Tennessee Background Check from Abroad
State criminal history check
Tennessee Background Check from Abroad
Yes, by post, and no fingerprints are needed: the TORIS check is name-based.
- Fee
- $29.00, non-refundable
- Processing
- Varies; confirm when you submit
- From abroad
- Possible
What to send, and where
| Agency | Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, TORIS Unit |
|---|---|
| Form | BI0238, Criminal History Information Request |
| Fee | $29.00, non-refundable |
| Payment | Cheque or money order with the form. |
| Processing | Varies; confirm when you submit |
| Post to | Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, TORIS Unit, 901 R.S. Gass Blvd, Nashville, TN 37216 |
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, TORIS Unit page for this request
Specific to Tennessee
- Do not send a fingerprint card with a TORIS request. It is a name-based check and extra documents slow it down.
- For a fingerprint-based Tennessee and FBI search, TBI routes you to IdentoGO instead.
The IdentoGO Cardscan route
Tennessee is one of the states reachable through IdentoGO's Cardscan service, which exists specifically for people who cannot attend a live scan appointment. You have your prints taken on an ink card wherever you are, post the card to IdentoGO, and they scan and submit it on your behalf. Enrol online first; a card that arrives without an enrolment is not processed.
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 Tennessee specifies its own form above, in which case order that form first and allow for it reaching you overseas.
After it arrives
A Tennessee criminal history check is a state document, so it is authenticated by Tennessee, 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 Tennessee 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 Tennessee record from outside the United States?
Yes, by post, and no fingerprints are needed: the TORIS check is name-based.
What does it cost?
$29.00, non-refundable Cheque or money order with the form.
How long does it take?
Varies; confirm when you submit. Add international postage in both directions on top of that.
Do I need the Tennessee check as well as the FBI one?
Only if the authority asking has said so. The FBI record already includes arrests that Tennessee reported federally. Ask before paying for both.
Will it need an apostille?
If it is going to a foreign authority, yes. A Tennessee check is a state document, so it is authenticated by Tennessee 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.
