Criminal Offender Record Information Form

Official forms and downloads

Download the Massachusetts Criminal Offender Record Information Form

Massachusetts DCJIS provides different CORI forms for different purposes. The official CORI Forms directory is the safest place to obtain the appropriate version.

Understand what the form authorizes

What Is Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI)?

CORI stands for Criminal Offender Record Information. It refers to criminal-history information maintained and made accessible under Massachusetts law through the state’s criminal justice information systems.

DCJIS administers the iCORI service used by authorized individuals and organizations to request legally available criminal record information.

Massachusetts primarily uses two different criminal-background-check systems:

According to the Massachusetts Department of Criminal Justice Information Services, a name-based CORI check provides available Massachusetts arraignment-related criminal record information.

What an organization may receive depends on its legally authorized level of access.

Who uses CORI forms?

• Employers: For legally authorized screening of prospective or current employees.
• Volunteer organizations: For eligible volunteer screening.
• Professional licensing agencies: To review qualifying license applications or renewals.
• Landlords and housing providers: For permitted rental application screening.
• Consumer reporting agencies: When authorized to conduct CORI checks for registered clients.
• Individuals: To request their own criminal-history reports.
• Attorneys and designated representatives: To request records on behalf of clients through the applicable procedure.

Employment, volunteering and licensing

Massachusetts CORI Acknowledgment Form for Employment

The CORI Acknowledgment Form is commonly used when an employer, volunteer organization or licensing authority has lawful grounds to request a person’s Massachusetts criminal-history information.

Its function is to identify the subject of the search, establish authorization and document identity verification.

What information does the acknowledgment form request?

Is the CORI acknowledgment valid for one year?

Generally, CORI consent for employment, volunteering and applicable licensing purposes can remain valid for up to one year, subject to the applicable law, specific form and continued authorization.

The October 2026 iCORI guidance states that electronic consent is valid for one year and that the individual can revoke it through their account during that period.

For repeated requests, the organization must comply with applicable notification and authorization requirements. Housing requests have separate rules and should not be treated as a blanket one-year permission for repeated rental screening.

Avoid rejection or mismatched information

How to Fill Out the Criminal Offender Record Information Form

For a paper employment or licensing CORI acknowledgment, use the following procedure.

1. Get the correct form from the organization

   Ask whether the employer or licensing department uses the general DCJIS acknowledgment form, an agency-specific version or the new electronic iCORI consent process.

2. Read the authorization statement

   Confirm which organization is requesting your record and for what purpose. If a consumer reporting agency is involved, review the additional screening disclosures.

3. Enter your legal name

   Use the name associated with your identification. Include former names and any other required fields accurately.

4. Provide your date of birth and other requested identifiers

   Enter dates and identification details exactly as required. Incorrect identifying information can produce delays or inaccurate matches.

5. Complete the address section

   Supply your current address and other fields marked as required on the version you are using.

6. Sign and date the form

   Read the acknowledgment before signing. If your agency requires you to sign in front of a verifier or notary, follow that instruction.

7. Have your identity verified

   Provide acceptable government-issued identification through the required process. The requesting organization must document verification when using the paper procedure.

8. Return the form securely

   Give it to the requesting employer, organization or licensing agency using its approved submission method. Avoid ordinary public file-sharing links or unverified emails.

9. Keep a copy when appropriate

   Retain a secure copy of the completed authorization and record the organization to which you submitted it.

Does the CORI form need to be notarized?

Not always. Paper CORI acknowledgment forms ordinarily require identity verification. Where the requesting organization cannot verify the person’s identity and signature in person, a properly notarized acknowledgment may be an accepted method.

Some licensing departments specifically require notarization, even if other CORI request pathways allow different verification procedures.

For example, certain Massachusetts Department of Public Health and Division of Occupational Licensure applications expressly require a notarized CORI acknowledgment.

Major October 2026 system update

How to Complete a CORI Form Electronically Through New iCORI

Massachusetts launched an updated iCORI service on October 14, 2026.

The new portal uses MyMassGov accounts and supports electronic identity verification, consent and CORI acknowledgments.

This is especially useful for applicants who previously had to print, sign, verify and return paper forms.

Electronic CORI acknowledgment: applicant steps

1. Receive the organization’s consent request

   The requesting organization generally needs the person’s last name and email address to initiate electronic CORI consent.

2. Open the official iCORI invitation

   If the individual already has an appropriate iCORI account, the system can notify them of the request. Otherwise, it may send an invitation to create an account.

3. Create or access a Personal MyMassGov account

   Use criminalhistory.mass.gov. CORI subjects who wish to provide electronic consent use a Personal account, even if the organization uses a Business account.

