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Prepare a Phoenix Police Letter of Clearance request, understand its city-only scope and fingerprint requirements, and distinguish it from broader background screening.
Confirm that a Phoenix-only letter will be accepted
Phoenix Police offers a Letter of Clearance concerning your own Phoenix Police arrest or criminal record. It does not search other cities, the Arizona statewide repository or federal records. The city does not accept or process this letter for anyone under 14, and you cannot use the service to obtain a letter on another person. Ask the receiving organization whether a city-only letter satisfies its requirement before paying for fingerprints.
A clearance letter is also different from a copy of an incident report or a screening package required for a City of Phoenix job. The police public-records portal lists incident reports, crash reports, recordings and other record types separately. If the request names a particular incident or a fingerprint clearance card, clarify that product first rather than ordering a local letter simply because it uses the words background check.
Complete the form and arrange fingerprints first
Download the Letter of Clearance Information Sheet from the city’s Other Services page. It asks for your name as shown on ID, mailing address, phone, email, preferred contact method and reason for the request. Answer its questions about prior Phoenix Police arrests and other names or dates of birth used. Select whether you want to receive the completed letter in person or by mail, and give the correct return address.
Prepare a full set of fingerprints endorsed by the provider and valid, unexpired government-issued photo identification. Phoenix Police’s Public Records and Services Unit no longer provides fingerprinting, so arrange it with a separate provider before visiting. That provider’s charge is separate from the letter fee. Do not arrive expecting Records staff to take the prints while you wait.
Plan the conditional fee and verify mailed identification
The letter costs $28 when a record is found or $8.50 when no record is found. For a mailed request, the city’s instructions call for a self-addressed stamped envelope and a check payable to the City of Phoenix. Because the amount depends on the search result, ask Records how it wants payment prepared if you do not know which charge will apply.
There is an important identity-document detail to settle before mailing. The service portal says original government photo ID must be provided; the city’s mail instructions specifically state that foreign-issued identification must be presented in original form and copies will not be accepted. The pages do not clearly resolve every mailed-ID situation. Call 602-534-1127 for the approved method for your document and delivery route before sending an original identity document.
Drop off or mail the completed request
Submit to Phoenix Police Public Records and Services Unit, 100 W. Washington, Phoenix, AZ 85003. The published lobby hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., except holidays. Letters of Clearance are accepted by drop-off or mail, and the city no longer schedules appointments for them. For drop-off, the requester must bring the request; clerks process it and contact the requester when finished.
The clearance instructions do not publish a guaranteed processing period. Keep a copy of the submitted form and note when it was delivered. If you have a deadline, ask Records about the expected completion and return method at 602-534-1127 before relying on same-day service. When the letter arrives, check your identifying details and its stated coverage. Ask the issuing unit about any apparent error before using the letter as evidence.
Use a separate route when the requirement is statewide or national
Arizona DPS restricts statewide criminal-history access to authorized individuals and agencies. Its records page says it cannot provide repository employment checks for private citizens or private employers through a general public request. Authorized applicant agencies have their own fingerprint procedures. A fingerprint clearance card is another separate product; DPS lists 602-223-2279 for that section.
For your own Arizona history accuracy review, download DPS’s Record Review Packet or request it at 602-223-2000, option 2 and then option 3. The packet includes fingerprint and contact-information instructions. DPS says it mails a response within 15 days of receiving the completed packet. Follow the requesting organization’s stated national-check requirements when applicable, and retain a Phoenix no-record letter as a local response rather than a universal claim about your history.
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