Record Checks

• The applicant must attend in person and be a current resident of the City of Peterborough, the Village of Lakefield or the Township of Cavan-Monaghan.  Applications are only available on an appointment basis. Please email recordcheck@peterborough.ca to make an appointment.
• Payment is due at the time of application. We accept cash, debit, Visa and MasterCard. There are no refunds for fees paid for in-person or online record checks.
• We will strive to process your record check while you wait; however,

Please Note: Applicants who have criminal records, require fingerprinting, or have lived in certain jurisdictions in the past five years, do not qualify for on-the-spot service, as their record checks require additional time to process. Record Suspension and Taxi/Tow/Limo licence applicants also do not qualify for this service. Applicants will be advised at the time of intake what the processing time will be on their record check, as it varies based on individual circumstances.  Further, system outages can affect availability.

• Applicants who do not qualify for on-the-spot service will be contacted when their checks are complete. These completed record checks are to be picked up in the main lobby of the police station 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Do not attend until you have been advised that your record check is available to be picked up. Completed checks will be held for 6 months; after which time, they will be purged.
• Photo identification is required to pick up a completed record check.
• The public is reminded that within peak periods there may be a delay in processing.

*Please note that online applications carry a $9.95(+hst) processing fee

A volunteer letter from the organization you are volunteering with is required to obtain the reduced fee and must be presented at the time of application. Students requiring a Police Record Check for Co-op placement, volunteer hours, etc. are required to provide a letter either from their school or from their placement location. In order to qualify for the reduced rate, you must not be receiving any financial compensation for your time.  Applications for emergency kinship must be accompanied by a letter stating the check is required for emergency purposes.

Volunteer/Placement letters must be on organization letterhead indicating that the purpose of the check is for volunteering and specify if the Vulnerable Screening is, or is not, required.

Students who are currently living within the city limits of Peterborough, within the Village of Lakefield or The Township of Cavan-Monaghan to attend school may apply. A letter from the school program, along with proof of a City of Peterborough, Village of Lakefield or Township of Cavan-Monaghan address is required at the time of filing.

• Two pieces of Government issued ID are required.
• Photo identification that includes your name, date of birth and address is required.  Acceptable forms of identification include drivers licence, photo health card, passport, birth certificate, Ontario photo card, permanent residence card, etc.
• International students who do not have Canadian identification are required to provide a valid passport, study/work permit and student card.
• If identification does not show an address; proof of current address within our jurisdiction must be presented (piece of mail addressed to applicant, rent/lease receipt/agreement, etc.).
• Non-photo health cards and social insurance cards are not acceptable for identification purposes.

Be advised, these are just examples; if you are unsure, please contact us for clarification.

Please ensure your level of check is accurate, as it will be processed as indicated on the form.  (Any errors on the application may result in additional costs to the applicant.)

*For student placements, the level of check is based on where your placement is, not the program itself. If you are unsure what level you need, please contact us.

Organizations and groups requiring their volunteers and/or employees to have police record checks are encouraged to contact the Police Service to arrange record check workshops at their location. Minimum numbers apply.

Please Note:  Individuals residing outside of Canada are required to contact the Canadian Consulate or Embassy office in their locale for assistance in obtaining a record check directly through the RCMP.    We are not able to process applications for applicants residing outside of Canada.

What is a Vulnerable Person?

Section 6.3(1) of the Criminal Records Act defines a Vulnerable Person as a person who, because of his or her age, a disability, or other circumstances, whether temporary or permanent,

a)    is in a position of dependency on others; or

b)    is otherwise at a greater risk than the general population of being harmed by a person in a position of trust or authority towards them.

Children are defined as being anyone under the age of 18.

Working in The Vulnerable Sector

People who volunteer or have jobs where they are in positions of trust or authority over children or vulnerable persons can be asked to obtain a vulnerable sector check. Being in a position of trust or authority is more than just having contact with children or vulnerable persons. To meet the legal requirements for a vulnerable sector check, the nature of the position – not the person – must cause the person to have authority over, or trust of, children or vulnerable persons.

