Kansas Statewide Criminal Background Check
Kansas keeps one central criminal history repository, and any employer may search it. Therefore, a single order covers all 105 counties.
BCS Background Screening LLC pulls that record directly from the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. Results return in real time, and the state fee passes through at cost.
What the Kansas Statewide Criminal Search Covers
Kansas runs an unusually open system. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation maintains the Kansas Central Repository. Moreover, any individual, company or organization may request a record from it. Most states never allow that.
Because of that openness, one search reaches the whole state. You do not need to guess which county heard the case. Instead, the repository returns every reportable Kansas record tied to the subject.
Included in Every Search
- Kansas felony and misdemeanor convictions from district and municipal courts
- Confinements in Kansas Department of Corrections facilities
- Arrests less than one year old that have no final disposition on file
- Cases where the subject is currently undergoing diversion
- Full charge detail: statute, count, severity, disposition and sentence
Why Employers Choose It First
A statewide search costs less than running six counties separately. Moreover, it catches records in counties an applicant never listed. Consequently, most Kansas employers start here. They then add county searches only where the trace points elsewhere.
Our team also reviews every returned record before release. Therefore, you receive a clean, readable report rather than raw repository output.
Kansas Statewide Search Pricing
We publish our price openly. Furthermore, we pass the state fee through without markup. Below sits the full cost per name.
| Line Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| BCS statewide search fee | $20.00 | Per name searched, includes researcher review |
| Kansas Bureau of Investigation record fee | $30.00 | The state’s published name-based fee, billed at cost |
| Total per name | $50.00 | No setup fee, no monthly minimum, no contract |
The KBI charges $30.00 for a name-based record check, and it charges $45.00 for a fingerprint-based check. We order the name-based search, since employers cannot compel a fingerprint submission for most private-sector roles. View all Search Packages and Add-ons for bundle pricing.
What the KBI Record Returns, and What It Leaves Out
Honest scope matters more than a long feature list. Here is exactly what a Kansas repository search does and does not show.
Reported to You
- Adult convictions for Kansas felonies and misdemeanors
- Kansas Department of Corrections confinements
- Arrests under 12 months old with no disposition filed
- Active diversions in progress
- Case number, court, file date, judgment date and sentence
Not Reported
- Dismissals and acquittals
- Successfully completed diversions
- Expunged records of any kind
- All juvenile offender data
- Out-of-state and federal cases
Kansas releases this data under K.S.A. 22-4704 and K.S.A. 22-4707, together with K.A.R. 10-12-1. Those rules define the public category, and the KBI prints them on every record it issues.
Since the repository excludes non-convictions, treat it as a conviction search rather than a full court file. Add a county search wherever the case history matters.
How to Order a Kansas Search
Ordering takes about two minutes once your account is live. Simply follow these four steps.
Open Your Account
Complete the online application and our credentialing review. Afterward, we verify your permissible purpose under the FCRA before enabling searches.
Collect Disclosure and Authorization
Give the applicant a standalone FCRA disclosure. Then collect a signed authorization, which also serves as the release Kansas law requires.
Submit the Search
Enter the full name, date of birth and sex. The KBI matches on those three identifiers, so spelling accuracy matters a great deal.
Review the Report
Results post to your secure dashboard in real time. Next, follow the pre-adverse and final adverse action steps if a record changes your decision.
Multiple surnames need care. Enter hyphenated and compound names exactly as they appear on government identification, since the repository matches literally.
Kansas Statewide Criminal Search: Sample Report
Below is a formatted sample of the KBI record our search returns. The subject, identifiers and case number are fictitious, though the layout and field set match a real report exactly.
Criminal Records Section
1620 SW Tyler, Topeka, Kansas 66612-1837
(785) 296-8200
Section 1 — Introduction
This record is provided under K.S.A. 22-4704, K.S.A. 22-4707 and K.A.R. 10-12-1. Those provisions entitle the requester to conviction data. They also cover summaries of arrests less than one year old without final dispositions on file. Additional data may be provided where the requester is statutorily entitled to other categories.
