A Tennessee background check from the state is run by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), and the public version is TORIS, Tennessee Open Records Information Services, a name based search of Tennessee criminal history built from fingerprints that arresting agencies send in; teachers, child care workers and other regulated jobs use a TBI fingerprint check instead. If a name search wrongly ties you to someone else's record, the TBI appeal process uses your fingerprints to sort it out.
To be clear, this site is not the TBI. The bureau's own request site is Tennessee Open Records Information Services. Here is what a TORIS result tells an employer, which records it skips, and how to respond if it is wrong.
Quick answers
Official source
Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI)Check type
Both: TORIS name searches, and fingerprint checks for jobs that require themTORIS coverage
Tennessee misdemeanor and felony arrests submitted with fingerprints by arresting agenciesWhat the result says
Whether the person has or does not have a Tennessee criminal history record, with a copy if there may be a matchJuvenile records
Left out unless the case was transferred to adult criminal courtWrong match
Appeal to the TBI; a fingerprint comparison is done as part of the appeal
What a TORIS Tennessee background check covers
TORIS answers one question: does this person have a Tennessee criminal history record at the TBI? The requester supplies the subject's name, date of birth, race and sex; adding a Social Security number can make the name match more accurate. The answer states whether a record exists, and if a record may belong to that person, a copy is sent. Aliases are not part of the result.
The data comes from arrests reported to the TBI with fingerprints by local agencies, for misdemeanors and felonies. That means a case can be missing if prints were never sent, and records from other states and federal courts are not included. Juvenile cases are not shown unless the juvenile was transferred to criminal court as an adult. For records beyond Tennessee, an FBI fingerprint check or a private multi state search fills the gap.
The TBI recommends a desktop or laptop for downloading results, because the PDF files may not open on every phone.
Who uses which check in Tennessee
| Situation | Usual check | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Private job such as retail or warehouse | Screening company report, sometimes with TORIS | County court searches add detail TORIS may miss |
| Teacher or school staff | TBI and FBI fingerprint check | The school district gives you the instructions |
| Child care or adult care | Fingerprint check required by state rules | The licensed program arranges it |
| Licensed profession | Fingerprint check through the licensing board | Each board sets its own process |
| Checking yourself | TORIS on your own name, or a fingerprint request | Prints give a firmer answer |
Fingerprint checks are done through the TBI's approved fingerprinting service by appointment, using the code the employer or board provides. See fingerprint checks for the basics.
Appealing a TORIS result
A name search can match the wrong person, especially with a common name and a shared birth date. The TBI's TORIS request form says a fingerprint comparison is performed only as the result of an appeal based on an initial request. In other words, if a TORIS answer pins a record on you that is not yours, the appeal is how you get your prints compared with the record. Call the TORIS unit at the number on the TBI site to start, and keep the original request details handy.
Subject: Appeal of TORIS result for [Your full name], date of birth [Date]
I am appealing the criminal history response from a TORIS request made on [Date] by [Employer name]. The record attached to the response does not belong to me. I am ready to provide fingerprints for comparison. Please tell me the next step.
[Your name]
[Phone]
[Email]
While the appeal is open, tell the employer in writing that you are contesting the result. Under federal law they should already have given you a copy of any screening report before deciding.
Your rights with a Tennessee employer
If the employer brings in a screening company, federal law fixes the order. First comes a separate written notice and your consent. Then, before any final no that leans on the findings, an early warning letter arrives with your copy and a list of your federal rights, so you have time to answer. The FTC has the full sequence.
We did not confirm a statewide Tennessee law limiting when private employers may ask about records, so be ready for the question early. The EEOC asks employers to weigh the type of offense, the time since and the nature of the work.
Do say: "That arrest in Shelby County was dismissed. The TBI record has been updated, and I have the letter."
Do not say: "I have never been arrested" if an arrest is on file, even a dismissed one. Explain the outcome instead.
Expungement and correcting records
Tennessee courts can expunge some records, including many dismissed charges and certain eligible convictions. After expungement, the case should drop out of public court files and TBI records released to the public. The court clerk or legal aid can tell you if you are eligible, and mail the order to each screening firm that keeps listing it; our expungement page explains why old copies can survive.
Fixing an incomplete Tennessee record
When the TBI shows an arrest with no outcome, get a certified disposition from the court and ask the TBI how to update the record. Errors in a screening report go to that company in writing, following the dispute steps.
This draws on TBI material and federal guidance and stops short of legal advice. The TBI, a Tennessee legal aid program or a records lawyer can look at your specific situation.
Questions people ask
What is a TBI background check?
It is a check of Tennessee criminal history held by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. The public version is TORIS, a name based search; regulated jobs use a TBI fingerprint check.
How do I check my TBI background check status?
Use the details from your request on the TORIS site, or call the TORIS unit at the number the TBI lists. For fingerprint checks, ask the employer or board, since results go to them.
How do I file a TBI background check appeal?
Contact the TBI TORIS unit and ask to appeal the result. As part of the appeal, the TBI checks your prints against the disputed entry.
Is a Tennessee background check free?
No, TORIS charges per request and the charge is not refunded. Court record lookups by county may cost less but only cover one court.
Will TORIS find an arrest from Georgia or Kentucky?
No. It covers Tennessee criminal history only, based on fingerprints arresting agencies sent to the TBI.
Does a Nashville or Memphis background check differ from a state one?
Local court searches in Davidson or Shelby County show cases filed there. The TBI search covers the whole state but only cases reported with fingerprints, so employers often use both.