Employer screening, regulated occupations and volunteers

Employment & Professional Licensing

Fingerprinting for employment screening, professional licensing, regulated occupations, volunteer positions and other employer requirements.

Application types covered

Employment (Private Industry)
Employment (Other)
Employment (Provincial Government)
Volunteer Employment

Purposes we cover, and what each one costs

Private employment
$60 service fee + $25 RCMP fee
A private-sector employer asks for a fingerprint-based check when a name-and-date-of-birth search returns a possible match that has to be ruled out, or when the role is safety-sensitive, handles money or is otherwise a position of trust. Submitted as Employment (Private Industry).
Provincial and public-sector employment
$60 service fee + $25 RCMP fee
Provincial ministries, health authorities, school districts, municipalities and Crown corporations commonly require fingerprint screening for positions of trust or for access to sensitive systems. Submitted as Employment (Provincial Government). Federal government employment is handled on our federal clearance page, where the fee treatment is different.
Professional licensing
$60 service fee + $25 RCMP fee, or $60 only with Form SPD 0507
Regulators such as the BC Financial Services Authority, the Insurance Council of BC and the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants may require a certified check when you apply for a licence, renew it or seek reinstatement. One exception: for a security worker licence under the Security Services Act, if you hold Form SPD 0507 the RCMP bills the BC Ministry of Public Safety directly, so you pay the service fee only.
Student placement and practicum
$60 service fee + $25 RCMP fee
Colleges, universities and the organizations hosting a practicum — a health authority, school district or social-service agency — often require a check before a placement begins. Submitted as Employment (Other). An academic placement is not treated as volunteer work, so the federal fee applies even where the placement is unpaid.
Qualifying volunteer work
$60 service fee only, with the organization's letter
The RCMP waives its federal fee for qualifying unpaid volunteer positions. Bring a written request from the organization you volunteer with, on its letterhead, confirming that the position is unpaid — that letter is what waives the fee. Without it, the federal fee is charged.

Acuity provides fingerprint-based RCMP submissions. We do not perform name-based Police Information Checks, local police record checks, or complete Vulnerable Sector Checks — those are issued by your local police service or, in British Columbia, through the Criminal Records Review Program. If a name-based search cannot rule out a possible match, the police service or the program will send you a written request for fingerprints. Bring that request to us: we capture and submit the prints, and the requesting body completes the check.

The federal fee for this purpose

Private employment, provincial and public-sector employment, professional licensing and student placements are generally subject to the $25 RCMP federal fee in addition to the $60 service fee. Qualifying unpaid volunteer work is generally exempt — bring a letter from the organization, on its letterhead, confirming that the position is unpaid, as that letter is what waives the fee.

The federal fee is set by the RCMP, not by Acuity, and is passed through at cost. GST does not apply to the service fee. We confirm the fee that applies to you against your request letter before your appointment.

See the full fee breakdown

What to bring

Two pieces of valid, original government-issued identification
At least one identification document containing a photograph
Your fingerprint request letter, instructions or file number
Name and address of the organization receiving the result

See the full checklist

Processing times

Processing times are set by the RCMP, not by Acuity. Where fingerprints do not match a criminal record, processing may take three business days or less. Applications requiring manual processing, or involving a possible match, may take approximately 120 business days. Mailing time is additional. Acuity Fingerprint Solutions does not control processing or delivery times.

Note — These processing times apply only to the RCMP criminal-record-check component. They do not include mailing time or processing by IRCC, the Parole Board of Canada, a foreign government, an employer, a licensing body or another requesting organization.

Official guidance

Requirements are set by the organization that asked for your fingerprints and can change without notice. Where their letter or instructions differ from anything on this page, follow their instructions, and bring the letter to your appointment so we can submit the transaction the way they need it.

These links open official government websites, which Acuity does not operate or control.

Acuity Fingerprint Solutions Inc. is an RCMP-accredited affiliate fingerprinting company. Electronic fingerprint transactions are securely submitted to CCRTIS through an RCMP-accredited Direct Connect agency.

Questions

Employment & Professional Licensing — frequently asked

The questions we are asked most often about this application type. Where your request letter says something different, follow the letter and bring it with you.

My employer asked for a criminal record check. Why do I need fingerprints?

Usually because a name-and-date-of-birth search returned a possible match that has to be ruled out, or because the role is safety-sensitive, handles money or is otherwise a position of trust. Follow the request you were given — it states which check is required, and bring it with you.

How do I get the volunteer fee exemption?

Bring a written request from the organization you volunteer with, on its letterhead, confirming that the position is unpaid. That letter is what waives the RCMP’s $25 federal fee. Without it, the federal fee is charged.

Is a student practicum treated as volunteer work?

No. An academic placement is submitted as Employment (Other), and the federal fee applies even where the placement is unpaid. Only qualifying unpaid volunteer positions are exempt.

I am applying for a security worker licence. Do I pay the federal fee?

If you hold Form SPD 0507, the RCMP bills the BC Ministry of Public Safety directly, so you pay the $60 service fee only. Bring the form with you. Without it, the $25 federal fee applies.

Do you provide Vulnerable Sector Checks?

No. Vulnerable Sector Checks must be initiated through the appropriate police service or authorized provincial program. If the police gives you a fingerprint request letter as part of that process, please contact us to confirm whether we can capture and electronically submit the required fingerprints.

Will my result be sent to me or to the organization?

That depends on your application type and the instructions from the requesting organization. Bring the recipient name and mailing address to your appointment so the submission is directed correctly.

What do the fees cover?

The Acuity service fee is $60 for digital fingerprinting — identity verification, Livescan capture, image quality review and electronic submission. GST is not applied to this fee. Where the RCMP charges a federal fee for your application type, a further $25 is collected on the RCMP’s behalf and remitted in full. Both amounts are shown to you separately before you confirm.