SLED background check, explained: CATCH, costs, and when you need fingerprints instead
Employers, landlords, volunteers, licensing boards — everyone asks for a 'SLED check,' but there are actually two different animals: the name-based CATCH report and the fingerprint-based check. Here’s which one your situation needs.
The standard one: SLED CATCH (name-based, online, instant)
South Carolina’s criminal records are searched through SLED CATCH (catch.sled.sc.gov): you enter the person’s name and date of birth, pay the fee (around $25; reduced for qualifying charities), and get an instant report of South Carolina criminal history. Anyone can run one — employers on applicants (with consent rules under the FCRA), landlords on tenants, or you on yourself.
Its two limits: it’s SC-only (a record in Georgia won’t appear), and it’s name-based, so common names can produce false matches or misses. When accuracy or national scope matters, agencies require the fingerprint route instead.
The serious one: fingerprint-based checks (FBI / licensing)
Nursing licenses, teachers, daycare workers, foster and adoption cases, immigration processes abroad, and FBI Identity History Summaries all require a fingerprint-based check — your prints, not your name, are matched against the record. State-mandated electronic submissions in SC run through the approved Livescan vendor network (typically IdentoGO with an agency code your employer or board gives you).
For the FBI Identity History Summary (the “FBI check” used for visas, foreign residency and adoptions), you can mail ink fingerprint cards (FD-258) with the request — and that’s where we come in: clean, roll-quality FD-258 cards for $25, with guidance on the FBI submission. Going abroad? The FBI result then needs a federal apostille — we’ll walk you through that chain too.
Which one do you need?
- Job application, tenant screening, self-check in SC: SLED CATCH online — instant, ~$25.
- Professional license, school/daycare, healthcare: whatever your board mandates — usually electronic fingerprints through their assigned vendor code.
- Visa, residency abroad, foreign adoption: FBI Identity History Summary via FD-258 ink cards (we print them) — often followed by apostille and certified translation.
- Immigration filings inside the U.S.: USCIS takes its own biometrics at its Application Support Centers; you don’t order that one.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a SLED background check cost?
The standard CATCH name-based search costs about $25 per name (a reduced rate exists for qualifying charitable organizations). It’s paid by card on catch.sled.sc.gov and the result is instant.
Does a SLED check show records from other states?
No — CATCH covers South Carolina records only. For national coverage you need a fingerprint-based FBI check, or the multi-state databases private screening companies use.
How do I get an FBI background check in Greenville?
Request an Identity History Summary from the FBI (online or by mail) and submit your fingerprints — mailed FD-258 ink cards work, or FBI-approved channelers. We print roll-quality FD-258 cards for $25 and include guidance on the submission.
I need my background check for use in another country. What’s the chain?
FBI check → federal apostille (U.S. Department of State, since it’s a federal document) → certified translation if the destination requires it. We handle the fingerprint cards and the certified translation, and guide the apostille step.
Can I run a SLED check on myself?
Yes, and it’s smart before a job hunt or license application — you see exactly what an employer will see and can fix errors early. Instant, online, ~$25.
Need fingerprints for your check? Same-day.
Message us on WhatsApp, tell us what you need, and get an exact price and the earliest appointment within minutes.