How to complete a Texas background check - for U.S. citizens residing in the continental U.S.
REMINDER - We are not processing any new Texas background checks at this time.
All of our tutors will complete the California background check as part of their onboarding process. As we have need for additional tutors to be cleared elsewhere, we will offer opportunities to complete additional background checks.
Quick Facts Before You Start
BookNook uses this company for the Texas background check process: | Identogo |
Who to contact if you have questions: | Identogo customer phone support at 888-467-2080, Select option “6” on your phone when prompted. |
This process does require that you submit your hard copy fingerprints via mail: | You will need to have received your fingerprint card from BookNook. The request form link is below. |
Typical length of time to be notified about background check clearance: |
Typically up to one month, after you submit your fingerprints + documentation via mail. *Please Note: Per Texas law, BookNook must receive clearance results directly from Texas based school districts. Because the current Texas tutoring districts have fulfilled their requirement in providing clearances for their respective tutoring engagements, we don't expect the next "wave" of Texas clearances to occur until Winter 2023. We still encourage you to start this process, so all requirements have been completed in order for you to receive your clearance at that time. |
Pro Tip: Before mailing your Texas fingerprint card and barcode form, please visit our Maryland background check instructions page. You can mail your Texas documents and your Maryland documents in the same pre-labeled envelope.
Texas Background Check Instructions:
- Request a Fingerprint Card: In order to complete the Texas Background Check process, you will need a fingerprint card from BookNook. Click here: Fingerprint Card request form only if you have not already done so for Maryland, (you do not need to submit this twice for both states). Once this form has been completed, our team will mail you two fingerprint cards within a week, so the fingerprint cards may take up to two weeks to get to you. You will use one of the cards for Texas and one of the cards for Maryland (Visit this page for Maryland background check instructions.).
- Complete and Upload Personal Information Form: Print this form, physically sign it, and then scan/save it to your computer with the file name structure: FirstName_LastName_Texas (i.e. Bob_Smith_Texas)
Upload the Personal Information Form via a secure file transfer process using this site. *Please note: the Personal Information Form MUST be completed and uploaded in order for us to receive your clearance. Click here if you would like steps on how to scan a document from your phone. - Receive Coupon Codes Via Email Before Moving On: You will receive a separate email with coupon codes that you will use for payment purposes within one week of filling out the Fingerprint Card request Form (Step 1). All tutors completing the Texas fingerprinting appointment are issued coupon(s) by BookNook to cover the cost of your appointment. Please use the coupon code(s) for payment purposes when completing your online enrollment with Identogo (next step).
- Pre-Enroll Online with Identogo: Complete your pre-enrollment online with Identogo. On this main page, you will notice a box at the top that states "enter your Service Code" to get started. Use this Service Code: 11FJ5N. After entering this Service Code, the last option on the page is "Submit a Fingerprint Card by Mail." Select this option. Do not select to schedule an appointment or locate an enrollment center. You will then be prompted to fill out your personal information. Our Agency Code/ ORI is TX922683Z.
- Complete Barcode Form: At the end of your pre-enrollment with Identogo, you will see a form with a barcode that requires your signature. Please print and sign this document. If you do not see this form, you may have selected the wrong option other than "Submit a Fingerprint Card by Mail" and we would advise you to call the Identego phone number (above) and request they change your enrollment option. IMPORTANT: This barcode document needs to be included with your Texas fingerprint card that you mail in order to properly process your Texas fingerprint.
- Visit A Local Law Enforcement Agency or Reputable Fingerprinting Business: Once you have received your fingerprint card in the mail, you must take the card to a local law enforcement agency or reputable fingerprinting business to have the fingerprints conducted. Please do not fill out the fingerprint card ahead of time as some agencies only allow it to be filled out at the appointment. We highly encourage having the fingerprints done in digital format on the Texas fingerprint card, but ink rolled prints may be done if digital transcription is not available. For any costs incurred, please get a receipt so that we can reimburse you.
- Ready to Mail: Once you have completed your fingerprint appointment at your local law enforcement agency or reputable fingerprinting business, and have your Identogo barcode document, you are ready to mail your items. Please place these two items into the pre-labeled envelope and immediately return it via mail.
Since the Maryland background check requires the same process, we recommend mailing documents for both Maryland and Texas in the same envelope. They are:
Texas:
-Texas Fingerprint Card
-Texas Barcode Document
Maryland:
-CPS Form (notarized)
-Disclosure Form
-Maryland Fingerprint Card--Once those documents have been mailed, please double check that you have uploaded your Personal Information Form so we can receive your Texas clearance (Step 2).
- Reimbursement Form Completion: Please complete this reimbursement form with the requested information.
- Wait + Track: After mailing your envelope, the average clearance duration can take up to one month. Keep an eye on our Tutor Background Check Tracker by checking the row associated with your unique identifier number. Once your background check is cleared for Texas, you will see "Cleared" appear in the Texas column.