[multi_title]

Imagine becoming friends with an identity thief, or dating a sexual predator, or hiring a terrorist. No one would like to go through such scenarios, but unfortunately, it can happen to anybody. Criminal background check services can help you minimize the risk of getting close to the wrong people, on a personal or professional level. 

We evaluated multiple companies against our rigorous selection methodology to detect trustworthy providers you can rely on. These background check providers have their eyes on millions of databases, records, and hard-to-find information to help you make safer decisions.

The Leading Criminal Background Check Companies

How We Detected the Top Criminal Background Check Services

We have partnered with industry specialists to develop a rigorous evaluation process for handpicking the most trustworthy criminal screening providers. See below for more details on our selection method.

Verifying Companies’ Legitimacy and Reputation

First, we do a website visit and look for signs of legitimacy like “HTTPS,” a clear privacy policy, contact information that leads to someone responding on the other side, and reputable payment getaways. Then we look for reviews from real customers on independent review platforms to evaluate each provider’s satisfaction levels along with their strong and weak sides. We only feature companies with an overall positive score and a proven track record of success, excellence, and compliance.

Evaluating Each Company’s Criminal Background Check Services Catalog

There is an extensive list of background checks available, criminal or otherwise, but not every company offers all of them. It’s always better to pick a provider with a wide selection of criminal screening services that can develop an adequate background checking program.

Below are the services you can find at the top criminal screening providers:

• County criminal records check (information on felonies and misdemeanors from the 3,400 county courts in the US).
• State criminal records check (information on the crimes candidates have committed in their state(s) of residence).
• Federal bankruptcy records (information on whether candidates have adjudicated cases of bankruptcy).
• Federal criminal background check (information on federal-level crimes recorded in some of the 94 federal US district court and appellate court databases, including pending federal criminal cases and convictions).
• Sex offender registry search (a state or nationwide search through sex offender registries to uncover if the candidates are registered sex offenders).
• Prohibited and restricted parties search (searches through lists of individuals who cannot be hired because they are known terrorists, narcotics traffickers, money launderers, illegal weapon traders, or subjects to economic sanctions programs).
• Civil upper and lower courts (checking whether the candidates have been involved in lawsuits related to breach of contract, product liability, small claims, and more).
• Driving records (uncovering whether the candidates have a history of unsafe driving records for job positions that require driving for the employers).
• National criminal background check (provides information on crimes candidates have committed while traveling across the country and uncovers data from US jurisdictions, including sex offender and terrorist registries).
• International criminal records search (screening domestic candidates for their foreign backgrounds).

Checking the Additional Services Offered by the Companies

In most cases, companies don’t exclusively offer criminal background checks but a full suite of background screening services for businesses. The top companies we have listed provide an extensive selection of services to satisfy different screening needs. These services include:

• Identity check
• Address history
• Social security number trace
• Civil records check
• Employment verification
• Education verification
• Professional license verification
• Reference checks
• Military records verification
• Drug screening
• Credit report check
• Healthcare sanction checks
• Social media background check
• International background check
• Domestic watchlist search
• Global watchlist search
• Ongoing monitoring
• Tenant screening services

Custom Options and Expert Assistance in Building Packages

If you want to look up someone out of curiosity, you can do so yourself without any special assistance. If, however, you’re an employer, a lot can go into creating the right criminal background screening program for you. Our list, therefore, features companies that provide expert guidance on the type of searches that make sense for your industry and allow clients to build custom bundles.

Testing Functionality and Turnaround Time

We navigated through the companies’ websites to test the user experience. We wanted to see if the services were clearly explained and easy to find all the relevant information, including helpful resources, pricing, and contact details.

We also noted how long it took for every company to deliver results and whether their turnaround times correspond with their promises and the industry standard of one to three business days. Criminal checks for employment can, in some cases, be even faster, while search sites provide instant criminal record history. You can also get a personal criminal background check, but you can’t use the report for hiring or lending decisions.

