Act 114 FBI Fingerprint Clearance — Pennsylvania Foster Care Requirements

Most people applying to become foster parents in Pennsylvania underestimate one thing: the FBI fingerprint clearance takes longer than everything else, and if you don't schedule it in your first week, it can push your entire licensing timeline back by two months. This isn't a bureaucratic inconvenience you can work around. The agency cannot approve your home study until all three clearances are complete, and Act 114 is consistently the bottleneck.

Here's exactly how the Act 114 FBI fingerprint clearance works, what it costs, when to schedule it, and how to integrate it into your overall clearance strategy.

What Act 114 Requires

Act 114 refers to the provision of the Child Protective Services Law (CPSL) under 23 Pa.C.S. § 6344 that requires a federal criminal history check for anyone seeking approval to work with or care for children in Pennsylvania. For foster parents, this means an FBI fingerprint check through the FBI's national fingerprint systems.

This clearance is required for every applicant and every adult age 18 or older who will reside in the foster home for at least 30 days in a calendar year, including a spouse or partner. That means adult children living at home, live-in relatives, and long-term houseguests may need their own Act 114 clearance.

Unlike some states that require FBI fingerprinting only for applicants who haven't lived in the state for a certain period, Pennsylvania requires it for everyone, regardless of how long you've been a resident. There's no exception based on length of residency.

The IdentoGO Process

Pennsylvania uses IdentoGO (operated by IDEMIA) as its fingerprint collection service for Act 114. The process has two paths: in-person and card scan.

In-person appointment: You schedule an appointment at an IdentoGO service location, appear in person, and have your fingerprints captured electronically (inkless). This is the most common path and the most reliable in terms of print quality and result turnaround.

Card scan: Some applicants submit fingerprint cards through the mail. This method is less common and generally has longer processing times. It's typically used by applicants who don't have convenient access to an IdentoGO location.

To schedule your in-person appointment, go to identogo.com and select Pennsylvania as your state. You'll be asked for the DHS service code associated with your purpose. The current DHS table lists service code 1KG71B for a foster parent and 1KG76Q for an individual age 18 or older in a foster home. Confirm which code applies to you with your licensing agency before you schedule, because using the wrong service code can send your results to the wrong destination.

Service Codes: Why They Matter

The DHS service code identifies the purpose of your FBI check. Pennsylvania has multiple service codes for different purposes, including foster parent applicants and other adults in foster homes.

Your licensing agency should confirm the correct service code. If they haven't given it to you yet, ask specifically: "What DHS service code should I use for my Act 114 fingerprint clearance for foster care?" Don't guess or pull a code from a general web search — an incorrect service code can send your results to the wrong destination, and you may have to repeat the process.

Some county agencies and private CPAs include the correct service code in their initial packet of materials. If yours doesn't, it's worth a phone call to clarify before you book your appointment.

Cost and Payment

The current cost listed by Pennsylvania DHS for Act 114 fingerprint processing for foster/adoptive parent applicants is $24.95; the DHS page lists an increase to $27.95 effective October 1, 2026. You pay at the time of registration or your appointment.

The fee covers the fingerprinting and FBI processing charges. Ask your licensing agency whether any local reimbursement is available.

If multiple adults in your household need clearances, each person pays separately. Two foster parent applicants would pay $49.90 combined at the current listed rate, or $55.90 after the listed October 1, 2026 increase.

Processing Time: Plan for Two to Six Weeks

This is the number that matters most for your planning purposes. Once your fingerprints are captured and submitted, the FBI processes the check through their national database. Typical processing time is two to six weeks from the date of your appointment.

Processing times are not uniform throughout the year. Backlogs at the FBI processing center are common during periods of high volume — this can include times when many school districts, daycares, or other child welfare agencies are running clearances simultaneously. During peak periods, six-week processing times are realistic. Some applicants have reported waiting longer.

You have no control over how long the FBI takes once your prints are submitted. What you control is when you schedule. Schedule your IdentoGO appointment in the first week you decide to move forward with the licensing process. Don't wait for orientation. Don't wait until you have the rest of your paperwork together. The fingerprint appointment should be one of your first three phone calls.

Clearance Sequencing Strategy

The Act 114 clearance doesn't stand alone. Pennsylvania requires three clearances for foster parent applicants:

Act 34 — Criminal History (PATCH): Pennsylvania State Police. The current fee for foster/adoptive parent applicants is $22; the volunteer category is free. Results in days, sometimes hours.

