Criminal record check
Your name and date of birth searched against the RCMP National Repository by an accredited police service. Accepted by most employers, staffing agencies, landlords and general volunteer roles.
MyCheck by Credibled, for individuals
How long does a criminal record check take in Canada?
Anywhere from a few minutes to several months, depending on who runs it and whether fingerprints are needed. With MyCheck, most criminal record checks complete in minutes and the rest are usually back within 4 hours. Police services we checked take about 1 to 3 weeks. A check that needs fingerprints to confirm a possible match can take months.
This guide compares the times police services publish, explains what slows a check down, and shows how to get yours faster. MyCheck is a private Canadian provider, not a police service.
Level 1Most common$39CADCriminal convictions where no record suspension has been granted. What most job applications ask for.
Level 2$49CADAdds outstanding charges and warrants, discharges, Youth Criminal Justice Act findings and court orders.
Start my criminal record check
Have your ID, your most recent Canadian address and a card ready. Checks are non-refundable once submitted, so check which one you need before you pay. Watch how it works.
Your certificate is readyMyCheck by Credibled
Attached · PDFPDF
Name-based Canadian criminal record checkSarah ConnorToronto, ON
ResultCleared
- Identity verifiedDriver's licence matched to live capture
- Search completeRCMP National Repository of Criminal Records
- Certificate issuedBy an accredited police service
Most checks complete in minutes. The rest are usually back within 4 hours.
MinutesMost checks
RCMPNational Repository
IncludedID verification
OnlineNo appointment
The short answer
Criminal record check processing times, at a glance
How long you wait depends on two things: who runs the check, and whether your identity has to be confirmed with fingerprints. Most name-based checks never need fingerprints.
| Check | Who runs it | Typical time |
|---|---|---|
| Name-based criminal record check, online | MyCheck | Most in minutes. The rest usually within 4 hours |
| Name-based criminal record check or police record check | Your local police service | About 1 to 3 weeks at the services we checked. Mail applications take longer |
| Police information check (Alberta and BC) | Your local police service | About 1 to 3 weeks at the services we checked, and up to 4 weeks or more when a file needs review |
| Vulnerable sector check | The police service where you live | About 1 to 2 weeks without fingerprints. Months if fingerprints have to confirm a possible match |
| Fingerprint-based certified check | Police, or an RCMP-accredited fingerprinting company | 3 business days or less with electronic fingerprints and no record match. 120 business days with a possible match or manual processing |
If you need a name-based criminal record check for a job, a staffing agency, a placement or a lease, you do not have to wait in a police queue. If you need a vulnerable sector check or a fingerprint-based check, plan ahead: those take the longest.
Police times from the services listed below, checked 9 to 14 October 2026. Fingerprint-based check times from the RCMP processing times page, checked 14 October 2026. Vulnerable sector check times from the Calgary Police Service and Halifax Regional Police.
Police processing times
How long police services take, in their own words
We checked what each police service publishes about its criminal record check or police information check. Where a service shows the date of the applications it is working on, we show that instead, because it is the most honest guide to the current wait.
| Police service | Published time or current queue | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| Toronto Police Service | No published target and no rush service. On 14 October 2026 it was processing criminal record checks received on 2 October. Mail applications take over four weeks | 14 Oct 2026 |
| Peel Regional Police | About 10 business days online, longer if another police service has to be contacted | 14 Oct 2026 |
| Ontario Provincial Police | About 10 days on average, with a 30-day service standard | April 2026 |
| Calgary Police Service | No published time, processed in date order. On 14 October 2026 it was processing applications from 24 September | 14 Oct 2026 |
| Edmonton Police Service | 5 to 10 business days | 9 Oct 2026 |
| Vancouver Police Department | Typically 1 to 2 weeks, up to 4 weeks or more if a file needs review. No expedited service | 9 Oct 2026 |
| Regina Police Service | 14 days, with no guarantee | 13 Oct 2026 |
| Saskatoon Police Service | About 5 business days | 13 Oct 2026 |
| Winnipeg Police Service | Processed in the order received, with no published time. On 14 October 2026 it was processing checks submitted on 5 October | 14 Oct 2026 |
| Halifax Regional Police | Usually 14 days, depending on volume | 14 Oct 2026 |
| Cape Breton Regional Police | Allow 7 days | 13 Oct 2026 |
Police times change with the season. Many services get busiest when students and seasonal workers apply: Airdrie RCMP, for example, lists September, October, May and June as its peak periods. RCMP detachments generally do not publish a time, so ask yours.
Looking for your city? See criminal record checks across Canada, with a guide for each province and major city.
Why some checks take longer
What slows a criminal record check down
Most checks are straightforward: no possible match, no fingerprints, done. These are the things that turn a quick check into a long one.
A possible match on your name and date of birth
If someone with a criminal record shares your name and date of birth, the search cannot tell you apart. Your identity then has to be confirmed with fingerprints, in person. With MyCheck, we tell you straight away if yours does.
Fingerprints for a vulnerable sector check
A vulnerable sector check also searches pardoned sexual offence records by gender and date of birth. A match means fingerprints, and the RCMP lists 120 business days for a possible match.
Records held by another police service
If you have lived elsewhere, your local police may have to contact another service before they can finish. Peel Regional Police, for example, warns of delays when that happens.
Applying by mail
Paper applications wait in the mail and then in the queue. Toronto Police says mail applications typically take over four weeks to reach applicants.