Verifying Accuracy

Part of our evaluation process is ordering criminal checks for real people from each provider. We compare the results to ensure they match and give them to the screening subjects to confirm their accuracy. Criminal history is a very sensitive topic, so we take the time to verify that companies provide reliable reports.

Testing the Quality of Their Customer Service

Poor customer service is absolutely unacceptable in this day and age, especially if a company is dealing with sensitive data like criminal history records. The best criminal background check services make their contact details easy to find and ensure that someone on their end will solve any issue clients may have. We contacted each evaluated company via all listed communication channels to verify that they offer dependable and prompt customer support.

Verifying Pre-employment Background Check Companies’ Compliance and Accreditations

If you want to do a crime background search for someone to ensure you’re hanging out with the right people, you can do it through some of the public records sites.

If you, however, are an employer, hiring manager, or lender, you must partner with employment background check companies that follow the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) playbook.

We looked for criminal background check companies that have received the Professional Background Screening Association accreditation (PBSA). Only the top criminal records providers that follow the industry’s best practices and the strict PBSA rules are eligible for this accreditation. We also made sure to feature Better Business Bureau accredited companies.

Confirming Their Prices Align With Industry Standards

The fees of pre-employment criminal background reports can vary depending on the searches you need. Below you can see the average price ranges for each type of check:

• County court criminal background records check (misdemeanors, felonies, arrest information, offense date, and case number) — $15–$20
• A statewide criminal background records check (misdemeanors, felonies, arrest history, offense date, case number, address history, age, and offense description) —  $10–$20
• A federal criminal background check (convictions and pending cases of federal-level crimes) — $5–$20
• National criminal background records check (searches through each state’s online databases) — $25–$45
• SSN verification and sex offender status — $0–$10
• Terrorist watch list search — $0–$5

Note that the total price also depends on the access fees charged by each county or state. These fees can also include costs charged by third-party court runners who access the information for the companies. Most states’ fees are single-digit or zero, yet the fees in some states are costly. For example, New York’s fee is a whopping $95! We made sure to feature only companies with prices that align with industry standards, but keep in mind that the total you’ll pay will heavily depend on where information is searched.

And one tip — ask the companies to run a detailed criminal history background check with all names and aliases associated with a person. Many vendors won’t tell you they are only searching with the candidates’ given name, which means far less work and higher profit margins for them. But candidates can have multiple aliases, and to ensure a thorough and accurate background check, and you want to check all of them.

How to Select The Ultimate Criminal Background Check Services for Your Needs

Selecting a reputable criminal check service is a massive responsibility, as inaccurate results can harm your business or cost you a great applicant. We tracked the most trustworthy companies you can hire and prepared a practical guide to help you choose the one.

Outline Your Needs

What types of criminal background searches do you need? If you’re just curious if the new neighbors are honest people and deserve your barbecue invitation, you’re safe to use some of the people finder sites. But things are more complicated if you’re an employer or lender since you can’t just use any of the criminal background check companies out there.

In these cases, you must stick to FCRA-compliant providers of such services. If you’re not sure what searches you need to perform on your candidates, your selected provider should be able to help you create a bundle that supports your risk mitigation strategy best while making sure you are not breaking any regulations.

Do you need more screening services besides criminal checks? Or a specific service such as a criminal background check for renters? If yes, check which company offers it. If you intend to perform multiple background checks, ask for a discount up front. Outline your screening needs before contacting the potential companies so you are armed with the right questions to ask and seal the best deal.

Know the Do’s and Don’ts

It’s important to distinguish the basic services you can get from public records sites from those you can use for employment, lending, and other business purposes. The latter must be obtained through an FCRA-compliant company.

Employers and lenders must also follow specific laws in the way they handle the results. Some states limit the consideration that employers can give to specific records reported in the criminal background check for employment. California, for instance, doesn’t allow employers to seek or consider records like arrest or detention that didn’t result in a conviction, some marijuana infractions, and misdemeanor convictions older than two years. It’s essential to hire a company that is not only FCRA-compliant but can also help you navigate the complex hiring regulations in your state and industry.

