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Direct answer

PATCH is the Pennsylvania State Police background-check path

Use Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History (PATCH) when you need the Pennsylvania State Police criminal-history background check. PSP states that online and mail requests are checked against Pennsylvania law-enforcement agency criminal-history records only, so do not describe a PATCH result as a nationwide or FBI check.

Request types

Pick the PSP request that matches the purpose

PSP path Current use Current fee noted by PSP
Individual criminal-history check General Pennsylvania criminal-history request through PATCH or mail $22 base fee. Effective April 22, 2026, EPATCH lists a 2% fee per credit-card transaction for online checks; its notice exempts registered users and mail-in requests paid by check.
Volunteer request Volunteer criminal-history check Free
Individual access and review Personal access/review by mail $20
Scope boundary
Pennsylvania-only means Pennsylvania-only
PSP says its online and mail criminal-history checks are checked against Pennsylvania law-enforcement agency criminal-history records only. An FBI Identity History Summary is a separate federal personal-record process.
Process

Use the result without overstating it

  1. 01
    Choose the PSP request type

    PATCH is the fastest route for the standard individual criminal-history check. For an online request, you must print the No Record or Record response yourself; PATCH does not mail online-request results. If you need a notarized criminal-history check, submit the request by mail using PSP’s SP 4-164 route; the $22 base check has an additional $5 notarization charge. Volunteer checks and individual access/review cannot be notarized.

  2. 02
    Keep “under review” neutral

    PATCH states that a Request Under Review response does not necessarily mean a record exists.

  3. 03
    Add a separate federal source only when needed

    If your task is your own fingerprint-based FBI history, use the FBI process instead of relabeling PATCH as federal.

Interpretation

The label “police background check” can hide the real scope

Pennsylvania’s official product is built around the State Police Central Repository. That is a useful answer when the task is a Pennsylvania criminal-history check, but the name of the product does not expand its jurisdiction.

If a result is being used for a regulated purpose, also check what the receiving organization actually requires. A Pennsylvania criminal-history certificate, a federal fingerprint history, and another state’s record are different products.

Prepare

Before submitting a request

  • ✓
    Purpose

    Individual, volunteer, personal access/review or another authorized use.

  • ✓
    Subject information

    Enter identifying information accurately.

  • ✓
    Scope

    Write “Pennsylvania” on your notes so the jurisdiction is not lost.

  • ✓
    Result type

    Do not confuse a PSP response with a certified court disposition.

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Sources

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