Comprehensive Background Check Process
Updates
- October 9, 2025: The New Mexico Department of Public Safety (NM DPS) and fingerprint vendor IDEMIA are upgrading to a new Universal Enrollment Platform (UEP) in October 2025.
Comprehensive Background Checks
Purpose
All child care providers in licensed child care centers and out of school time programs, licensed child care homes and registered child care homes must have a background check completed every five years. Background checks are conducted in order to identify information in an applicant’s background to determine whether they are eligible to provide child care services. The background check includes state and federal criminal records, sex offender registry, abuse and neglect checks about an applicant. If an applicant has lived in another state within the past 5 years, we require them to obtain a background check from that state(s). The background check unit will provide the state’s appropriate forms and instructions to the center or home for completing criminal history and abuse and neglect requests. Timely completion of these requests is essential to preventing hiring delays and maintaining compliance.
Regulations
- 8.9.6 NMAC (PDF uploaded Dec. 16, 2022)
Background Check Process:
Licensed Child Care Centers and Out of School Time Programs
Out of School Time Programs are licensed centers that care for school-aged children only.
Click the image below to download the Child Care Center Background Check Flyer in English and Spanish.
Licensed Child Care Centers and Out of School Programs
Updated October 14, 2025
- Step 1: Register for fingerprinting at: https://nm.ue.state.identogo.com/ue
- Step 2: Enter Service Code and click Get Started
- 5-year background check renewal, enter: 2BHV5S
- Volunteer, enter: 2BHV66
- New Applicant, enter: 2BHV48
- Step 3: Reviewing Agency should be: NM931220Z – New Mexico Early Childhood Education and Care Department (ECECD)
- Click Start Enrollment
- Step 4: Review and Accept Privacy Statement, select Continue
- Step 5: Enter Personal Information, select Continue.
- Step 6: Selection a location near you by entering zip code or city, select Search
- Select location, date, and time for fingerprinting services, select Continue
- Review, select Yes, Confirm
- Select, Continue to Payment
- Step 7: Enter Coupon Code, select apply
- (Note: Coupon Code can be obtained from ECECD Background Check Unit for Child Care applicants via telephone at: (505) 827-9910. Coupon codes will also be provided to Facility Directors and Home Providers.)
- Select, Pay and Submit
- Confirmation page will be emailed to applicant and can also be printed and/or downloaded.
- Step 8: Submit the ECECD Licensed-Registered Centers Packet Updated 07.27.23.pdf along with your fingerprint registration receipt immediately to: ececd.bcu@ececd.nm.gov.
- The form may also be mailed to: ECECD Background Check Unit PO Drawer 5619, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87502
- Please note: fingerprint results are only valid for 29 days after the applicant has been fingerprinted. Therefore, please submit packet immediately after the applicant has been fingerprinted to avoid any delays. We will not know you have been fingerprinted unless we receive your form
En español: ECECD Facility Packet in Spanish
Background Check Process: Licensed/Registered Child Care Homes
Click the image below to download the Child Care Homes Background Check Flyer in English and Spanish.
Licensed/Registered Child Care Homes
Updated October 14, 2025
- Step 1: Register for fingerprinting at: https://nm.ue.state.identogo.com/ue
- Step 2: Enter Service Code and click Get Started
- 5-year background check renewal, enter: 2BHV5S
- Volunteer, enter: 2BHV66
- New Applicant, enter: 2BHV48
- Step 3: Reviewing Agency should be: NM931220Z – New Mexico Early Childhood Education and Care Department (ECECD)
- Click Start Enrollment
- Step 4: Review and Accept Privacy Statement, select Continue
- Step 5: Enter Personal Information, select Continue.
- Step 6: Selection a location near you by entering zip code or city, select Search
- Select location, date, and time for fingerprinting services, select Continue
- Review, select Yes, Confirm
Select, Continue to Payment
- Step 7: Enter Coupon Code, select apply
- (Note: Coupon Code can be obtained from ECECD Background Check Unit for Child Care applicants via telephone at: (505) 827-9910. Coupon codes will also be provided to Facility Directors and Home Providers.)
- Select, Pay and Submit
- Confirmation page will be emailed to applicant and can also be printed and/or downloaded.
- Step 8: Submit the ECECD Licensed-Registered Home Packet Updated 07.27.23.pdf along with your fingerprint registration receipt immediately to: ececd.bcu@ececd.nm.gov.
