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Criminal Record Checks and Police Checks

In compliance with the RCMP ministerial directive, Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) provides two kinds of criminal record checks in addition to a Police Vulnerable Sector Check.

The OPP cannot complete any type of record check for any applicant if they reside in another police service’s jurisdiction.  For example, if you live in the city of Toronto, the Toronto Police Service will have to complete your record check.  All checks provide Canada wide results.

If you live in OPP jurisdiction, please attend your local OPP detachment (Detachment Finder) to have one of the three following checks completed:

Police Criminal Record Check (PCRC) (Click here for online form)

This check is intended for applicants seeking employment and/or volunteering with agencies where a basic PCRC is requested (e.g. retail or immigration).  This check is NOT intended for applicants who are seeking employment and/or volunteering with vulnerable persons.

The Police Criminal Record Check will include the following information, as it exists at the time of the search:

  • Criminal convictions from CPIC and/or local databases; and/or,
  • Findings of guilt under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, within the applicable disclosure period.

Police Information Check (PIC) (Click here for online form)

This check is intended for applicants who are seeking volunteer and/or employment with agencies who require a criminal record check. The agency has determined that a search of sex offenders with a record suspension is NOT required (e.g., border crossing or visa); therefore, this check is NOT intended for applicants who are seeking employment and/or volunteer with vulnerable persons.

The Police Information Check will include the following information as it exists at the time of the search:

  • Criminal convictions from CPIC and/or local databases;
  • Findings of Guilt under the Youth Criminal Justice Act within the applicable disclosure period;
  • Outstanding entries, such as charges and warrants, judicial orders, Peace Bonds, Probation and Prohibition Orders. As per CPIC policy, information obtained from the Investigative Databank must be confirmed and authorized for release by the contributing agency; and/or,
  • Absolute and conditional discharges for 1 or 3 years respectively.

Police Vulnerable Sector Check (PVSC) (including Pardoned Sex Offender Database (PSOD)) (Click here for online form)

This check is restricted to applicants seeking employment and/or volunteering in a position of authority or trust relative to vulnerable persons in Canada only. It is a collection of offence information, including: convictions, outstanding warrants, charges, judicial orders and sexual offence convictions for which the individual has received a record suspension where authorized by the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness. In addition, non-conviction information shall be released only when it meets the Risk Assessment.

A Vulnerable Person is defined as:
All children who are less than 18 years of age, AND/OR persons who, because of their age, a disability or other circumstances, whether temporary or permanent:

  • are in a position of dependence on others; and/or,
  • are otherwise at a greater risk than the general population of being harmed by persons in a position of authority or trust relative to them.

The Police Vulnerable Sector Check will include the following information as it exists at the time of the search:

  • Criminal convictions from CPIC and/or local databases;
  • Findings of Guilt under the Youth Criminal Justice Act within the applicable disclosure period;
  • Outstanding entries, such as charges and warrants, judicial orders, Peace Bonds, Probation and Prohibition Orders. As per CPIC policy, information obtained from the Investigative Databank must be confirmed and authorized for release by the contributing agency;
  • Absolute and conditional discharges for 1 or 3 years respectively;
  • In very exceptional cases where it meets the Risk Assessment, non-conviction information can be released. Definition for non-conviction:

Criminal charges that did not result in a conviction or finding of guilt in court and/or police occurrence records that may or may not have resulted in charges.

  • Disposition of Not Criminally Responsible by Reason of Mental Disorder; and/or,
  • All record suspensions as authorized for release by the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness.

RCMP Policy stipulates that the Vulnerable Sector Check MUST be completed by the police service of local jurisdiction where the applicant resides and for each agency the applicant is working or volunteering for.

The Police Vulnerable Sector Check is an agency/organization driven request. In order to have this completed, you must have an agency/organization letter which explains that you need a Police Vulnerable Sector Check.  You will also need to give a detailed description of the specific job you will be hired/volunteer for, as well as a hiring manager’s name and contact number.

Pardoned Sex Offender Database Hits 

On July 19, 2010, the RCMP announced changes to the way that Pardoned Sex Offender Database checks would be conducted. 

Previously, a Vulnerable Sector (VS) query would only hit to a potential match based on an applicant's name and date of birth. Now, the Pardoned Sex Offender Database (PSOD) search is conducted two ways. First, it is queried against a potential name hit. Secondly, it is checked against a date of birth and gender match only, regardless of the name. The purpose of the RCMP making this change is to capture during a Vulnerable Sector search any pardoned sex offenders who have subsequently obtained a legal name change. 

The result of this is that a person who has the same date of birth and gender as a pardoned sex offender will also get a potential hit to the PSOD. Those people will also be required to submit fingerprints for processing, in order to confirm whether or not there is a pardoned sex offence on file.

