LiveScan and Background Checks for Foster Care in California

California's background check process for foster care is among the most rigorous in the country. It's also one of the most common sources of unexpected delay in the RFA approval timeline. Understanding exactly how it works — before you submit your application — can save months of frustration.

Who Must Complete LiveScan

Every adult 18 years of age or older who lives in your household must complete LiveScan fingerprinting. This is not limited to the primary applicants. A college-age son who lives at home, a grandparent who lives with you, a domestic partner — all must clear the same background check process.

There are no exceptions to the household adult requirement.

What LiveScan Checks

LiveScan is an electronic fingerprinting system that transmits your prints to multiple databases simultaneously. For California foster care, the checks include:

Processing Times

Standard timelines:

• DOJ (California state): Approximately 3 business days
• FBI (federal/national): Approximately 5 business days
• CACI (Child Abuse Central Index): Up to 6 weeks

The CACI check is the slowest part of the standard background check process. Even applicants with completely clean records wait for the CACI to clear before the background phase is considered complete.

If a check identifies a record requiring further review, the county or FFA will tell you whether an exemption process applies. The exemption notice gives a 45-day response window for the LIC 301E references, personal statement, and supporting documentation.

What Happens When There Is a Hit

A hit on any background check does not automatically disqualify you. Under Health & Safety Code §1522, the current statutory list controls which serious violent felonies and crimes against children are non-exemptable. Ask the county or FFA how the list applies to a specific offense.

Many misdemeanors and older felonies may be eligible for a Criminal Record Exemption with rehabilitation evidence requested by the county or FFA. Ask the county or FFA how a specific record is classified.

The exemption process requires you to submit:

1. Three signed character references — from individuals who know you well and can attest to your rehabilitation and current character
2. A personal statement addressing the specific criminal history — what happened, the circumstances, and how your life has changed
3. Supporting documentation of rehabilitation (program completion certificates, employment history, etc.)

The standard is "substantial and convincing evidence" of rehabilitation and good character. This is not a perfunctory review. The county or FFA will assess whether the conduct that resulted in the record poses a current risk to children.

The Proactive Approach

Most applicants wait until they receive a letter about a hit before thinking about character references. This is the reactive approach — and it costs time.

If you know of anything in your history that might appear on a background check, prepare your character references and personal statement before you submit your RFA-01A. When the letter arrives, you'll have your response ready. The 45-day response window goes fast when you're simultaneously managing the rest of the RFA process.

Being proactive also means being fully transparent on Form RFA-01B (Criminal Record Statement). Disclosing something that appears on your background check is treated differently than a discrepancy between what you disclosed and what the check reveals. Honest disclosure signals good faith; concealment signals the opposite.

Out-of-State History

If you've lived outside California within the prior five years, ask your county which out-of-state checks apply. Out-of-state requirements and processing times vary; no fixed extra-week estimate applies to every applicant.

CACI Specifically

The Child Abuse Central Index is a California database of individuals with substantiated child abuse reports. If your name appears on CACI, the county will conduct a detailed review before your application can proceed.

CACI entries are based on substantiated child-abuse findings; an unfounded report is not a substantiated CACI entry. If you believe a CACI entry may exist from a prior situation, you can request your own CACI record through the CDSS before applying — giving you advance notice of what the check will find.

After Clearance

Once all background checks clear (including CACI), this phase of your RFA is complete. Any new arrests or convictions during your approval period must be reported to the county immediately.

The California Foster Care Licensing Guide covers the full background check and exemption process in detail — including what character references need to say, how to write an effective personal statement, and the specific timelines to plan around when completing LiveScan early in the process.

See more California guides →