- The form may also be mailed to: ECECD Background Check Unit PO Drawer 5619, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87502
- Please note: fingerprint results are only valid for 29 days after the applicant has been fingerprinted. Therefore, please submit packet immediately after the applicant has been fingerprinted to avoid any delays. We will not know you have been fingerprinted unless we receive your form
En español: ECECD Facility Packet in Spanish
Background Check Process:
Family Infant Toddler (FIT) program and Home Visiting
Click the image below to download the Family Infant Toddler (FIT)
and Home Visiting (HV) Background Check Flyer in English and Spanish.
Family Infant Toddler (FIT) program and Home Visiting
Updated October 14, 2025
- Step 1: Register for fingerprinting at: https://nm.ue.state.identogo.com/ue
- Step 2: Enter Service Code and click Get Started
- Volunteer, enter: 2BHV66
- New Applicant, enter: 2BHV48
- Step 3: Reviewing Agency should be: NM931220Z – New Mexico Early Childhood Education and Care Department (ECECD)
- Click Start Enrollment
- Step 4: Review and Accept Privacy Statement, select Continue
- Step 5: Enter Personal Information, select Continue.
- Step 6: Selection a location near you by entering zip code or city, select Search
- Select location, date, and time for fingerprinting services, select Continue
- Review, select Yes, Confirm
Select, Continue to Payment
- Step 7: Proceed with Payment
- Confirmation page will be emailed to applicant and can also be printed and/or downloaded.
- Step 8: Submit the ECECD FIT/Home Visiting Application along with your fingerprint registration receipt immediately to: ececd.bcu@ececd.nm.gov.
- The form may also be mailed to: ECECD Background Check Unit PO Drawer 5619, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87502
- Please note: fingerprint results are only valid for 29 days after the applicant has been fingerprinted. Therefore, please submit packet immediately after the applicant has been fingerprinted to avoid any delays. We will not know you have been fingerprinted unless we receive your form
En español: ECECD Facility Packet in Spanish
Child Care Request for Transfer of Background Clearance
A direct provider can submit a request to transfer their background clearance as long as there not been a separation in employment for more than 180 days by submitting the ECECD CCDF Transfer Request Form (PDF uploaded Dec. 16, 2022) must be submitted to: ececd.bcu@ececd.nm.gov. The form can also be mailed or emailed to:
ECECD Background Check Unit
PO Drawer 5619
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87502
Email: ececd.bcu@ececd.nm.gov
En español: ECECD Transfer Request in Spanish
Inter-State Checks:
New Mexico Child Abuse and Neglect Registry Checks
- State agencies may request a child abuse and neglect search of the Family Automated Client Tracking System (FACTS) in New Mexico for child care applicants living outside of New Mexico. The search will indicate whether an applicant has a record of substantiated child abuse or neglect to include physical abuse, physical neglect, and sexual abuse.
- There is no fee to submit the request.
- The ECECD Abuse and Neglect Request Form (PDF uploaded Dec. 16, 2022) must be submitted to:
ECECD Background Check Unit
PO Drawer 5619
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87502
E-mail: ececd.bcu@ececd.nm.gov
Phone: (505) 827-9910
For additional information regarding substantiated reports, please contact Kathleen Hardy, Records Custodian at (505) 841-2955 or Kathleen.hardy@state.nm.us
Inter-State Checks:
Criminal History
- New Mexico is not a National Fingerprint File (NFF) and the FBI does not have direct access to automatically search the criminal history repository therefore, Criminal History for applicants living outside of New Mexico can be obtained by contacting the New Mexico Department of Public Safety at:
New Mexico Department of Public Safety
Law Enforcement Records Bureau
4491 Cerillos Road, Santa Fe,
New Mexico 87507
Phone: (505) 827-9181
Email: Lerb.information@state.nm.us
Website: https://www.dps.nm.gov/
There is a $15 fee per record check, which should be a money order or cashier’s check made payable to the Department of Public Safety. The form must be notarized with original signatures.
Inter-State Checks:
Sex Offender Registry
- The New Mexico Department of Public Safety also maintains New Mexico Sex Offender Registry information. More information can be obtained from:
New Mexico Department of Public Safety
4491 Cerillos Road,
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87507
Phone: (505) 827-9297
E-mail: dps.sorna@dps.nm.gov
Website: New Mexico Sex Offender Registry
There is no fee to access the New Mexico Department of Public Safety Sex Offender Registry website.