Do I Have to Use the AHCA Clearinghouse for My Level 2 Background Checks?
If you've started researching Florida's Level 2 requirement for youth coaches, you've probably run into conflicting answers — and a lot of guidance that makes it sound like the AHCA Clearinghouse is mandatory. League directors call us worried they're already out of compliance because they aren't set up on it.
The short answer
No. Under Florida Statute 943.0438, Independent Sanctioning Authorities are required to run a Level 2 fingerprint screening on their coaches — but the state does not require you to route it through the AHCA Clearinghouse. Every Level 2 screening is submitted through VECHS (the FDLE Volunteer and Employee Criminal History System); from there, it can be retained in FDLE's FALCON system or submitted through the AHCA Clearinghouse. The Clearinghouse is one option, not a mandate.
Why there's so much confusion
Some published summaries — and even parts of the official eligibility guidance — are worded in a way that reads as though ISA screenings must go through the Clearinghouse. That wording is what's driving the confusion, and it's why so many leagues assume they have no choice.
Confirmed directly with FDLE
We didn't want to leave this to interpretation, so we confirmed it directly with FDLE in writing: for Independent Sanctioning Authorities, the AHCA Clearinghouse is an available option, not a requirement. The Level 2 screening is what the statute mandates — not the destination you route it to.
We also stay in constant contact with FDLE. Compliance rules in this space are still evolving, and rather than ask our leagues to track every statutory or procedural change themselves, we implement updates on our end and pass them straight through to the organizations we work with. When something changes, you hear it from us — you don't have to go digging.
What the AHCA Clearinghouse is actually good for
The Clearinghouse does have one real strength: cross-organization result sharing. If someone has already had a Level 2 screening completed and submitted through the Clearinghouse — a police officer or a healthcare worker, for example — a participating organization can often verify that result without re-fingerprinting them. For settings where the same screened people move between employers, that's genuinely useful.
But for a youth sports league, that advantage rarely pays for itself — and it comes with a cost and an administrative load most leagues don't expect.
Why most leagues we work with stay on the FALCON setup instead
Cost. On the AHCA Clearinghouse, we typically see costs of $120 or more per person. The FALCON setup — the same VECHS screening, retained in FDLE's FALCON system — starts at $59 per session with us. On a 50- or 100-coach roster, that difference is thousands of dollars, and both destinations retain fingerprints for five years, so you're not buying more protection with the higher price.
Speed. On the FALCON setup, scans move faster — roughly five minutes each — so we can run an entire roster through in a single on-site session. Clearinghouse scans take noticeably longer, which means longer lines and more volunteer time on screening day.
No Social Security number required. The current FALCON-setup process doesn't require a coach to provide a Social Security number at the appointment; the Clearinghouse route does. That may sound minor, but it removes a real barrier — some volunteers hesitate to hand over an SSN, and dropping that requirement makes it easier to get more coaches and volunteers screened and on the field.
The hidden cost of the Clearinghouse: managing your own ORI
If your league stands up its own AHCA Clearinghouse access, you take on a lot more than fingerprinting. You become responsible for:
- Maintaining your own ORI (Originating Agency Identifier) and everything that goes with it
- Staying current on the applicable privacy laws and handling records correctly
- Keeping proper documentation for every coach screened and submitted
- Managing FDLE audits to keep your ORI in good standing
And here's the one that catches leagues off guard: board and volunteer turnover. The compliance or privacy officer who holds responsibility for your ORI won't be in that seat forever. Every time that person rotates off — which, on a volunteer board, happens constantly — the incoming officer generally has to re-apply and re-complete the required ORI training to keep your organization in compliance. That's a recurring administrative fire drill most leagues don't have the bandwidth for.
Two ways to run the FALCON setup — including a fully turnkey option
The FALCON setup gives you flexibility the self-managed Clearinghouse route doesn't:
Manage your own ORI. It's cheaper and more efficient than the Clearinghouse, and some leagues prefer to keep it in house.
