The Virginia Certificate of Incarceration Period (CIP) is a document issued by the Virginia Department of Corrections (VA DOC). It is used to verify the incarceration period of an individual who was incarcerated in a Virginia Department of Corrections facility. There are three types of Caps: standard, extended, and lifetime. The standard CIP documents the period of incarceration for a specific offense and the extended CIP documents consecutive periods of incarceration for multiple offenses. The lifetime CIP documents periods of incarceration for all offenses an individual has served. The CIP is used by employers, educational institutions, and other organizations to verify an individual’s criminal history.