Wisconsin Department of Children and Families - Division of Early Care and Education
Bureau of Early Care Regulation
Child Care Certification Policy Manual
An FBI fingerprint check must be conducted initially and every five years thereafter on individuals age 18 and older. The date of the five-year check is calculated by the date of initial fingerprinting, not the date of final eligibility. During the years when the FBI check is not done, a name-based annual Wisconsin DOJ and IBIS check will be completed. If an individual resides out of state, they must complete an FBI fingerprint check every year.
Providers are notified a fingerprint background check will be due soon via a mailed Quarterly Notice. They are then sent a fingerprint letter 30 days prior to due date. If they have not completed a fingerprint appointment, they are sent a past due notice 30 days after quarterly notice. If the provider has not come into compliance 30 days after the overdue notice, a Desk Review – CBU site visit is entered prompting the certifier to issue the Noncompliance Statement. WISCCRS Dashboard Tasks identifies providers who are out of compliance with the 5-year fingerprint background check requirements.
For additional guidance and detailed instructions on how to issue the fingerprint noncompliance, including WISCCRS screenshots, refer to the PowerPoint in the Certification SharePoint site.
By clicking on the Task Link in the WISCCRS Dashboard, you will be taken directly to the Site Visit page where you can complete and issue the system-generated CBU Desk Review Noncompliance Statement.
On the Site Visit page you will find a Desk Review-CBU entry. Click on the pencil icon to edit and complete the additional site visit fields.
The rule number entered in the violation will read as follows:
DCF 202.08(1m)(a)4. A Certified Child Care Operator Shall Comply with All Laws Governing The Certified Child Care Program And Its Operation, Including S. 48.686, Stats., And Ch. DCF 13 And Ensure That All Employees And Volunteers Comply With These Laws.
The system also auto-generates the violation description: Fingerprints not completed for the following individuals: Individual 002 (for example).
The certifier then prints the 294 Noncompliance Statement and Staff Key and mails to the child care provider. By using the Staff Key, individuals are not identified on the Noncompliance Statement. Upload the Staff Key under document type Staff Records Checklist in comments enter Staff Key.
Certifiers may resend the Fingerprint Instruction letter that includes the codes needed to schedule the Fieldprint appointment. This letter is found in Batch Documents. Certifiers may also send a cover letter or instructions for submitting the Plan of Correction. Templates are available in the Certification SharePoint site.
Certifiers may also choose to issue a Warning Letter in addition to the Noncompliance Statement. If a warning letter is issued, it must be entered in the Enforcement Module.
When the provider comes into compliance, certifiers will see another Task in the Dashboard indicating Compliance. You may then enter the Correction Verification date for the violation (found under Monitoring Results for the CBU desk review). Do not change the Monitoring Results from Unmet to Met. Simply enter the Correction Verification Date.
Monitor the Correction Plan Due Date you’ve entered in WISCCRS. If the provider fails to come into compliance, certification agencies will receive an additional Task from the CBU in the future. Certification agencies are then responsible for issuing any enforcement action related to the fingerprint-based background check Noncompliance.
If you have questions about the 5-year fingerprint noncompliance entered by the CBU you may contact the CBU at 608-422-7400 or DCFPliCBECRCBU@wisconsin.gov.
Instructions for scheduling a Fieldprint appointment can be found on the DCF website.
This page last updated 03/2025.