4. Complete identity verification

   The updated system requires personal identity details and an accepted identity document, such as a driver’s license, state or government identification card, or passport, following the current verification instructions.

5. Review the CORI consent request

   Check the organization requesting the record and the authorization presented to you.

6. Submit electronic consent

   Approve the request through iCORI. The system notifies the requesting organization when the consent process is completed.

7. Manage your authorization

   The Massachusetts DCJIS FAQs explain that individuals may manage or revoke electronic CORI consent through their account during the one-year authorization period.

Does the new system replace paper CORI forms?

No. DCJIS expressly states that paper forms remain available.

If the CORI subject cannot or does not complete electronic registration and identity verification, the requesting organization may continue using an appropriate paper acknowledgment, subject to its obligations to verify identity and retain the form.

Important login change for existing users

Old iCORI usernames and passwords stopped being usable after October 13, 2026.

DCJIS advises existing account holders to use the same email address associated with their previous account when enrolling through MyMassGov to preserve access to migrated account information where applicable.

Get your own Massachusetts criminal record

How to Request Your Own CORI Using the Personal Request Form

If you are trying to obtain your own Massachusetts criminal history, do not use the employment acknowledgment form.

Instead, use the Personal CORI Request Form or submit a personal request online through iCORI.

Option 1: Request your CORI online

1. Go to the official iCORI website

   Open criminalhistory.mass.gov and create or access a Personal account through MyMassGov.

2. Review the terms and training instructions

   Complete the registration and follow the portal’s identity-verification process.

3. Select the personal CORI request option

   Do not accidentally select an Open Access request for another person if your goal is your own complete personal CORI.

4. Enter your identifying information

   Provide your legal name and other required information. Check the accuracy of names and dates before submission.

5. Pay the applicable fee or request a waiver

   The standard personal CORI request costs $25. Eligible individuals may seek a fee waiver.

6. Submit and review the result

   Follow the portal’s instructions for receiving and accessing your certified personal CORI response.

Option 2: Request your CORI by mail

DCJIS accepts paper requests from individuals unable to complete the electronic process.

1. Download the Personal Request Form

   Use the official DCJIS form rather than an employment acknowledgment.

2. Complete the required fields

   Provide accurate personal information and any other names requested.

3. Follow the notarization requirement

   Paper personal CORI requests may require a notarized signature under the official form’s instructions.

4. Prepare the payment or waiver form

   Follow the form’s payment instructions for the $25 charge or include a qualifying fee-waiver application.

5. Mail the package to DCJIS

   Use the mailing address provided on the current form. Do not email identifying documents unless the agency specifically provides a secure submission method.

Processing estimate: DCJIS states that personal CORI requests may take up to 10 business days to process, although some requests are completed sooner.

Allow additional time when using postal mail.

Forms for other screening purposes

Housing, Volunteer, CRA and Licensing CORI Forms

Using the correct form matters because Massachusetts grants different access and imposes different requirements depending on the requester’s purpose.

Housing CORI Acknowledgment Form

Landlords, property managers and qualifying housing providers may use a housing acknowledgment form to obtain consent for legally authorized CORI screening.

DCJIS provides full and abbreviated housing acknowledgment language in its official forms directory.

Housing applicants should review the consent statement and the identity of the requesting housing provider.

Consumer Reporting Agency Acknowledgment Form

When an employer or other qualified organization uses a consumer reporting agency (CRA) to perform CORI checks, DCJIS provides a different acknowledgment form.

The CRA form identifies the registered organization and the consumer reporting agency authorized to submit the request.

The October 2026 DCJIS FAQs state that consumer reporting agencies should continue to collect paper CORI acknowledgment forms and verify identities through their clients under the current CRA workflow.

Additional Fair Credit Reporting Act disclosures may be necessary when a consumer reporting agency conducts employment screening.

Professional licensing acknowledgment

Professional licensing authorities may require agency-specific CORI forms as part of an application or renewal.

For example, some Division of Occupational Licensure renewal processes require a notarized acknowledgment to be uploaded through the licensing system.

Applicants should not substitute the general Personal Request Form for a license-specific acknowledgment.

MassHealth CORI Request Form CRF-1

MassHealth also lists a specialized Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) Request Form [CRF-1] among provider enrollment forms.

This is a program-specific form and is not the same as the general DCJIS Personal Request Form.

Published Massachusetts DCJIS charges

How Much Does a CORI Request Form Cost?

The acknowledgment form itself is not ordinarily a paid criminal-history report. Fees generally apply to the type of CORI request submitted through the authorized system.

The fees above are published by Massachusetts DCJIS. Separate fingerprint screening, licensing charges or consumer reporting agency service costs should not be confused with the basic CORI request fee.