Act 33 — Child Abuse Clearance (ChildLine): Pennsylvania DHS. The current fee for foster/adoptive parent applicants is $13; the volunteer category is free. Results are mailed within 14 days after receipt by the Verification Unit.

Act 114 — FBI Fingerprint (IdentoGO): Federal. The current listed fee is $24.95 for a foster/adoptive parent applicant, increasing to $27.95 on October 1, 2026. Results in two to six weeks.

These three clearances must all be current and complete before your agency can process your application. If Act 34 and Act 33 are done but Act 114 is still pending, your application waits. This is exactly the situation that delays most applicants.

The correct sequencing strategy is to initiate all three in the same week, with Act 114 scheduled first because it has the longest lead time. Your Act 34 and Act 33 will likely come back before your FBI clearance does. That's fine — they sit in your file waiting. When Act 114 finally arrives, all three are complete and your application can move forward without delay.

Do not initiate your clearances one at a time in sequence. That approach takes the individual processing times for each clearance and stacks them into a serial delay. Starting simultaneously turns serial delays into parallel ones.

Clearance Expiration

Act 114 clearances have a defined validity period. For foster parents, clearances are typically valid for five years from the date of issuance, but your licensing agency will specify the exact requirement for your situation. Most agencies want clearances that are current — not clearances obtained years ago for a different purpose.

When you renew your license (initially after one year, then on two-year cycles), you'll need updated clearances. Budget time and cost for this into your long-term planning as a foster parent.

What Happens if Your FBI Check Returns a Record

A criminal record on your FBI check is not automatically disqualifying. Pennsylvania law under 23 Pa.C.S. § 6344 distinguishes between absolute bar offenses and offenses that are reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Absolute bar offenses include convictions for crimes like criminal homicide, aggravated assault, kidnapping, rape, sexual offenses involving minors, and endangering the welfare of children. If any adult in the household has been convicted of an absolute bar offense — or an equivalent offense in another jurisdiction — the agency cannot approve the home. No exceptions.

Drug felonies: Felony drug convictions under Pennsylvania's Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act are disqualifying if they occurred within the five years immediately preceding your application. Older felony drug convictions are reviewed with more discretion.

Other offenses: Misdemeanors, older convictions, or offenses that are not on the absolute bar list are reviewed contextually by the agency. This review considers the nature of the offense, the time elapsed, evidence of rehabilitation, and the overall profile of the household. Disclosure and honesty are essential — agencies are more forgiving of minor past issues than of concealed ones.

Out-of-State History

If you or any adult in your household lived in another state before moving to Pennsylvania, that history is captured by the FBI check. The Act 114 FBI fingerprint clearance is a national check — it searches records across all states, not just Pennsylvania.

If an adult household member lived outside Pennsylvania within the previous five years, Pennsylvania also requires an equivalent child-abuse registry certification from each state where that person lived; the certification must be obtained within the previous year. Ask your licensing agency for the current certification instructions.

This is one reason the FBI check is required regardless of residency length. A Pennsylvania State Police check (Act 34) only captures Pennsylvania records. Someone who committed an offense in Ohio and then moved to Pennsylvania would appear clean on a PATCH check but would show up on the FBI check.

If you have out-of-state history that you know about, disclose it proactively in your application materials. Don't wait for it to surface on the background check and appear as something you were hiding.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Scheduling too late: The most common mistake is treating the Act 114 clearance as something to do after orientation or after the home study interview. Schedule it in week one.

Wrong service code: Using a service code from a general web search rather than confirming the current code with your specific licensing agency. Confirm the code before you book.

Forgetting household members: Every adult who will reside in the home for at least 30 days in a calendar year needs their own clearance. If you have an 18-year-old child living at home, they need Act 33, Act 34, and Act 114 as well.

Misreading the timeline: Seeing "two to six weeks" and assuming you'll be on the faster end. Plan for six weeks and treat anything faster as a pleasant surprise.

Letting clearances expire: If your licensing process takes longer than expected and clearances have an expiration date, you may need to reapply. Track the dates.

The Act 114 FBI fingerprint clearance is a straightforward process once you know the steps. The Pennsylvania Foster Care Licensing Guide walks through all three clearances with a sequencing roadmap designed to prevent the delays that slow most applications: /us/pennsylvania/foster-care/

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