Last updated: July 30, 2026
How to Get a Criminal Record Check in Edmonton
Edmonton applicants have two online routes: an Edmonton Police Service police information check through the EPS portal, or a national name-based criminal record check through Instant Record Check. Employers sometimes call either document a police clearance. The EPS route is appropriate when an employer, volunteer agency or other requesting organization asks for an EPS police information check or vulnerable sector screening. Instant Record Check provides a Criminal Record Check (CRC) and a Criminal Record and Judicial Matters Check (CRJMC) using RCMP and CPIC data.
The document requested matters more than the general phrase “police check”. A standard CRC reports disclosed Canadian conviction information found through a name-based search. The enhanced CRJMC adds a search for outstanding judicial matters. A vulnerable sector check and a certified fingerprint-based criminal record check follow different processes, so neither can be replaced simply by ordering a name-based report.
Instant Record Check typically returns a name-based result in about 15 minutes. Applicants must be at least 18 years old and have at least one year of Canadian residency. Identity is verified through TransUnion, with Stripe Identity available as a backup. If the requesting organization specifically names EPS, requires local police information, asks for vulnerable sector screening or requires fingerprints, the EPS or fingerprinting route should be used. Applicants outside the city can review the Alberta criminal record check guide for province-wide options.
Edmonton Criminal Record Check Cost
Prices vary by purpose and by the document being purchased. EPS fees in the table are GST exempt, per the Edmonton Police Service, July 2026. The two Instant Record Check rows are national name-based products, not EPS-issued documents.
| Service | What the fee buys | Price |
|---|---|---|
| EPS employment | Police information check for employment | $80 |
| EPS post-secondary or practicum | Police information check for post-secondary studies, practicum or job-related experience, with confirmation of admission or placement | $55 |
| EPS volunteer | Police information check for a volunteer position, with an agency letter confirming the position | $20 |
| EPS vulnerable sector fingerprinting | Fingerprinting fee collected when fingerprints are required for vulnerable sector screening | $25 |
| Instant Record Check CRC | National name-based Criminal Record Check using RCMP and CPIC data | $59.97 |
| Instant Record Check CRJMC | National name-based Criminal Record and Judicial Matters Check using RCMP and CPIC data | $66.97 |
EPS also lists $80 police information check fees for security guard, locksmith and private investigator purposes; immigration, travel and visa purposes; housing; dayhome, adoption and kinship purposes; and a local police records check for a record suspension. The post-secondary or practicum rate requires confirmation of program admission or a practicum or field placement. The volunteer rate requires a letter from the agency confirming the volunteer position.
The six prices do not describe interchangeable products. An employer asking for a basic name-based CRC may accept the $59.97 Instant Record Check report. A licensing body that names an EPS document, an organization requesting vulnerable sector screening, or an authority requiring certified fingerprints is asking for a different route. The pricing page compares the two Instant Record Check products in more detail.
There is more to weigh than price and speed. Instant Record Check works with police partners across the country who process checks on its behalf. It belongs to the Professional Background Screening Association and is a BBB Accredited Business. When an employer, licensing body or immigration office accepts a name-based check but needs paper rather than a PDF, Instant Record Check can mail an official police-stamped hard copy, embossed and sealed.
How Long Does an Edmonton Police Check Take?
EPS states that police information checks are currently being processed within 5 to 7 business days, per the Edmonton Police Service, July 2026. That is a published processing figure rather than an estimate.
Instant Record Check typically completes a national RCMP and CPIC name-based report in about 15 minutes. The practical speed comparison is therefore about 15 minutes for Instant Record Check against 5 to 7 business days for an EPS police information check. The faster route remains limited to the CRC and CRJMC products it can provide. It is not a substitute for an EPS-issued document, vulnerable sector screening or a fingerprint-based certified check.
EPS online results remain available in the applicant's account for 31 days after completion. Applicants should retrieve the completed document within that window. The published 5 to 7 business day figure describes current police information check processing, while an application that requires further review or fingerprinting can involve additional steps.
Applying Through the EPS Portal
The EPS online police information check application is fully electronic, including delivery of the result. EPS operates the application through a portal hosted at policesolutions.ca. The application is still an EPS police information check, not a product from an independent screening company.
EPS requires two pieces of identification, and expired identification is not accepted. A vulnerable sector police information check also requires proof of residency showing the current address. EPS lists a driver licence, a recent utility, electricity, gas or telephone bill, a bank statement, a rental agreement or insurance documents as examples.
Payment can be made by cash, debit, credit, or cheque or money order. The online route handles its steps electronically. People who cannot apply online may use the in-person option described below, but EPS does not provide on-the-spot processing. Police information check applications are not accepted at Divisional Stations.
These requirements differ from the Instant Record Check process. Our applicants must be at least 18, have at least one year of Canadian residency and complete online identity verification. The how it works guide explains the name-based CRC and CRJMC process.
Vulnerable Sector Checks in Edmonton
EPS handles vulnerable sector screening as part of its police information check process. This type of screening is used for an eligible position of trust or authority involving children or vulnerable people. The organization requesting the check determines whether the role requires vulnerable sector screening.
Proof of residency is required for a vulnerable sector police information check. The document must show the applicant's current address, using one of the EPS-listed forms such as a driver licence, recent household service bill, bank statement, rental agreement or insurance document. Two pieces of unexpired identification are also required.
