Does Arizona require background checks for volunteers?

Arizona has no across-the-board rule; a DPS Fingerprint Clearance Card is required only where a specific statute names the setting: licensed child care, child care group homes and DES-certified homes, DDD programs, DES and DCS licensees and contractors, children’s behavioral health programs, residential care, nursing care and home health providers, domestic violence providers, foster homes and juvenile corrections. School districts must fingerprint volunteers who aren’t a pupil’s parent or guardian and who work with students out of a certificated employee’s sight (A.R.S. § 15-512). Churches, youth sports, camps and most other programs set their own standard.

How much does an Arizona Fingerprint Clearance Card cost, and how long does it last?

The Department of Public Safety charges $67, or $65 for volunteers under specific authorizations only, plus the fingerprint vendor’s fee; the fee is non-refundable. You apply on the DPS Public Services Portal with electronic prints through FieldPrint. A card is valid for six years (A.R.S. § 41-1758.02(B)), and DPS recommends applying to renew about three months before it expires. ADHS’s child care rule refers to renewal every five years, so child care licensees should confirm with ADHS.

Can volunteers under 18 serve in a setting that requires a Level I card?

Yes, with supervision. Under A.R.S. § 41-1758.07(I), a person under 18 is exempt from the Level I card requirement but must be under the direct visual supervision of personnel with valid Level I cards at all times. In licensed child care, a volunteer who turns 18 must give the licensee a valid card and background check document within 30 calendar days (R9-5-203(I)).

Does A.R.S. § 13-3620 make Arizona volunteers mandated reporters?

Often. A.R.S. § 13-3620 doesn’t name volunteers, but it covers “any other person who has responsibility for the care or treatment of the minor,” which reaches volunteers who supervise children. Reports go immediately to DCS (1-888-SOS-CHILD) or a peace officer. From September 12, 2026, under S.B. 1127 (Laws 2026, ch. 143), a required reporter with direct knowledge of abuse or neglect must report to DCS personally and may not delegate the report. Failing to report is a class 1 misdemeanor, or a class 6 felony when a reportable offense such as a sexual offense is involved.

Can an Arizona nonprofit get a volunteer’s criminal record without a card statute?

There is one route. A.R.S. § 41-1750(G)(23) lets a nonprofit that interacts with children or vulnerable adults submit a volunteer’s fingerprints and the fee to DPS for a state criminal history check. By its terms it doesn’t authorize an FBI search or produce a clearance card. The Adult Protective Services registry is also public (A.R.S. § 46-459(F)), but the DCS central registry is limited to the uses listed in A.R.S. § 8-804(B).

Does a VolunteerBadge check replace a Fingerprint Clearance Card?

No — VolunteerBadge is not a clearance card, and a card rests on DPS’s own state and FBI fingerprint check. Where Arizona law requires a Fingerprint Clearance Card, or a school district fingerprint check, only that satisfies the law. A VolunteerBadge check belongs with the church, league, camp and other roles no card statute reaches, and can sit on top of a card where one is required.

Free guide · 2026 edition · The DPS Fingerprint Clearance Card, setting by setting

Card-Carrying: The Arizona guide to screening volunteers: the DPS Fingerprint Clearance Card, what bars a Level I card, which settings require one and when, and the reporting duty that changes on September 12, 2026

Arizona never tells nonprofits to screen every volunteer. Instead it has one state credential — the DPS Fingerprint Clearance Card, which by statute is the volunteer’s own property — and a list of statutes that say exactly which volunteers must hold one, and when: before the first shift in child care, within seven working days at DCS and DES contractors, within 20 at health care institutions. Card-Carrying follows that list one setting at a time, deadline included.

By the VolunteerBadge research team · Sources checked September 11, 2026

Written for Arizona child care, school, DDD and DCS-contract volunteer programs — and the churches and leagues no card statute reaches
The DPS Fingerprint Clearance Card, Level I bars and good cause exceptions, explained
A setting-by-setting map of every statute that names volunteers, with deadlines
A volunteer reporting card for the Sept. 12, 2026 change and a card-verification log

Who Card-Carrying is for

Executive directors, volunteer coordinators, child care directors, school and PTA volunteer leads, managers at DDD, DCS and DES contract providers, health care and shelter volunteer coordinators, and church, camp and league administrators — anyone in Arizona who has to decide which volunteers must carry a clearance card and which fall outside every card statute.

9,776

child victims of abuse or neglect in Arizona in 2024 — 6.2 per 1,000 children, against 7.2 nationally. 5,300 were first-time victims.

ACF, Child Maltreatment 2024

30.0%

of Arizonans volunteered through an organization in 2023, up from 23.5% in 2021.

AmeriCorps / Census CEV, state rates dataset

offenses that bar a Level I Fingerprint Clearance Card with no petition route — and 68 more the Board of Fingerprinting can waive for good cause.