Missing details or a failed ID check
Police online portals often verify identity with questions from your credit file. If you have no Canadian credit history, or a detail does not match, the application stops until you send ID. The OPP treats an application as abandoned after 60 days without identity verification.
Start to certificate
How to get a criminal record check in minutes, in 3 steps
- 1
Choose your level and pay
Enter your email, pick Level 1 at $39 or Level 2 at $49, and pay by debit or credit card. If an employer or agency gave you a promo code, enter it at checkout.
- 2
Verify your ID and declare
A link arrives by email. Photograph your government ID, take a short live capture and complete your declaration. Your phone camera is enough.
- 3
Get your certificate
An accredited police service searches the RCMP National Repository of Criminal Records through the Canadian Police Information Centre. Most checks complete in minutes. The certificate lands in your inbox, ready to send on.
See every step, from payment to certificate.
What to have ready
- Your most recent Canadian address
- An original, unexpired government ID: passport, driver's licence, ID card or residence permit
- A phone or computer with a camera
- A debit or credit card
Start my criminal record checkFrom $39 CAD. No access fee.
A quick check before you order
Which check do you need?
Most jobs, agencies, landlords and general volunteer roles accept a criminal record check, which is what we do. Two other checks get asked for in Canada, and only police or an accredited agency can issue them.
Vulnerable sector check
Roles working with children, seniors or other vulnerable people need a vulnerable sector check. Only the police service where you live can do it, and it usually takes the longest, especially when fingerprints are needed.
Fingerprint-certified check
Immigration, visa and citizenship applications, record suspensions and most uses outside Canada need fingerprint-certified results. Our check also does not include convictions recorded by the Canada Border Services Agency or US Customs.
Not sure which you were asked for? Ask the person requesting it whether a name-based criminal record check is acceptable before you order.
FAQ
Criminal record check timing questions, answered
How long does a criminal record check take in Canada?
With MyCheck, most criminal record checks complete in minutes and the rest are usually back within 4 hours. The police services we checked in October 2026 took about 1 to 3 weeks. A vulnerable sector check or a fingerprint-based check takes longer, and a possible match that needs fingerprints can take months.
How long does a police check take?
A police check is the everyday name for a criminal record check, so the same times apply: minutes with MyCheck for most checks, and about 1 to 3 weeks at the police services we checked. If you have been asked for a vulnerable sector check, plan for longer.
How long does a criminal record check take in Ontario?
In October 2026, Toronto Police was processing applications about 12 days after they arrived, Peel Regional Police listed about 10 business days, and the OPP reported an average of about 10 days in April 2026. With MyCheck, most checks complete in minutes. See criminal record checks in Ontario.
How long does a criminal record check take in BC?
The Vancouver Police Department says its police information checks typically take 1 to 2 weeks, and up to 4 weeks or more if a file needs review, with no expedited service. With MyCheck, most checks complete in minutes. See criminal record checks in BC.
How long does a police check take in Alberta?
The Edmonton Police Service lists 5 to 10 business days for a police information check. The Calgary Police Service does not publish a time, and in mid-October 2026 it was working through applications about 3 weeks old. With MyCheck, most checks complete in minutes. See criminal record checks in Alberta.
How long does a vulnerable sector check take?
Usually 1 to 2 weeks without fingerprints. Halifax Regional Police allows one week, or two if fingerprints are needed, and the Calgary Police Service estimates about two weeks when fingerprints do not match a criminal file. If they do, Calgary says it can take more than 120 days. Only police can do a vulnerable sector check. Read our guide to vulnerable sector checks.
How long does an RCMP fingerprint check take?
The RCMP says a fingerprint-based certified check takes 3 business days or less when fingerprints are submitted electronically and there is no criminal record match. With a possible match, or when the request is processed manually, the RCMP lists 120 business days. These are the checks used for immigration, visas and record suspensions.
Why is my criminal record check taking so long?
The most common reasons are a possible match on your name and date of birth that needs fingerprints, records held by another police service, an application sent by mail, or a missing detail or failed identity check. Busy seasons, especially late summer and early fall, add to police queues.
Can I pay to speed up a police check?
Usually not. Toronto Police says there is no rush service, the Calgary Police Service processes applications in date order, and the Vancouver Police Department offers no expedited service. If you need a name-based criminal record check quickly, MyCheck is the faster route: most checks complete in minutes.
How long does a background check take for a job?
It depends on what the employer orders. The criminal record part can take minutes with an online provider or a few weeks with police. Reference checks and employment or education verification depend on how quickly the people and institutions contacted reply.
How long is a criminal record check valid?
A criminal record check has no expiry date. It reflects the record on the day it was run, so each employer, agency or landlord decides how recent it must be. Ask them before you order.
Hiring and waiting on checks?
Credibled runs the same criminal record check for employers and staffing agencies, alongside reference checks, employment and education verification. Most criminal record checks complete in minutes, so a start date does not wait on paperwork. Pay per check, no contract.
Need your criminal record check today?
From $39. Most checks complete in minutes. Police-issued certificate in your inbox.
Start my criminal record checkNot sure which check you need? Check before you order.
MyCheck is a private Canadian provider and is not affiliated with any police service or the RCMP. Checks are non-refundable once submitted. Not a vulnerable sector check, and not suitable for immigration or visa applications.