Before gaining a Checkr test or production account, you must first create and credential your account.
Checkr’s Customer Support team must credential your account before you can order background checks. We use the information you provide to assess the validity of the business and its permissible purpose. This process generally takes less than 1 business day.
In addition to federal, state, and local levels of government, the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) heavily regulates the background check industry in the United States. 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
- Confirming a compliant user interface workflow
Establishing permissible purpose
You must have a permissible purpose to initiate a background check under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). The FCRA lists the permissible purposes below:
- Extending credit to a consumer
- A "legitimate business purpose"
- An employment purpose
International background checks also require a permissible purpose. International lawful permissible purposes might differ from the FCRA permissible purposes and vary by country. Work with your legal counsel to ensure that you choose the appropriate permissible purpose for the applicable location and your business needs.
Checkr establishes your permissible purpose by collecting and confirming key details about the business entity running a background check. You need to provide the information below:
- Legal business name (associated with Employer Identification Number)
- Number of employees
- Industry
- State of incorporation
- Doing Business As (DBA)
- Tax ID / Employer Identification Number (EIN)
- Tax Classification
- Purpose
- Address and Phone Number
If you work directly with a Checkr Customer Success manager to set up your account, you'll need to provide a copy of your 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.
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