Fingerprint Requirements

Overview

Prior to submitting an application to the Colorado Department of Education, each applicant must submit a complete set of fingerprints for the purpose of obtaining a fingerprint-based national criminal history check by following the steps below. You will have 30 days from the date CDE receives your fingerprint results to submit a complete application for a license or authorization. If you do not submit an application within these 30 days, you will need to submit another set of fingerprints for licensure purposes. You do not need to wait for results before applying, you can apply as soon as you have made your fingerprinting appointment.

Fingerprint results are valid the duration of your CDE issued credential, in most cases. If your credential lapses and you do not hold another valid CDE issued credential, you will need to submit a new set of fingerprints.

Important Note: Fingerprint results (and credentials) expire at 12 a.m. on the date of expiration.

Fingerprints must be submitted to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) under your assigned Social Security Number via one of the approved fingerprint vendors as outlined below. For more information on how to obtain a Social Security Number, visit https://www.ssa.gov/ssnumber/.

If you were fingerprinted for any other reason or agency (employer, school district, real estate, etcetera) , those results are not transferable and do not exempt you from this process. You must submit fingerprints specifically for CDE as outlined below.

Fingerprinting Process

As part of the background check process, CBI will forward the submitted fingerprints to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). You have the right to challenge the information contained in either the CBI or the FBI identification record. View details on challenging your criminal history record. Additionally, you may request a copy of your national criminal history record from the FBI. View details on obtaining your criminal history.

This process can take up to six (6) weeks depending on your submission method, though it usually occurs much more quickly. To check your background status, login to your COOL eLicensing account and go to the "My Profile" section. 

Please note: CDE will not conduct a review of your fingerprint results until a complete and qualifying application is received.

Setting up your COOL eLicensing Account

You must have a COOL eLicensing account before submitting fingerprints to the CBI, so that we can update that account once the fingerprint results are received:

• Create your one, lifetime COOL account under your complete legal name, date of birth and Social Security Number. (How to obtain a Social Security Number.)
• You must have an assigned SSN in order to establish your account.
• Include a personal email address that you check often. We highly recommend that you do not use a college or school district email address.

Validity of Fingerprints

Your fingerprint results received by CDE remain valid for 30 days (if no qualifying application is received) or for the time in which you hold a valid CDE-issued license or authorization. In many cases, an educator who consistently maintains an active, CDE-issued education license or authorization will need to submit fingerprints to CBI for licensure purposes once. Field experience fingerprints may need to be resubmitted if you reside outside of Colorado for a year or more.

If you have submitted fingerprints for CDE credentialing in the past, but allowed all credentials to lapse - even if for one day - you must submit a new set of fingerprints to the CBI for current fingerprint results. This also applies to anyone who has placed a professional license on inactive status and does not hold another valid credential at the time of the reactivation request.

CDE reserves the right to evaluate all applications for adherence to fingerprint requirements and will notify applicants by email should any follow-up be needed.

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Fingerprinting for an application for a credential under the Educator Licensing Act

This is where the majority of folks will submit fingerprints when applying for a credential with us. Fingerprinting for CDE is for any application for an educator license or authorization issued by CDE pursuant to the Educator Licensing Act, 22-60.5-103 C.R.S. This includes both in- and out-of-state applicants (out-of-state applicants, please see the FAQs below for more information).

Important notes:

1. You must submit an application via your COOL eLicensing account within 30 days from the date CDE receives your fingerprint results. If you do not submit an application within these 30 days, you will need to submit another set of fingerprints for licensure purposes. You can apply as soon as you have made your fingerprinting appointment and do not need to wait for the results to post to your account.
2. You must include your Social Security Number (or tax ID) on your fingerprint submission. Your Social Security Number must match your account and visa versa, if they do not you may need to repeat the process.        

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Fingerprinting for field experience (student teaching) - For COLORADO traditional preparation students only*

This statute only applies to a small percentage of fingerprints submitted for CDE. If you are currently enrolled in a Colorado traditional preparation program* and will be completing field experience or student teaching, you may submit fingerprints for the purpose of obtaining a fingerprint-based criminal history check pursuant to 22-2-119.3 C.R.S. Your educator preparation program and/or the school district/BOCES that will be placing you will review your background information.

Important Notes:

1. This is a two step process. If you are a student teacher, you must submit prints under this statute and complete a Program form in your COOL eLicensing account at the same time. If you are unsure if your program is a Colorado approved traditional program, complete this form BEFORE submitting your fingerprints.
2. Before moving forward, read the field experience information and complete the "Program" section in your COOL profile.
3. CDE does not conduct a background investigation under this statute. We only pass any criminal history information on to your educator preparation program and/or the school district/BOCES in which you are placed. CDE can only conduct a background check when you submit a qualifying application for a credential.
4. You must include your Social Security Number on your fingerprint card submission or you will be required to resubmit.
5. After you have completed your student teaching these fingerprint results can be used for your initial licensure purposes as long as you apply before August 1st following your program completion in the spring, or March 1st if your program concluded in the fall. If you do not, you will need to submit a set of fingerprints under the Educator Licensing Act (CDE licensure icon above) at the time of application.

