How Long Does a Background Check Take in 2023 (Timeline)

By Reid - October 14, 2022

How Long Does a Background Check Take

Employers use background checks to verify identity, review criminal records, and disclose employment history that may be missing from your resume.

Here’s a background check timeline to provide an idea around when you should hear back about those critical results.

Questions Answered:

What is an employment background check
How long does a background check take
Potential delays in receiving the results
How far back do background checks go
How do I know if I passed my background check?

What is an employment background check?

Employment background checks typically review a person’s financial records, driving records, and criminal background before making a job offer—a common practice amongst most organizations.

How Long Does a Background Check Take?

Dependent upon the information a company needs, a background check can process in minutes, or it can take weeks to see results (typical employment background checks send results within 1 to 5 business days).

There are different types of background checks. Each has its timeline and requires communication from a variety of sources. Criminal background check. Federal background check. Fingerprint background check

Criminal Background Check Timeline

Criminal background checks may take between one and three business days. However, depending on the database hosting the search, results may be processed within minutes.

Many employers utilize verified background check providers with access to specialized databases that instantly reveal basic information. Basic searches provide input using a person’s Social Security Number to run through a national criminal database search.

Criminal background checks may include state and federal sex offender registries, county court records, and terrorist watch lists.

Federal Background Check Timeline

Federal background checks can process slowly and take up to a few weeks. Anyone applying for a job with the federal government will have to pass a federal employment background check that looks for federal criminal law violations like tax evasion and identity theft.

Federal security clearances are given only after completing a federal background check. Federal security clearances are issued at three levels:

Confidential
Secret
Top Secret

Background checks for Confidential and Secret clearance take between one and three months. Top Secret clearances take four to eight months and, in certain cases, upwards of a year.

Fingerprint Background Check Timeline

A fingerprint background check scans and compares your fingerprints against the Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS) database.

The FBI manages the IAFIS, which contains copies of more than 35 million American citizens.

Fingerprint background checks are typically run in addition to an employment background check—government institutions like airports, schools, law enforcement agencies, and emergency response services.

A response is typically issued within three days if your fingerprints are successfully matched.

Related:

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How Far Back Do Background Checks Go?

Organizations requesting an employment background check will typically cover the previous seven years of the candidate's criminal and court records.

These screenings vary by location, with some states having the ability to share information up to ten years old.

How do I know if I passed my background check?

You will receive the results of your background test via phone call or email from the testing lab or employer you are looking to work for. If you pass, the hiring company will often forgo letting you know and instead go straight to a job offer.

What are some possible Delays and Setbacks?

Background checks can be delayed for several reasons. The following could be why if you have been waiting longer than five days for a general background check.

Inaccurate and incomplete request forms (written consent is necessary for employers to begin a background check).
County court records aren’t digitized and need to be searched manually by a county clerk.
Name changes or variances over time.
The recruiting firm or employer has not had the time to get back to you yet.

Wrapping Up | Background check timeline

To speed up the background check process for a new job, ensure you’ve filled out all of the necessary authorization paperwork accurately.

For standard criminal background checks (the primary focus of the potential employer), prepare to wait 1 - 3 Business Days.
For federal background checks, prepare to wait 2+ Weeks.
For fingerprint background checks, prepare to wait 3 - 5 Business Days.

It’s important to know that you may not hear back from the employer right away after your background check results are finalized.

If others are being considered for the position, employers may wait until they are all complete before moving forward.

Stay patient, but if you haven’t heard back or received an update after an extended period, feel free to reach out and ask for the status of your checkup.

We hope this helps and everything comes back great. Good luck with the job search!

Title: How Long Does a Background Check Take in 2023

Category: theFinish

Tags: How long does a background check take, background check for job, background check timeline, drug test timeline, background check, background report, How Far Back to Background Checks Go

Author: Reid is a contributor to theJub. He's an employment and marketing enthusiast who studied business before taking on various recruiting, management, and marketing roles. More from the author. | Author Profile