Massachusetts Background Checks

Massachusetts Vital Records Background Checks
Massachusetts Health and Human Services has certified copies of birth, death and marriage records available. Although there are no divorce records on file, searches to verify a divorce record can be conducted to aid in Massachusetts background checks. Copies of divorce records must be obtained from the probate court in the county in which the divorce was granted.

Vital records in Massachusetts are open to the public for a fee. The fee must accompany the required information such as the full name of the subject, his or her date of birth and the specific county where the event took place. Massachusetts Health and Human Services, Registry of Vital Statistics accepts vital records requests in person at $18 per record searched, or through the mail at $24 each search. Regular mail certificate requests typically take 20 – 30 days processing time. Expedited mail service, that usually takes about 2 weeks after the records request is received, costs $37.

Individuals are often the subjects of Massachusetts background checks, but volunteers in more casual work situations are also important to check for safety reasons. Business partners, investors, roommates, tenants, new friends and/or dating interests can be checked to verify they are who and what they say they are. In addition to in person and mail order vital records requests, there is the option of self-researching at the Registry for a fee of $9 per hour. It’s best to first phone the registry to find out the self-search hours.

Massachusetts Health and Human Services
Registry of Vital Statistics
150 Mount Vernon St., 1st Floor
Dorchester, MA 02125-3105
Phone: (617)740-2600

Massachusetts Criminal Background Checks
The Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) section of the Massachusetts Government, Department of Criminal Justice Information Services (DCJIS) provides record checks for home health agencies, day cares, coaching organizations and more.
Workers involved in these groups and industries may also want to do Massachusetts background checks on themselves. A self criminal background check allows people with a record to know what others may be viewing in regards to their past. It also lets the individual review the record to check for any inaccuracies that can then be corrected.

MA Background Check

Recent Massachusetts laws in regards to individual background checks state that the organizations must present the person with his or her criminal record before asking questions relating to it. The fees for the DCJIS Massachusetts criminal background checks, which at the time of this writing are $25, may be waived for non-profit organizations. These groups should provide services for children or the elderly and be a 501C (3) organization. The CORI checks are for both organizations and individuals.

The DCJIS has no walk in services and should be contacted by phone for mailing directions for a criminal record check. The DCJIS can also be reached for more information about the CORI automated criminal history records access system.

Massachusetts Government
Department of Criminal Justice and Information Services (DCJIS)
Public Safety and Security
200 Arlington St., Suite 2200
Chelsea, MA 02150

CORI Unit Phone: (617) 660-4640