Please visit the Parole Board of Canada website before getting started to learn about significant changes to the record suspension process.
You do not need a lawyer or representative to apply for a record suspension, and having a lawyer will not give you an advantage. The Parole Board of Canada treats all applications the same way. For step-by-step instructions on applying for a record suspension, consult the Record Suspension Application Guide.
If you are eligible for a record suspension, the first step of the application process is to obtain your criminal record from RCMP Ottawa. This is done by submitting your fingerprints to Ottawa, and they will provide you with a certified copy of your criminal record. The Vancouver Police Department can submit fingerprints electronically on your behalf.
Please see Fingerprinting Services for more information.
Once you receive your criminal record from RCMP Ottawa, you need to complete a local police information check in each police jurisdiction that you have resided in for the last five years. You must include a copy of the certified copy of your criminal record that was returned to you or we will not be able to complete this process. If you have lived in Vancouver in the last five years, the Vancouver Police Department charges a $82 fee for this service. We have the same identification requirements as the police information check process.
If you currently live outside of the Lower Mainland, but have lived in Vancouver in the last five years, you can mail in your request for the local police records check with the following:
- $82 certified cheque or money order, made payable to the City of Vancouver; the cheque must be in Canadian funds and drawn from a Canadian bank
- a clear copy of your certified criminal record from the RCMP in Ottawa
- a clear copy of your identification showing your current photo and birthdate
- a completed local police records check form (from the Record Suspension Application Guide)
- a self-addressed stamped envelope for return of your form
- a completed VPD police information check form
Please mail to:
Vancouver Police Department
Attention: Police Information Checks and Fingerprint Services
3585 Graveley Street
Vancouver, BC
V5K 5J5