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How to Get Your Own Criminal Record Check in Canada
When people ask us, “How can I do a background check on myself in Canada?” our answer is simple: yes, you can request your own criminal record check in Canada, and depending on the route you choose, you may be able to complete the process entirely online. In most cases, Government of Canada guidance says people must contact their local police or government to obtain a police certificate, while many police services also offer online application systems.
At Credibled, we built MyCheck to make that process easier for everyday Canadians who want to see what may appear on their record before a job application, volunteer role, licensing process, or other important next step. Our MyCheck service is fully online, starts at $39, and can return results in as little as 15 minutes, with most results completed within 4 hours.
Can I check my own criminal record in Canada?
Yes, you can. That is the short answer we give every time. If you want to find out whether you have a criminal record in Canada, the standard route is to request your own criminal record check through your local police service or another approved channel. Canada’s official guidance says that, in most cases, you must contact the local police or government to ask for a certificate.
We also think it helps to clear up one common point of confusion right away: “criminal record check,” “police check,” and “police certificate” are often used loosely in everyday conversation, but they are not always the exact same product. Toronto Police, for example, separates record checks into distinct categories such as a Criminal Record Check, a Criminal Record and Judicial Matters Check, and a Vulnerable Sector Check.
What a criminal record check shows
When we explain this to consumers, we always start with the type of check. A basic Level 1 Criminal Record Check is the most common starting point. The Level 1 check shows convictions, summary convictions within the last five years, and findings of guilt under the Youth Criminal Justice Act within the applicable disclosure period. It does not include outstanding charges, warrants, or current judicial orders. Toronto Police describes its Criminal Record Check in a similar way, focusing on criminal convictions and applicable youth findings.
A broader Level 2 Criminal Record and Judicial Matters Check can include more. It may include current charges, outstanding warrants, judicial orders, and certain additional court-related matters that a basic Level 1 check does not show. That matters because many people asking, “Will a charge without a conviction show on my record?” are really asking about the difference between Level 1 and Level 2. On a basic Level 1 check, the answer is generally no. On a Level 2 check, current charges or certain judicial matters may appear.
If you want a deeper explanation of how reports are interpreted once they come back, we would naturally link readers to our guide on understanding the results of Canadian criminal record checks. In that article, we explain how a basic check can come back negative, confirmed, or incomplete depending on what the search reveals and whether the disclosed information matches the result.
Your options for getting a check in Canada
Through your local police service
The traditional route is your local police service. Many police services now let applicants start online, but processing times and rules vary by jurisdiction.
Through a fingerprint-based or specialized route
Some situations require a certified fingerprint-based criminal record check instead of a standard name-and-date-of-birth search. The RCMP fingerprint-based checks have their own processing times and fees, including a $25 federal processing fee in cases where that fee applies, on top of local police or accredited fingerprint company fees.
Through MyCheck online
This is the point in the journey where we introduce MyCheck, because this is usually when readers stop asking what their options are and start asking which option is fastest and easiest.
At Credibled, we offer MyCheck, our personal criminal record check service for Canadians who want a simple online process. According to our live service page, MyCheck is fully online and mobile-friendly, requires no appointments or paperwork, starts at $39 for a Level 1 check and $49 for a Level 2 check, and delivers a digital certificate straight to the applicant’s inbox. We also state that the majority of results are completed within 4 hours, with some returned in as little as 15 minutes.
For readers who want more background before buying, this is also a natural place to link to our post on the different levels of criminal checks in Canada, because choosing the right check matters just as much as getting it quickly.
How we help you get your check through MyCheck
When we designed MyCheck, our goal was to remove the friction people usually associate with background screening. Here is how the process works.
1. Start online
We send you to the MyCheck flow, where we explain what you need before you begin. The live MyCheck intake applicants should have their most recent Canadian address, an original, valid, unexpired government-issued ID, and a debit or credit card to finalize and process the check.
