal Privacy Act of 1974 (5 USC 552a), the requesting agency is responsible for informing you whether disclosure is mandatory or voluntary, by what statutory or other authority your SSAN is solicited, and what uses will be made of it. Executive Order 9397 also asks Federal agencies to use this number to help identify individuals in agency records.

Principal Purpose: Certain determinations, such as employment, licensing, and security clearances, may be predicated on fingerprint-based background checks. Your fingerprints and associated information/biometrics may be provided to the employing, investigating, or otherwise responsible agency, and/or the FBI for the purpose of comparing your fingerprints to other fingerprints in the FBI’s Next Generation Identification (NGI) system or its successor systems (including civil, criminal, and latent fingerprint repositories) or other available records of the employing, investigation, or otherwise responsible agency. The FBI may retain your fingerprints and associated information/biometrics in NGI after the completion of this application and, while retained, your fingerprints may continue to be compared against other fingerprints submitted to or retained by NGI.

Routine Uses: During the processing of this application and for as long thereafter as your fingerprints and associated information/biometrics are retained in NGI, your information may be disclosed pursuant to your consent, and may be disclosed without your consent as permitted by the Privacy Act of 1974 and all applicable Routine Uses as may be published at any time in the Federal Register, including the Routine Uses for the NGI system and the FBI’s Blanket Routine Uses. Routine uses include, but are not limited to, disclosures to: employing, governmental or authorized non-governmental agencies responsible for employment, contracting licensing, security clearances, and other suitability determinations; local, state, tribal, or federal law enforcement agencies; criminal justice agencies; and agencies responsible for nation security or public safety.

Additional Information: The requesting agency and/or the agency conducting the application-investigation will provide you additional information pertinent to the specific circumstances of this application, which may include identification of other authorities, purposes, uses, and consequences of not providing requested information. In addition, any such agency in the Federal Executive Branch has also published notice in the Federal Register describing any system(s) of records in which that agency may also maintain your records, including the authorities, purposes, and routine uses for the system(s).

Individual’s Right to Challenge or Correct Their FBI Criminal History Report

If you believe that your Criminal History background report is incomplete or inaccurate, you can challenge or correct the information by contacting the FBI directly.

You will need to contact the FBI directly using one of the following methods:

Electronically submit your challenge request directly to the FBI*

Step 1: Go to https://www.edo.cjis.gov.

Step 2: Follow the steps under the “Challenging Your Identity History Summary” section.

If you submitted a challenge request electronically directly to the FBI, you will receive a response electronically and an option to receive a response by First-Class Mail via the U.S. Postal Service.

Send a written challenge request to the FBI*

Your written request should clearly identify the information that you feel is inaccurate or incomplete and should include copies of any available proof or supporting documentation to support your claim. For example, if your disposition information is incorrect or missing, you may submit documentation obtained from the court having control over the arrest or the office prosecuting the offense. The FBI will contact appropriate agencies in an attempt to verify or correct challenged entries for you. Upon receipt of an official communication from the agency with control over the data, the FBI will make appropriate changes and notify you of the outcome.

You may submit an Identity History Summary challenge to the FBI by writing to the following address:

FBI CJIS Division
Attention: Criminal History Analysis Team 1
1000 Custer Hollow Road
Clarksburg, WV 26306

If you have any questions regarding this process, please contact Support at 844.787.3431 or support@sterlingidentity.com.

*Note: information from the FBI Identity History Summary Checks website: https://www.fbi.gov/services/cjis/identity-history-summary-checks. Since your Criminal History background report request was submitted directly to the FBI, and not through a State Agency, only options 2 and 3 on this website are applicable.

Individual’s Right to Report PII Breach to the FBI

If you believe that a breach of your Personally Identifiable Information (PII) has occurred as a result of our service, you have the right to report the incident to the FBI.

The FBI defines PII as*:

Personally Identifiable Information (PII) means information which can be used to distinguish or trace an individual’s identity, such as name, social security number, or biometric records, alone or when combined with other personal or identifying information which is linked or linkable to a specific individual, such as date and place of birth, or mother’s maiden name.

The FBI defines PII breach as*:

PII Breach means the loss of control, compromise, unauthorized disclosure, unauthorized acquisition, unauthorized access or any similar term referring to situations where persons other than the authorized users, and for other than authorized purposes, have access or potential access to PII, whether physical or electronic.

Please report the PII breach as soon as possible by contacting the FBI CJIS division at (304) 625-2000 or by mail at:

FBI CJIS Division
Attention: Criminal History Analysis Team 1
1000 Custer Hollow Road
Clarksburg, WV 26306

Sterling Identity will also report the breach to the FBI on your behalf. Please contact our Support at 844.787.3431 or support@sterlingidentity.com.

Include as much information as possible:

  • When do you believe the PII breach occurred (date and time)?
  • During what part of our service do you believe the PII breach occurred (personal information entry on our website, during the in-person fingerprinting, accessing your account, downloading the Criminal History background report, etc.)?
  • Reason(s) that make you believe the PII breach occurred?
  • What repercussions have you experienced as a result of the PII breach?

Please be ready to provide any physical evidence (credit agency reports, bank statements, etc.) that may help with the FBI’s investigation of this incident.

Note*: Definitions are from the Outsourcing Standard for Channelers: https://www.fbi.gov/file-repository/compact-council-security-and-management-control-outsourcing-standard-for-channelers.pdf/view