Safety, Crime, Reentry & Legal Help · Surprise rank #94
Can't Afford Your Own NY Criminal-Record Fee? DCJS Will Send You a Fee-Waiver Application
New York DCJS lets people who cannot afford the fingerprint-processing fee request an application to waive the fee for their own criminal-history record review.
Who
People requesting their own DCJS record who cannot afford the current fingerprint-processing fee.
What to do
Start here: Email RecordReview@dcjs.ny.gov or write the DCJS Records Review Unit with your complete mailing address to request the fee-waiver packet.
Eligibility: The applicant must request and complete DCJS's fee-waiver application and establish inability to pay under the packet's requirements.
What you get
A financial-hardship route can waive the fingerprint-processing fee for a personal New York criminal-history record review.
Benefit: Waiver of the in-state personal record-review fingerprint-processing fee, currently $17.50 as of February 2, 2026.
Possible value: $17.50 for the covered in-state processing fee.
Good to know
Important: The waiver is for the DCJS fingerprint-processing fee for personal record review; it is not a blanket waiver of every background-check or fingerprinting charge.
Availability: Active
Why people miss it: The waiver is not offered as a prominent online button—you must request the application packet from DCJS.
Sources reviewed: Aug 10, 2026