Wisconsin Background Check Details

Wisconsin, being an ‘open records’ state, offers public access to local and state criminal records. This implies that a Wisconsin background check can be performed by anyone. The state statute 19.35(3) authorizes residents to obtain access to the records from the local and the government agencies. However, records that are accessible to the residents of the state are only those of adult criminals.

As per s. 938.396, the juvenile records are not to be made available for public dissemination as these are highly confidential. If a request for a juvenile record is submitted, the Crime Information Bureau, a part of the Wisconsin Department of Justice, needs to process the request in order to determine whether there was a  formal order of relinquishment of the juvenile offender in an adult court that led to the creation of an adult record. No juvenile information is revealed to the public until and unless ordained by a court of law.

Wisconsin Crime Information Bureau

The information that is found in the database of the Crime Information Bureau is sourced from the data that is submitted by the police departments and the basis of the arrest fingerprint cards. Under the state law s. 165.84(1), the law enforcement agencies in the state are supposed to submit the arrest fingerprint cards for offenders who have been convicted of the crimes stated in s. 165.83(1)(c ). The arrests that are registered without any fingerprint records are not made a part of the database.

How to Obtain Wisconsin Background Check Records

Any resident of the state wishing to obtain a Wisconsin background check needs to contact the Crime Information Bureau. A nominal fee is charged for the searches conducted. However, it must be noted that the fee is for the search and does not depend on the result. Requests for a Wisconsin background check can be made by mail, fax or even through the Internet.

Mail or fax requests made by a governmental agency or a non-profit organization are priced at $12. Other requesters need to pay a fee of $18 for a Wisconsin background check. If you forward your request online, then a government or a non-profit organization needs to pay a fee of $7 while other requesters need to pay $13.

As an employer, if you need to conduct background checks at regular intervals, you can open a Crime Information Bureau account. The payment for the background checks is made on a monthly basis.

Account holders interested in a background check may make their search through the various forms available on the website of the Wisconsin Department of Justice. If you face any difficulty while creating the account, you can visit http://www.doj.state.wi.us/dles/cib/forms/record_check_forms.asp to gain more information.

For a background check manual, single name record request or multiple subject search requests, you can access http://www.doj.state.wi.us/dles/cib/forms/cib/worcs.pdf to download the appropriate forms.

Wisconsin background check results can be obtained through fax or mail. You need to submit some essential information for this option, which includes the details about the mode of payment, type of requestor, details of the individual whose background check records you wish to obtain, purpose of request and information about where to return the request to. In order to get the results through mail, you need to send the comopleted form to:

Crime Information Bureau
Attn: Record Check Unit
PO Box 2688
Madison, WI 53701-2688

If you are sending a fax request, then you need to send a self-addressed envelope to the above mentioned addressed. These records are updated on a regular basis, allowing you to rely on their authenticity.