How Long Does It Take To Perform a Background Check?
Performing various background checks is a necessity for employers who want to make the best possible hiring decisions.
But how long does it take?
There’s no simple answer to that question. It’s complicated by the fact that there are many different types of background check which may be warranted in different circumstances.
Here’s what you need to know about the turnaround time for these common types of background checks.
A County Courthouse Criminal Search
This is the most common type of background check, sometimes used with current employees as well as new applicants. It can take anywhere from a few minutes to a few days.
There is a wide variation in turnaround times. Some county’s records can be accessed electronically and others require a researcher to physically visit the courthouse.
A Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) Search
In general, most motor vehicle record checks have an average turnaround time of under an hour. But this time frame differs greatly from state to state. Each state’s Department of Motor Vehicles uses slightly different procedures which in some cases, might take several weeks to complete.
A Credit History Report
This kind of check is used by employers who want an idea of a candidate’s credit history. This requires obtaining a credit report on the candidate. Credit checks are usually returned in under an hour. However, employers wishing to obtain credit reports are required to go through a verification process with the credit bureaus that often requires an onsite inspection.
A Federal Criminal Court Search
Similar to county court searches, this is another fairly common search. It is usually fairly quick and results are usually delivered within hours to a few days.
An Employment or Education Verification
An employment or Education verification requires the researcher to get in touch with the applicant’s previous employers or educational institution. This can be as quick as same day or may take a week, depending on the responsiveness of the former employer or educational institution.
A SSN Trace
This is a helpful piece of the puzzle to any background check, since it allows the employer to verify that the other information they are using is accurate. With a correct Social Security number (SSN), this check can be performed nearly instantly.
A Drug Screening
The most common type of pre-employment drug screening is performed via a urine test, which takes 1-5 business days. A blood test has about the same turnaround time. A hair test generally takes 4-10 business days.
Possible Reasons For Delay
There are many factors that could cause a delay in the turnaround time for background checks. Sometimes, the employer has given inaccurate information to the third party responsible for completing the checks.
If you’re under pressure to obtain accurate and thorough background check results in a limited timeframe, your best bet is to reach out to Veriswift. In most cases (70% of the time), we’re able to complete necessary background checks in less than 60 minutes.
If you don’t want to wait longer than necessary for the result of a background check, contact us today.