Applicants that are under the age of 18 years do not qualify to have a search of the Pardoned Sex Offender Database so in this case a Vulnerable Sector form is filled out but the section with results for PSOD will be marked to say that a search of the PSOD was not conducted.

Acceptable Forms of Photo Identification

  • Driver’s Licence
  • BYID (Bring Your Identification, issued by the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO))
  • Military Employment Card
  • Canadian Citizenship Card
  • Indian Status Card
  • Passport
  • Permanent Resident Card
  • PAL (Possession & Acquisition Licence issued by the Chief Firearms Office)
  • CNIB (Canadian National Institute for the Blind) Card
  • Ontario Photo ID Card (issued by the MTO)
  • NEXUS Card
  • FAST Pass


Acceptable Forms of Non-Photo Identification

  • Birth Certificate
  • Baptismal Certificate
  • Hunting Licence
  • Outdoors Card
  • Canadian Blood Donor Card
  • Immigration Papers

 

Young Person Consent 

The OPP takes the position that individuals under the age of 16 cannot provide consent, and consent must therefore be provided by a parent or legal guardian. The parent or legal guardian of this young person must sign, date and indicate their relationship to the young person on the bottom of applicable consent form. The parent or legal guardian must supply one piece of photo identification and 1 piece of non-photo identification from the lists above.  The young person must supply an acceptable form of non-photo identification, as well as a photo Student Card.

Release of Information 

The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act of Ontario, or in the case of a young person, the Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA), applies at all OPP locations in the protection of personal information used at any stage in the process of releasing CPIC information to recipients. Individuals requesting a Record check must accurately complete the applicable consent form, as required by the circumstance, and provide at least two pieces of identification before a search can be made and police information released. If the consent form is not filled out completely or two pieces of identification not supplied this could result in unnecessary delays in the searches to be completed. 

Declaration of Criminal Record (LE229) (Click here for form)

If an applicant has a criminal record and wants to process the check in a quick manner they may fill out the Declaration of a Criminal Record form. Declaration of Criminal Record (LE229) is a process whereby the applicant must declare all of their adult criminal convictions to the Police Service in accordance with CPIC policy requirements and federal laws. 

Self-Declaration should NOT include:

  • Conviction for which a pardon has been received
  • Youth Convictions (YCJA)
  • Absolute/Conditional Discharges
  • Offences where there were no convictions
  • Provincial/Municipal Offences
  • Charges dealt with outside of Canada

In order to release criminal convictions identified through a name based query, the Police Service must be satisfied that the applicant’s declared criminal record information is a match to their registered criminal record held at the RCMP National Repository of Criminal Records. If the declared criminal record is not a match with the applicants criminal record the applicant will be required to submit fingerprints which would result in a delay with the check being completed.

Reconsideration Process

The reconsideration process is only available for applicants who wish to dispute non-conviction information released on a Police Vulnerable Sector Check.

An applicant, who has had a Police Vulnerable Sector Check (PVSC) completed, may wish to have non-conviction information excluded from the results. Definition of non-conviction:

Criminal charges that did not result in a conviction or finding of guilt in court and/or police occurrence records that may or may not have resulted in charges.

Applicants will be required to provide specific documentation in order to initiate this course of action:  

  • Applicant submits letter in writing addressed to the Security Bureau, Attention Manager, Security Enquires Unit (SEU), either to the SEU email mailbox (opp.sec.enq.unit@opp.ca) or Canada Post mailing address (as below) stating their reasons for the request.
  • Applicant must include a copy of their current record check.
  • Applicant may include any other documents they feel may support their request.
  • Requests for reconsideration shall be made within 60 days of the completion of the applicant’s PVSC.
  • Reconsideration requests will be processed within 30 days.

Note:  If any of the above requirements are not met, the application will be rejected upon receipt and the applicant will be notified in writing.

Applicants Who Wish to Dispute a Criminal Conviction

Individuals wishing to have criminal convictions removed from their record check can utilize the Record Suspension process through the Parole Board of Canada.

Information that is listed incorrectly because of a clerical error or lack of information will be addressed at the Detachment Level.

Mailing address:
Security Enquires Unit
777 Memorial Ave., 3rd Floor
Orillia, Ontario
L3V 7V3

Out of Country Criminal Record Check

The OPP cannot perform any type of record check for a Canadian resident currently living abroad.  The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) is the only Canadian police service that can provide this type of check.  Please visit the RCMP’s website for their fees, processing times and requirements:

http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/cr-cj/steps-etapes-eng.htm (scroll down to “If you are outside of Canada”)

For more information, you can also visit the Canadian Consulate or Embassy in the country you currently reside in.

Fees/Times of Service

Please contact your local detachment for the fees and times of service that they are available to complete a record check.  You can use the link below to find the closest Detachment to your residence:

Detachment Finder

For more information, visit:
Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)