California state police clearance checks are issued by the California Department of Justice (DOJ).
FBI clearance is different than US state police clearance.
You need state police clearance in addition to FBI police reports for Canada and Australia’s permanent residency along with US green card i485 application.
This article will discuss:
Documents Required
- Photo ID: Passport, driver license, or state ID.
- FD-258 fingerprint form
- Fee payment – The cost of California state police clearance is $25 per person.
How to Apply
California Residents
- Download and fill the CA Police clearance form. (Espanol: BCIA 8016RR Spanish, pdf).
- Check “Record Review” as the “Type of Application”.
- Enter “Record Review” on the “Reason for Application” line.
- Schedule an appointment with the nearest police station for Live Scan or walk-in to any UPS store or choose a fingerprint location in your county.
- Visit the police station or UPS store to give your fingerprints with a Live scanner.
- Pay fee and the Police clearance request is sent directly to California DOJ after fingerprints within 4 hours.
Out of State Residents
These steps are for people who are currently residing outside the US or outside California state jurisdiction.
You cannot use live fingerprint scanning service is available for California residents.
You can also buy FD 258 card from Amazon prime (pack of 3) or a pack of 25 FD 258 cards. The fingerprint card needs to be printed on a hard white paper. I recommend buying it from Amazon than printing it at home.
- You must submit manual fingerprint cards (Download Form FD258). Sample FD-258 form.
- Fill CA State Summary Criminal History Record Form BCIA 8705, pdf (Espanol: Form BCIA 8705S, pdf).
- Get a personal check drawn on a U.S. bank, money order, or certified check for $25 payable to the “California Department of Justice”.
- Mail your application form, fingerprint FD 258 card and processing fee to the California Department of Justice.
Mailing address for California Department of Justice:
Record Review Unit
P.O. Box 903417
Sacramento, CA 94203-4170
FAQ
California’s PCC processing time is 7-10 days.
The Police clearance certificate is mailed by USPS within 7-10 working days to the address provided by you.
You can check the status of your California state PCC application by sending an email to [email protected] or check the status online.
California State Police Clearance Certificate is valid for 12 months from the date of issue.
The cost of California state police clearance is $25 per person.
Reference: California DOJ
