Criminal Background Check

The nationwide criminal history record includes information concerning a person’s arrests, indictments or other formal criminal charges and any dispositions arising there from, including convictions, dismissals, acquittals, sentencing and correctional supervision, collected by criminal justice agencies and stored in the computerized data bases of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the national law enforcement telecommunications systems, the Department of Public Safety or the repositories of criminal history information of other states.

Criminal Background checks are required for the following license types:

• Lactation Care Provider (§61-36-4 NMSA 1978)
• Licensed Practical Nurse (§61-3-18 NMSA 1978)
• Registered Nurse (§61-3-13 NMSA 1978)

A criminal background check is not required for APRN licenses or certificates for hemodialysis technicians and medication aides.

Important Information- Read before completing the criminal background check:

• Gemalto is the vendor that provides the NM Board of Nursing with state and federal background checks for applicants.  
  • The NM Board of Nursing cannot substitute other criminal background checks for the statutory requirements of a criminal background check for licensure.
• The receipt of your Criminal background check results by the NM Board of Nursing can take between two weeks three months from the date of receipt of the fingerprints by Gemalto.
• The NM Board of Nursing can retain the results for no more than 30 days from the date the results are made available.
  • You should complete criminal background check no earlier than two weeks before you plan on submitting your application.
• You must use the correct ORI number for the application type you are submitting.  Failure to do so will result in the invalidation of your results and a requirement that the criminal background check be repeated.
  • ORI # for Lactation Care Provider - NM920275Z
  • ORI# for Licensed Practical Nurse - NM920269Z
  • ORI# for Registered Nurse - NM920190Z

In-state Applicants ONLY

1. Register online or by telephone 1-877-99NMAPS (1-877-996-6277).
2. Pay for your criminal background check ($44).
3. Choose a fingerprint location.
4. Travel to chosen fingerprint location and pay for your criminal background check (if not already paid online) and any additional fees required by the fingerprint location.

Out-of-State Applicants ONLY

1. See NM Applicant Processing Service Handout
2. Obtain two fingerprint cards FD-258 or scroll to the bottom of this page to fill out the online request form.
3. Register online or by telephone 1-877-99NMAPS (1-877-996-6277).
4. Payment ($44) may be made online at this time or sent with the fingerprint cards when completed.
5. Get fingerprinted.
6. Write your registration ID on the back of the fingerprint cards.
7. Mail fingerprint cards to: GEMALTO COGENT APS DEPARTMENT #165 2964 Bradley Street Pasadena, CA 91107

Fingerprint Card Request

Fill out this form to request fingerprint cards to be mailed to you. Requests for fingerprint cards will only be sent to out-of-state and international applicants.