Ohio Background Check from Abroad
State criminal history check
Ohio Background Check from Abroad
Yes, and Ohio has a defined route for it: the exemption form exists precisely because you cannot reach an Ohio live-scan machine.
- Fee
- $22.00
- Processing
- Varies; confirm when you submit
- From abroad
- Possible
What to send, and where
| Agency | Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Civilian Unit |
|---|---|
| Form | BCI Civilian Background Check Card, plus a Request for Exemption from Electronic Fingerprint Submission |
| Fee | $22.00 |
| Payment | Pay the fee on the Ohio Attorney General e-payment site before posting the card. |
| Processing | Varies; confirm when you submit |
| Post to | Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, PO Box 365, London, OH 43140 |
The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Civilian Unit page for this request
Specific to Ohio
- The exemption form is mandatory with a posted card. Without it the submission is rejected.
- Out-of-state and overseas applicants may use an FD-258 where BCI's own civilian card is unavailable.
Getting fingerprinted where you are
Local police, a private fingerprinting service, a U.S. post if it still offers it, or ink at home. Take more than one card. Use the FD-258 unless Ohio specifies its own form above, in which case order that form first and allow for it reaching you overseas.
After it arrives
A Ohio criminal history check is a state document, so it is authenticated by Ohio, not by the U.S. Department of State. Most states require the response to be notarised or certified before the authenticating authority will touch it, and several sell a notarised version for exactly this purpose. Buy it at the time rather than discovering later that you have to start again.
We handle the apostille
Once your Ohio check exists we can authenticate it, legalise it for a non-Convention country, and have it translated. Tell us the destination and the deadline.
Questions people actually ask
Can I request my Ohio record from outside the United States?
Yes, and Ohio has a defined route for it: the exemption form exists precisely because you cannot reach an Ohio live-scan machine.
What does it cost?
$22.00 Pay the fee on the Ohio Attorney General e-payment site before posting the card.
How long does it take?
Varies; confirm when you submit. Add international postage in both directions on top of that.
Do I need the Ohio check as well as the FBI one?
Only if the authority asking has said so. The FBI record already includes arrests that Ohio reported federally. Ask before paying for both.
Will it need an apostille?
If it is going to a foreign authority, yes. A Ohio check is a state document, so it is authenticated by Ohio rather than by the U.S. Department of State, and it usually has to be notarised or certified first.
This guide is published by a private document processing service. It is not legal advice and we are not a government agency. Requirements change without notice, so confirm anything critical with the mission before you post documents.