Or let Officials Unlimited run the whole thing. Many leagues have us screen under our ORI. That means you get access to our compliance portal, and you no longer manage the ORI, the FDLE audits, or the paper trail — we handle all of it. It's a turnkey solution built for exactly the reality youth leagues live in: it stays consistent and compliant through board turnover, because the compliance responsibility sits with us, not with whichever volunteer is holding the clipboard this season.
And whichever route you choose, we can be your LiveScan provider
One point that surprises leagues: you don't have to choose between "use Officials Unlimited" and "use a particular setup." We're a verified LiveScan provider, which means we can perform the actual fingerprinting no matter which of the three routes you take — the FALCON setup under your own ORI, the FALCON setup under ours, or the AHCA Clearinghouse. Pick the pathway that fits your league; either way, one experienced team can handle the scans.
AHCA Clearinghouse vs. the FALCON setup, side by side
| AHCA Clearinghouse | FDLE FALCON (with Officials Unlimited) | |
|---|---|---|
| Required by the statute? | No — it's one option | No — also a permitted option |
| Submitted through | VECHS | VECHS |
| Typical cost per person | $120+ | From $59 per session |
| Time per scan | Longer | ~5 minutes |
| SSN required at appointment | Yes | No |
| Fingerprints retained | 5 years (Clearinghouse) | 5 years (FDLE FALCON) |
| Cross-organization result sharing | Yes | No (rarely needed for youth leagues) |
| Who manages the ORI, audits & paperwork | Your league | Officials Unlimited |
| Survives board / officer turnover | New officer re-applies & re-trains | Continuous — we hold compliance |
The bottom line for your league
You are required to screen your coaches at Level 2. You are not required to route it through the AHCA Clearinghouse. For most youth leagues, the FALCON setup is the more affordable, faster, and lower-maintenance path — and letting us run it under our ORI takes the compliance burden off your board entirely.
If you've been told you have to be on the Clearinghouse, or you're just trying to figure out the cleanest way to get compliant before the season, let's talk it through. We'll show you both options honestly and recommend what fits your roster size and budget.
Frequently asked questions
Does Florida law require youth leagues to use the AHCA Clearinghouse?
No. Statute 943.0438 requires a Level 2 screening, but not a specific destination. Every screening goes through VECHS; from there it can be retained in FDLE's FALCON system or the AHCA Clearinghouse. FDLE confirmed to us directly, in writing, that the Clearinghouse is optional.
Is the FALCON setup a valid way to meet the 943.0438 requirement?
Yes. A VECHS screening retained in FDLE's FALCON system is a compliant, fingerprint-based Level 2 screening, and it's the setup most of the youth leagues we work with use.
How much does the AHCA Clearinghouse cost compared with the FALCON setup?
On the Clearinghouse we typically see about $120 per person; the FALCON setup starts at $59 per session with us. Both retain fingerprints for five years, so the higher price doesn't buy more protection.
Does the FALCON setup require a Social Security number?
No. The current FALCON-setup process doesn't require a Social Security number at the appointment, which removes a barrier for volunteers reluctant to provide one. The AHCA Clearinghouse route does require it.
What's involved in managing our own ORI?
If your league runs its own Clearinghouse ORI, you're responsible for the ORI itself, privacy-law compliance, documentation for every coach, and FDLE audits — and each time your compliance or privacy officer turns over, the new one generally has to re-apply and re-train.
Can Officials Unlimited run the screening so we don't manage the ORI?
Yes. Many leagues have us screen under our ORI, with portal access and no ORI upkeep, audits, or paperwork on their end — a turnkey option that stays compliant through board turnover. And as a verified LiveScan provider, we can also do the fingerprinting if you keep your own ORI or use the Clearinghouse.
Get compliant without the Clearinghouse headache
We'll walk you through both pathways and handle the screening, the ORI, and the paperwork end to end.
Book a Level 2 Compliance CallThis article is general information for Florida youth sports organizations, not legal advice. Our statement that the AHCA Clearinghouse is optional for Independent Sanctioning Authorities reflects direct written guidance we received from FDLE; requirements can change, so confirm the current specifics for your organization with FDLE or your legal counsel before making compliance decisions.
