Before gaining a Checkr test or production account, you must first work with a Checkr Account Executive or Customer Success representative to create and credential your account.
New accounts must be credentialed by Checkr’s Customer Success team before they will be allowed to request background checks. We use the information provided to assess the validity of the business and its permissible purpose. This process generally takes less than 1 business day.
The background screening industry in the United States is heavily regulated by federal, state, and local levels of government, and primarily by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). Checkr complies with these laws, and helps its customers comply, through multiple Checkr product features.
Two key processes in the account authorization process also enable compliance: establishing permissible purpose, and confirming a compliant user interface workflow.
Establish permissible purpose
One of the main provisions of the FCRA is the requirement to establish a legitimate "permissible purpose" for running a background screen on an individual. These permissible purposes include running background screens for employment purposes (that is, making hiring decisions), making a decision to extend credit to an individual, or for what the law calls a "legitimate business purpose".
Checkr establishes a customer's permissible purpose by collecting and confirming a number of key details about the business entity running a background screen. Customers signing up through our automated flow will be asked to provide:
- Legal business name (associated with Employer Identification Number)
- Number of employees
- Industry
- State of incorporation
- Doing Business As (DBA)
- Corporate Website (If you do not have a corporate site, we’ll also accept a Bloomberg, Crunchbase, YP.com, YC, or Dun & Bradstreet Profile.)
- Tax ID / Employer Identification Number (EIN)
- Tax Classification
- Purpose
- Address and Phone Number
Customers working directly with a Checkr Customer Success manager to set up their accounts will also be asked to provide a copy of their articles of incorporation.
Some permissible purposes may impose additional legal requirements on the business entity running a background screen. For example, purposes involving checking a candidate's credit history require an onsite inspection of the entity's business premises.
Confirm a compliant user interface (UI) workflow
Customers using the Checkr Dashboard and the Checkr-Hosted Apply flow are not subject to this requirement.
If you are using the Dashboard in addition to an apply flow you’ve custom-built for your candidates, please see the Checkr API documentation for more information on the requirements for your in-app workflow.
Create Packages
All Checkr background checks are dependent on Packages, which define groups of Checks to be run for your candidates. Read through our available Screenings, then work with your Checkr Customer Success representative to define the Packages for your account.