The checks a tutor might have

Check Who runs it What it involves What a parent can see
Fingerprint clearance for a teaching credential The Commission on Teacher Credentialing Clearance is required "prior to the Commission's issuance of any credential, permit, certificate, or waiver" (CL-900), and every applicant submits fingerprints (Education Code 44340). Applicants must disclose all criminal convictions (CTC FAQs) The credential on the public lookup, and a red flag if discipline was sustained; not the check itself or its date
Certificate of Clearance The Commission on Teacher Credentialing The same fingerprint process, for people who need clearance without a credential; valid five years, and doesn't authorize teaching The Commission's public search covers certificates as well as credentials
An employer's check A school district, or another organization with legal authority to fingerprint its staff Results go to the employer, not to parents. From July 1, 2026, the state's CalVECHS rules let qualified employers that provide care run state and national fingerprint checks on employees, volunteers, owners and administrators (CalVECHS) Ask the organization what it requires
A person's own record review The person, at a Live Scan site California's Department of Justice charges $25 for a person's own record (Record Review); the FBI's Identity History Summary costs $18 and is "not to be used for employment or licensing" (FBI) Nothing: California law bars handing the state copy to an unauthorized third party (Penal Code 11142), and the FBI says its summary isn't for employment or licensing
TrustLine registration The California Department of Social Services and the California Child Care Resource and Referral Network For in-home and license-exempt child care providers: California DOJ and FBI fingerprints and a Child Abuse Central Index name check (TrustLine) Whether a provider is registered, by calling 800-822-8490

A credential's clearance happened when the person was fingerprinted, which may have been years ago. A 2012 Commission letter describes the state Department of Justice notifying the Commission of later arrests until the Commission withdraws a person's fingerprint record, and says "The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) does not provide subsequent RAP sheets to the Commission" (Coded Correspondence 12-10).

What parents can check themselves

  • A teaching credential, on the Commission's public search: how to check a teaching credential.
  • The Megan's Law website, run by the California Department of Justice (meganslaw.ca.gov). "Under state law, some registered sex offenders are not subject to public disclosure, so they are not included on this site." Anyone who uses its information "for purposes other than protecting a person at risk" is subject to criminal prosecution and civil liability, and the site warns that mistaken identification may occur.
  • TrustLine, for a caregiver who says they're registered: call 800-822-8490 with the person's full name and ID number.

What you can't ask for

Don't ask a tutor for a copy of their criminal record. California Penal Code section 11125: "No person or agency shall require or request another person to furnish a copy of a record or notification that a record exists or does not exist" (§11125). The Department of Justice's FAQ says a violation is a misdemeanor, and that people may not give their own copy to an unauthorized third party (DOJ FAQs).

What you can ask instead:

  • Which check have you had, who ran it, and in what year?
  • Does it cover everyone who will be with my child?
  • Do you hold a credential or certificate I can look up?

Rules that protect children during sessions

A background check looks backward; session rules protect children in the moment. Ask any tutor where sessions happen, whether an adult needs to be home, and whether the camera stays on in online sessions. Thousand Acorns Tutoring's rules are the same for every session:

  • An adult stays home for in-home sessions.
  • Sessions happen in a common area with the door open.
  • Online sessions: camera on, with an adult nearby.

[TODO: which background check the teacher has, the year and who it covers; the safety page will show it]

Questions parents ask

Does every tutor in California have a background check?

No. A credentialed teacher was fingerprinted through the California Department of Justice and the FBI when the credential was issued, and many employers fingerprint their staff, but a private tutor may have had no check at all. Ask which check a tutor has had, who ran it, and when.

Can I ask a tutor for a copy of their criminal record?

No. California Penal Code section 11125 says no person or agency shall require or request another person to furnish a copy of a record, or proof that a record exists or doesn't. The state Department of Justice says violating it is a misdemeanor.

What is a Certificate of Clearance?

A document the Commission on Teacher Credentialing issues to someone who has completed its fingerprint character and identification process. It's valid for five years and doesn't authorize teaching.

Is TrustLine for tutors?

TrustLine is California's registry of in-home and license-exempt child care providers, such as nannies and babysitters, who pass state and FBI fingerprint checks and a Child Abuse Central Index check. Its page doesn't mention tutors. Parents can check a registration at 800-822-8490.

Can I look up a tutor on the Megan's Law website?

Yes. The California Department of Justice runs it. It doesn't include every registered sex offender, and using its information for any purpose other than protecting a person at risk can bring criminal prosecution and civil liability.

Sources