Why is the background check taking longer than anticipated?

APPLICANTS: If you are applying with a company and have questions about your background check, please click here for more information. This article is for employers who use Checkr.

CHECKR CLIENTS:

Industry-wide, the average background check takes 3-5 days. However, background checks make take a longer time. The main reasons are:

1. The background check is pending a county search. In many cases, Checkr must verify records at the county court level. County criminal searches may take several weeks if we are searching for criminal records in a county that lacks electronic resources. Some counties are understaffed and overburdened by thousands of search requests each day. Because criminal records are public information, Checkr's court researchers must wait in line with other parties requesting information. 
   
   Most county searches take 2-3 days to complete, but searches of 3+ weeks do occur in a minority of cases. No further information or action is required.
   
   
2. The candidate has not responded to our request for additional information. In certain cases, Checkr requires additional documentation such as a photo of an ID, driver's license, or SSN card to complete a background check.
   
   When these exceptions arise, Checkr emails the applicant automatically to collect more information.