Does Indiana require background checks for volunteers?

Only in named settings. We found no Indiana statute requiring nonprofits generally to screen volunteers, and IC 10-13-3-39 — which lets any organization that provides care or care placement services ask the Indiana State Police for an FBI fingerprint check on a volunteer, within three months after the person first volunteers — is optional. Checks are required in specific settings: licensed child care centers and homes and registered child care ministries (IC 12-17.2), high school volunteer coaches (IC 20-26-14-9), group homes and child placing agencies (IC 31-27-5-4, 31-27-6-2), child caring institutions for volunteers with unsupervised contact or records access (IC 31-27-3-3), and foster family homes (IC 31-27-4-5).

Does Indiana’s premises test mean child care volunteers are fingerprinted?

Yes, if they may be present on the premises during operating hours. Licensed child care centers and homes and registered child care ministries must have every employee or volunteer who may be present during operating hours submit fingerprints for an FBI national criminal history check before starting, and every three years while they continue (IC 12-17.2-4-3(e), 12-17.2-5-3(e), 12-17.2-6-14). FSSA’s background check page also describes Indiana fingerprint, Child Protection Index and sex offender registry checks, with the registry checks repeated yearly.

Do Indiana schools have to background-check volunteers?

Only volunteer coaches, as far as we found. IC 20-26-5-10 requires a criminal history policy for job applicants and contractors likely to have direct, ongoing contact with children, and expanded criminal history and Child Protection Index checks on those job applicants; it doesn’t mention volunteers. IC 20-26-14-9(b) requires a school corporation, charter high school or nonpublic high school to run an expanded criminal history check before allowing anyone to be a volunteer coach of an association-recognized sport in grades 9–12. Other school volunteer screening is district policy.

Does IC 31-33-5 make every Indiana volunteer a reporter?

Yes — it reaches everyone. IC 31-33-5-1 requires any individual who has reason to believe a child is a victim of abuse or neglect to report, with no list of professions and no age limit. Reports go immediately to the Department of Child Services (hotline 1-800-800-5556) or law enforcement. No institution may adopt a policy that restricts or delays a report, and knowingly failing to report is a Class B misdemeanor.

Can a sexually violent predator or offender against children volunteer in Indiana?

No. Under IC 35-42-4-10 a sexually violent predator or offender against children commits a Level 6 felony by working “for compensation or as a volunteer” on school property, at a youth program center or public park, for a child care provider, and — since July 1, 2025 — in any setting with more than incidental and occasional contact with unaccompanied children. Since July 1, 2026, the ban also covers any facility or event primarily for minors. The offense is the offender’s; a registry search helps keep registrants out of those roles.

Does a VolunteerBadge check replace an FBI fingerprint or Child Protection Index check?

No. Where Indiana law requires an FBI fingerprint check or a Child Protection Index check — in child care, child caring institutions or foster family homes, for example — the State’s check is the one that counts, and a commercial check can never fill in for it. Its place in Indiana is the church, league, camp, mentoring and school roles outside those statutes, and on top of — not instead of — the checks the law requires.

Free guide · 2026 edition · Indiana’s premises test, the State Police route and the offender volunteer ban

The Premises Test: The Indiana guide to screening volunteers: the child care premises test, the optional State Police fingerprint route, high school coaches and residential care, and the duties Indiana puts on every volunteer

Indiana leaves most volunteer checks optional. It requires checks in a handful of settings — child care, high school volunteer coaching, and residential and foster care — and lets other care organizations request an FBI fingerprint check if they choose. What it asks of everyone is a duty to report child abuse, and it makes it a felony for an offender against children to volunteer where children are. Each duty is traced here to its IC section, from 12-17.2 to 35-42-4-10.

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

Written for Indiana child care ministries, athletic directors, residential agencies and camps
The child care premises test, the State Police route and what each check costs
High school coaches, residential care, foster homes, camps and health care, setting by setting
A volunteer reporting card and an expungement-safe application question you can copy

Who The Premises Test is for

Executive directors, volunteer coordinators, child care and ministry directors, athletic directors, camp staff, residential and foster-care agencies, and hospice and senior-program managers — anyone in Indiana deciding which volunteers the premises test, the coach rule or the residential-care statutes reach.

21,314

child victims of abuse or neglect in Indiana in 2024 — 13.4 per 1,000 children, against 7.2 nationally.

ACF, Child Maltreatment 2024

33.1%

of Hoosiers volunteered through organizations in 2023 — 1.79 million people giving 127.9 million hours, worth an estimated $3.86 billion.

AmeriCorps / Census CEV, 2023

$37.20

The Indiana State Police fee for a volunteer’s FBI fingerprint check, against $39.20 for an employee.

