How to Conduct an Arkansas Background Check

An Arkansas background check is available from a number of sources. The most common and frequently used source is the background check available from the Department of the Arkansas State Police. It is the responsibility of the Arkansas Crime Information Center to preserve and maintain the criminal history database of the state.  A statewide Arkansas background check offers details about individuals convicted of or who pled guilty to felonies and misdemeanors.

There is a difference between the information that you can access and the details that is available to the law enforcement authorities. The former are limited records while the latter include all details.

Arkansas Background Check: Manual Process

The manual process of conducting an Arkansas background check is simple. All you need to do is download the ASP-122 Form and fill out the required fields. The individual whose records you want to check must also sign the form in order to process the background check request. The Identification Bureau Individual Record Check Form is available from http://www.asp.state.ar.us/pdf/asp_122.pdf. The notarized form, along with the processing fee, must be mailed to the following address:

Arkansas State Police, Identification Bureau, 1 State Police Plaza Drive, Little Rock, AR 72209

The ASP-122 Form also requires that you provide your full address so that the criminal record information can be mailed to you. The processing fee for the manual background check in Arkansas is $25.00. You need to pay for the background check via check or money order only. A stamped self-addressed envelope also needs to be attached with the background check request. The criminal record details, if any, would be mailed to the address given in the form within a span of 7 to 10 working days.

An Arkansas background check offers information about the misdemeanor and felony convictions of the concerned individual. The background check only reveals state-specific information. The criminal records registered in any other U.S. state database or in the FBI database are not accessible using this background check. Moreover, the information available to individuals does not include details like pending arrests, dismissed cases or cases where the accused was found not guilty or acquitted.

You may contact the bureau by calling 501-618-8500 or email them at cora.gentry@asp.arkansas.gov. The hours of operation of the bureau are between 7.30 a.m. and 4.30 p.m. from Monday to Friday.

Arkansas Background Check: Electronic Process

As per Act 63 of the First Extraordinary Session, 2003, an electronic background check is available only for professional licensing boards and employers. These entities need to apply to use the online service. If the application is accepted and approved, the particular entity could register with the Arkansas State Police Department and have online access to an Arkansas background check.

The Information Network of Arkansas is responsible for offering this online service. Upon acceptance of the application and registration, a user is required to provide a username and password. These could be used later to log on to the system and search for information.

If you are already a subscriber of the Information Network of Arkansas, you could log on to the system at https://www.ark.org/criminal/index.php. The rates for conducting a background check are as follows:

For every name-based search request of Arkansas State: $22.00
For every name-based search request of Arkansas State (from volunteers): $11.00
For every fingerprint-based search request nationwide: $19.25
For every fingerprint-based search request nationwide (from volunteers): $15.25

If you do not have an account with the Information Network of Arkansas, you can create an account at https://www.ark.org/ina/sub.

The online background check results would include details like the following:

• Any convictions, both felony and misdemeanor, in the state of Arkansas
• Any pending arrests in cases involving felonies
• Any sex offense records, including all levels of the offense

The online background check takes a few minutes if you can provide all search criteria. If your Arkansas online background check requires research, it might take a little longer.

Arkansas Crime Information Center

The Arkansas Crime Information Center database is based on the fingerprints taken after the arrest of an individual. It is not the name of the individual that serves as the basis of this database, but their fingerprints. This makes it one of the best online sources of information for conducting background checks. You need to keep in mind that an Arkansas background check done from the Arkansas State Police central repository does not offer records present in the databases of other U.S. states or federal agencies. Often, all local criminal records are not part of the state database.

An Arkansas criminal records search could also be done on a county level. This gives access to the criminal cases filed against an individual or a business in a local court. You could contact the local law enforcement authorities or the local criminal justice agencies for these records. Some counties also offer a criminal record search online that is helpful in conducting an Arkansas background check on a local level.