The decision to request a vulnerable sector check is made by the hiring company or volunteer organization. If they determine that a position is one of trust or authority over children or vulnerable persons, they can request that an applicant for the position obtain a vulnerable sector check. The person or organization responsible for children or vulnerable persons also decides how often a vulnerable sector check must be repeated.

The police service will use information submitted by the applicant to determine if the position meets the legal requirements to conduct a vulnerable sector check. If the position does not meet the requirements of the Criminal Records Act for a vulnerable sector check, it is illegal for the police service to conduct one.

Application Process

You will be required to provide the police service with the following information:

• A description of the position
• The name of the organization staffing the position
• Details about the children or vulnerable persons (e.g. age, or other factors that can show how the person is vulnerable)
• If the position is volunteer, provide a letter from the organization stating the person will not be paid for services or any other personal expenses incurred.

Please Note:  An offer of employment or volunteer position must have been received by the applicant prior to the VS screening process being initiated. 

Once the police service has determined that the position meets the requirements for a vulnerable sector check, a name-based search will be conducted. In some cases, you will be required to submit fingerprints to confirm your identity. The use of fingerprints ensures the accuracy of the identification process. 

Fingerprinting Services Civilian fingerprinting is offered to the public on an appointment only basis.  Please call 705-876-1122 ext. 288 to request an appointment.

This process does not apply to individuals requiring fingerprints for criminal charges.

(See below for full Fingerprint Services)

The Criminal Records Act requires that vulnerable sector checks be conducted for individual positions.  If you require multiple checks, an application must be submitted for each position.

The Criminal Records Act does not allow vulnerable sector checks to be conducted for the purpose of adoptions. However, based on other provisions in the Criminal Records Act, a local police service may request fingerprints in order to check if adoptive parents have record suspensions for sex offences.

Results of vulnerable sector checks are only made available to organizations located in Canada.

Source: https://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/en/types-criminal-background-checks

Civilian fingerprinting is offered to the public on an appointment only basis.  Please call 705-876-1122 ext. 288 to request an appointment. 

This process doesnot apply to individuals requiring fingerprints for criminal charges.

Please refer to the below table for services offered and fees:

As appointments may be outside of the Records Unit hours, it is requested that payment be made in exact cash.

Things to know before booking an appointment:

1. Were you given a form that needs to be stamped by Peterborough Police Service? Are you being asked to provide a DCN number? If “Yes” - All paperwork needs to be brought with you to your appointment
2. You must know where your fingerprint results from the RCMP are coming back to (ex. Individual, 3^rd party address etc.)
3. You do not need to be a resident of our policing area to obtain civilian fingerprints (record check/vulnerable sector checks excluded) 

*** NOTE: fingerprints are taken digitally - unless you require ink. Our system does NOT go from ORI to ORI. Fingerprints are sent electronically to the RCMP, the RCMP processes your fingerprints and mails your results via Canada Post regular mail to the address given at the time of fingerprints ***

Please refer to the RCMP website for processing times - https://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/en/processing-times-and-fees

Record Check Resources

Police Check – Agency Fact Sheet

Police Check – Applicant checklist

Self Declaration – Self Declaration Guidelines – A process whereby the Applicant declares their adult criminal convictions to the Police Service. 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.

Reconsideration Process – Reconsideration Document – An Applicant may wish to have certain information excluded from the results. A reconsideration request may be submitted in writing to the Police Service for review. The reconsideration process is only applicable to non-conviction information which has been released on a Vulnerable Sector Check.

For further information, please visit the RCMP’s website.

Record Suspensions (Pardon)

Please visit the Government of Canada website to obtain full information on the Record Suspension Process:

https://www.canada.ca/en/parole-board/services/record-suspensions.html

Downloadable Record Suspension Guide – PBC Record Suspension Application Guide 2022

If you have begun the process and require fingerprints (step #1), please call (705) 876-1122 ext. 288 to make an appointment.

If you are at the Local Police Check stage (step #4), please email recordcheck@peterborough.ca to make an appointment.  Please advise in the email that it is for a Record Suspension.

Record Suspension applications do not qualify for on-the-spot processing.

If you have any questions about the Record Suspension process or for further information, please email the Peterborough Police Service General Inquiry Clerk at recordcheck@peterborough.ca or call 705-876-1122 ext. 215.

Fee for Record Suspension: $50