Department of Health
John J. Dreyzehner, MD, MPH, Commissioner

Instructions

Criminal Background Check Instructions for Health Related Boards Applicants

*** All applicants applying for initial licensure in Tennessee (not renewal or reinstatement) will be required to obtain a criminal background check conducted by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR APPLICANTS:

• Living in the State of Tennessee
• Living Outside the State of Tennessee

Applicants Living in the State of Tennessee

Click here for printable instructions

*** All applicants applying for initial licensure in Tennessee (not renewal or reinstatement) will be required to obtain a criminal background check through the State of Tennessee selected vendor, IdentoGO by MorphoTrust.  You may register online or by telephone.  Electronic print locations are available at www.identogo.com.  Click on Locations.

PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT YOU MUST HAVE YOUR PRINTS SCANNED WITHIN 2 WEEKS OF WHEN YOU REGISTER, OR YOU WILL BE REQUIRED TO RE-REGISTER AND RE-PAY THE $42.00 PROCESSING FEE.

• Using your computer web browser, go to www.identogo.com  and choose Tennessee.
• If you do not have access to the internet, you may call IdentoGO by MorphoTrust at (855) 226-2937 to schedule an appointment.  If you call, you will be asked the following questions instead of completing these steps yourself.
• Click Online Scheduling and choose the language you wish to use for scheduling (English or Spanish).
• Enter your first and last name and click “go”.
• Choose the Agency Name, Department of Health Licensure and Regulation, from a drop-down box and click “go”.
• Choose the Applicant Type, Health Licensure, and click “go”.
• Enter your OCA number and/or other identifying information required and click “go” after each.
• Select the location where you want to be fingerprinted.  You may choose a region of the state, click on the map, or enter a zip code to obtain a list of locations in a specific area.  Press “go”
• Click on the words “Click to Schedule” across from the location you want, under the day you wish to be fingerprinted.  If you want a date further in the future, click the “Next Week” link to display more dates.  Once you select the location/date combination, select the time for your appointment and click “go”.
• Complete the demographic information screen.  Required fields are indicated by a red asterisk (*).  When complete, click “Send Information”.
• Confirm the information.  Follow the on screen directions to make any changes necessary.  Once you see the data is correct, click “Send Information”.
• You are required to pay for your own fingerprinting.  You will be presented with several payment options.  Complete your payment process and click “Send Payment Information”.
• Print your confirmation page.
• Bring approved identification documents with you to the appointment.  These approved document options are offered when your appointment date and time are confirmed.
• Arrive at the facility at your appointed date and time.
• At the fingerprint site you will be asked to provide a State or Federal Government issued ID, verify your information, verify or collect payment, and have your fingerprints scanned.  This normally takes less than five minutes. 
• You will receive a signed receipt at the end of your fingerprinting session.
• Your scanned fingerprints will be forwarded electronically to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation for processing.
• Your background check report should be in the office of the Profession Board you are applying to within 5 – 8 business days.

IF FINGERPRINTS ARE REJECTED

• TBI will notify the Health Related Boards and a letter will be sent to the Applicant from the Health Related Boards.

TO SCHEDULE A REPRINT APPOINTMENT (If you have been rejected)

• Go to www.identogo.com
•  Click Tennessee on the map or choose Tennessee in the drop down box and click “Go”.
•  Near the bottom of the screen, click on “ONLINE SCHEDULING”.
• Choose the preferred language by clicking on either English or Spanish.
• From the “WELCOME” screen, scroll to the bottom of the page under “EXISTING APPOINTMENTS”.
• Click on “I HAVE RECEIVED A REJECTION NOTICE AND NEED TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT”.
• On the rejection details screen, type the TCR Number provided in the rejection notice in the blank box and click “Go”.
• Select the location where the reprint appointment will be scheduled.  Selection may be made by entering a zip code, clicking on the picture of the map or choosing a region of the state from the drop down box.  Once the location has been chosen, click “Go”.
• Choose your preferred location and desired date for reprinting and click on the words “Click to Schedule”.

If a date further in the future is desired, click the “Next Week>>” link.  Once the location and date are selected, choose the appointment time and click “Go”.

•  Print or write down the confirmation number, appointment time and place.  Please make sure that you arrive at your scheduled reprint appointment and location on time.

If you are unable to schedule your reprinting via the internet, the reprint appointment may be scheduled by calling IdentoGO by MorphoTrust scheduling center at (855) 226-2937 between 9:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday (Central Time).  When calling, please inform the Customer Service Representative that this is for reprinting and give the representative the TCR #.

RESCHEDULING POLICY

Applicants paying for fingerprinting fees via credit card online must keep their originally scheduled appointment or be rescheduled within two (2) weeks of that original appointment date.  Failure to do so will result in forfeiture of paid fees.
Applicants paying via credit card are encouraged to call the scheduling office at (855) 226-2937 to reschedule their appointment.

