Why do applicants have to get their fingerprints taken in Missouri?

Any individual who is applying for a real estate license in Missouri must be fingerprinted before submitting a real estate application for licensure to the Missouri Real Estate Commission. Each real estate license applicant must have their fingerprints taken by a vendor approved by the Missouri State Highway Patrol. The purpose of having an applicant take their fingerprints is for the MREC to order a criminal history background check.

Anyone who refuses to have their fingerprints taken will not be eligible for a Missouri real estate license.

Note: an applicant, when signing the Missouri real estate license application, agrees to the following:

· The applicant's fingerprints will be used to help check the criminal history of the applicant.

· This criminal history will be made available to the Missouri Real Estate Commission for review so the commission members can appropriately evaluate a real estate license applicant’s eligibility.

· Information may be stored in Missouri State Highway Patrol or the FBI’s files for other purposes pursuant to the Federal Privacy Act and state law.

· Future arrests may be shared with the Missouri Real Estate Commission.

Additional information is available from the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Criminal Justice Information Services Division at 573-526-6153. The criminal background search results can take anywhere from 3 to 5 days to be processed and sent to the Missouri Real Estate Commission.

Applicants, when having their fingerprints taken for a real estate license application, are advised to hold onto the receipt provided (which includes a TCN #) because a copy of this receipt can be submitted with the Missouri real estate license application to help avoid processing delays. The TCN # and receipt can be used to obtain the status of the fingerprint background search. A copy of the fingerprinting receipt should be submitted, with the application, to the Missouri Real Estate Commission.