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 Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS).

This clearance is required for every adult in your household, including your spouse or partner. It is also required for any adult who lives in the home for 30 or more days in a calendar year. That means adult children living at home, live-in relatives, and long-term houseguests all 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 ORI (Originating Agency Identifier) number associated with your purpose. For foster care applicants in Pennsylvania, the correct ORI is provided by your licensing agency — your county Children and Youth Agency or your private Child-Placing Agency. Ask them for the specific ORI code before you schedule, because using the wrong ORI means your results go to the wrong destination.

ORI Numbers: Why They Matter

The ORI number tells the FBI where to send your results. Pennsylvania has multiple ORI codes used for different purposes — childcare workers, school employees, foster parent applicants, and adoption applicants may use different codes.

Your licensing agency should provide you with the correct ORI. If they haven't given it to you yet, ask specifically: "What is the ORI number I should use for my Act 114 fingerprint clearance for foster care?" Don't guess or pull a number from a general web search — an incorrect ORI sends your results to the wrong office, and you'll have to repeat the entire fingerprint process.

Some county agencies and private CPAs include the correct ORI 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 for Act 114 fingerprint processing through IdentoGO for Pennsylvania foster parent applicants is $22 to $27, depending on the specific service and any applicable fees at the time of scheduling. You pay at the time of your appointment.

This fee covers the IdentoGO service charge and the FBI processing fee. The state of Pennsylvania does not waive or reimburse this fee for foster care applicants. It's a household cost you'll pay out of pocket.

If multiple adults in your household need clearances, each person pays separately. A couple both applying would pay approximately $44–$54 combined for their Act 114 clearances.

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. Free. Results in days, sometimes hours.

Act 33 — Child Abuse Clearance (ChildLine): Pennsylvania DHS. Free. Results in one to two weeks.

Act 114 — FBI Fingerprint (IdentoGO): Federal. Costs $22–$27. 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.

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 ORI number: Using an ORI from a general web search rather than from your specific licensing agency. Confirm the ORI with your agency before you book.

Forgetting household members: Every adult in the home 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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