Most employment background checks are initiated by the employer, not the candidate. Your role in the process is to provide written consent, supply accurate personal information, and understand your rights if something in the report affects a hiring decision. In some cases, you may also want to run a check on yourself before applying, so you know what employers will see.
What Employers Actually Screen For
A standard employment background check can include a wide range of records, and the specific mix depends on the employer, the industry, and the role. Background screening companies provide verification of credit history, employment history, salary, education, and professional licenses. They may also pull criminal arrest and conviction records, driving history, and drug and alcohol testing results.
Not every employer checks all of these. A retail position might only include a criminal records search and identity verification. A financial services role will almost certainly include a credit history review. Jobs that require driving typically add a motor vehicle records check. Government and defense positions often require fingerprint-based FBI checks. The job posting or recruiter will usually tell you what type of screening to expect, and the consent form you sign should specify the types of reports being requested.
How the Process Works for Job Seekers
Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), an employer must notify you in writing and get your written permission before running a background check through a third-party screening company. This notice has to be a standalone document, not buried in fine print on a job application. You’ll typically receive this form after a conditional job offer or during the final stages of the hiring process.
Once you sign the consent form, you’ll usually be asked to provide your full legal name, date of birth, Social Security number, and current and previous addresses. Some employers also ask for your driver’s license number. The screening company uses this information to search court records, credit bureaus, past employers, and educational institutions.
Turnaround time varies. Database-only searches that pull from aggregated digital records can return results within hours, but these are less thorough. County-level criminal record searches, which involve checking court records in each jurisdiction where you’ve lived, take longer because each county processes requests at its own pace. A comprehensive check that covers multiple counties, verifies employment and education, and includes a credit report typically takes three to seven business days, though it can stretch longer if a previous employer or school is slow to respond.
What It Costs (and Who Pays)
In most hiring situations, the employer pays for the background check. Basic database-only criminal searches from budget providers run $10 to $20, but these often rely on incomplete records. More reliable screening packages that include county-level criminal searches, employment verification, and education confirmation typically cost $30 to $100 or more per candidate. The price depends on how many counties need to be searched, which is driven by how many places you’ve lived and how many names you’ve used over the past seven years.
If you’re running a check on yourself (more on that below), you’ll pay out of pocket. Costs for personal background checks through state agencies are generally modest, often under $20 for a state-level criminal history search.
Running a Check on Yourself
Checking your own records before you apply for jobs lets you catch errors, outdated information, or records you may have forgotten about. There are several ways to do this.
- State criminal records: Most state bureaus of investigation offer name-based or fingerprint-based criminal history searches for individuals. Fees are typically modest, ranging from around $10 to $30 depending on the state and search type. Many states let you request a name-based search online through their criminal justice agency’s website.
- FBI criminal records: For a nationwide criminal history, you can request your own Identity History Summary from the FBI. This requires submitting your fingerprints (either electronically through an approved vendor or on a physical fingerprint card) along with a processing fee. The FBI’s check covers federal records and any state records that have been reported to the national database.
- Credit reports: You’re entitled to a free credit report from each of the three major bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion) once per year through AnnualCreditReport.com. Since employers see a modified version of your credit report that doesn’t include your credit score, reviewing your full report gives you more detail than an employer would receive.
- Driving records: Your state’s department of motor vehicles can provide a copy of your driving history, usually for a small fee.
- Education and employment: Contact your schools to confirm that your degree and dates are accurately recorded in their systems. For employment verification, the National Student Clearinghouse handles education records for many institutions, and large employers often use third-party verification services like The Work Number.
Your Rights if Something Goes Wrong
If an employer decides not to hire you based on information in a background report, the FCRA requires a two-step process. First, the employer must send you a “pre-adverse action” notice that includes a copy of the report and a summary of your rights. This gives you a chance to review the report and dispute any errors before a final decision is made. Second, if the employer still decides not to hire you, they must send a final adverse action notice telling you which screening company produced the report and informing you of your right to request a free copy and dispute inaccurate information.
Disputes go to the screening company, not the employer. The company then has 30 days to investigate and correct any errors. If you find inaccurate criminal records, you may also need to contact the court that originated the record to get it corrected at the source.
Ban-the-Box Laws and Timing
Thirty-seven states and over 150 cities and counties have adopted “ban the box” policies that restrict when an employer can ask about your criminal history. These laws generally remove conviction and arrest history questions from job applications and delay background checks until later in the hiring process, often after an initial interview or conditional offer. The specifics vary by jurisdiction: some laws apply only to public-sector employers, while others cover private employers above a certain size.
If you have a criminal record, these laws don’t prevent employers from ever learning about it. They ensure your qualifications are evaluated first. Once the employer reaches the appropriate stage in the process, they can still run a criminal background check with your consent.
How to Prepare
The most common problems candidates encounter are mismatched employment dates, degree records that don’t match what’s on a resume, and criminal records that belong to someone with a similar name. Before you start applying, verify that your resume matches what your former employers and schools have on file. If you’ve changed your legal name, make sure you disclose previous names on the consent form so the screening company can search all relevant records.
Keep copies of your diplomas, transcripts, and any court documents related to expunged or sealed records. If a screening company pulls a record that should have been sealed, having documentation ready speeds up the dispute process significantly. Being proactive about your own records turns the background check from a source of anxiety into a routine step you’ve already handled.