Fingerprinting
Kingston Police provide Fingerprint services for a variety of employment, volunteer, and government documentation requirements.
Mandatory Court-Appointed fingerprinting
If you have been charged with a criminal offence and released with a fingerprinting date, your release documents will have the time and date you must attend Kingston Police Headquarters for fingerprinting.
Contact Kingston Police Court Office at 613-549-4660:
- you cannot attend at your appointed time (exceptional circumstances only),
- or you have been ordered by the Court to attend for fingerprinting.
Note: You must bring your release documents and suitable identification to your appointment.
All other fingerprinting services
All other fingerprint services are available Monday to Friday (excluding statutory holidays) between 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. No appointments are necessary.
Fees
The Kingston Police charge $35 for fingerprint services. There is also a $25 RCMP processing fee you must pay at the time of the application.
Fee exemptions
The RCMP fee may be waived if:
- You are applying for Landed Immigrant Status; or
- You are applying for Canadian Citizenship.
Federal government exemption
The RCMP fee may be waived if you are applying for direct employment with the Federal Government and the specific agency is requiring a fingerprint check (please note that contractors working for the Federal Government do not qualify for a fee waiver). You must provide the complete name and address of the Federal Agency that you are applying for at the time of fingerprinting.
Volunteer exemption
The RCMP fee may be waived if you are applying for a volunteer position. You must bring a letter from the agency on their letterhead that clearly identifies that the check is for a volunteer purpose.
Vulnerable sector check
The Kingston Police and RCMP fees will be waived if you require fingerprinting for a Vulnerable Sector check. You must provide a supporting letter if it is a volunteer purpose.
Inked or digital fingerprints
Digital fingerprints are the default method. However, some organizations require inked fingerprints. To get inked fingerprints, you must call and book an appointment. It is your responsibility to ensure that you are requesting the correct types of fingerprints.
Requirements to have fingerprints removed from police records
If you were charged with a criminal offence by Kingston Police, you may request to have your fingerprints and photo removed from police records under certain circumstances.
To have your fingerprints/photo removed, your charges must have resulted in a non-conviction by being:
- withdrawn or stayed by the Crown Attorney’s office;
- dismissed by a Judge or Justice;
- found not guilty or acquitted; or
- given an absolute or conditional discharged by a Judge or Justice.
If you participated in and completed a diversion program, your charges are deemed to have been withdrawn (therefore you may request consideration for removal of your fingerprints and photograph).
- Please ensure that you are eligible to apply for destruction before submitting your application. The application fee is $39.55 ($35.00 plus HST) payable to Kingston Police and is non-refundable.
How to have your fingerprints removed from police records
If you wish to have your fingerprints/photograph removed, you must submit a written request to the Chief of Police:
- by mail to Chief of Police, 705 Division St, Kingston, ON, K7K 4C2
- by fax to 613-549-3111,
- by e-mail to the Records Manager.
In your request, please be sure to identify yourself fully (i.e., your name, address, and date of birth) and include a copy of 1 piece of government issued photo identification.
It helps if you can identify the charges, the disposition, and the date (or approximate date) that these charges were dealt with. If you believe that you have information that would support your request, e.g., mitigating or extenuating circumstances of which you believe that the Chief should be aware, please include this information in your request.
Note: Your request will be reviewed. Please note that while you may meet the criteria for applying for the removal of your fingerprints/photo, the decision to grant that request remains at the sole discretion of the Chief or his/her designate. In some cases, the Chief may decide to refuse to grant an applicant’s request.
When will your fingerprints be removed from police records
If you received an absolute discharge, your fingerprints/photo will be considered for removal one year after the judgment was made in court.
If you received a conditional discharge, your fingerprints/photo will be considered for removal in three years after your probationary period has ended.
Please be aware that after you have made your request it may take one to two years to be completed, as involves the return of fingerprints from the national repository maintained by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.