Employers should also adhere to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Employers that exclude all candidates with an arrest record could get in trouble with the federal non-discrimination law in some instances. That’s why it’s essential to follow the EEOC-issued enforcement guidance regarding the use of arrest and conviction records in employment decisions.

Look for a Company that Understands the Regulations in Your Industry

Depending on the industry, you might need advanced searches to confirm the dependability of the potential candidates. For example, you might need to perform a criminal background check for caregivers for roles that involve close contact with seniors, disabled people, patients, or children. In that case, it’s best to narrow down your choices to healthcare background check companies. Detailed background checks are also required for job positions in finance or other industries that involve access to sensitive data. If you operate in such sectors, look for companies that understand the delicate nature of your hiring process and the industry-specific regulations.

Determine a Budget

You can use the price estimates we’ve provided to outline a reasonable budget for your criminal screening needs. Then, you can contact your top choices to get a custom quote if you have more complex needs or compare the prices of the pre-built packages, especially if you need basic criminal background checks. This way, you can choose the overall best value without falling for unnecessarily expensive or suspiciously cheap offers.

Criminal Background Check FAQs

How long does a criminal background check take?

People search sites provide instant results. Pre-employment criminal checks, on the other hand, can take from one to three business days.

How far back does a criminal background check go?

Criminal history record searches for pre-employment purposes usually go seven years back. The amount of time covered, however, is contingent on the type of crimes being searched, their seriousness, along with local, state, and federal laws, and industry regulations. Below, you can see how long, on average, a record shows on employment background checks.

• Felony records — depending on where the candidate lives and works, felony convictions are indefinitely reported unless restricted otherwise.
• Misdemeanor background check and minor crimes — although less serious than felonies, misdemeanors are indefinitely reported, unless restricted otherwise, depending on the candidate’s and the company’s location.
• Motor vehicle history — motor vehicle history covers three to ten years’ worth of records.
• Professional licensing records — these records can also appear on employment background checks indefinitely.

What shows up on a criminal background check?

The information that shows up on a criminal background check can include felony and misdemeanor convictions and other pending criminal cases. These reports may also cover information related to active warrants, infractions, and incarceration history.

How much does a criminal background check cost?

Depending on the information being searched, different reports have different prices. On top of these prices shown below, you might need to pay access fees each county or state charges to provide criminal information. Most access fees are single-digit, some states and counties don’t charge them, but some have very high fees. The total cost depends on where information is being searched. Here are the prices companies charge for different types of criminal background checks:

• County court criminal background records check (misdemeanors, felonies, arrest information, offense date, and case number) — $15–$20
• Statewide criminal background records check (misdemeanors, felonies, arrest history, offense date, case number, address history, age, and offense description) — $10–$20
• Federal background check (convictions and pending cases of federal-level crimes) — $5–$20
• National criminal background records check (searches through each state’s online databases) — $25–$45
• SSN verification and sex offender status — $0–$10
• Terrorist watch list search — $0–$5

What is a federal criminal background check?

A federal criminal record background check goes through records across 94 federal US district court and appellate court databases, uncovering pending federal criminal cases and convictions. These reports show crimes such as fraud, embezzlement, tax evasion, capital punishment, kidnapping, and more. Federal screening is recommended for applicants who will have access to sensitive or financial information, CPAs, C-level executives, financial and banking employees, and public sector employees.

What is a national criminal background check?

This type of criminal background check searches through millions of digital records across US jurisdictions, including sex offender and terrorist registries. It shows felony convictions, misdemeanors, infractions, and pending criminal cases that have taken place at a state or county level, including current pending criminal court cases. If someone has a criminal record, the national criminal background report will show the type of crime, the verdict, the verdict date, and the database where the record was found.

What’s the difference between a background check and a criminal background check?

A criminal check reveals the criminal history records of the screened person, including felony and misdemeanor convictions, history of incarceration as an adult, and any pending criminal cases. In addition to criminal record checking, criminal background check services offer other types of checks for employers and lenders. These can vary depending on the applicable local, state, and federal laws, the job position, and the industry. Employment background checks can include MVR records, professional and license verifications, social media background checks, and more.