The request must carry fingerprints or an indexed KBI number. Otherwise, the KBI cannot guarantee that this record pertains to the individual in question. Both federal and Kansas laws regulate its use. Therefore, the data may only be used for the purpose requested, and violation may result in prosecution.
Should the subject dispute the contents, fingerprints may be submitted to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. The bureau then compares them against the prints supporting the record. Since additions and deletions occur at any time, request a new record for each new use.
Section 2 — Identification
Section 3 — Summary
Section 4 — Criminal Justice Cycles
Convicted
Arrest and Charge Data
Prosecution
Court
Charges Disposed Of
Convicted
Sentence Imposed
- Jail: 6 months, 0 days
- Fine: $1,000.00
- Probation: 12 months
- Adult programs: alcohol and drug education and treatment
End of Record
Notice how the record shows the file date, the judgment date and the complete sentence. Because of that detail, you can run a defensible individualized assessment instead of guessing at severity.
Name-Based Matching and Identity Confirmation
The KBI states its own limitation plainly. Without fingerprints or an indexed KBI number, it cannot guarantee the record belongs to your applicant.
Still, that caveat is not a weakness of the search. Rather, it is precisely why a good screening partner matters.
How We Reduce False Matches
- We run an SSN trace first, which surfaces names, aliases and address history
- We compare date of birth, middle name and sex against the returned record
- We flag common-name results instead of reporting them as confirmed hits
- We recommend a county search to pull the underlying court file when identity is close
Should a record still look uncertain, we say so in the report. After all, a wrongly matched conviction creates far more liability than a slower hire.
How Kansas Courts and the Repository Fit Together
Kansas organizes 105 counties into 31 judicial districts. Each district court handles felonies and misdemeanors, while municipal courts hear local ordinance violations.
Courts report dispositions to the Kansas Central Repository, which the KBI operates. Consequently, the quality of a statewide record depends on those reporting habits.
Kansas eCourt
Every Kansas court now runs on the Kansas eCourt case management system. Johnson County District Court joined in November 2024, completing the rollout.
Public Portal Limits
The court portal excludes expunged records, sealed cases, most juvenile matters and certain investigation records. It also warns that display is not an official court record.
Where Gaps Appear
A disposition sometimes never reaches the repository. Therefore, an arrest can sit without an outcome, and a county search becomes the only way to close the file.
Repository and court data can diverge. Accordingly, we pair the statewide search with county research whenever a record drives an adverse decision.
Kansas Compliance Built Into Every Order
Kansas regulates employment screening more tightly than most employers expect. Above all, two rules matter here.
You Cannot Make an Applicant Self-Check
K.S.A. 22-4710(a) bars a common shortcut. No employer may require a person to inspect or challenge their own criminal record to qualify. Violation is a class A misdemeanor. However, subsection (c) allows a signed release instead.
Every BCS order runs on that signed release. As a result, you stay inside the statute automatically.
The Kansas Seven-Year Rule Reaches Convictions
K.S.A. 50-704 limits reports of arrests, indictments and convictions to seven years. That clock starts at disposition, release or parole. Notably, the limit lifts once the role pays $20,000 or more yearly. Kansas never adopted the 1998 federal change exempting convictions. Consequently, the state rule can bind where federal law would not.
Our full breakdown of expungement, ban-the-box and adverse action sits on our Kansas background check laws page. Read it before you finalize hiring policy.
Searches That Pair Well With Kansas Statewide
A statewide search answers one question well. Add these where the role or the address history demands more depth.
County Criminal Court Search
Direct courthouse research that pulls the full case file. Use it to confirm a repository hit or to cover counties outside Kansas.
Federal Criminal Search
United States District Court records for fraud, trafficking and interstate crimes. State repositories never carry these cases.
