A CPIC check in Canada refers to a search of the Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC) database maintained by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). This national system is used by police agencies across Canada to verify criminal record information and related records.
Many routine screening requests for employment, volunteering, licensing, education, and personal records are satisfied through a name-based CPIC police record check. Applicants can often complete the process online and receive their official result by encrypted email.
Complete the secure online application and verify your identity digitally. Many routine CPIC checks are typically processed the same day or by the next business day.
This page is intended for applicants whose request can be satisfied with a name-based CPIC search.
A CPIC name-based search should not be used if your request specifically requires fingerprints, a Vulnerable Sector search, or another type of police-service-issued result.
If fingerprints are required, visit our fingerprinting page.
The Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC) is the national police database maintained by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). Police agencies across Canada use CPIC to share information related to criminal records, court orders, warrants, and other police data.
When an employer, school, regulator, or organization asks for a CPIC check, they are usually requesting confirmation of whether an applicant has a criminal record that appears in this national system.
Many routine CPIC checks can be completed through a name-based search without fingerprints, as long as the requesting authority accepts that format.
Turnaround times may vary, but many routine applications are completed quickly once identity verification is approved.
A name-based CPIC check is commonly requested for:
Always check your request letter to confirm that a name-based CPIC search is accepted.
A name-based CPIC check compares your identifying information against national police records. This type of search is often sufficient for standard screening purposes where fingerprint verification is not required.
Because it does not require fingerprints in routine cases, the process can often be completed entirely online from anywhere in Canada.
Some requests require fingerprint-based criminal record verification instead of a name-based CPIC search. This usually applies when an authority specifically asks for RCMP-verified fingerprints.
If your request falls into that category, use our fingerprinting service rather than this page.
Applicants across Canada can start the process online and then visit a province hub for local guidance and links to city pages.
These national pages explain related police screening topics without duplicating province and city content.
Before starting, review the instructions you received from your employer, school, regulator, volunteer coordinator, or requesting organization.
Most routine files are processed quickly and the official result is delivered by secure email as a PDF. Turnaround can vary during peak periods or when manual review is required.
Because the process is digital, applicants across Canada can complete the application from a desktop computer, tablet, or mobile device.
CPIC stands for Canadian Police Information Centre, the national police database maintained by the RCMP.
In many routine situations, yes. When people refer to a name-based CPIC check, they are usually referring to a police record check completed through Canadian police databases such as CPIC.
Yes. If your request accepts a name-based CPIC search, you can apply online from anywhere in Canada, verify your identity digitally, and receive your official result by secure email.
Fingerprints are required when the requesting authority specifically asks for RCMP-verified fingerprints, a fingerprint-based criminal record check, or another process that cannot be completed by name alone.
Verify your identity securely and receive your official CPIC result by encrypted email. If you have questions before applying, call us and we’ll help.