When the personal CORI charge is unaffordable

How to Get a CORI Fee Waiver

Massachusetts permits qualifying individuals to request a waiver of the personal CORI fee.

For paper requests, DCJIS publishes an Affidavit of Indigency to be submitted with the Personal CORI Request Form.

Who may qualify?

The affidavit asks about circumstances such as qualifying public benefits, income and whether paying the fee would interfere with essential living expenses.

It also includes circumstances relating to incarceration.

Applicants must provide truthful information and complete the required declaration.

Employer and organization compliance

What Employers Must Do With a CORI Acknowledgment Form

Massachusetts CORI laws and regulations impose obligations on organizations that request and use criminal-history information.

The governing rules include Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 6 and the Department of Criminal Justice Information Services regulations, including 803 CMR 2.00.

Before the CORI check

• Use the organization’s authorized iCORI access level.
• Obtain the subject’s required acknowledgment and consent.
• Complete identity verification through the applicable electronic or paper process.
• Use the correct acknowledgment form for the purpose.
• Ensure the search complies with employment, licensing or housing law.

After receiving results

• Restrict access to authorized personnel with a legitimate need to know.
• Use criminal-history information only for permissible purposes.
• Follow the required CORI policy, notice and decision-making procedures.
• Retain acknowledgment forms and records according to the applicable rules.
• Provide required information to applicants before certain adverse decisions.

Written CORI policy requirement

Under Massachusetts CORI regulations, organizations conducting five or more covered criminal background checks annually generally must maintain a written CORI policy meeting applicable DCJIS standards.

DCJIS publishes a Model CORI Policy that organizations can adapt to their circumstances.

What if an applicant is rejected because of CORI?

DCJIS guidance explains that an organization considering an adverse decision based on CORI must follow the applicable process, which can include giving the applicant a copy of the CORI, identifying the relevant disqualifying information, providing the organization’s CORI policy and explaining how inaccuracies may be corrected.

Additional employment and consumer-reporting requirements may apply.

Find out who requested your criminal record

How to Request a Massachusetts CORI Self-Audit Form

A CORI self-audit identifies inquiries made for your criminal-history information by non-criminal-justice entities, such as eligible employers, hospitals, schools or housing organizations.

It does not show criminal justice agency inquiries.

How the self-audit works

1. Open the DCJIS self-audit instructions

   Follow the official Massachusetts form or online submission procedure.

2. Provide identifying information

   Complete the request using the required personal details.

3. Submit your request

   The agency processes the request according to its published personal-record review rules.

4. Review the list of inquiries

   Compare the listed organizations with the background checks you remember authorizing.

5. Report a suspected unauthorized request

   If the audit includes an inquiry you did not authorize, consider the official DCJIS CORI complaint process.

Self-audit fee: One free request every 90 days; additional requests during that period cost $25.

Common form and portal problems

Why Is My CORI Form Being Rejected or Delayed?

How long do organizations have access to CORI results?

DCJIS states that CORI results within organizational iCORI accounts are automatically removed after six months.

The system displays an availability date for each result. Organizations should follow their legal retention and security obligations rather than treating the iCORI portal as a permanent archive.

How do I correct inaccurate CORI information?

If your CORI report lists an incorrect charge, conviction, disposition or identity, identify the original court record and gather official documentation showing the correct information.

DCJIS explains that the originating court or Commissioner of Probation may be responsible for correcting particular information, depending on the error.

DCJIS disseminates CORI data but does not necessarily maintain the original underlying court entry.

Understand the limits of CORI disclosure

Can Someone Look Up Another Person’s Massachusetts CORI?

Access to Massachusetts CORI depends on the requester’s legal authorization and the purpose of the request.

Organizations may receive different levels of information. Public access is limited by statute, and the information available through an Open Access request is not equivalent to a complete personal CORI report.

Open Access requests

Massachusetts provides an Open Access CORI Request Form under Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 6, Section 172.

The published fee is $50 per request. The requester’s access is limited to the information that law permits to be released through that category.

Public CORI is not an FBI background check

CORI is a Massachusetts name-based criminal record system. It does not automatically include all arrests, federal criminal cases or criminal histories maintained by other states.

If a position requires a fingerprint-supported state or national background check, a normal CORI form alone may not satisfy that requirement.

Can sealed criminal records appear on CORI?

Sealing and access restrictions affect what information may be released, but certain government agencies and legally specified screening entities may retain access to records that are not available to ordinary public requesters.

Massachusetts Courts and Probation Service provide separate procedures for sealing or expunging eligible records.

Official Massachusetts government resources

CORI Forms, iCORI Portal and DCJIS Contact Links

Use these resources for the current forms, official account setup, request instructions, fees, background-check regulations and complaint procedures.