PIV Badge Process

You must obtain a PIV Badge if you are a permanent employee, joint employee, or postdoc. Foreign nationals in these positions will receive a PIV Badge after living in the U.S. for at least three years.

Here are details about the steps in the PIV Badge process and resources to help you prepare when it's your turn.

PIV Badges - General Information

PIV Badge Process Resources

Steps in the PIV Badge process

The employee requesting a badge is called the "applicant" in the PIV Badge process. Below are details about activities in each step. The steps that require the applicant to take action have a darker background and the words "Applicant Action Required" at the beginning of specific tasks.

A circle with an orange outline and the number 1 on the top left, indicating a step in the PIV Badge process. Inside are the words "Badging Office notifies applicant to begin process" and a simple graphic of two message bubbles.

Step 1: Badging Office notifies applicant to begin process

Badging Office triggers an email from Workday to employee applying for PIV Badge (“applicant”)

A circle with a lime green outline and the number 2 on the top left, indicating a step in the PIV Badge process. Inside are the words "Applicant completes questions and forms in Workday" and a simple graphic with a person typing on a laptop computer.

Step 2: Applicant completes questions and forms in Workday

APPLICANT ACTION REQUIRED: Applicant receives email from Workday to start PIV Badge process by answering two questions
APPLICANT ACTION REQUIRED: Applicant completes two digital forms: Request for Badge and Declaration for Federal Employment, and electronically signs Declaration for Federal Employment form

A circle with a light blue outline and the number 3 on the top left, indicating a step in the PIV Badge process. Inside are the words "Badging Office reviews, signs, and sends" and a simple graphic of three people standing together.

Step 3: Badging Office reviews, signs, and sends

Badging Office reviews forms for errors and completeness, signs, and sends to Ames Lab Site Office for signature
Badging Office securely transmits both forms to off-site DOE employee for processing

A circle with a gray outline and the number 4 on the top left, indicating a step in the PIV Badge process. Inside are the words "Sponsor sets up applicant in USAccess" and a simple graphic of a person standing on the palm of a hand.

Step 4: Sponsor sets up applicant in USAccess

An off-site DOE employee serving the role of “sponsor” adds the applicant and their forms to the federal credential service called USAccess

A circle with a neon purple outline and the number 5 on the top left, indicating a step in the PIV Badge process. Inside are the words "Applicant schedules enrollment appointment" and a simple graphic of a monthly calendar.

Step 5: Applicant schedules enrollment appointment

APPLICANT ACTION REQUIRED: Applicant receives email from sponsor with link to USAccess portal to schedule appointment with the Badging Office

A circle with a hot pink outline and the number 6 on the top left, indicating a step in the PIV Badge process. Inside are the words "Applicant completes enrollment appointment at Badging Office" and a simple graphic of two people with arrows pointing toward each.

Step 6: Applicant completes enrollment appointment at Badging Office

APPLICANT ACTION REQUIRED: Applicant visits Badging Office, provides documents to verify identity, and has digital fingerprints and photo taken

A circle with a navy blue outline and the number 7 on the top left, indicating a step in the PIV Badge process. Inside are the words "Applicant submits information for background check" and a simple graphic of a person wearing a suit and tie looking at a laptop computer.

Step 7: Applicant submits information for background check

APPLICANT ACTION REQUIRED: Applicant receives email from National Background Investigations Services (NBIS) with link to their platform, called “eApp” (electronic application)
APPLICANT ACTION REQUIRED: Applicant submits information for their federal background check within 14 days

A circle with a forest green outline and the number 8 on the top left, indicating a step in the PIV Badge process. Inside are the words "Background check conducted" and a simple graphic of three silhouettes of people, each one at the point of a triangle and connected by lines. A circle with a checkmark is in the middle of the group.

Step 8: Background check conducted

National Background Investigations Services (NBIS) conducts the background check, which can take more than eight weeks

A circle with a dark red outline and the number 9 on the top left, indicating a step in the PIV Badge process. Inside are the words "DOE reviews results and determines whether to issue badge" and a simple graphic of a magnifying glass with a question mark in the lens over a piece of paper with writing on it. The letters "DOE" are next to the paper to represent the Department of Energy.

