Attorney General’s Customer Service Center Sets Priorities for State Background Checks During COVID-19 surge

Effective immediately, state background checks will be prioritized for frontline workers, school employees, and those who require background checks for housing

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Attorney General Peter F. Neronha announced today that the Office of Attorney General customer service center has prioritized service for state background checks for individuals needing them for employment in healthcare and education, as well as those who need them to acquire housing. The new policy was implemented to efficiently process state background checks while protecting the health and safety of employees and members of the public, considering the recent surge in COVID-19 cases in Rhode Island.

Effective immediately, the Office is prioritizing in-person background checks at our customer service center located at 4 Howard Avenue, Cranston, for:

• Healthcare providers, to include nurses and long-term care/assisted living facilities workers

• Individuals who require background checks for housing

• First responders

• Childcare workers

• Personal care aides

• School employees

• Individuals with exigent circumstances who need a background check for employment purposes

Individuals seeking in-person background checks at the customer service center should follow on-site instructions to access a virtual waitlist. Instructions are posted in the parking lot at of the customer service center a 4 Howard Avenue. Payment for in-person background checks is requested to be made by credit or debit card.

Individuals seeking state background checks for other reasons may still do so by submitting their request by mail or postponing their visit to our customer service center until normal operations can safely resume. Instructions for requesting a state background check by mail can be found on the Attorney General’s web site here. Applications will be processed on a first-come-first-serve basis, and processing times may be delayed during this period.

Additionally, license to carry permit applications and renewals will continue to be accepted by mail only. We will continue to process these applications, however, processing time may be delayed.

These changes will help the Office continue to serve the public in a safe and efficient manner consistent with social distancing guidelines set forth by the State.