ISP Criminal History Fee Schedule (form 3302, July 2020)

Cited to primary sources

Indiana at a glance

An optional check within three months: As far as we found, no Indiana statute makes nonprofits background-check volunteers as a rule. Any organization that provides care or care placement services may ask the State Police for an FBI fingerprint check on a volunteer — optional, and requested within three months after the person first volunteers. For most entities ISP reports only whether there is a conviction in listed categories.; IC 10-13-3-16; IC 10-13-3-39(b)(2), (f)
Child care: the premises test: Every employee or volunteer “who may be present on the premises” of a licensed child care center, licensed child care home or registered child care ministry during operating hours must be FBI-fingerprinted before starting and every three years of continuous service.; IC 12-17.2-4-3(e); IC 12-17.2-5-3(e); IC 12-17.2-6-14(a)–(b)
What FSSA adds in child care: FSSA’s background check page describes Indiana fingerprint, Child Protection Index and sex offender registry checks, yearly CPI and registry re-checks, and new prints after more than 180 consecutive days out of Indiana child care. Those two intervals come from FSSA’s page, not a statute we found.; FSSA OECOSL, Background Check Requirements
Schools: employees, and coaches: The school check law covers job applicants and contractors likely to have direct, ongoing contact with children — not volunteers. The exception is the high school volunteer coach: before one coaches an association-recognized sport in grades 9–12, the school must run an expanded criminal history check.; IC 20-26-5-10(b), (d)–(f); IC 20-26-14-2.5, -9(b); IC 20-26-2-1.5
Residential and foster care volunteers: Group homes and child placing agencies check every volunteer. Since July 1, 2026, child caring institutions check only volunteers likely to have unsupervised contact with children or access to their medical records. Foster family homes check volunteers with direct, regular and continuing contact before that contact.; IC 31-27-3-3(d)(5), (h); IC 31-27-4-5(e), (i); IC 31-27-5-4(d)(3); IC 31-27-6-2(d)(3)
Every individual must report: Anyone with reason to believe a child is abused or neglected must report immediately to DCS (1-800-800-5556) or law enforcement. Indiana names no professions and sets no age limit, no institution may delay a report, and knowing failure is a Class B misdemeanor.; IC 31-33-5-1, -4, -5; IC 31-33-22-1
The sex-offender volunteer ban: A sexually violent predator or offender against children commits a Level 6 felony by working “for compensation or as a volunteer” around children. The ban widened on July 1, 2025, to any setting with more than incidental and occasional contact, and on July 1, 2026, to any facility or event primarily for minors.; IC 35-42-4-10(c)(7)–(8); IC 35-31.5-2-127.7
State Police fees: On ISP’s July 2020 fee schedule, an FBI fingerprint check costs $37.20 at the volunteer rate, against $39.20 for employees. A name-based Indiana limited history is $16.32 online or $7 by mail — and free for 10-year-old mentoring nonprofits, schools checking adult volunteers and 501(c) churches checking adult volunteers.; ISP Fee Schedule (form 3302, July 2020); IC 10-13-3-36(a), (c), (f)
Limits on screening reports: Unless the requester is legally required to get them, screening companies may not knowingly report expunged, court-restricted or reduced-to-misdemeanor records, nor information that misses material changes made 60 or more days before delivery. Violations are deceptive acts.; IC 24-4-18-6 to -8

From the The Premises Test executive summary

Seven Indiana rules, from the premises test to report limits

1
Indiana has no general mandate — only a “may.”
No Indiana statute we found makes nonprofits in general check volunteers, and IC 10-13-3-39 says “may,” not “shall”: organizations that provide care may request an FBI check on a volunteer through the State Police.
2
Child care uses a premises test.
Every employee or volunteer “who may be present on the premises” of a licensed center, licensed home or registered child care ministry during operating hours is FBI-fingerprinted before starting and every three years.
3
Schools check employees; coaches are the volunteer exception.
IC 20-26-5-10 reaches job applicants and contractors likely to have direct, ongoing contact with children, not volunteers. A high school volunteer coach of an association-recognized sport needs an expanded criminal history check before coaching.
4
Residential care checks volunteers.
Group homes and child placing agencies check every volunteer. Since July 1, 2026, child caring institutions check only volunteers likely to have unsupervised contact with children or access to their medical records, on or before assignment.
5
Every individual must report.
Indiana names no professions and sets no age limit: anyone with reason to believe a child is abused or neglected must report immediately to DCS or law enforcement. Knowing failure is a Class B misdemeanor.
6
Offenders against children may not volunteer where children are.
The felony ban on working “for compensation or as a volunteer” widened on July 1, 2025, to any setting with more than incidental and occasional contact with children, and on July 1, 2026, to any facility or event primarily for minors.
7
Indiana limits what screening reports may include.
Unless the requester is legally required to get them, screening companies may not knowingly report expunged or court-restricted records or felonies reduced to misdemeanors, or information that misses material changes made 60 or more days before delivery.

