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Arkansas Background Check
Choose Arkansas public ARCH history or the consent-based CBC process, prepare the required search details, and understand charges, scope and result delivery.
ARCH, CBC, and a court file are different products
Arkansas offers public ARCH searches without the subject’s written consent, while Criminal Background Check (CBC) is for authorized users with signed consent. ARCH directs legally mandated checks to CBC. Before buying, ask the employer or licensing body which program and release it requires. Neither an Arkansas-only history nor a docket copy automatically meets a national screening requirement.
CBC requires a Tyler Arkansas account and authorization. Category I covers consent-based state checks only; Category II permits national FBI fingerprint checks when a specific state or federal law authorizes access. Both require consent, but the published retention periods differ: five years for Category I and three for Category II.
Prepare a public ARCH inquiry
ARCH is online only. Enter the legal first and last name, sex, and complete birth date for an adult over 18. Payment is by credit or debit card. The nonrefundable $24 inquiry includes one selected result, even if no subject is found; opening another candidate’s report costs a further $24. Verify the search details and narrow candidates before buying more reports.
An ARCH result can contain Arkansas felony and misdemeanor convictions, open felony arrests less than three years old, and specified sex-offender registration status. It omits juvenile and sealed records, federal and out-of-state history, dismissed charges, unresolved misdemeanor arrests, older felony arrests, acquittals, warrants, pardoned convictions, traffic history, and arrests without fingerprints.
Distinguish a candidate from a verified identity
A name returned on the candidate list does not itself show a criminal record. The purchased response may show a history, no history for an identified person, or no identified subject. A name search does not establish identity without fingerprints. Court reporting gaps can also affect completeness. Save the PDF immediately; the emailed receipt contains a time-limited download link.
Use the report’s agency, event, and case references to identify what needs clarification. A background summary and the underlying sentencing order serve different purposes. If a recipient needs proof of a particular disposition, name that document when contacting the court, rather than purchasing unrelated candidate reports.
CBC prices changed for FBI checks on October 1, 2026
The current CBC entry page lists $22 per Arkansas state name check, or $11 for a volunteer. The FBI fingerprint portion is $16, or $14 for a volunteer, following the October 1, 2026 increase. These are separate state and national charges; a non-volunteer state-plus-FBI pair is $38 before any other applicable collection or account costs. Use your licensing representative’s instructions for the required category.
CBC warns that incorrect entries or selecting the wrong data do not qualify for refunds. Check the applicant’s name, date of birth, sex, and race against government identification before submission. Category II requires a successful state check before the national fingerprint check is processed, and the fingerprint submission must use the matching transaction information.
Mail requests and certified results need their own route
A standard mailed Arkansas-only request uses ASP-122 with a $25 check or money order payable to Arkansas State Police; do not send cash. No fingerprint card is required for that state-only request. Results go to the person or entity named in the release. A legally mandated check may require a different form, so get it from the licensing body instead of substituting the general request.
ARCH does not issue certified results. Its instructions direct certified-history inquiries to Arkansas State Police, Identification Bureau, 1 State Police Plaza Drive, Little Rock, AR 72209, in person or by mail. For the applicable application and delivery requirements, the Identification Bureau number published with the background-check forms is 501-618-8500.
Track CBC requests and save the report
CBC can return a state result immediately or mark it pending when additional information or research is needed. Follow the Pending tab, then the emailed notice and History tab when results are ready. Download or print within 14 days after first viewing: that is the published report-availability window, not a promise that every check finishes within 14 days.
The CBC workflow says national results should return within five business days or sooner, with electronic delivery to the requesting person or entity rather than a mailed paper copy. Fingerprint-pending status means fingerprints still need to be supplied or coordinated with a harvester. Check the actual transaction status before treating the published estimate as a completed result.
Review an inaccurate record through ACIC
ACIC’s Authorization for Review of Criminal History Information is available to the subject, the subject’s attorney, or someone authorized in writing. Complete it before a notary, include previous names and identifying details, and identify the permitted recipient. The form directs requests to ACIC Criminal History Division, 322 S. Main Street, Suite 615, Little Rock, AR 72201, or fax 501-682-2269.
Explain which arrest, disposition, or identity information appears wrong and retain the report being challenged. The form’s Social Security number field is voluntary but described as helpful for identification. Use the review route to resolve an error; repeatedly paying for the same background search will not correct the underlying record.