---
kind: "section"
citation: "49 U.S.C. § 40130"
title: "49"
title_heading: "Transportation"
number: "40130"
heading: "FAA authority to conduct criminal history record checks"
release: "119-102"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/49/40130"
units:
  - "Subtitle VII — Aviation Programs"
  - "Part A — Air Commerce and Safety"
  - "Subpart i — general"
  - "Chapter 401 — General Provisions"
---

# §40130. FAA authority to conduct criminal history record checks

- (a) **Criminal History Background Checks.—**
  - (1) **Access to information.—** 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](/usc/49/40102.md?p=a-8) in the criminal repositories of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and [States](/usc/49/31132.md?p=8) by submitting positive identification of the [airman](/usc/49/40102.md?p=a-8) 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](/usc/34/40316.md)); and
    - (B) to receive relevant criminal history record information regarding the [airman](/usc/49/40102.md?p=a-8) checked.
  - (2) **Release of information.—** In accessing a repository referred to in [paragraph (1)](#a-1), the Administrator shall be subject to the conditions and procedures established by the Department of Justice or the [State](/usc/49/31132.md?p=8), as appropriate, for other governmental [agencies](/usc/49/114.md?p=n-2-A-i) conducting background checks for noncriminal justice purposes.
  - (3) **Limitation.—** The Administrator may not use the authority under [paragraph (1)](#a-1) to conduct criminal investigations.
  - (4) **Reimbursement.—** 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) **Designated Employees.—** The Administrator shall designate, by order, employees of the Administration who may carry out the authority described in [subsection (a)](#a).

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 112–95, title VIII, § 802(a), Feb. 14, 2012, 126 Stat. 118; amended Pub. L. 118–63, title XI, § 1101(h), May 16, 2024, 138 Stat. 1413.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

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