Title 49TransportationRelease 119-73not60

§40130 Faa Authority to Conduct Criminal History Record Checks

Title 49 › Subtitle SUBTITLE VII— AVIATION PROGRAMS › Part A— AIR COMMERCE AND SAFETY › Subpart i— general › Chapter 401— GENERAL PROVISIONS › § 40130

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

The FAA Administrator can run fingerprint-based criminal background checks of airmen for FAA certification only. The checks use FBI and state criminal databases and must follow section 217 of the National Crime Prevention and Privacy Compact Act of 1998 (34 U.S.C. 40316). The FAA will get any relevant records and must follow DOJ or state rules that apply to similar background checks. The Administrator may not use these checks to investigate crimes. The FAA may charge fees to cover costs, including FBI fees. The Administrator must name, by order, which FAA employees may do the checks.

Full Legal Text

Title 49, §40130

Transportation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)(1)The Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, for certification purposes of the Administration only, is authorized—
(A)to conduct, in accordance with the established request process, a criminal history background check of an airman in the criminal repositories of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and States by submitting positive identification of the airman to a fingerprint-based repository in compliance with section 217 of the National Crime Prevention and Privacy Compact Act of 1998 (34 U.S.C. 40316); and
(B)to receive relevant criminal history record information regarding the airman checked.
(2)In accessing a repository referred to in paragraph (1), the Administrator shall be subject to the conditions and procedures established by the Department of Justice or the State, as appropriate, for other governmental agencies conducting background checks for noncriminal justice purposes.
(3)The Administrator may not use the authority under paragraph (1) to conduct criminal investigations.
(4)The Administrator may collect reimbursement to process the fingerprint-based checks under this subsection, to be used for expenses incurred, including Federal Bureau of Investigation fees, in providing these services.
(b)The Administrator shall designate, by order, employees of the Administration who may carry out the authority described in subsection (a).

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2024—Subsec. (a)(1)(A). Pub. L. 118–63 substituted “(34 U.S.C. 40316)” for “(42 U.S.C. 14616)”.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

49 U.S.C. § 40130

Title 49Transportation

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60