A.R.S. § 41-1758.07(B)–(C)

Cited to primary sources

Arizona at a glance

A card duty with a closed list: The card duty attaches only to a “person” fingerprinted under a closed list of statutes, and DPS’s main release rule (§ 41-1750(G)(2)) requires a law that identifies “the specific categories” of volunteers. Outside the § 41-1758(5) list, we found no statute requiring every nonprofit to check its volunteers.; A.R.S. §§ 41-1758(5), 41-1750(G)(2)
The card is the volunteer’s property: On issuance a Fingerprint Clearance Card becomes the cardholder’s personal property. It rests on a state and FBI fingerprint check, and the holder submits new fingerprints every six years. DPS charges $67, or $65 for volunteers under specific authorizations, plus the vendor’s fee.; A.R.S. §§ 41-1758.01(A)(2), 41-1758.02(A)–(B); DPS Clearance Card FAQs
Level I bars: A Level I card is barred outright by 48 offenses, including sex-offender registration, and by 68 more unless the Board of Fingerprinting grants a good cause exception. Pending charges count. A Level I card satisfies any requirement for a regular card.; A.R.S. §§ 41-1758.07(B)–(C), (O)–(P), 41-1758.03(Q)
An arrest suspends a card: DPS must suspend a card when the holder is arrested for a listed offense or becomes subject to sex-offender registration, and may use state and federal rap back to update card status and notify the employing agency.; A.R.S. §§ 41-1758.04(C), 41-1758.07(J)
Child care: card before the first shift: Every child care facility volunteer needs a valid Level I card before starting; parents who join their own children’s activities under staff supervision are exempt. ADHS also requires a separate § 46-811 background check document, due before the first shift since Aug. 3, 2025 and renewed every five years, and a DCS central registry step.; A.R.S. § 36-883.02(A)–(B); A.A.C. R9-5-203(C), (F)–(G)
Schools: the “within sight” test: A school district must fingerprint unpaid personnel who aren’t a pupil’s parent or guardian and who serve pupils without being within sight of a certificated employee, and may not charge them for it. Charter school volunteers accompanied in the classroom by a cardholder need no card.; A.R.S. §§ 15-512(A), (C), 15-183(C)(5)
Supervision exemptions vary: Volunteers under direct visual supervision are exempt in children’s behavioral health programs and in DES and DCS contract work, except in group homes, shelters and other congregate care. DDD programs and domestic violence providers have no such exemption.; A.R.S. §§ 36-425.03(B), 46-141(L), 36-594.01, 36-3008
Volunteers as reporters: The reporting duty covers “any other person who has responsibility for the care or treatment of the minor.” From Sept. 12, 2026, a required reporter with direct knowledge must report to DCS personally and may not delegate the report.; A.R.S. § 13-3620(A)(5); S.B. 1127, Laws 2026, ch. 143
The disclosure felony: A person convicted of a dangerous crime against children or child abuse who volunteers with a school, preschool, child care provider or youth organization without disclosing the conviction commits a class 5 felony.; A.R.S. § 13-3716

From the Card-Carrying executive summary

Seven rules of Arizona’s clearance card system

1
The card duty follows a closed list.
The card duty attaches only to people fingerprinted under a closed list of statutes in A.R.S. § 41-1758(5), and DPS’s main release rule requires a law that names the specific categories of volunteers.
2
The card belongs to the volunteer.
A Fingerprint Clearance Card is the cardholder’s personal property, travels between organizations and needs new fingerprints every six years. DPS charges $67 — $65 for volunteers under specific authorizations — plus the fingerprint vendor’s fee.
3
Most volunteer statutes require the stricter Level I card.
Forty-eight offenses bar a Level I card outright and 68 more unless the Board of Fingerprinting grants a good cause exception. An arrest for a listed offense suspends a card.
4
The deadline depends on the setting.
Child care volunteers need the card before the first shift. DCS and DES contractors, children’s behavioral health programs and domestic violence providers allow seven working days to apply; health care institutions allow 20.
5
Supervision can stand in — sometimes.
Direct visual supervision exempts volunteers in children’s behavioral health programs and most DCS and DES contract work, never in congregate care. School district volunteers who stay within sight of a certificated employee fall outside the fingerprint rule.
6
Volunteers responsible for a child’s care report abuse.
A.R.S. § 13-3620 reaches “any other person who has responsibility for the care or treatment of the minor.” From September 12, 2026, a required reporter with direct knowledge must report to DCS personally and may not delegate the report.
7
Some convictions must be disclosed.
Volunteering with a school, child care provider or youth organization without disclosing a conviction for a dangerous crime against children or child abuse is a class 5 felony.