SSN Trace and Address History
Ten or more years of reported addresses plus names and aliases. This trace tells you which other states to search.
Motor Vehicle Records
Driving histories for delivery, trucking, sales and CDL positions. A Kansas DUI conviction shows here as well as on the criminal record.
Nationwide Background Check
SSN trace, nationwide criminal database, sex offender registries and watchlists. Order it to locate jurisdictions before court searches.
Other Statewide Searches
We run real-time statewide criminal searches in states across the country. Browse the full list to cover every address on the trace.
Every BCS Background Screening LLC account includes optional Multiple Authentication Factor (MAF) protection. Your administrator can enable it at any time.
Kansas Statewide Criminal Background Check FAQs
How much does a Kansas statewide criminal background check cost?
The total is $50.00 per name. It combines a $20.00 BCS Background Screening LLC search fee with the $30.00 Kansas Bureau of Investigation record fee. We bill the state fee at cost with no markup. There is no setup charge, no monthly minimum and no contract, so you pay only for the searches you order.
What does a Kansas statewide criminal search include?
The search returns adult convictions for Kansas felonies and misdemeanors. It also covers Kansas Department of Corrections confinements, active diversions, and arrests less than one year old with no disposition. Each record carries the case number, court, file date, judgment date, charge statute, severity level and full sentence. Dismissals, acquittals, completed diversions, expunged records and juvenile data are excluded by law.
Does the search really cover all 105 Kansas counties?
Yes. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation maintains one central repository for the entire state, and Kansas courts report dispositions into it. Therefore, a single order reaches every county rather than only the ones an applicant discloses. Coverage still depends on reporting. Therefore, we recommend a county search when a record drives an adverse decision.
How fast do Kansas results come back?
The Kansas repository responds in real time, so most searches post to your dashboard within minutes of submission. Occasionally a common-name result needs manual review before release. Then our team confirms identifiers first. That step adds a short delay, but it keeps a false match out of your file.
Can I make an applicant get their own KBI record instead?
No. K.S.A. 22-4710(a) makes such a demand unlawful. No employer may require a person to inspect or challenge their own criminal history record to qualify. Violation is a class A misdemeanor. Subsection (c) provides the lawful path instead: the applicant signs a release, and the employer obtains the record. Every BCS order runs on that signed release.
How far back does a Kansas criminal background check go?
K.S.A. 50-704 limits reports of arrests, indictments and convictions to seven years from disposition, release or parole. However, those limits lift when the position pays, or may reasonably be expected to pay, $20,000 or more per year. Kansas never adopted the 1998 federal amendment exempting convictions, so the state rule can be stricter than the FCRA for lower-paid roles.
Is a name-based search as reliable as fingerprints?
Fingerprints identify a person more precisely, and the KBI says so directly. Without prints or an indexed KBI number, the bureau cannot guarantee the record belongs to your applicant. Private employers generally cannot compel fingerprinting, so we reduce risk another way. We run an SSN trace and match date of birth and middle name. Additionally, we flag common-name results and recommend a county search whenever identity looks close.
Do I still need a county criminal search in Kansas?
Often yes. Because the repository reports convictions, a pending case or dismissed charge may not appear. A county search pulls the actual court file, which confirms identity and shows the full procedural history. We also recommend county coverage for every jurisdiction outside Kansas that the SSN trace reveals.
Order Your Kansas Statewide Search Today
Open an account, collect your signed authorization, and run a Kansas search for $20 plus the $30 state fee. Results return in real time.
Call (800) 661-0278 or email support@usabackground.com. Our team answers Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Eastern.
The sample report on this page is fictitious. We created the subject name, date of birth, KBI number, booking number and case number for illustration only. They do not refer to any real person or case. BCS Background Screening LLC is a consumer reporting agency, not a law firm, and this page is not legal advice. Consult Kansas employment counsel before setting hiring policy.