How Long Does a Background Check Take?

Depending on nature and scope of the background check your potential employer has requested, an average employment background check will typically take between two and four business days to complete.

However, a background check may take longer for a variety of reasons including the following:

• HireRight has difficulty establishing contact with your former employers or educational institutions. In such cases, HireRight may ask you to supply a W-2 or additional information to help substantiate the information in your background invitation form or resume. Having this documentation handy and providing it quickly will help speed up the process.

• Courts can be backlogged or closed, increasing the time it takes for a criminal records check to be completed.

• If an employer requests drug testing, you may be contacted by a Medical Review Officer regarding your sample’s results.

• If your background history includes information outside the United States, specific releases or other documentation may be needed in order to facilitate the search requested. Further, non-US courts, police ministries, or other governmental bodies housing criminal records may also be backlogged or otherwise unable to respond to the search request immediately. Non-US employers and education institutions may require additional time to respond to a verification request. If you provide the information that is requested in the initial background check form as part of the non-US check, it helps speed up the screening process.