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​​​​​​The purpose of the Background Check Unit (BCU) Clearinghouse is to conduct fingerprint-based, criminal record background checks on employees and volunteers for a business or organization not governed by a state regulatory or licensing agency.

Eligibility to be a Clearinghouse qualified entity

ORS 181A.190 and ORS 181A.235 includes specific criteria to define agencies which may use the BCU Clearinghouse for criminal records checks. Links for these statutes and other authoring documents are below.

Important definitions:

Clearinghouse Qualified Entity (QE) means a business or organization that:

  1. Provides care or placement services for youth, elderly persons or dependent persons.
  2. Licenses or certifies others to provide care or placement services for youth, elderly persons or dependent persons.
  3. Is not governed by a state regulatory or licensing agency.

Organization means a business that:

  1. Is exempt from taxation under section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code, as amended and in effect on January, 1, 2002; and
  2. Provides mentoring or tutoring programs.

Youth means an individual less than 18 years of age.

Elderly person means an individual 65 years of age or older.

Dependent person means an individual who, because of physical or mental disability, or medical disability due to alcohol or drug dependence, needs mentoring or tutoring programs.

Mentoring program means a program that provides a committed, sustained, one-to-one relationship between a volunteer and a youth, dependent person or elderly person that allows the youth, dependent person or elderly person to achieve that person’s greatest potential. A sustained relationship typically lasts nine months or longer.

Tutoring program means a program that provides a committed, sustained, one-to-one relationship between a volunteer and a youth, dependent person or elderly person based upon a specified activity that increases specific skills of the youth, dependent person or elderly person. A sustained relationship typically lasts nine months or longer.

If your agency is eligible, please contact the BCU Clearinghouse via email: bcu.clearinghouse@odhsoha.oregon.gov.​ ​ Explain what your agency does and request the Clearinghouse-authorized designee materials. BCU will provide you with Clearinghouse materials to review and to get set up as a Clearinghouse agency. Clearinghouse Authorized Designees (CHADs) will use the Criminal Records Information Management System (CRIMS) to submit criminal records checks.


What is included in a Clearinghouse check

  • A name based criminal records check through the Oregon State Police Law Enforcement Data System
  • A fingerprint based criminal records check through the Oregon State Police and the FBI.
  • If there are any convictions, a weighing test. BCU Clearinghouse conducts a weighing test, reviewing the nature and date of any convictions, the relevancy of the convictions to the position that the subject individual is applying to hold, and weighs that against mitigating information provided by the subject individual.
  • A fitness determination. The final outcome of a criminal records check is approval, restricted approval, or denial. If the BCU Clearinghouse complete the fitness determination (for example due to not receiving fingerprints, or more information requested from the subject individual), the criminal records check request will be closed as incomplete.
  • If denied or given a restricted approval, the subject individual has the right to appeal the fitness determination.


Fees for Clearinghouse checks

In addition to a fee for getting the fingerprints captured (through Fieldprint or a local law enforcement agency), there is also a fee to the Clearinghouse agency from BCU for each subject individual:

  • Employees/staff of the Clearinghouse agency: $66.25
  • Volunteers of the Clearinghouse agency: $64.25
  • Waivered volunteers of the Clearinghouse agency: $0.00

FieldPrint fingerprint capture costs $12.50 at the time of scheduling (information providing in Fingerprint letter after you submit the application, and the subject individual authorizes it).  If you are interested in monthly invoicing from FieldPrint, please follow the instructions on the Flyer for getting FieldPrint Monthly Invoicing.

If your agency uses a local law enforcement agency for electronic fingerprint capture, please make sure you have the correct codes, as explained in the Instructions for LEA transmission for BCU Clearinghouse and Fillable form.


Volunteers may be waivered if all of the following criteria are met:

  • The subject individual is a volunteer.
  • The subject individual is mentoring or tutoring in a committed, sustained and one-on-one relationship (generally lasting 9 months or longer, and not in a group setting).
  • The subject is mentoring or tutoring a youth, elderly person, or dependent person.


Authority for Clearinghouse checks

Criminal records checks are governed by the following statutes and rules:

For additional information about the BCU Clearinghouse, contact bcu.clearinghouse@odhsoha.oregon.gov​