Types of criminal background checks in Canada

There are two types of criminal record checks in Canada that will determine if a person has been charged or convicted of a crime:

1. Name-based criminal record checks
   • Using names and dates of birth is the most common way to check a person’s criminal history.
   • Name-based criminal record checks are done checking against the RCMP’s Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC) system. They consist of a check of the National Repository of Criminal Records based on a person’s name and date of birth. It may also include searches of other national and local databases.
   • Name-based checks have weaknesses in verifying a person’s identity due to some last names being the same, differences in spelling, use of nicknames, legal name changes and the intentional changing of names to avoid a record of criminal history.
2. Certified criminal record check
   • When name-based criminal record checks do not provide a definite way of confirming a person’s identity, you may be asked to provide fingerprints. This is known as a “certified criminal record check.”
   • A fingerprint search of the National Repository of Criminal Records is conducted by RCMP’s Canadian Criminal Real Time Identification Services (CCRTIS).
   • A very small number of people have fingerprints that cannot be processed electronically. In these exceptional cases, the police service will submit a paper copy of your fingerprints.
   • The use of fingerprints for criminal record checks is based on informed consent and includes sharing the results of that information to a third party named by you on the application form.
   • The fingerprints submitted to CCRTIS for criminal record checks are only used to confirm your identity. At no time are fingerprints added to a database where they could be subject to search.

Here is how to apply for a name-based criminal record check: 
https://thefingerprintroom.com/name-and-date-of-birth-based-background-check/

Here is how to apply for a name-based criminal record check :

https://thefingerprintroom.com/rcmp-criminal-background-check-application/