FACT Clearinghouse
Updated Agreements
Effective 4/18/2024, all Secure Site users will be required to sign the updated user agreements before accessing the Secure Site. Users who fail to sign the agreements will be unable to access their Secure Site account. If you have any questions, please contact the Criminal History Inquiry Unit at 512-424-2474 Option 1.
Validations Initiated for the TX DPS Secure Site FACT Clearinghouse
The validation process has been implemented in the TX DPS Secure Site FACT Clearinghouse and agencies will be required to validate their subscriptions beginning January 2023. The subscriptions that are not validated will be automatically unsubscribed for both Texas and FBI Subscriptions.
The expiration dates for subscriptions are based on the date the subscription was created or when the subscription was last validated.
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Subscriptions created and validated prior to January 15, 2018 – These subscriptions are set to expire on January 1, 2023.
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Subscriptions created and validated ON or AFTER January 15, 2018 – These subscriptions will expire 5 years from the date the subscription was created, or the date the subscription was validated.
This applies to all subscriptions, including those that are not currently enrolled in the FBI Rap Back Program. The following will assist agencies with determining which subscriptions need to be validated and when the subscriptions are set to expire.
You can find more information about the notice in the message center via the link https://securesite.dps.texas.gov/DpsWebsite/Messaging/.
If you have any questions regarding validation, please contact our Fingerprint Services Unit at Fingerprint.Service@dps.texas.gov or at 512-424-2474, option 6.
TX DPS Secure Site FACT Clearinghouse Updates
The TX DPS Secure Site FACT Clearinghouse has recently been updated and information regarding these updates are available in the “Message Center” within the TXDPS Secure Site.
If you have any questions regarding the updates, please contact our Fingerprint Services Unit at Fingerprint.Service@dps.texas.gov or at 512-424-2474, option 6.
What is FACT Clearinghouse?
The FACT Clearinghouse is a repository of the DPS and the FBI fingerprint-based criminal history results.
The FACT Clearinghouse allows an authorized entity access to a consolidated response of the DPS and FBI criminal history fingerprint results, including an electronic subscription and notification service for new arrest activity on subscribed persons.
Only persons processed through Fingerprint Applicant Services of Texas (FAST) are eligible for FACT. FAST is a service of the DPS that provides the electronic capture and submission of fingerprints for a fingerprint background check.
Fingerprint-Based Search Results
The criminal records stored at the DPS and the FBI are based on fingerprints submitted at the time of arrest.
The DPS and the FBI use Automated Fingerprint Identification Systems (AFIS) that take an electronic image of fingerprints submitted by FAST and compares it to fingerprints of persons previously reported to the DPS and the FBI as having been arrested in Texas or elsewhere in the Nation.
The DPS and the FBI have criminal history files of all arrests, prosecutions and court dispositions, if they have been reported to the DPS.
When a match is identified through either AFIS, the corresponding criminal history record is pulled from the DPS or the FBI system. FACT displays both results in one location.
Subscription Service
The subscription service notifies an entity of new activity to a Texas criminal history record and now with the implementation of FBI Rap Back, new activity on an individual’s national criminal history. Not only will the subscribing entity receive notifications of events that occurred within Texas, they will also receive notifications of events that occurred elsewhere in the nation.
Events that can generate a notification are arrests, record updates, Sex Offender Registry activity, and death notices. These notifications will help eliminate the need to re-fingerprint employees to determine if new activity has been received after the initial check.
Fees
Fingerprint submissions may have varying fees depending on the type of agency, type of applicant, and many other factors. Additionally, fingerprint vendors offer additional optional services that may incur further fees as well. Lastly, some agencies are exempt from certain fees, such as Criminal Justice agencies not being charged viewing fees.
FACT
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One-time fee for customer
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Idemia
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DPS
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FBI
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Applicant
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$10.00
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$15.00
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$13.25
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Volunteer
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$10.00
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$15.00
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$11.25
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**Note these fees are basic fees and may not apply to all agencies. Please contact your agency if you have questions about your fingerprinting fees.
Displaying (viewing) an individual’s Texas & FBI Criminal Histories may incur a fee. If the fee is incurred, viewing costs $1.00, which grants a 31 day unlimited viewing period. This applies to each individual an agency views. A banner will be displayed indicating if the record is fee-based.
If an individual is fingerprinted for an agency, that agency has 31 days from when the fingerprinting results are first available in the Clearinghouse to Display the Texas & FBI Criminal Histories for an individual as many times as they would like. After this period, viewing charges apply as described above.
FBI Rap Back fees are included in the initial fingerprinting fee. If an applicant does not meet the eligibility requirements for FBI Rap Back and the agency decides to have the applicant re-fingerprinted, fingerprinting fees apply.