Fingerprint & Background Check Frequently Asked Questions

• Report at another Montana Public School   If your fingerprint results are on file with a Montana public school or school district, or a unit of the Montana University System, those results can be disseminated from one public education entity to another, as long as the result is less than 2 years old.  Results cannot be shared across state lines or from private institutions (colleges and universities, or private schools).  Please note that schools are not required to keep fingerprint results on file after completing the hiring process. *Prospective Graduate Students should be aware that a disseminated background check will not be accepted for admission.*

  Please contact Nicole Bookheimer for more specifics on this process.

• Report for my job (not at a MT school) or report on file at other agency.  No, as that agent would be unable to redisseminate your report to a Montana school.
• OPI has my background report.  I am a licensed Montana Educator.   No. All students taking MSUB coursework requiring a background report must have their criminal background report on file at MSUB.  OPI cannot disseminate reports to anyone. 

Yes, Campus Police is able to complete fingerprint cards in their office located in the southwest corner of the parking garage off of Poly Drive. Be advised, they do require an appointment, please use this link to schedule.

Yes.  Contact your local police or sheriff’s department for information on who provides fingerprinting services in the area. 

Be aware that fingerprinting service agents may ask you to complete the Employer Address, Reason Fingerprinted and the ORI information on the fingerprint card.  Please let them know MSUB will complete those areas prior to submission to the Montana Department of Justice for the report.

Anywhere from 4-8 weeks is the general time span but in instances of a rejection it can take longer. 

Rejections occur for a variety of reasons, but typically it is due to poor print quality.  Because of the FBI procedures the Criminal Justice Information System has to follow, you will need to be fingerprinted a second time.  A FBI name based report will be obtained after two rejections. If you desire, you can submit two fingerprint cards simultaneously so that if both are rejected a FBI name based report can be obtained more quickly.

Background Reports are valid and current for two years from the date of the Department of Justice report. Students may be required to complete this process more than the two instances listed below dependent on the courses and requirements of their specific program.

The College of Education at Montana State University Billings (MSUB) requires that a national criminal history background check, including fingerprinting, to be completed for all candidates enrolled in the Educator Preparation, ABA, or School Counseling Programs. Candidates cannot be admitted to the programs until this process has been completed. 

Criminal background checks are mandatory for all field experiences, and internships including School Counseling and ABA Internships, clinical practices. Students complete an initial fingerprint–based national background check to apply and be registered for EDU 220 and EDSP 204. This background check will be considered current for two years from the date of the DOJ report and may be used for any additional field experiences excluding Student Teaching. A new background report is required to apply for student teaching and school counseling internships.

Please Note: A background report must be on file for any candidate to enable registration for a course requiring the criminal background report. Also, a break in attendance of one year or more requires the candidate to complete the fingerprint process to obtain a new criminal background report and readmission into the Educator Preparation Program.

The office of Field Experiences and Licensure will only disseminate a students Determination of Eligibilty form for the purpose of field placements. If you are a student in a field placement and are asked for this information please have the organization requesting the report follow their protocols for requesting this from us. The request must come directly from the organization.