2. Confirm eligibility and consent
Our MyCheck terms state that the applicant confirms they are at least 18 years of age, certifies that the information provided is true, and consents to Credibled police partners searching the Canadian Police Information Centre database to verify the information and provide a report back to Credibled.
3. Verify identity digitally
On our public MyCheck page, we explain that the process begins with quick digital ID verification to confirm who the applicant is. We built it so people can complete the process from a phone or computer without visiting a police station in most cases.
4. Submit information securely
We then ask for the basic personal information needed to complete the search through our encrypted system. Our public page describes MyCheck as secure, encrypted, and compliant, and notes that the same screening infrastructure is used by organizations that verify candidates through Credibled.
5. Receive your result by email
Once the check is complete, we deliver a digital certificate to the inbox. Our MyCheck service, employers receive a secure verification link they can trust, which is especially useful when you are ordering the check for a job application and need to share the result quickly.
Credibled offers seamless integration, fraud detection, and real-time processing, helping employers make informed hiring decisions.
How long it takes and how results are delivered
The question we hear almost as often as “How do I check if I have a criminal record in Canada?” is “How fast can I get my own criminal record check in Canada?”
Our answer is that turnaround depends heavily on the route you choose. Local police timelines can stretch into days or weeks depending on the jurisdiction and backlog. Toronto Police’s posted processing window is one current example, and it also says there is no rush service. By contrast, our MyCheck results can be returned in as little as 15 minutes, with most completed within 4 hours.
Delivery also depends on the type of process you use. Some police services now issue secure digital PDFs, while RCMP fingerprint-based checks are mailed to the address provided. MyCheck delivers a digital certificate directly to the inbox, which is why many applicants choose it when speed and convenience matter most.
What to know before you order
We always want readers to order the right product the first time. MyCheck is not a Vulnerable Sector Check, and our public terms say it may not be suitable for immigration, visa, or citizenship-related applications. If the organization asking for your check has strict requirements, we recommend confirming exactly which type they want before you buy. Toronto Police makes the same point: if you are unsure which check you need, confirm with the agency or organization requesting it, because the police do not make that decision on their behalf.
Get your criminal record check online
At Credibled, we believe checking your own record should be clear, fast, and easy to understand. If you want to order your own criminal record check online without appointments or paperwork, start here:
FAQs
Yes. In Canada, you can request your own criminal record check through your local police service or, depending on the type of check you need, through an online provider like MyCheck.
The most practical way is to request your own criminal record check. A basic check searches for criminal convictions, and if a result is incomplete or a different type of confirmation is needed, a fingerprint-based process may sometimes be required.
It depends on the route. Some police services may take days or longer depending on their backlog, while our MyCheck service can return some results in as little as 15 minutes and most within 4 hours.
On a basic Level 1 check, the main focus is convictions and certain youth findings within the applicable disclosure period. It does not include current charges or warrants. A Level 2 check can include current charges, warrants, and other judicial matters.
You can often apply through your local police service’s online system if they offer one, or you can use MyCheck for a fully online, mobile-friendly process that does not require appointments or paperwork.
Not always. People often use those terms interchangeably, but police services usually separate checks into specific categories such as Criminal Record Check, Criminal Record and Judicial Matters Check, and Vulnerable Sector Check.
With us, MyCheck starts at $39 for a Level 1 check and $49 for a Level 2 check. Other routes vary, and the RCMP a fingerprint-based criminal record check may involve a $25 federal processing fee in addition to local police or accredited company fees.
There is no single Canada-wide expiry rule. Peel Regional Police says police record checks are point-in-time searches, and the organization requesting the check usually decides how recent it must be. Greater Sudbury Police similarly says record checks do not have an expiry date, while the requesting organization may ask for updates annually, biannually, or on another schedule.
Sometimes, yes. With MyCheck, we state that some results come back in as little as 15 minutes. Traditional police-service timelines vary and are often longer, especially where no rush service is available.
It depends on the type of check. A basic Level 1 Criminal Record Check does not include current charges or warrants. A Level 2 Criminal Record and Judicial Matters Check can include current charges, outstanding warrants, and some other judicial matters.
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