If EPS requires fingerprints during vulnerable sector screening, the $25 fingerprinting fee is collected on behalf of the Receiver General for Canada and paid to the RCMP. Whether it applies depends on the purpose of the check and on whether EPS requires prints, so confirm the total with EPS before paying.
Instant Record Check cannot issue a vulnerable sector check and does not take fingerprints. A person asked for this screening must use the police route. The vulnerable sector check guide explains the scope of this document and how it differs from a standard CRC.
Certified Criminal Record Checks and Fingerprinting
A certified criminal record check is fingerprint-based. It is used when the requesting organization or authority specifically requires fingerprints rather than accepting a name-based search. Fingerprints allow the record search to be tied to a confirmed identity when a name and date of birth are not sufficient for the requested process.
Instant Record Check does not take fingerprints and cannot provide a certified fingerprint-based criminal record check. Its CRC and CRJMC are name-based reports. An applicant whose letter or form asks for a certified criminal record check, an RCMP fingerprint-based result or fingerprints should follow those instructions rather than ordering a name-based product.
In Edmonton, civil fingerprinting is provided at the Southeast Divisional Station, 104 Youville Drive E NW. The service is available on Thursdays from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Appointments are prioritized, while walk-ins may be accommodated based on availability, per the Edmonton Police Service, July 2026.
This is a different location and schedule from the EPS Police Information Check Section office on 118 Avenue, and Thursday is the one weekday that office is closed to the public. Divisional Stations do not accept police information check applications, but the Southeast Divisional Station has the stated Thursday service for civil fingerprinting. Keeping those two functions separate avoids an unnecessary trip to the wrong counter.
Edmonton Police Service or Instant Record Check?
The choice depends on the name and scope of the document requested. EPS provides its police information check and vulnerable sector screening. Instant Record Check provides a $59.97 Criminal Record Check and a $66.97 Criminal Record and Judicial Matters Check, both based on national RCMP and CPIC name searches.
| Question | Edmonton Police Service | Instant Record Check |
|---|---|---|
| Products | Police information check, including vulnerable sector screening when eligible | Criminal Record Check and Criminal Record and Judicial Matters Check |
| Published timing | 5 to 7 business days for current police information check processing | Typically about 15 minutes |
| Search scope | EPS police information check scope for the requested purpose | National name-based RCMP and CPIC data |
| Fingerprints | May require fingerprints for vulnerable sector screening; separate civil fingerprinting service available | Does not take fingerprints |
| Document issuer | Edmonton Police Service | Instant Record Check |
EPS is the correct route when the requesting party names EPS, asks for vulnerable sector screening or requires the local police product. Its published 5 to 7 business day processing figure is clear and comparatively fast. Instant Record Check has a substantial speed advantage for an accepted name-based CRC or CRJMC, with typical completion in about 15 minutes.
An Instant Record Check report is not an EPS-issued document. It should not be described as one, even though it uses national RCMP and CPIC data. The enhanced Criminal Record and Judicial Matters Check adds outstanding judicial matters to the name-based CRC scope, but it still does not include vulnerable sector screening or fingerprint certification.
Where to Go in Person
The EPS Police Information Check Section is at #108, 14315-118 Avenue, Nexus Business Park. It is open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. The midday closure from noon to 1:00 p.m. is part of the posted schedule.
The office is closed to the public every Thursday, as well as weekends and statutory holidays. In-person applying is intended for people who cannot apply online. There is no on-the-spot processing, and results from the in-person route are sent by mail.
The 118 Avenue office should not be confused with civil fingerprinting at Southeast Divisional Station. Civil fingerprinting takes place at 104 Youville Drive E NW on Thursdays from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., with appointments prioritized. For applicants comparing Alberta city procedures, the Calgary police check guide covers the corresponding Calgary routes.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a criminal record check cost in Edmonton?
An EPS police information check costs $80 for employment, $55 for post-secondary or practicum purposes with the required confirmation, and $20 for volunteers with an agency letter. Instant Record Check costs $59.97 for a Criminal Record Check and $66.97 for a Criminal Record and Judicial Matters Check.
How long does an EPS police information check take?
EPS states that police information checks are currently being processed within 5 to 7 business days, per the Edmonton Police Service, July 2026. Completed online results remain available in the applicant's account for 31 days.
Can I get an Edmonton criminal record check online?
Yes. EPS accepts online police information check applications through the Police Solutions portal EPS uses, and the process is fully electronic, including the results. Instant Record Check also provides national RCMP and CPIC name-based checks online.
What is a certified criminal record check, and do you take fingerprints?
A certified criminal record check is a fingerprint-based search used when the requesting organization specifically requires one. Instant Record Check does not take fingerprints and cannot provide a certified fingerprint-based check.
Who needs a vulnerable sector check in Edmonton, and what does it cost?
A vulnerable sector check is for an eligible position of trust or authority involving children or vulnerable people. EPS charges $80 for employment or $20 for volunteers with an agency letter. A separate $25 fingerprinting fee is collected for the Receiver General for Canada and paid to the RCMP. Instant Record Check cannot issue a vulnerable sector check.
What do I need to apply?
EPS requires two pieces of unexpired identification. A vulnerable sector police information check also requires proof of residency, such as a current driver licence, recent utility or telephone bill, bank statement, rental agreement or insurance document.
Related Pages
- Criminal record checks across Alberta
- Calgary police checks
- Vulnerable sector checks
- Criminal Record and Judicial Matters Check
- Instant Record Check pricing
- How the online process works
Instant Record Check Editorial
Writing on criminal record checks and background screening in Canada.
