Bottom Line for Michigan Nonprofits
- ✓Volunteers at area agencies on aging with client contact (MCL 400.586l — mandatory)
- ✓Volunteers in LARA-licensed childcare facilities with unsupervised child access
- ✓Camp staff and volunteers (Michigan camp licensing rules — same standards as staff)
- +2 more covered roles below
State Laws That Apply to Volunteer Background Checks
MCL 400.586l — Area Agencies on Aging Volunteer Background Checks
Mich. Comp. Laws § 400.586lEffective October 1, 2020, requires each area agency on aging to conduct an ICHAT criminal background check and a national and state sex offender registry check for each new volunteer who has in-person client contact, in-home client contact, access to client property, or access to confidential client information. Background check must be completed before the volunteer begins working with clients. Renewal required every 3 years.
MCL 722.115d — Childcare Background Checks
Mich. Comp. Laws § 722.115dRequires criminal background checks for individuals seeking to operate or work in licensed childcare settings, including volunteers with unsupervised access to children. Administered through LARA's Bureau of Community and Health Systems (BCHS).
Michigan Administrative Rule 400.1925 — Comprehensive Background Check; Fingerprinting
Mich. Admin. Code R. 400.1925Requires comprehensive background checks, including fingerprinting, for licensed childcare providers and, in some settings, volunteers with unsupervised child access. Camp staff and volunteers are held to the same clearance standards regardless of compensation.
National Child Protection Act (Federal) — CPV Reason Code for Schools
42 U.S.C. § 5119a (federal); applied in MI via MSP fingerprint systemMichigan schools may use the federal Child Protection Volunteer (CPV) reason code to request fingerprint-based background checks through MSP for volunteers and student teachers, but no state law mandates this. It is at each district's discretion what level of check to require.
Who Must Be Screened in Michigan
!Legally Required to Be Screened
- •Volunteers at area agencies on aging with client contact (MCL 400.586l — mandatory)
- •Volunteers in LARA-licensed childcare facilities with unsupervised child access
- •Camp staff and volunteers (Michigan camp licensing rules — same standards as staff)
- •School volunteers (at district discretion — no state mandate exists)
- •Volunteers in MDHHS-contracted programs serving vulnerable populations
Types of Background Checks Required in Michigan
How to Get Background Checks in Michigan
$5 per check — includes national criminal database, sex offender registry across all 50 states, SSN trace, and FCRA Certified Compliance Team review.
Start Free Today →Volunteer Screening in Michigan: What You Need to Know
Michigan is notable for its lack of a mandatory school volunteer background check law, which stands in contrast to most peer states and has been the subject of news investigations and legislative proposals. The Michigan Department of Education recommends but does not require checks, leaving compliance entirely to local districts. Michigan's large automotive industry volunteer culture (Ford, GM, Stellantis employee programs) and its significant faith-based volunteer community (particularly in West Michigan's Reformed tradition) create substantial practical demand for screening that outpaces current legal mandates. The 2020 MCL 400.586l aging services law was a targeted expansion driven by elder abuse concerns in in-home care settings.
Compliance Tips for Michigan Nonprofits
- 1
Even though Michigan law does not mandate school volunteer background checks, implement them voluntarily — your school district's liability insurer, your accreditation body, and parent community expectations effectively require it; districts without a policy face reputational and legal risk.
- 2
Use ICHAT ($10/check, public access online) for a quick, affordable first-pass state check on volunteers — note that ICHAT is name and date of birth only and will not capture records under alias names or records from other states.
- 3
For aging services volunteers under MCL 400.586l, complete the ICHAT and national sex offender registry check before the volunteer's first client contact — the statute does not permit conditional placement pending results.
- 4
For licensed childcare volunteers, engage LARA's BCHS to determine whether your facility's license requires fingerprint-based checks for volunteers with unsupervised child access — the rules vary by facility type (center vs. family home vs. group home).
- 5
Run a Michigan Sex Offender Registry check (free, searchable on MSP public website) as a baseline screen alongside ICHAT for all volunteers with child or elder contact — this two-step free check catches the most serious disqualifying status quickly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does MCL 400.586l — Area Agencies on Aging Volunteer Background Checks apply to my nonprofit?
Michigan law applies to nonprofits with volunteers working in covered roles — typically involving direct, unsupervised contact with children, elderly individuals, or vulnerable adults. Michigan does not have a universal state law requiring background checks for school volunteers, a notable gap confirmed by the Michigan Department of Education and multiple news investigations.
What happens if we skip background checks in Michigan?
Failing to screen volunteers in Michigan can expose your organization to negligent supervision liability, loss of insurance coverage, and — in sectors with mandatory requirements — regulatory penalties. Under the federal FCRA, running checks without proper procedures also creates compliance risk.
How long does a Michigan volunteer background check take?
Michigan State Police (MSP), Criminal Justice Information Center (ICHAT and fingerprint processing); Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), Bureau of Community and Health Systems (BCHS) for childcare; Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) for aging and child welfare programs typically processes checks in ICHAT: instant to 3 business days; MSP fingerprint: 5–10 business days; FBI national: 2–4 weeks. VolunteerBadge's national criminal database search returns results instantly for most volunteers.