Access the Oregon Background Records

Oregon State law allows the public to access specific information contained in the criminal history records through various processes. The state allows restricted access to the details contained in another individual’s background records by using a name or date of birth search. In addition if you wish to obtain the records of your own criminal history record, you could obtain complete access provided you can provide“positive fingerprint identification”. To obtain details contained in the criminal history records one has to get in touch with the Identification Service Section situated in Salem.

Oregon Background Checks

The Records Section of the State Police in Oregon State maintains and updates information on individual’s criminal history records. These records contain records of conviction and any details of arrests that are not more than a year old and in which there have been no dismissal or acquittal. A request can be made for conducting a background check on any individual by using the website of the State Police in Oregon State or via fax or through mail.

Requesting Details of the Criminal History Records of Another Individual

In accordance with Chapter 181 of the ‘Oregon Revised Statute’ and the ‘Administrative Rules’ Chapter 257 of the Oregon State, the complete information on the criminal offenders in Oregon is available only to the criminal justice agencies.Apart from the criminal justice agencies, an agency or an individual can have restricted access to the information about the criminal offenders in Oregon.

When a background check is conducted on an individual the records section of the Oregon State Police has to inform the individual on whom the check is being conducted on, about the agency or person that has requested for conducting the background check. After a period of 14 days upon notifying the concerned individual, the Records Section provides the following details to the requesting agency or the individual: name of the arresting agency, arrest date, the nature of the offense for which the individual was arrested, the court of origin, records of disposition that include details such as date of parole, any information on parole revocations and the sentence imposed.

While processing the request for a background check on an individual, if the records section discovers that the concerned individual has no criminal offense recorded in his/her criminal history records or it has only has non- conviction data, the division will not release any further details other than stating that the concerned individual has no criminal record. If it is discovered that the request is sought by an employer for the purpose of employment, it will require that the employer not only notify the concerned individual about the background search but also acquire his/ her consent and state how the employer had advised the individual about the request for background check.

The time taken by the Section to respond to a request for background check depends upon the number of requests that the section needs to process at that moment.

To request for the background check of an individual by mail, the requesting individual or agency has to mention the address and name of the individual or agency that is requesting for the background check, date of birth, SSN, known residential address of the individual on whom the background check is been done on, and full name. In addition a fee of $ 10 per check, has to be sent in the form of a check or a money order that is payable to the State Police in Oregon at the following address: Oregon State Police, Unit 11, PO Box 4395, Portland, Oregon 97208 .

Requesting the Details of Your Own Criminal History Records

To request for their own criminal history record, or a clearance letter, individuals can use ‘National Record Check’ and ‘Oregon Record Check’. Individuals have to send a copy of their fingerprint identification card along with a fee of $ 33 to the State Police in Oregon to process the request. Individuals can send their request via mail at:  Oregon State Police, Identification Services Section, Unit 11, P.O. Box 4395, Portland, OR 97208-4395.

For further information on conducting a background check in Oregon, individuals can contact at the following address: 3772 Portland Rd NE Salem, Or 97301, Phone: 503-378-3070 Fax: 503-378-2121, website: http://www.oregon.gov/OSP/ID/public_records.shtml.