Getting Your California (DOJ) RAP Sheet

Get and Fill out the “Request for Live Scan Service” (Form BCIA 8016).

You may download this form from the DOJ website at: http://oag.ca.gov/fingerprints/security.[3282] It should also be available at any public Live Scan Site.[3283] For a listing of public Live Scan Sites throughout California, visit the DOJ’s website at: https://oag.ca.gov/fingerprints/locations. (See APPENDIX B, on PG. 1002 for a sample Request for Live Scan Services form and instructions for filling it out.)

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT FILLING OUT THE REQUEST FOR LIVE SCAN SERVICES FORM:

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    The DOJ is very particular about how this form is filled out. When you’re filling out the form, make sure you:Where the form says “Type of Application,” check the box for “Record Review.” Where the form says “Reason for Application,” write “Record Review” on the line.

Find a Live Scan Site near you.

Live Scan services are available at most local police departments and sheriff’s offices.[3284] There are also hundreds of Public Live Scan sites around the state. To find a public Live Scan location near you, check your local yellow pages, or visit the DOJ website at: https://oag.ca.gov/fingerprints/locations. The fees and hours vary from site to site (and change often), and some sites require appointments whereas others allow walk-ins. For this reason, it is always recommended that you call the site you want to visit beforehand to make sure you they’re open and know how much it costs. (Note: Most Live Scan sites charge between $20-40 for fingerprinting, but there is a lot of variation from one location to another.)

Get Fingerprinted.

Take your completed “Request for Live Scan Service” with you to the Live Scan site when you go to get fingerprinted.

Mail your Live Scan fingerprints, along with a $25 fee, to:

California Department of Justice: Record Review Unit
P.O. Box 903417
Sacramento, CA 94203-4170

Fee waivers: What to do If you cannot afford the $25 fee

If you cannot afford the $25 fee, you can request a “fee waiver”—meaning you will NOT have to pay to get your RAP sheet. To request a fee waiver, you can fill out an “Application for Record Review Processing Fee Waiver Claim and Proof of Indigence” form (see Appendix C, on PG. 1006). This form lets you choose from three reasons why you can’t afford the fee— you receive public benefits (such as CalWORKS, CalFRESH (food stamps), MediCal, or unemployment insurance); you are currently incarcerated; or your income falls below 138 percent of the federal poverty guidelines. If possible, you may want to send copies (not the originals!) of your pay stubs, bank account records, or other documents showing your income and expenses. If you do not receive the request after 2 weeks, call the DOJ at (916) 227-3835 to make sure that your documents are being processed. Leave your full name and a telephone number in their voicemail so they can return your call

How long will I have to wait for my California RAP sheet?

Once you send in your forms, it can take up to 2 months (anywhere from 1—8 weeks) to get a copy of your California (DOJ) RAP sheet, depending on how long your RAP sheet is (i.e., how much information it contains). If your RAP sheet is fairly long (in other words, if you have had many encounters with law enforcement and/or the criminal justice system), it takes longer for the DOJ to process your request, because they have to research and verify all of the information.[3285]

  1. 3282

    Request for Live Scan Service, State of California Department of Justice, http://oag.ca.gov/sites/all/files/agweb/pdfs/fingerprints/forms/bcia_8016RR.pdf?. ↑

  2. 3283

    Applicant Live Scan Fingerprint Services Location and Hours of Operation, State of California Department of Justice, https://oag.ca.gov/fingerprints/locations. ↑

  3. 3284

    California Department of Justice, Office of the Attorney General, Criminal Records – Request Your Own, http://oag.ca.gov/fingerprints/security. ↑

  4. 3285

    Telephone call with Department of Justice Record Review Unit, Mar. 26, 2015. ↑