Departmental Order 556-73
Also called DO 556-73 · departmental order · 28 CFR 16.30
Definition
The Department of Justice order, implemented at 28 CFR Part 16, Subpart C, that establishes an individual's right to obtain a copy of their own FBI identification record.
Context
This is the legal basis for the entire process. It is why the FBI will release the record to the subject of the record and not to a third party requesting it about someone else.
Government sources
Where this term comes from.
- 28 CFR Part 16, Subpart C — Production of FBI Identification Records
Office of the Federal Register (eCFR) · reviewed 2026-08-01
Related terms
- Identity History SummaryThe document the FBI issues to an individual listing the criminal history information maintained about them at the FBI under their fingerprints — or stating that no such information exists.
- Record subjectThe individual to whom a criminal history record pertains, and the only person entitled to request a copy of it under the departmental order.
Where this term is used
- What Is an FBI Identity History Summary?The Identity History Summary is the FBI's official name for the record of arrest and related fingerprint submissions held on an individual. This article defines the document, explains what it contains, and identifies the legal authority under which a person may obtain their own copy.
- The Identity History Summary Is Not an Employment Background CheckTwo different regimes are routinely confused. An Identity History Summary is a record disclosed to its own subject under federal regulation. Commercial employment screening is a separate activity governed by consumer reporting law. This article sets out the distinction.