Home › News & Updates › Federal Rap Back
Federal Rap Back in California: what employers and agencies should know
In 30 seconds
- The California DOJ now lets authorized agencies sign up for the FBI’s Rap Back service. It sends a notice if someone the agency fingerprinted is later arrested, or has a court outcome, in another state.
- Only agencies with a specific legal authority can enroll, and only people fingerprinted after enrollment are covered.
- Applicants don’t sign up for anything, and nothing changes at the fingerprint appointment.
What Rap Back does
A regular Live Scan background check is a snapshot: it shows a person’s record on the day they were fingerprinted. Rap Back keeps working after that. If the person is later arrested, or a court records an outcome, the agency that fingerprinted them can be notified.
California agencies could already get these follow-up notices for arrests in California. Federal Rap Back adds notices from other states through the FBI.
Who can enroll
Agencies whose legal authority to get FBI results meets the FBI’s review. In general, the law has to:
- Require or allow fingerprint checks
- Name a specific group of applicants
- Not give federal record access to a private company
Youth and care organizations
Organizations that screen staff and volunteers under Penal Code 11105.3 go through the DOJ’s CalVECHS program first, with a sign-up deadline of January 1, 2027. See CalVECHS deadline: what youth, church and nonprofit groups need to do.
How an agency enrolls
- Clean up your current list. In the DOJ’s Applicant Agency Justice Connection (AAJC) portal, submit “No Longer Interested” requests for people who no longer work or volunteer with you.
- Submit a request. Send a Federal Rap Back Service Request in the AAJC portal and choose which applicant types to enroll, such as employees or volunteers.
- Sign three agreements: the federal subsequent arrest notification contract (BCIA 8050), an updated California version (BCIA 8049), and the Authorized Recipient User Agreement (BCIA 9005).
- Wait for FBI approval. The DOJ sends the request to the FBI; the DOJ says approval may take several months.
- Renew every five years through the AAJC portal. The DOJ sends a reminder at least two months before a subscription expires.
Who is covered
Only people fingerprinted after your agency enrolls are covered. People fingerprinted before that aren’t included unless you have them fingerprinted again. The DOJ says it will announce plans for previously fingerprinted applicants later.
Costs and limits
- Cost: the DOJ says Rap Back is included in the cost of a federal background check, with no added fee.
- Missing outcomes: the DOJ notes that 26 states don’t send court outcomes to the FBI. You may get an arrest notice without the result, so confirm the outcome before acting on it.
- Keep your list current: No Longer Interested requests are due within five days of events such as a separation or denial, and the DOJ audits enrolled agencies.
For applicants
There’s nothing to sign up for. Bring the Live Scan form your employer or agency gives you, as usual. Our office takes your fingerprints and submits them; we don’t receive Rap Back notices or see your results.
Fingerprinting staff on a schedule?
We set up business accounts and on-site group visits for employers and organizations in the Pasadena area.
Official sources
- DOJ Information Bulletin 25-13-CJIS: New Federal Rap Back Service Available (December 19, 2025)
- DOJ Applicant Agency Justice Connection (AAJC) overview
Related reading
Information checked on October 29, 2026. Rules can change; follow the DOJ’s current instructions. Pasadena Live Scan Service is an independent fingerprinting provider, not the California Department of Justice. This article is general information, not legal advice.