The Kentucky National Background Check Program offers an enhanced pre-employment background check screening through an electronic interface called KARES (Kentucky Applicant Registry and Employment Screening System). This background check process enables automatic abuse registry checks, including ongoing registry checks after employment date, as well as fingerprint based background checks through Kentucky State Police (KSP) and the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI).
Kentucky’s program uses digital fingerprint scans, designed to reduce identification errors in the background check process and enable subscription to ongoing criminal checks via KARES web service. This program now offers a feature called Continuous Assessment, previously known as “rap back”, which enables update notifications for future arrests for active employees. Providers can also see any available Kentucky criminal history report.
For more information on the Continuous Assessment and system features, please refer to the FAQ section of this website.
To enroll in KARES voluntarily, please go to the For Providers tab for information on how to sign up for KARES.
Questions not address on this website may be emailed to the KARES Helpdesk.
The KARES Web Portal
KARES is a web portal build to support the Kentucky National Background Check Program (NBCP), a fingerprint-supported state and FBI background check program available to eligible employers licensed by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services. By adding FBI checks to currently required background checks, employers are helping to ensure their applicants will not be able to hide criminal actions committed in other states.
Types of Providers Currently Eligible to Participate Kentucky's NBCP
Long-term care facilities, including nursing facilities, nursing homes, intermediate care facilities, Alzheimer’s nursing homes, personal care homes, and intermediate care facilities for individuals with intellectual disabilities;
Nursing pools providing staff to long-term care facilities;
Adult day health care programs;
Assisted-living communities;
Home health agencies;
Personal services agencies;
Providers of hospice care, including residential hospice providers;
- Providers of home and community-based service; and
- Any other health facility or service licensed pursuant to KRS Chapter 216B that applies to participate voluntarily; and Any other provider licensed by the cabinet for which a state and national background check is required as a condition of employment.
Fingerprint Collection Sites
Fingerprint collection sites are based on the home address of your applicant. Once the application for background check has been submitted in the KARES portal, the system will provide a barcoded Fingerprint Authorization form. This form is specific to your applicant and will list the three closest fingerprint collection sites based on the applicant’s home address. If your applicant lives outside of Kentucky, the form will list the three closest sites to the requesting facility.
It may be necessary to schedule an appointment for fingerprinting, please follow the instructions on the form regarding appointment scheduling or walk-in hours. Applicants must take their Fingerprint Authorization form and valid government issued photo ID for fingerprinting.
A current report of all active fingerprint collection sites is housed in the KARES web portal. This report will verify addresses, hours, and contact information for all KARES participating fingerprint collection sites. Please follow the report in the KARES system as site may be periodicity deactivated for system maintenance.
| KARES Fingerprinting Locations |
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For a full listing of counties housing a KARES fingerprint collection site,
click here.
To view site location, contact, and appointment information, refer to the Livescan fingerprint form generated at the time of application or your KARES system Fingerprint Location report.
A KARES job applicant must have an application in the KARES system before they can be fingerprinted. Applicants may be required to make an appointment prior to arrival. Refer to the applicant specific, barcoded form for instructions.
Frequently Asked Questions