What is CalVECHS

 The California Volunteer and Employee Criminal History Service (CalVECHS) Program enables qualified entities providing services to children, the elderly, or individuals with disabilities, to receive state and federal criminal offender record information (CORI) on behalf of their current and prospective employees and volunteers 

📋 CalVECHS Enrollment Checklist

• Check eligibility: Verify your agency serves children, elderly, or      individuals with disabilities.
• Download forms: Get the CalVECHS User Agreement (BCIA 9017) from the California DOJ website.
• Gather credentials: Copy your non-profit status paperwork or current business license.
• Complete agreement: Fill out and sign the CalVECHS Program User Agreement.
• Submit online: Upload documents through the Applicant Agency Justice Connection (AAJC) portal.
• Await approval: Wait for the California DOJ to review and approve your application.
• Get Live Scan forms: Prepare the Request for Live Scan Service forms for your applicants.
• Collect waivers: Have every applicant sign the CalVECHS Waiver Agreement before fingerprinting.

 What’s different? 

Non-governmental agencies (NGAs) participating in CalVECHS have access to federal CORI. Federal CORI includes out-of-state criminal records, which are collected by the FBI. To support this access, all qualified entities participating in the program are required to maintain a CalVECHS Waiver Agreement signed annually by each of their applicants. Outside of CalVECHS, NGAs are not authorized to directly receive federal CORI. NGAs not participating in CalVECHS receive a sanitized federal response from DOJ that confirms the FBI has performed an applicant’s federal background check, but does not include out-of-state criminal records if any exist. For agencies participating in CalVECHS, DOJ disseminates the results of an applicant’s federal background check in the same way it does for a state check, including relevant arrest and disposition information, pursuant to the dissemination criteria outlined in subdivision (n) of California Penal Code section 11105. There will be no practical change to the way CORI is shared with agencies in the AAJC Portal or their obligations to secure the CORI that is disseminated to them. When submitting fingerprints for a CalVECHS participating agency, applicants should use the CalVECHS-specific Request for Live Scan Service (BCIA 8016VECHS) form and submit under the most appropriate of the two applicant types that have been assigned to the qualified entity, either VECHS/EMPLOYEE 11105.3 PC or VECHS/VOLUNTEER 11105.3 PC. 

 Who qualifies for CalVECHS? 

A CalVECHS qualified entity is a business or organization, whether public, private, for profit, not-for-profit, or voluntary, that provides services, treatment, education, training, instruction, supervision, or recreation to children, the elderly, or individuals with disabilities. Note: all agencies currently authorized to fingerprint under California Penal Code 11105.3, including youth organizations and human resource agencies, are qualified to participate in CalVECHS and must be enrolled in CalVECHS by the end of 2026 in order to continue submitting applicant fingerprints and receiving state and federal CORI. The CalVECHS Program is not currently available to entities that are authorized to fingerprint employees or volunteers under a California state statute that does not explicitly reference Penal Code section 11105.3. This includes, but is not limited to, city and county government agencies, licensed daycare centers, public and private schools, school contractors, and skilled nursing facilities. These organizations must continue to follow the statutory mandates that specifically apply to them. For questions about CalVECHS qualification, please contact ORIQuestions@doj.ca.gov. 

 Are there fees to participate in the CalVECHS Program? 

There is no additional fee to participate in CalVECHS. Standard state and federal fingerprint processing fees will apply, including reduced costs for non-profit organizations. For non-profit youth organizations and human resource agencies, the state fingerprint processing fee is $0 and the federal fingerprint processing fee is $15. For more information regarding fingerprint processing fees, please visit https://oag.ca.gov/fingerprints/forms. 

 How does my agency participate in the CalVECHS Program? 

Existing agencies will need to submit a CalVECHS Enrollment request from the Requests page in the AAJC Portal. Your submission package should include: • Authorized Recipient User Agreement (BCIA 9005) • CalVECHS User Agreement (BCIA 9017) • California Contract for Subsequent Arrest Notification Service (BCIA 8049) • Federal Contract for Subsequent Arrest Notification Service (BCIA 8050) • Copy of non-profit organization status document or a business license 

 What is the CalVECHS User Agreement (BCIA 9017)? 

The CalVECHS User Agreement is a contract between the qualified entity and DOJ that outlines the terms and conditions under which criminal history background checks shall be performed and CORI shall be disseminated to the qualified entity. Agencies that have been previously authorized must still submit the User Agreement to enroll in the CalVECHS Program. 

 What is the CalVECHS Waiver Agreement (BCIA 9018)? 

The CalVECHS Waiver Agreement (BCIA 9018) is a contract between the qualified entity and the applicant that establishes the agency’s authority to receive the applicant’s CORI and informs the applicant of their right to challenge the accuracy of the background check report. The waiver system was established in the NCPA/VCA to allow non-governmental agencies to receive federal CORI that they would otherwise be ineligible to receive due to federal restrictions. Pursuant to state and federal law, the waiver must be completed and signed annually by every current or prospective employee and volunteer who is fingerprinted under the VECHS-specific applicant types by a CalVECHS participating agency. The form supports e-signature and agencies may opt to select an annual refresh date where they collect updated forms from all applicants, rather than tracking unique hiring date anniversaries. The waiver is not subject to the same security standards that restrict access to CORI disseminated directly by DOJ. However, a CalVECHS Waiver Agreement may contain personal information shared by the applicant and access to completed waiver agreements should be limited by need. CalVECHS participating agencies should retain the CalVECHS Waiver Agreement for three years from the signing date or until they have completed an audit by DOJ, even if the relationship between the applicant and the agency has been terminated. Will my employees and volunteers need to re-print? Employees and volunteers of existing authorized agencies are not required to immediately resubmit fingerprints after an agency enrolls in the CalVECHS Program. CalVECHS participating agencies will continue to receive in-state subsequent arrest and disposition notification for applicants printed under pre-VECHS applicant types