Inside The Premises Test, chapter by chapter

01
Every person reports; offenders are barred
Every-person reporting, the offender ban and a handful of check settings, with Indiana’s abuse, child-death and volunteering numbers.
02
A few check settings, and your own choice
Where Indiana law already decides the check — a handful of settings — and where it leaves the choice to you.
03
The premises test: child care law
IC 12-17.2 fingerprint checks for centers, homes and ministries, and who can’t serve.
04
Child care in practice: FSSA and the center rule
What FSSA adds, the eight-hour volunteer definition, the rule rewrite and the 2025 changes.
05
“May request”: the State Police qualified-entity route
IC 10-13-3-39, the three-month window and why ISP returns a determination.
06
Indiana records, fees and speed
Limited histories, fingerprint checks, CPI checks and who pays nothing.
07
Schools and high school coaches
IC 20-26-5-10, the volunteer coach rule and the expanded criminal history check.
08
Leagues, camps and recreation
The concussion law, the youth camp rule and child care licensing exemptions.
09
Residential care, foster homes and courts
Child caring institutions (narrowed July 2026), group homes, placing agencies, foster homes and juvenile courts.
10
Where Indiana says no: health and home care
Why the nurse aide and home care check laws leave volunteers out.
11
Every individual reports
IC 31-33-5: who, when, the 2025 care-team exception and the penalty.
12
The sex-offender volunteer ban
IC 35-42-4-10 from 2006 to the 2025 and 2026 expansions, and related bars.
13
Expunged records and screening companies
IC 35-38-9-10, IC 24-4-18 and Indiana’s ban on local ban-the-box rules.
14
SEA 486 to HEA 1357, 2025–2026
SEA 486 in 2025 through SEA 119 and HEA 1357 in 2026, plus the charity registration Indiana doesn’t require.
15
Beside FBI prints and the Protection Index
A supplement, never a substitute, for FBI fingerprints and Child Protection Index checks — and where it fits on its own.
A
Appendix A: Child care, coaches and residential care
The baseline, child care, coaches, residential care and state records.
B
Appendix B: A reporting card, an application question and a premises roster
An IC 31-33-5 card, the IC 35-38-9-10(d) question and a child care roster.
C
Appendix C: Four free guides and the rules left unread
Four free guides and a reporting course, then sources read September 11, 2026, and the 470 IAC rules left unread.

Get the free guide

The Premises Test: Indiana questions answered

Does Indiana require background checks for volunteers?: Only in named settings. We found no Indiana statute requiring nonprofits generally to screen volunteers, and IC 10-13-3-39 — which lets any organization that provides care or care placement services ask the Indiana State Police for an FBI fingerprint check on a volunteer, within three months after the person first volunteers — is optional. Checks are required in specific settings: licensed child care centers and homes and registered child care ministries (IC 12-17.2), high school volunteer coaches (IC 20-26-14-9), group homes and child placing agencies (IC 31-27-5-4, 31-27-6-2), child caring institutions for volunteers with unsupervised contact or records access (IC 31-27-3-3), and foster family homes (IC 31-27-4-5).
Does Indiana’s premises test mean child care volunteers are fingerprinted?: Yes, if they may be present on the premises during operating hours. Licensed child care centers and homes and registered child care ministries must have every employee or volunteer who may be present during operating hours submit fingerprints for an FBI national criminal history check before starting, and every three years while they continue (IC 12-17.2-4-3(e), 12-17.2-5-3(e), 12-17.2-6-14). FSSA’s background check page also describes Indiana fingerprint, Child Protection Index and sex offender registry checks, with the registry checks repeated yearly.
Do Indiana schools have to background-check volunteers?: Only volunteer coaches, as far as we found. IC 20-26-5-10 requires a criminal history policy for job applicants and contractors likely to have direct, ongoing contact with children, and expanded criminal history and Child Protection Index checks on those job applicants; it doesn’t mention volunteers. IC 20-26-14-9(b) requires a school corporation, charter high school or nonpublic high school to run an expanded criminal history check before allowing anyone to be a volunteer coach of an association-recognized sport in grades 9–12. Other school volunteer screening is district policy.
Does IC 31-33-5 make every Indiana volunteer a reporter?: Yes — it reaches everyone. IC 31-33-5-1 requires any individual who has reason to believe a child is a victim of abuse or neglect to report, with no list of professions and no age limit. Reports go immediately to the Department of Child Services (hotline 1-800-800-5556) or law enforcement. No institution may adopt a policy that restricts or delays a report, and knowingly failing to report is a Class B misdemeanor.
Can a sexually violent predator or offender against children volunteer in Indiana?: No. Under IC 35-42-4-10 a sexually violent predator or offender against children commits a Level 6 felony by working “for compensation or as a volunteer” on school property, at a youth program center or public park, for a child care provider, and — since July 1, 2025 — in any setting with more than incidental and occasional contact with unaccompanied children. Since July 1, 2026, the ban also covers any facility or event primarily for minors. The offense is the offender’s; a registry search helps keep registrants out of those roles.
Does a VolunteerBadge check replace an FBI fingerprint or Child Protection Index check?: No. Where Indiana law requires an FBI fingerprint check or a Child Protection Index check — in child care, child caring institutions or foster family homes, for example — the State’s check is the one that counts, and a commercial check can never fill in for it. Its place in Indiana is the church, league, camp, mentoring and school roles outside those statutes, and on top of — not instead of — the checks the law requires.

Beyond The Premises Test

The Indiana sources behind The Premises Test

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.