Fingerprinting in Richmond Hill | RCMP-Accredited Digital Fingerprints

If your employer, a licensing body, or an immigration authority has asked you to get fingerprinted, you're in the right place. Canadian Fingerprint Agency is located at 15 Wertheim Court, Suite 705, Richmond Hill, ON L4B 3H7. Get directions. Free onsite parking is available, and walk-ins are welcome Monday to Friday, 10:30 am to 6:00 pm.

Call us at (905) 771-8890. Chinese-language callers can reach us at (905) 771-8606.

Book your appointment online with real-time availability, confirmed instantly.

Why fingerprints instead of a name-based check?

A name-based check compares your name and date of birth against police records. If anything comes back as a possible match, even if it has nothing to do with you, the result is inconclusive and you get directed to a fingerprint based background check. A certified fingerprint-based check request goes directly to the RCMP's Canadian Criminal Real Time Identification Services and is the only mechanism that returns a definitive result. Most employers, licensing bodies, and immigration authorities require it for exactly that reason. If you do need a name-based check, we can help with that as well.

What we do

Canadian Fingerprint Agency has been accredited by the RCMP to collect digital fingerprints in support of Canadian criminal background checks. We collect your prints digitally using top-of-the-line equipment and RCMP-certified software, then submit them electronically to the RCMP on your behalf. The RCMP conducts the search and issues the result. We collect; we do not issue or approve the result.

Results for all in-office appointments are returned by Canada Post directly to you or to the address specified on your application.

How you may know you need our services

You may have been told to have your fingerprints taken by a letter, a form, or a phone call, and you may not know exactly what it's called. That's fine, for most people it's their first time. Here are the most common reasons people come to us:

Canadian citizenship or permanent residence. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada requires certified fingerprints for their applications. If your letter mentions a criminal record check for PR or citizenship, this is where to start.

Employment. A new employer, particularly one in a federally regulated sector, may require a certified criminal record check or DCN Number before your start date.

Professional licensing. Many regulatory colleges and licensing bodies in Ontario require fingerprint-based checks as part of registration.

Federal security clearance (DCN). Mentioned above, Federal government positions and contractors often require a check submitted through a departmental security officer as part of their security clearance process. This includes Reliability Status, Enhanced, and Secret/Top Secret.

Volunteering. If you're volunteering with an organization that works with vulnerable populations, a fee waiver may apply. Bring a letter from the organization on their letterhead naming you, naming your role, and confirming you are unpaid.

Record suspension. Formerly called a pardon. The Parole Board of Canada requires a certified fingerprint based criminal background check result as part of the application.

Controlled Goods Program. Required for individuals who examine, possess, or transfer controlled goods under federal regulation.

Foreign Use. Many countries require a Canadian criminal record check when you apply for a visa, work permit, or residency abroad.

Not sure which one applies to you? Bring your letter and we'll work it out together.

What to bring

Two pieces of valid government-issued identification. Your primary piece must carry a photo. Your secondary piece does not need one.

Photo identification we accept

• Canadian driver's licence
• Passport
• Permanent Resident card
• Citizenship card
• Ontario Photo Card
• Certificate of Indian Status
• Nexus card
• Federal, provincial or municipal ID card
• Military employment card
• Student card
• Age of majority card
• Firearms Acquisition Certificate (FAC)
• Hunting licence
• Foreign driver's licence
• Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) card

Non-photo identification we accept

• Canadian birth certificate
• Original valid immigration permit (visa, work, refugee or student)

If you are unsure whether what you have will be accepted, call us at (905) 771-8890 before your appointment rather than making the trip twice.

Bring any letter or form you received from your employer, licensing body, or immigration authority. This tells us exactly which application type to submit. A wrong selection is the most common reason an application has to be redone, and any documentation you received may help us correctly identify your needs.

Applicants with worn or difficult fingerprints

Ridge detail can be reduced by age, scarring, burns, or years of hands-on work. This is more common than most people expect, and it is rarely a problem for us. We take extra care with applicants who have this concern, including making the maximum number of resubmission attempts permitted, when necessary. If the RCMP still doesn't accept your prints, we initiate an RCMP manual review using inked prints on your behalf. We resolve most cases far before this point.

How long does it take?

The RCMP publishes a target of three business days or less for applications where there is no match to a criminal record. That covers the RCMP's search only. Once the result is ready, it is printed, signed, stamped, and sent by Canada Post which adds roughly four to seven days to the delivery timeline. A realistic expectation for a clean check is 7 to 10 days from your appointment to your mailbox, if not sooner. If your record requires manual processing, the RCMP's published window extends to up to 120 business days. Our submission is instant, so you can be sure you're pursuing the fastest route possible.

If you have a hard deadline, book as early as you can. We cannot control RCMP processing times, but we can make sure your submission is correct and complete so nothing delays it on your end.

Fees

In-person fingerprinting is $55 plus tax. Some applications also carry a federal processing fee set by the RCMP and passed through to them directly, this is separate from our fee. The federal fee is waived for a limited set of purposes, including Canadian citizenship, immigration to Canada, federal government employment requested by a departmental security officer, applying to join a Canadian police force, Privacy Act personal-use requests, and volunteer work supported by a qualifying letter from the organization.

If you are outside Canada and need fingerprints for a Canadian application, ask us about our remote package.

A note on immigration biometrics

IRCC biometrics, collected at a designated Service Canada or IRCC location as part of a visa or immigration application, are a separate process that fingerprinting agencies do not perform. If you have been asked for biometrics by IRCC, that appointment is booked through IRCC directly. If you have been asked for a criminal record check as part of your immigration file, that is what we do.

Serving Richmond Hill and the surrounding area

We are located in the heart of Richmond Hill at 15 Wertheim Court, Suite 705, easily reached from Thornhill, Markham, Vaughan, and North York. Free parking is available on site. Walk-ins are welcome, and online booking takes less than two minutes.

Book your fingerprinting appointment in Richmond Hill or call (905) 771-8890. Chinese-language inquiries: (905) 771-8606.