Inside Card-Carrying, chapter by chapter

01
One card, a closed list and a new reporting rule
The card, the closed list and the new reporting rule in brief, with Arizona’s maltreatment and volunteering numbers.
02
One card, no mandate
The closed list, the card as personal property, two card levels and the nonprofit route.
03
Getting, checking and renewing a card
The DPS portal, FieldPrint, fees, verification, renewal and who pays.
04
What keeps someone from a Level I card
The 48 outright bars, the 68 waivable ones, good cause exceptions and suspension.
05
Which statute names the role, and by when
Every statute that names volunteers, with its deadline and supervision exemption.
06
Child care: the card and a second check
A.R.S. § 36-883.02, ADHS rule R9-5-203 and the § 46-811 document.
07
Schools: “within sight of a certificated employee”
A.R.S. § 15-512, charter schools and the district’s duty to pay.
08
Adults in care: disability programs, health care and the APS registry
DDD, A.R.S. § 36-411 and the public APS registry.
09
Children the state places, treats, shelters or confines
DCS and DES contracts, foster homes, behavioral health, shelters and juvenile corrections.
10
Reporting abuse — and the September 12, 2026 change
A.R.S. § 13-3620, S.B. 1127’s no-delegation duty and § 46-454.
11
Records: disclosure, sealing and set-aside
The § 13-3716 felony, § 13-911 sealing and what a card decision still sees.
12
Where Arizona law is silent — and the CASA benchmark
Camps, youth sports, churches, charity registration, immunity and CASA.
13
Arizona’s acts through S.B. 1127, 2024–2026
Arizona’s 2024–2026 acts and rule changes, dated, through S.B. 1127’s reporting rule.
14
No commercial check is a clearance card
Why no commercial check is a clearance card, and the uncarded Arizona roles where one still helps.
A
Appendix A: Child care, schools and card management
The baseline, child care, schools, care and contract programs, and card management.
B
Appendix B: A reporting card and a card-verification record
A § 13-3620 card for volunteers and a DPS verification log you can copy.
C
Appendix C: A.R.S., ADHS and DPS sources, dated
The A.R.S. sections, ADHS rule and DPS pages behind every claim, with the day we checked each.

Get the free guide

Card-Carrying: Arizona questions answered

Does Arizona require background checks for volunteers?: Arizona has no across-the-board rule; a DPS Fingerprint Clearance Card is required only where a specific statute names the setting: licensed child care, child care group homes and DES-certified homes, DDD programs, DES and DCS licensees and contractors, children’s behavioral health programs, residential care, nursing care and home health providers, domestic violence providers, foster homes and juvenile corrections. School districts must fingerprint volunteers who aren’t a pupil’s parent or guardian and who work with students out of a certificated employee’s sight (A.R.S. § 15-512). Churches, youth sports, camps and most other programs set their own standard.
How much does an Arizona Fingerprint Clearance Card cost, and how long does it last?: The Department of Public Safety charges $67, or $65 for volunteers under specific authorizations only, plus the fingerprint vendor’s fee; the fee is non-refundable. You apply on the DPS Public Services Portal with electronic prints through FieldPrint. A card is valid for six years (A.R.S. § 41-1758.02(B)), and DPS recommends applying to renew about three months before it expires. ADHS’s child care rule refers to renewal every five years, so child care licensees should confirm with ADHS.
Can volunteers under 18 serve in a setting that requires a Level I card?: Yes, with supervision. Under A.R.S. § 41-1758.07(I), a person under 18 is exempt from the Level I card requirement but must be under the direct visual supervision of personnel with valid Level I cards at all times. In licensed child care, a volunteer who turns 18 must give the licensee a valid card and background check document within 30 calendar days (R9-5-203(I)).
Does A.R.S. § 13-3620 make Arizona volunteers mandated reporters?: Often. A.R.S. § 13-3620 doesn’t name volunteers, but it covers “any other person who has responsibility for the care or treatment of the minor,” which reaches volunteers who supervise children. Reports go immediately to DCS (1-888-SOS-CHILD) or a peace officer. From September 12, 2026, under S.B. 1127 (Laws 2026, ch. 143), a required reporter with direct knowledge of abuse or neglect must report to DCS personally and may not delegate the report. Failing to report is a class 1 misdemeanor, or a class 6 felony when a reportable offense such as a sexual offense is involved.
Can an Arizona nonprofit get a volunteer’s criminal record without a card statute?: There is one route. A.R.S. § 41-1750(G)(23) lets a nonprofit that interacts with children or vulnerable adults submit a volunteer’s fingerprints and the fee to DPS for a state criminal history check. By its terms it doesn’t authorize an FBI search or produce a clearance card. The Adult Protective Services registry is also public (A.R.S. § 46-459(F)), but the DCS central registry is limited to the uses listed in A.R.S. § 8-804(B).
Does a VolunteerBadge check replace a Fingerprint Clearance Card?: No — VolunteerBadge is not a clearance card, and a card rests on DPS’s own state and FBI fingerprint check. Where Arizona law requires a Fingerprint Clearance Card, or a school district fingerprint check, only that satisfies the law. A VolunteerBadge check belongs with the church, league, camp and other roles no card statute reaches, and can sit on top of a card where one is required.

Beyond Card-Carrying

The Arizona sources behind Card-Carrying

Checked September 11, 2026. The guide cites each one where it is used.

General information, not legal advice. Laws and agency practice change. Confirm anything you rely on with the agencies named here, your licensor, your insurer or qualified counsel. Spot an error? Tell us and we will fix it.

VolunteerBadge is owned and operated by ScreenForge Labs, LLC, an FCRA-regulated Consumer Reporting Agency that has obtained its FCRA Certificate from the Consumer Data Industry Association (CDIA). This guide is general educational information and is not legal advice. Laws change; this guide's sources were checked as of September 11, 2026.