VOLUNTEER RESOURCES
PA Background Checks
Get the clearances you need to volunteer, then submit copies to the Council. These state-required checks provide an additional layer of protection for our Scouts.
Renew every five years (60 months). New volunteers must complete and submit required clearances before volunteer service begins.
Obtain your clearances
Volunteers need the Pennsylvania State Police and Child Abuse History clearances, plus an FBI fingerprint clearance or an eligible Council disclosure statement.
PA State Police Criminal History
Free for volunteers
Apply through Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History (PATCH). Choose the volunteer record check and save the completed certificate.
Preparation, mail option & help
Have your personal identifying information, including your Social Security number, ready for the online application.
Prefer mail? Complete Form SP4-164A (PDF) and mail it to the address on the form.
Questions: 1-888-783-7972.
PA Child Abuse History Clearance
Free for volunteers
Create an account in the Child Welfare Information Solution (CWIS) portal. View, save, and print your results online, with automated notification.
Preparation, mail option & help
List your residences and everyone you have lived with since 1975. Gather this information before applying.
Prefer mail? Download Form CY113 (PDF) and mail it to the address in its instructions.
*A free volunteer clearance is available once every 57 months.
ChildLine Verification Unit: 717-783-6211 or 1-877-371-5422.
FBI Fingerprint Background Check
$25.95 for volunteers
Register with IDEMIA/IdentoGo using service code 1KG6ZJ, then visit a fingerprinting site. Check site locations and accepted identification before your visit.
Results, fee & help
Obtain and save your FBI results. Fingerprint registration alone is not an acceptable clearance document.
Volunteer fee effective October 1, 2026. View current state guidance.
FBI clearance questions: 717-783-6211 or 1-877-371-5422.
IDEMIA/IdentoGo registration, processing, or billing: 1-844-321-2101.
Lived in Pennsylvania for the past 10 consecutive years?
If your position is unpaid and you meet the disclosure requirements, you may submit the Council’s Disclosure Statement Application for Volunteers instead of an FBI fingerprint clearance. Read the form before signing. Another adult must witness your signature; submit both pages. Notarization is not required.
For state requirements and application resources, visit Pennsylvania DHS clearance guidance.
Submit your clearances
Keep your originals and make several copies. Submit copies to the Council; your unit or chartered organization may also need them. Ask your unit leadership about any additional instructions.
Current adult volunteers
Updating a clearance? The preferred method is to upload it directly to your profile in the Clearance Management Portal.
New adult volunteers
Upload your clearance documents as PDFs or high-quality images using the new volunteer submission form. Once you receive a Scouting America member ID, use the portal for future updates.
What happens next? Council staff review submissions within two business days. You’ll receive an email confirming approval or explaining what additional information is needed. The Council also updates key unit leaders on who has submitted documents.
Other ways to submit: email, mail, or in person
Send a scan or high-quality photo to paclearances@newbirthoffreedom.org.
New Birth of Freedom Council, Scouting America
Background Checks
400 Tuckahoe Road
Dillsburg, PA 17019
In person
Bring copies to the Tuckahoe Service Center. Staff can copy your originals and return them to you.
Frequently asked questions
Find answers about eligibility, timing, renewals, and acceptable documents. The Council is here to help you through the process.
Who needs clearances?
Who in my unit must have clearances?
All registered volunteers must obtain and submit state-required clearances, regardless of position. New volunteers must submit them with their adult application before volunteer service begins.
Non-registered adults, including parents, relatives, and friends, also need clearances when they provide care, supervision, training, or control of youth in place of parental control, or have regular and repeated contact with youth that is integral to their volunteer activities.
Which non-registered adults need clearances?
- Lion and Tiger Adult Partners: Clearances are not required solely for participating as their child’s adult partner.
- Occasional meeting helpers: Clearances are not required for occasional assistance that is not a regular weekly role.
- Adults recruited to transport youth: State-required clearances are needed for trips to camps or events.
- Fundraiser helpers: Clearances are needed when a parent may be responsible for a child other than their own, such as at a Popcorn Show ’n Sell.
- Community volunteers on Eagle Boards of Review: Clearances are not required for that role.
If an adult also serves in another role, the requirements for that role still apply.
Do merit badge counselors need clearances?
Yes, whether or not parents are present.
Who is responsible for clearance compliance?
Compliance must be confirmed before volunteer service begins.
- Unit: Unit committee chair and chartered organization representative.
- District: District chair and district executive.
- Council: Council president and Scout executive.
A new volunteer will not be registered until the Council has evidence of compliance.
Timing and renewals
Do I need to renew every year?
No. Clearances are valid for 60 months (five years).
How long does applying take?
Allow an hour or more to complete the online applications, depending on your circumstances and the information you need to gather.
How long until I receive results?
Some results arrive within minutes; others can take up to four weeks. Start well before you plan to volunteer. This is separate from the Council’s two-business-day review after you submit your documents.
Can I use clearances from work or another organization?
Yes, if they are current. Keep the originals and submit copies to the Council.
If you use an FBI waiver, it must be the Council’s Disclosure Statement Application for Volunteers, which includes Council-specific language.
Documents and submission
Does the FBI waiver need to be notarized?
No. Another adult must witness your signature, and you must submit both pages of the Council’s form.
What FBI document should I submit?
Obtain a copy of your completed FBI clearance results, also called “unofficial results.” The Council cannot accept fingerprint registration alone. Save and print your results for future use.
How do I get my PATCH certificate?
Follow the prompts to create and print the certificate showing your results. In the current Council instructions, select the blue “Certification Form” link, then “OK” to open the watermarked certificate. A status screen alone is not the completed certificate.
Should I submit all my documents together?
New volunteers: Submit all required clearance documents together with your adult leader application whenever possible.
Current volunteers: The portal identifies each clearance due for renewal and emails you about that individual document. You may also upload other valid clearances, even if they are not yet due to expire.
Do I need a particular browser for the Council portal?
No. Any current web browser should work.
Key terms used on this page
Certifications: Background checks, clearances, documents, and certifications refer to the same records here. State law and many websites use “certifications.”
Unit: A Cub Scout pack, Scouting America troop, Venturing crew, Sea Scout ship, or Explorer post.
Chartered organization: The community organization that partners with the Council to deliver Scouting—sometimes described as the unit’s sponsor.
Need help with your clearances?
Contact the Council at paclearances@newbirthoffreedom.org.
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