Welcome! Fingerprinting requirements in New York State can be confusing. The guide below is designed to help. If you are not sure if you have to be fingerprinted, please review this chart for general guidance in New York.
If you are a Family or Group Family provider anywhere in the state, a School Age Provider anywhere in the state, or Center-Based Provider outside of NYC, you need to be fingerprinted by the NYS Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS). Follow the steps below:
If you work in a Child Care Center in New York City, you need to be fingerprinted by the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH)/ New York City Department of Investigation (DOI). Follow the steps below:
You can find more information about fingerprinting in NYC here.
All fingerprinting for the NYC Department of Education will now be through IdentoGO using a NYC DOE-specific code found in the applicant gateway under fingerprinting instructions.
Directions for getting fingerprinted (must be followed in this order to avoid unnecessary fees and delays):
Payment: $101.75 via credit card, debit card, business check or through a vendor specific account called an NCAC. Cash is not accepted. For more information on NCACs, please follow this link. If staff are being printed outside of New York State, there may be an additional $30 fee.
Please note: If prospective staff get fingerprinted before they are nominated in PETS or they use a DOI or NYS Department of Education code they will need to be refingerprinted and pay the fee again. DOE will only be able to receive the results of fingerprinting using the NYC DOE specific code provided in the nomination email. Results using the NYC DOE code will still appear in PETS and the same processes will apply to those who become ineligible in the system.
If you are seeking to obtain NYS Assistant Teacher or Teacher certification in NYS or NYC, or you are a student in a teacher preparation program leading to New York State Education Department (NYSED) certification, and you have not been fingerprinted: