What is a Background Check?

A background check is the collection and verification of an individual's information or records from private and public sources. For employment, it's a tool to ensure you're hiring the right person. It can include checks on criminal record, education, employment history, motor vehicle records, credit history, and more.

What is a Criminal Background Check?

A criminal background check involves searching local, state, federal, and international records to uncover any criminal history associated with a candidate. This helps ensure that you are hiring someone who aligns with your company's values and standards.

What Shows Up on a Criminal Background Check?

A criminal background check can reveal misdemeanor convictions, felony convictions, pending charges (if permissible), acquitted charges (if permissible), dismissed charges (if permissible), warrants (where available), and restraining orders (only with Civil Searches). Expunged charges should not show up.

Where to Get a Criminal Background Check?

You can obtain a criminal background check through various sources, including the Department of Public Safety in your state, State DMV for driving records, or background check service providers like Bchex, which use advanced AI to deliver comprehensive and accurate reports.

What are FCRA Requirements for Background Checks?

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) requires: 1) Written Disclosure - informing candidates you intend to conduct a background check, 2) Written Authorization - obtaining candidate's written consent before proceeding, and 3) Review and Provide Results - informing candidates of their rights and providing a copy of the report if you decide not to move forward.

What is Adverse Action in Background Checks?

Adverse action is the process you must follow if background check information might lead you to not hire a candidate. It includes: Pre-Adverse Action Notice with report copy and FCRA rights summary, giving the candidate opportunity to dispute inaccuracies, and Final Adverse Action Notice if you still decide not to hire after reviewing their response.

What are Individualized Assessments?

Individualized assessments ensure you consider the context of any criminal history by evaluating: the nature and gravity of the offense, time passed since the offense, and the nature of the job to assess how the offense might impact the candidate's ability to perform the job.

Get Comprehensive Background Checks in Under a Day

Criminal records, employment verification, drug screening, and more — all from one platform. Get the complete picture on every candidate, delivered fast and backed by our Triple Guarantee.

Trusted by 2,000+ School Districts, Non-Profits, and US Businesses

Background Checks That Are Actually Fast — Not Just Advertised That Way

86% of Bchex background checks that qualify for our One Business Day Delivery Guarantee complete in under 5 hours. Not business days — hours.

That's not a marketing claim. It's a guarantee with a name on it.

Our turnaround is fast because we've spent 30 years building direct courthouse relationships, proprietary data sources, and a review process that doesn't create bottlenecks. You see estimated turnaround times by jurisdiction before you order — so there are no surprises.

The Bchex Triple Guarantee

Your job is to hire great people and keep your organization safe. Ours is to make sure we never let
you down. That means putting real stakes on ourselves: if we miss our turnaround time, you don't
pay. If you're not satisfied, you don't pay. If you find a better price, we'll match it.
View our Guarantee Terms and Conditions.

Satisfaction Guarantee:
Not Satisfied? You don’t pay.

If you're not completely satisfied, we'll make it right or refund your payment.

One Day Delivery Guarantee:
Get Results in 24 Hours. Or it’s free.

We guarantee delivery in 24 business hours, or the report is free. Get the speed you need to make timely decisions, without compromise.

Price Match Guarantee:
Find a better price? We’ll match it.

Find the same service for less? We'll match the price, so you can get the best service at the best price.

You're trusted to bring in the right people.
We're here to make it easier.

In the world of education, we need to hire fast, and knowing that Bchex can generate a report in 24 hours or less makes us feel confident that we can hire the right talent quickly.

Jakob Tisdale

Talent & HR Coordinator, Carmen Schools of Science and Technology

I highly recommend Bchex services to any professional looking to do background checks. It's convenient, it's fast, it's reliable, and it's a great asset to any company.

Kristin Kidwell

Owner, First Choice Sitters

We would highly recommend Bchex for several reasons. The first, of course, is customer service. That's always the most important. The next, of course, is timeliness in terms of how quickly you need your results. The portal is very easy to navigate. You can reach a live person on the phone.