REFUND POLICY

Refunds will be given under the following circumstances:

• Initial fingerprint appointment was not kept and second appointment was unable to be made within two (2) weeks of initial appointment, or appointment was unable to be kept due to unforeseen circumstances agreed to by customer and IdentoGO by MorphoTrust.

Refunds will not be given under the following circumstances:

• If the customer did not reschedule their fingerprinting appointment within the two (2) week period after their original appointment.
• If the customer rescheduled their fingerprint appointment within the two (2) week period after their original appointment, but did not show up to the second appointment.

REFUND PROCEDURES

Requests for refunds should be sent to:
IdentoGO by MorphoTrust
Refund Request
15 Century Blvd., Suite 500
Nashville, TN 37214

Information required in the letter:

• Contact person’s name
• Contact person’s phone number and address
• Email address
• Date and method of the payment
• Transaction reference number (if applicable)
• Reason for request

The customer is advised to send the refund request letter by priority or certified mail to ensure receipt of the request by IdentoGO by MorphoTrust.  IdentoGO by MorphoTrust will not be responsible if the customer’s refund request letter is lost in the mail.

Standard turnaround time

Standard turnaround time for refund is within one month from the date IdentoGO by MorphoTrust receives the customer refund request letter.  IdentoGO by MorphoTrust will notify the customer of the decision to accept or reject the refund request for the reasons stated within this policy within one month from the date IdentoGO by MorphoTrust receives the customer refund request letter.

Applicants Living Outside the State of Tennessee

Click here for printable instructions

FINGERPRINT CARD INSTRUCTIONS
(PLEASE DO NOT FOLD THE FINGERPRINT CARD)

1. Fill out the fingerprint card in its entirety, boxes concerning date of birth, place of birth, sex, race, height, weight, eyes and hair must be filled in.  To obtain a fingerprint card, contact the board in which you are applying for licensure.
2. Take the fingerprint card to your local Sheriff’s office or Police department to have fingerprinting done.
3. The boxes asking for the employer and address, reason for the fingerprinting, OCA number should already be labeled; however, if they are not entered, place the information given at the bottom of this page in those boxes.
4. Register on-line, www.identogo.com and choose Tennessee.  If you do not have access to the internet, you may call toll free (855)226-2937.  If registering on-line:
   • Click Online Scheduling and choose the language you wish to use for scheduling (English or Spanish)
   • Enter your first and last name and click “go”.
   • Choose the Agency Name, Department of Health of Health Licensure and Regulation, from a drop-down box and click “go”.
   • Choose the Applicant Type, Health Licensure and click “go”.
   • Enter your OCA number and click yes then click “Pay for Ink Card Submission,” on the appointment Details page and follow the instructions.  This will identify to IdentoGO by MorphoTrust that a hard card will be mailed to them for conversion to an electronic fingerprint record which will then be submitted to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
5. Applicants must complete the entire registration process; a confirmation number will be supplied at the end of the registration process.  This number must be retained by the applicant for tracking purposes.  This confirmation number must be recorded on a separate piece of paper, along with two contact phone numbers and submitted with the fingerprint card when it is submitted to IdentoGO by MorphoTrust for processing.
6. Once you have had your fingerprints completed and are registered, if you have not paid by credit card during the registration process, please send the card with a money order payment of $42.00 to the address given below.  Money order should be made out to IdentoGO by MorphoTrust and must include the applicant’s full name.  Personal checks are not accepted:

IdentoGO by MorphoTrust
Tennessee Card Scan Processing
1650 Wabash Avenue, Suite D
Springfield, IL  62704

(For tracking and security reasons, it is recommended that a shipping service with tracking be utilized when sending your card.  Please include at least two (2) means of contact information for the applicant. Examples: daytime phone, cell phone, etc.  You may verify receipt of your card by IdentoGO by MorphoTrust after three (3) days of shipping your card by calling 855-226-2937 and speaking with a customer service agent.)

7. Your fingerprint card will be processed and sent to the TBI and FBI for reading and reporting.  This process will take approximately 7-10 days once IdentoGO by MorphoTrust has received the card.  If your fingerprints are rejected the first time, you will be notified and given specific instructions on how to complete this process for a second time.  You will not be charged for a second fingerprint card process.
8. Your background check report will be forwarded to the Tennessee Board you are applying to.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OCA Codes

Policies and Updates

Policies and Updates

Policies and Updates will be posted as they become available.

General Information

• TCA-63-1-116
• Contact Health Related Boards
• Tennesse Bureau of Investigation

Contact the Criminal Background Check Unit at 800-778-4123 ext. 3-5515.