Welcome to the Board of Fingerprinting Web Site

The Arizona Board of Fingerprinting is a state agency that does two things:

Good-cause exceptions. The Board considers applications from individuals whose fingerprint clearance card has been denied or suspended by the Arizona Department of Public Safety and who are trying to demonstrate that they're rehabilitated and not recidivists. People who work with vulnerable populations—children, the elderly, or persons with developmental disabilities—normally need a card to work.
Central-registry exceptions. The Board considers applications from individuals who have been disqualified after a central-registry background check. Individuals who have had substantiated allegations of child abuse or neglect are listed in a set of Child Protective Services databases called the Central Registry. Employees of contractors, subcontractors, or offerors who provide direct services to children or vulnerable adults for the Arizona Department of Economic Security must have a background check on the Central Registry. If they don't clear that background check, they may be eligible to apply to the Board to show that they are rehabilitated and not recidivists.

This web site is for anyone interested in what the Board does, the fingerprint clearance card system, good-cause exceptions, or central-registry exceptions. It focuses on the needs of individuals who are going through one of the application processes. If you don't find the information you're looking for on this site, please click on Contact Information to learn how to get in touch with Board staff members, who can help answer your questions.

Download application forms

You can download applications at one of the links below. Important: please make sure that you check to see which form you should download and whether you're eligible to apply.

Application for Good Cause Exception (click to download the form after reading below)

You should use this form if you had a fingerprint clearance card denied or suspended by the Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS).
Please make sure that the letter from DPS says that you're eligible to request a good cause exception.

Application for Central Registry Exception (click to download the form after reading below)

You should use this form if you received a letter from the Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES) saying that, due to a substantiated allegation of child abuse or neglect, you were disqualified from providing direct services to children or vulnerable-adult clients of DES.
You are not eligible to request a central-registry exception if the letter from DES is dated before August 2, 2012.

Please be sure to read the application instructions carefully and to see the sections of our Web site on frequently asked questions and the application process. (We'll be updating this information soon with information about central-registry exceptions.)

Find Out Your Case Status

Find out the status of your case by following this link. You'll need to have your application number. (Case-status information is updated once each day. We strive to make sure the online case-status information is correct, but please read our Web site disclaimer, which you can read at this link.)

Note: this online case status only applies to good-cause-exception applications. If you're applying for a central-registry exception, please contact us for the status of your case.

Need Help Completing Your Application?

Please see our Forms & Resources page for information and assistance on the application package. Included on that page are two documents to help you with areas of the application package that applicants often have trouble with.

If you need additional help, please contact us at info@azbof.gov or (602) 265-0135. Also, see our overview of the application process and frequently asked questions.