Ava Green

VP of Legal and HR, AdvisorHR

HOW IT WORKS

3 Steps. Zero Hassle. Total Visibility.

Invite Your Candidate

Just enter a name and email, or send a link. Our patented ID scanning technology captures accurate information instantly, eliminating up to 95% of data entry errors from the start.

Track Progress in Real-Time

No more black box. See the status of every check in your dashboard with proactive notifications at every stage. You'll always know exactly where things stand.

Get Actionable Reports Fast

Receive comprehensive, easy-to-read reports the same or next day. Make confident hiring decisions faster than ever before.

Accuracy Powered by Thousands of
Data Sources

We know background checks protect your people’s safety. That’s why we never leave a stone unturned. We've built a modern screening engine that accesses a vast network of over 5,000 data sources, including direct-to-courthouse records and real-time criminal justice feeds. Our SOC 2 Type 2 certified platform ensures you get the most comprehensive and up-to-date information available, securely and reliably.

Courthouse records

Real-time Criminal Justice Feeds

DMV Records

Easily Connect with the Hiring Tools You Already Use

Integrate Bchex with your Applicant Tracking System in minutes to sync and automate your screening process and manage everything from one place.

Got Questions? We Have Answers.

What types of background checks do you offer?

We offer a comprehensive suite of screening services, including criminal record searches (county, state, and federal), employment and education verification, motor vehicle records (MVR), drug screening, and more. We can
customize packages to fit the specific needs of each role.

Are your background checks FCRA compliant?

Yes, absolutely. All of our screening processes are fully compliant with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). We also provide built-in tools to help you manage adverse action workflows, ensuring you stay compliant every step of the way.

How do I know the reports are accurate?

We achieve our 99.99% accuracy rate through a combination of our AI-powered verification platform and a final review by a human expert. This dual approach ensures you get the most accurate information possible without sacrificing speed.

What if there's an issue with a report?

Just contact our US-based support team. A real person will work with you to resolve the issue. If there's an error on our part, we'll re-run the check at no cost to you.

Can we customize screening packages for different roles?

Yes. We'll work with you to create custom packages tailored to the specific requirements of each role in your
organization, from volunteers to executives.

We have seasonal or irregular hiring needs. Can you accommodate that?

Absolutely. Our platform is designed to scale with your needs. Since you only pay per order, you're not locked into a fixed cost. Whether you're hiring 100 people in the spring or just one person in the fall, we've got you covered.

How far back do your criminal background checks go?

The lookback period for criminal records is typically 7 years, in accordance with FCRA guidelines and many state laws. However, this can vary based on the specific search, state regulations, and the nature of the position.

Do you run checks in all 50 states?

Yes. We provide comprehensive coverage across all 50 states, including access to county, state, and federal records nationwide.

What information do you need from the candidate to run a check?

All we need is the candidate's name and email address. We send them a secure link where they can fill out their own information, including their consent, SSN, and date of birth. This reduces your administrative work and helps ensure accuracy.

Can candidates dispute the results of a background check?

Yes. Candidates have the right under the FCRA to dispute any information in their report that they believe is inaccurate. We provide a straightforward process for candidates to do so, and we will work to resolve any disputes promptly.

Still have questions?

Let's Chat

Bchex.io

Chexpass

Secure Volunteer

Chex365

SmallBiz

Insight+

Employee Screening

Continuous Safety Monitoring

Volunteer Program Growth

Automated Screening Report Adjudication

Visitor Management

Low Quantity Screening (Less than 50 Checks/Year)

All Screening Services

Occupational Health

Reference Checks

Background Checks

Driving Records / MVR Checks

Fingerprinting Services

Substance Abuse Testing

Verifications

I9 Verifications

Resources Library

Screening Hero Course

The Bad Hire

Videos

Screening Assessment Tool

Blog

eBooks

Recent Blog Posts

How Often Should Volunteers Be Background Checked?

How to Comply with State Background Check Laws for Schools

Customer Support

Applicant Support

Talk to Sales

Website Status

About Us

Why Bchex

Bchex Integrations