Step 9: DOE reviews results and determines whether to issue badge

DOE Office of Safety and Security reviews the background check results and determines whether to issue PIV Badge
Applicants can appeal if determination was not to issue them a PIV Badge

Step 10: PIV Badge printed and mailed

Once approved, applicant’s PIV Badge is printed off-site and mailed to the Ames Lab Badging Office

A circle with a light gray outline and the number 11 on the top left, indicating a step in the PIV Badge process. Inside are the words "Applicant schedules activation appointment" and a simple graphic of a monthly calendar.

Step 11: Applicant schedules activation appointment

APPLICANT ACTION REQUIRED: Applicant receives email from Workday to complete their Badge Acknowledgement step
APPLICANT ACTION REQUIRED: Applicant follows link to USAccess portal to schedule appointment to activate their badge

A circle with a dark orange outline and the number 12 on the top left, indicating a step in the PIV Badge process. Inside are the words "Applicant completes activation at Badging Office and receives PIV Badge" and a simple graphic of an identification badge with a person's picture and text hanging from a neck lanyard.

Step 12: Applicant completes activation at Badging Office and receives PIV Badge

APPLICANT ACTION REQUIRED: Applicant visits Badging Office, who activates their PIV Badge
APPLICANT ACTION REQUIRED: Applicant sets a 6-to-8-digit PIN for their PIV Badge
APPLICANT ACTION REQUIRED: Applicant uses fingerprint to add digital security certificates to the badge
APPLICANT ACTION REQUIRED: Applicant receives their PIV Badge and a special card holder to protect it

Resources to prepare for the PIV Badge process

Guidance

Examples of forms

Frequently asked questions about the PIV Badge process

Click/tap each question to expand it and show the answer

When and how will we get PIV Badges?

We’ll start the process to get current employees PIV Badges once our badge tracking system (in Workday) is ready. Employees will be contacted to start the PIV Badge process in batches by birth month – for example, during June, the Badging Office will reach out to employees with June birthdays. It will take us at least a year to get all current employees who are eligible their PIV Badges. Keep using your ISUCard for door access and display it for identification in Ames Lab spaces until you receive your PIV Badge.

Will I have to get my picture taken?

Yes, you will have your picture taken for both the PIV Badge and the Ames Lab Badge. You’ll get your picture taken in the Badging Office. PIV Badge photos are similar to passport photos in that you need to make a neutral expression and keep your mouth closed.

Is fingerprinting part of the badge process too?

Yes, fingerprints are required to get a PIV Badge. The Badging Office will use a digital scanner to capture your fingerprints.

Do I have to have a background check? Who does it?

Yes, getting a PIV Badge requires a background check completed by the National Background Investigation Services, which is administered by the Defense Counterintelligence Security Agency. This is separate from your ISU background check.

Is there any scheduling needed for new PIV badges?

Not until you start the PIV Badge process. After you are notified to start the PIV Badge process and complete the forms for enrollment, you’ll schedule an appointment through a federal credentialing service called USAccess to go to the Badging Office to complete your enrollment process, and again when it’s time to pick up and activate your card. USAccess will also send you email reminders before your PIV Badge expires in five years. Those of you who already have PIV Badges may recognize this system - it’s the same one you used to make appointments at the USDA facility down the street when you got your badge.

In our birth month, do we reach out to you, or will you contact us to start the PIV Badge process?

The Badging Office will notify you. When it’s your turn to start the process, you’ll receive an email from Workday. The email will go to the same inbox as your Workday training notifications.

What do you mean by needing a “sponsor” to get a badge?

“Sponsor” is the term the federal government uses to describe one of the roles in the PIV Badge request process. The sponsor helps ensure the PIV Badge forms you complete get to the right groups and initiates the request to start your federal background check. Our sponsor is a Department of Energy (DOE) employee based at Argonne National Laboratory.

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