* Colorado alternative preparation program students and candidates in a program approved outside of Colorado must submit fingerprints under the Educator Licensing Act (CDE licensure icon above) once you are ready to apply for a credential. When completing your required Program form in your COOL eLicensing account, the approved schools will be listed there. If your program is not listed there, then you cannot submit fingerprints under this statute.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: How do I submit fingerprints from out-of-state?

A: See answer for the next question.

Q2: Can I mail a fingerprint card in?

A: We are often asked either of these questions. Click here for detailed information, risks, and considerations when submitting fingerprints from out-of-state or when mailing in a fingerprint card to a card conversion center.

Q3: I need to be fingerprinted for my charter school, a private school, or I am in a non-licensed position at my school district and have to submit fingerprints - how do I do that?

A: You cannot use the reasons above for this, click here to learn about fingerprinting for a private school, a charter school or for a non-licensed position at a school district.

Q4: I do not have a Social Security Number. How may I obtain one?

A: Visit https://www.ssa.gov/ssnumber/ for more information and to initiate the process.

Q5: Do I have to wait to submit my application until after CDE has received my fingerprint results?

A: No, you can submit your application to us as soon as you have made your appointment to have your fingerprints taken. You should apply as close to your fingerprint submission date as possible. Do not rely on your fingerprint status shown on the vendor's website - that is their status only and it has nothing to do with your eLicensing status in COOL. Always use your account with us for up-to-date information.

Q6: I submitted fingerprints for my district or for another job, can I use those for CDE?

A: No, you must be fingerprinted specifically for CDE. Some school districts fingerprint you in addition to the requirement for CDE. Fingerprint results are not transferable, as each entity is permitted to require and receive a background check under different statutes

Q7: I submitted fingerprints and it has been more than a week and I do not see the results in my account, what do I do?

A: Be sure that you have set up your legal lifetime eLicensing account with us and that it is under your SSN. If the SSN you entered for your account does not match the SSN you entered when your fingerprints were taken than the two cannot match up to one another. In order for CDE to research this, login to your eLicensing account and from the My Profile section click on Update my SSN where you will submit a copy of your card to verify. Be sure to list your reason for submission as "My SSN is possibly incorrect in my account or on my fingerprints."

When you are on the My Profile section of you eLicensing account, if you see "Cleared FP Background Check," "Enforcement Review Needed," or "With Enforcement for Review." this indicates that CDE has received your fingerprint results. If you see the Enforcement alerts, that means that your background issue is or will be sent to Enforcement for clearance.

1: If you are sure you submitted for the Educator Licensing Act

• Take a look at your fingerprint receipt and be sure it says that you were printed for the Educator Licensing Act as if it says anything else, those prints cannot be used for licensure.
• If at anytime you entered a school district's name during the fingerprinting process with the vendor, you more than likely submitted fingerprints for them and they cannot be used for licensure.
• That you did not mail in your fingerprint card to a card conversion center. If you did, this process can add a significant amount of processing time and CDE cannot give you a time frame. Contact the vendor.

2: If you are sure you submitted for Field Services

• This is only available to students enrolled in a Colorado traditional educator preparation program where you will be placed for student teaching. If you are in an out-of-state program or any alternative program, you cannot submit fingerprints under this statute.
• You must submit a Program form in addition to your fingerprints. To do this, login to your eLicensing account and under the My Profile section, you will click Program on the left side and submit that form letting us know what program you are in and when that program ends. Be sure to enter your student identification number correctly here as your Educator Preparation Program will log in to verify your results.
• That you did not mail in your fingerprint card to a card conversion center. If you did, this process can add a significant amount of processing time and CDE cannot give you a time frame. Contact the vendor.

View additional FAQs

Processing Time

If your prints were submitted at one of the CBI-approved vendors via one of the icons above, processing time can take anywhere between a day to two (2) weeks (in rare cases). If you mail a hard-copy fingerprint card to one of the CBI-approved card conversion centers, the process can take up to six (6) weeks (longer in some cases). Login to your COOL account to check your fingerprint status.

Notes

1. Never mail fingerprint submissions to CDE or the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI). You must choose from one of the options above to submit your fingerprints or to submit a fingerprint card to be digitized. Any fingerprint card sent to CDE is destroyed for your security.
2. View an overview of circumstances that may result in Denial, Suspension, Revocation or Annulment of licenses.