Everyone is required to undergo this background check, even if you have any other current background check, including USSF and NISOA.
The Jessica Lunsford Act is a Florida law designed to punish and prevent sex offenders from committing more crimes. The Act requires referees to undergo a Level 2 background check. You do this by submitting your demographic information and fingerprints to a third party, who in turn provides the results to the school district. The cost of this service is about $85. You can learn more about Florida Statutes 1012.467 and 1012.468 here.
Background Check Steps
To renew your badge as an existing member, follow the same steps as a new member, detailed below.
To obtain your background check badge from Duval County Public Schools (DCPS), which is valid for any Florida school, follow these steps. While you can obtain the badge from any county, it’s recommended to use DCPS’s process. If you opt for another county, you’ll need to manage the process independently as our assistance is specific to DCPS.
- Register on the Fieldprint website to have your fingerprints taken (The steps are detailed below).
- Go to your appointment and have your fingerprints taken.
- Email a completed form W-9 to Duval County Public Schools.
- Duval County Public Schools reviews the results of your background check.
- If your background check is approved, you’ll receive an email that says “Completed Screening”. Forward this email to notify@nfsoa.com.
- Your badge will be picked up by an NFSOA officer and will be distributed during a membership meeting. If you prefer to pick it up yourself, you can do so according to the instructions in the “Completed Screening” email. Make sure you forward that email per instructions in step 5.
Register to Have Your Fingerprints Taken
Visit the Fieldprint website: https://florida.fieldprint.com
If you need help with the Fieldprint website, email customerservice@fieldprint.com or call 1-877-614-4364.
- If you are a New User, enter your Email and click “Sign Up”. Follow the directions to establish your password, security questions, and contact information. If you are an Existing User, Sign In using your existing email address and password.
3. Choose “I know my Fieldprint Code”.
- Choose your code carefully! Fieldprint does not give refunds because you chose the wrong code. Review the codes below and choose the one that applies to you. The vast majority of new referees will use the code in the first row. The Situations below that refer to “high school” include middle schools.
| Situation | Comment | Code |
|---|---|---|
| New Florida High School Referee | Use this code if you are a new high school referee | FPDCPSV |
| Recertifying High School Referee | Referees whose badges have expired or will expire soon use the same code as new referees | FPDCPSV |
| Badge Only | Fingerprinted by Fieldprint Duval County and need to replace a badge that has NOT expired | FPDCPSVB |
| FSSR Badge Only | You were fingerprinted by a company other than Fieldprint or you need to replace your badge that HAS NOT expired | FPDCPSVFSSRBadge |
| Registration Code Only | You were fingerprinted and already have a statewide badge but need to register in Duval County | FPDCPSVFSSR |
5. Enter your Personal Information.
***IMPORTANT: Please enter you legal name and ensure your birthdate and Social Security number are entered correctly.
- Enter your Demographics and Additional Information
- Enter your Employer Information. For Company Name, enter North Florida Soccer Officials Association. Enter your home address in the address field.
- Schedule your Visit. Enter your home or other address to find the nearest fingerprint capture location. Some of the authorized fingerprinting sites are also medical lab testing companies. Be advised that you may be in a waiting room with people who are scheduled for lab tests and plan accordingly.
- Payment Information. The fee will be displayed at checkout and is about $85. You can pay by credit/debit card or electronic check only. (No money orders)
- Confirmation Page – You will receive a confirmation page when the transaction is complete. Be sure to print it.
Go To Your Appointment and Have Your Fingerprints Taken
Please print and bring the confirmation page with you to your scheduled fingerprint appointment. Ensure you have the two forms of identification required for fingerprinting.
Some authorized fingerprinting sites are also medical lab testing companies. Please note that you may share a waiting room with individuals awaiting lab tests, so plan accordingly. These locations are often busy and may not honor your appointment time if you are late.
During your appointment, the technician will verify your identity with the two forms of identification, then will use a digital scanner to collect your fingerprints. They will also take your photograph for your badge.
Submit your W-9 Form to Duval County Public Schools
A completed W-9 form is required to process your badge.
The completed W-9 form can be emailed to downery@duvalschools.org or faxed to: 904-858-6122. Be sure to state that you are a new NFSOA soccer referee in your email or fax.
NOTE: Entry errors made during your registration process cannot be corrected once your fingerprints are captured. Any errors made in your entries must be corrected through the modification process BEFORE you are fingerprinted. If errors are discovered after the prints are captured/submitted, it is your responsibility to register again and to reprint at your expense.
Wait for the Process to Complete
There are three email communications you may receive during the process.
1. Acknowledgement from Fieldprint that you are scheduled to have your fingerprints taken, from CustomerService@fieldprint.com
2. A message titled “Completed Screening” from CustomerService@fieldprint.com that says your screening process is done and that your badge will be available for pickup at the Duval County Public Schools Police Department. Forward that email to notify@nfsoa.com. Forwarding the email ensures you are marked “ready to be assigned” in Arbiter.
3. A message from Yvonne Downer at DCPS PD, downery@duvalschools.org telling you when you can pick up your badge.
The time between the collection of your fingerprints and the completing of your screening can be as short as 1 week and as long as 3 weeks. #3 doesn’t always happen and in any case is redundant with #2.
If there is a problem with your fingerprint scan, which is quite common, you’ll get a message from Ms. Downer saying that you have to go back and get another scan done.
Check your email, including your spam/junk folders for these messages.
Pick Up Your Badge
You will be contacted by Duval County Public Schools when your badge is complete and ready for pick up. One of the Association officers usually goes by the DCPS office to pick up all badges before the season starts. We then distribute them to you at an association meeting.
Keep your badge in your gear bag so that you can produce it if a school asks for it.