A Maryland background check for employment or a license means fingerprints sent to the Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS) Central Repository in the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, and your employer or licensing agency must request it, often together with an FBI check. Employers without that authority usually rely on a screening company, which searches Maryland court records by name.
This website is separate from DPSCS and the Maryland courts. The state's own instructions are on the DPSCS criminal background check page. Here is how the process works, what CJIS means in job ads, and the Maryland rule about when an employer may ask about your record.
Quick answers
Official source
Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, CJIS Central RepositoryCheck type
Fingerprint based for the state check; court record searches by name are separateWho starts it
The employer or licensing agency, which gives you fingerprint cards or an authorization numberState hiring rule
Employers with 15 or more full time employees may not require disclosure of a criminal record before the first in person interviewExceptions
Employers serving minors or vulnerable adults, and inquiries another law requires
How a Maryland background check is requested
DPSCS says that if you are seeking employment or a license in Maryland, your employer or licensing agency must request the record check. You do not start it on your own. The agency gives you its fingerprint cards, its authorization number, or both, and you are fingerprinted, usually electronically at an approved site. The prints go to the CJIS Central Repository, and where the law allows, on to the FBI.
Health agency instructions say to expect a response in roughly 10 to 15 business days, and backlogs or unreadable prints can stretch that. The result goes to the agency that asked for it. Our page on how fingerprint checks work covers the appointment itself.
Write down the authorization number and the date you were printed. If the agency says it never received results, those two details are what CJIS will ask for.
What CJIS means in a job posting
You may see "CJIS background check" in two different senses, and they are easy to mix up.
| Phrase in the ad | Usually means | Typical jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Maryland CJIS check | The state fingerprint check through the CJIS Central Repository, often with an FBI check | Schools, child care, health care, licensed trades, state jobs |
| FBI CJIS clearance | Screening for people who will handle criminal justice data under the FBI's CJIS Security Policy | IT staff, dispatchers and contractors for police or courts |
People often search for "CJIS background check disqualifiers". There is no single list. Disqualifying offenses come from the law or policy that governs the job: a child care rule, a licensing board's standards, or the agency's own security policy. Ask the employer for its written standard before you are printed so you know what it will weigh.
Maryland's rule on criminal history questions
A Maryland law in the Labor and Employment Article covers employers with 15 or more full time employees. Under section 3-1503, such an employer cannot make you reveal a criminal record or past criminal accusations at any time before the first in person interview. It may ask during that first interview.
The definitions in section 3-1501 are broad. A criminal record includes an arrest, a conviction, and outcomes such as probation before judgment or a finding of not criminally responsible. The law does not apply to employers that provide programs, services or direct care to minors or vulnerable adults, and it does not stop an inquiry another federal or state law requires. Counties may have stricter local rules.
Do expect: the question at or after the first in person interview, and answer it truthfully.
Do not expect: the rule to cover a child care center or a home care agency, since those serve minors or vulnerable adults.
Court records and name based screening
Many private employers in Maryland cannot request a CJIS check, so they hire a screening firm instead. That company searches court records by name, including the Maryland Judiciary's public case search, and adds other sources such as sex offender registries. You can search your own name in the Judiciary's system through the Maryland Judiciary website to see what an employer might find.
Federal law covers these reports as well. A separate disclosure and your signed consent come first. An employer leaning toward a no on account of the findings has to let you see them, plus the government's rights notice, before it decides. The FTC lists each step, while the EEOC's guidance draws the line between arrests and convictions. See arrests on a background check for more.
Expungement, shielding and fixing errors
Maryland courts can expunge some records and shield others from public view. Once a case is expunged, it should disappear from the Judiciary's public search and from most screening reports. Agencies that run CJIS fingerprint checks for sensitive jobs may still have access to some information, depending on the law. The Maryland Judiciary site has forms and guidance on expungement and shielding, and legal aid lawyers can say whether your case qualifies.
Correcting a Maryland record and getting help
If your CJIS result is wrong, start with the court file: get certified copies showing the final outcome and contact the Central Repository through the DPSCS page. If a screening company made the error, write to that company with your proof; our dispute guide includes a sample letter.
We have summarized official Maryland sources, but this is not legal advice. Ask Maryland legal aid, the Maryland Judiciary's self help services, or an employment lawyer about your own record.
Questions people ask
What is a CJIS background check in Maryland?
It is a fingerprint check of Maryland criminal history held by the CJIS Central Repository in DPSCS, often paired with an FBI search. Your employer or licensing agency asks for it.
Can I get a Maryland background check online?
The state CJIS check needs fingerprints and an agency request, so it is not an online name search. You can look up court cases by name through the Maryland Judiciary's public case search.
What are CJIS background check disqualifiers?
They depend on the job. Child care, health care, licensing boards and agencies that handle criminal justice data each have their own standards. Ask the employer for its written list.
When can a Maryland employer ask about my criminal record?
If it has 15 or more full time employees, not before the first in person interview, unless it serves minors or vulnerable adults or another law requires the question.
Does the Maryland Board of Nursing require a background check?
Licensing boards for health professions generally require a CJIS and FBI fingerprint check with the application. Follow the instructions on the board's site for its authorization number.
How long does a Maryland CJIS check take?
State health agency instructions mention about 10 to 15 business days for a response. Rejected prints or missing court outcomes can add time.