A Pennsylvania background check for employment typically begins with PATCH, the Pennsylvania State Police online name search of its Central Repository, and jobs that involve children add a child abuse clearance and an FBI fingerprint check. Plenty of private employers also bring in a background screening company; it pulls county court files on top of the state search.
This site is not the Pennsylvania State Police and cannot run a check for you. The official request page is Request a Criminal History Background Check on pa.gov. Below is what each result means, which form fits your situation, and what Pennsylvania law says an employer may do with what it finds.
Quick answers
Official source
Pennsylvania State Police, Central Repository (searched through PATCH)Check type
Both: PATCH is name based; the FBI clearance for school and child care work uses fingerprintsPossible PATCH results
No Record, Request Under Review, or RecordYour own full record
Individual access and review, requested by mail with form SP 4-170State hiring rule
18 Pa.C.S. 9125: employers may weigh felony and misdemeanor convictions only as far as they relate to the job
What a Pennsylvania background check looks at
The state piece looks through the criminal history records the Pennsylvania State Police keep in its Central Repository. PATCH (Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History) is the online door to that database. A school, a nonprofit or a company types in your name, birth date and a few identifiers, and PATCH matches them against the repository.
Two limits matter. First, PATCH is a name search, so it depends on the details typed in. Second, the State Police say the search covers its Central Repository, and other criminal justice agencies may hold records it does not. That is why many employers add a county court search or an FBI check, and why a private screening report can list things a PATCH certificate does not. When a screening company runs part of the check, the Fair Credit Reporting Act, a federal law, gives you the notice and dispute rights explained by the FTC. For the national picture, see how criminal background checks work.
Reading a PATCH result
The State Police describe three outcomes on its PATCH overview page. Here is what each one means for you in plain words.
| Status on screen | What it means | Your next move |
|---|---|---|
| No Record | Nothing in the repository matched. The answer is instant and comes with a printable certificate. | Print it at once and keep a copy for each employer. |
| Request Under Review | Your details matched something, which does not prove a record exists. A staff member checks it by hand. | Wait for the email; the state says reviews can take two to four weeks. |
| Record | After review, staff found a record that belongs to the person searched. | Read it closely and compare each line with your court papers. |
An Under Review status is common for people with common names. It is not a finding against you. Tell the employer it is pending and give them the control number so they can check the status themselves.
The three clearances for jobs with children
Teachers, school staff, child care workers, coaches, camp staff and many volunteers in Pennsylvania need more than a PATCH search. The Department of Education calls the State Police check one of three required background checks or clearances for school employees. The other two are the child abuse history clearance from the Department of Human Services and an FBI criminal history check based on your fingerprints.
- State Police check: the PATCH search, required for school jobs under Act 34 and Act 114. The Education page says the report must be no more than five years old when you are hired.
- Child abuse clearance: a search of the state's child abuse records, which is a separate request from PATCH.
- FBI fingerprint check: you book a fingerprint appointment and the results cover other states too. Read how fingerprint checks work for what to bring.
See the official Department of Education clearance page for the current rules. Volunteers who work with children are often treated differently from paid staff, so ask the program which forms it wants from you.
How Pennsylvania employers may use your record
Pennsylvania has a state rule on top of the federal ones. Section 9125 of the Criminal History Record Information Act says an employer that receives criminal history information may consider felony and misdemeanor convictions only to the extent they relate to your suitability for the job you applied for. Arrests that never became convictions sit outside that list. If the employer decides not to hire you based in whole or in part on that information, it owes you written notice. You can read the text of 18 Pa.C.S. 9125 on the General Assembly site.
Federal guidance points the same way. The EEOC asks employers to think about the offense, the time gone by, and the daily duties of the role. Some Pennsylvania cities add local fair chance ordinances that push record questions later, so look at your city's site if you apply in a large city.
Do say: "The conviction was a misdemeanor from nine years ago and has nothing to do with handling cash or driving. I can share the court papers."
Do not say: "That record is wrong, it should not count." Say which line is wrong and show proof instead.
Ordering your own Pennsylvania record first
Seeing your record before an employer does gives you time to fix problems. Pennsylvania offers two routes, and they are not the same thing.
- PATCH for yourself. You can run the same search an employer would run. Some answers come back at once; others go to review.
- Mail form SP 4-164. This paper version of the employment check is for people who cannot use the online system. It can be notarized for an added charge.
- Individual access and review, form SP 4-170. This shows your entire Pennsylvania record, including entries that did not end in a conviction. It is mail only and is often used before a court hearing, an expungement petition or a pardon application.
To check a status, use the PATCH status screen with your control number, the date of the request and the name exactly as you entered it. Questions go to the PATCH help line listed on the State Police request page.
Fixing a wrong entry or an old case
Errors usually come from a missing court outcome, such as a charge that was withdrawn but still shows as open. Start with the access and review copy of your record so you can see exactly what the repository holds. Then get a certified copy of the outcome from the county court that handled it and ask the State Police how to submit a challenge; the PATCH help line can tell you the current process.
If the mistake came from a screening company's report, write to that company too. Federal law makes it look into the item again, normally within 30 days. Our step by step dispute page includes a letter you can adapt.
Pennsylvania's Clean Slate law limits public access to some older records without a petition. If a case should have been sealed and still shows up, ask a legal aid office or the county court about a limited access petition. The page on sealing and expungement explains why old copies sometimes linger in private databases.
Time, cost and who pays
A clean PATCH answer can arrive in minutes, while a manual review can take weeks. A mailed form takes longer than the online system because of postage and processing. The FBI clearance depends on your fingerprint appointment and the FBI's own processing time. Employers usually pay for checks they order through a screening company. For clearances, the person applying often pays, though the Department of Human Services lists the State Police check as free for volunteers. Typical waits for each part are listed on our background check timing page.
This page describes the state system only and should not be read as legal advice. For a ruling on your own case, call the PATCH help line, legal aid in your county, or a Pennsylvania employment attorney.
Questions people ask
Is a PA criminal background check available online?
Yes. PATCH is the State Police online system for name based checks. Clean results often appear right away with a printable certificate, and matches go to manual review.
What does Request Under Review mean on a PATCH background check?
It means the details you entered matched something in the repository and a staff member must look at it. It does not mean you have a record. The final answer changes to No Record or Record after the review.
Will a PA state police background check find a case from another state?
No. PATCH searches the Pennsylvania State Police Central Repository. For other states and federal records, employers turn to FBI fingerprints or a screening firm's wider search.
Is the PA child abuse background check the same as PATCH?
No. The child abuse history clearance comes from the Department of Human Services and searches child abuse records. PATCH searches criminal history. School and child care jobs usually need both, plus the FBI check.
Can a Pennsylvania employer reject me for an arrest?
Section 9125 lets employers consider felony and misdemeanor convictions that relate to the job. An arrest without a conviction is not on that list. If an employer seems to have ignored that rule, an employment attorney can walk you through your options.
How do I see my full Pennsylvania record?
Mail form SP 4-170 for individual access and review. It covers your entire Pennsylvania record, including non conviction entries, and is the usual starting point before an expungement.