Virginia State Police Rap Back Program Tops 55,000 Enrollments in First Year

The Virginia State Police Federal Rap Back Program has enrolled more than 55,000 people in its first year, giving participating agencies continuous updates when an enrolled person’s criminal history changes.

The program, which launched July 1, 2025, now has 56,915 enrollments statewide. According to Virginia State Police, the system has generated 269 Rap Back notifications since it began.

Rap Back is designed to replace the need for repeated fingerprint background checks by continuously monitoring criminal history records after an individual is enrolled.

The program was mandated by the Virginia General Assembly and is available to school divisions, criminal justice agencies, and other authorized organizations.

“Real-time updates provide our partners with critical information, while at the same time, not adding to their administrative burden,” said Capt. Julia Gunderson, commander of the Virginia State Police Criminal Justice Information Division. “It allows both VSP and partner agencies to protect the vulnerable by providing clear information about those tasked with their care.”

Under the program, participating agencies can receive notifications when new criminal history information is added for an enrolled individual.

State Police said the system can help agencies maintain security and compliance without requiring employees or other covered individuals to undergo new fingerprint checks at regular intervals.

Criminal justice agencies can register staff members at no cost. If a criminal history update occurs, a notification is sent to the designated contact listed on the agency’s account.

Other eligible agencies must complete initial enrollment, which includes mandatory state and federal background checks. That process costs $27 for the background check and a $12 first-year enrollment fee, for a total of $39.

After the first year, the annual enrollment fee is $12.

The program may be especially useful for school divisions and other organizations whose employees work with children or other vulnerable populations, since agencies can receive updated information after the initial hiring background check.

The largest participating agency so far is Fairfax County Public Schools, the largest school division in Virginia.

Virginia State Police said eliminating the need for periodic fingerprint checks can also make the process more cost-effective for participating organizations.

The Federal Rap Back Program is part of a broader effort to provide authorized agencies with ongoing access to relevant criminal history information rather than relying solely on a background check conducted at a single point in time.

Agencies interested in participating can find onboarding instructions, eligibility information, and additional details on the Virginia State Police website.