Criminal Record Check Vancouver

Last updated: July 23, 2026

Criminal record check in Vancouver

Last updated July 9, 2026

There are two ways to get a criminal record check in Vancouver. You can apply online through Instant Record Check, which searches the same RCMP and CPIC databases police use and usually returns results in about 15 minutes, from $59.97. Or you can apply through the Vancouver Police Department, which charges $89 for a police information check (the rate in effect since January 1, 2026) and requires an in-person visit by appointment. Volunteers apply with a letter from their organization.

VPD police information checks are done by appointment at the 2120 Cambie Street headquarters, which is open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Walk-ins are not accepted; appointments are booked through VPD's online platform. If you live elsewhere in BC, your local RCMP detachment or municipal police service handles in-person checks; the online route works from anywhere in the province. See our British Columbia guide for the provincial picture, including the Criminal Records Review Program for work with children and vulnerable adults.

APPLY FOR A RECORD CHECK

Police Information Check

Police Information Check or criminal record check refers to the background search for applicants seeking employment or volunteer positions with organizations that require reviewing police and court information about their applicants. This type of search is not intended for applicants seeking to work or volunteer with vulnerable people.

Vulnerable sector check in Vancouver

A vulnerable sector check is required for work or volunteering with children, seniors, or people with disabilities. It adds a search of the pardoned sex offender database to the standard check, and no online provider can process one.

Through the VPD, an employment vulnerable sector check costs $89 plus a $25 RCMP federal processing fee. Volunteer applications need a letter of proof from the organization, including any fingerprints. If your name, gender, and date of birth match a record, you will be asked to submit fingerprints so the RCMP can confirm your identity, which adds weeks or months to processing. The fingerprints are used only for identity confirmation and are destroyed 90 days after the check completes.

Before booking, check whether you actually need one. If the requesting organization's letter does not specifically name the vulnerable sector, a standard criminal record check or Enhanced CRC, both available online, usually satisfies the requirement. Our guide to vulnerable sector checks in Canada covers who needs one.

Application process

• Book an appointment through the VPD police information checks page; walk-ins are not accepted.
• Bring two pieces of valid government-issued ID, one with a current photo, to 2120 Cambie Street.
• Pay the $89 fee (plus the $25 RCMP fee for employment vulnerable sector checks). Extra embossed originals are $10 each if requested at the same appointment.
• Wait for processing; timing varies with volume, and checks requiring fingerprint verification take substantially longer.

Or skip the appointment entirely: verify your identity online with Instant Record Check and receive an RCMP-based result in about 15 minutes. Most BC employers accept electronic results; see pricing or the FAQ if you are not sure which check your situation calls for.

Accepted Identification Documents

The following are the accepted valid (non-expired) documents.

• BC ID card
• Birth certificate
• Passport
• Driver’s licence
• Permanent residency card
• Student ID card
• Citizenship card
• Native status card/Nexus card

The BC services card that combines BC driver’s licence and care card is considered one form of identification. Similarly, SIN and financial institutions’ credit and debit cards aren’t accepted documents.

If your ID document does not provide your address, you have to submit a utility bill or a bank statement to prove your residency.

Background Checks in Vancouver for Employment

Most Vancouver background checks start and end with the criminal record check. Employers in health care, finance, retail, and the gig economy request one before a start date, and the majority accept the online version because it searches the same RCMP and CPIC databases as a station visit. Results from Instant Record Check arrive in about 15 minutes, so a background check no longer has to hold up an offer.

Employers screening several candidates can manage every check from a single dashboard; see pre-employment screening. Applicants elsewhere in the province can start from the British Columbia criminal record check guide.

Frequently asked questions

Related Pages

• Criminal Record Check British Columbia
• Criminal Record Check Surrey
• Criminal Record Check Victoria BC
• Criminal Record Check Canada
• Police Record Check Canada

APPLY FOR A RECORD CHECK

Jon Gillett

Writing on criminal record checks and background screening in Canada.