The company that you applied with determines how far back to search for records on the background check. A common lookback period for background checks is seven years, although in most states, a company may request searches that look for records beyond seven years.
Some states limit the age of the records that can appear on a background check to seven years, such as:
- California
- Kansas
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Montana
- New Hampshire
- New Mexico
- New York
- Washington
Please note that certain regulated industries are required to look back more than seven years and may be exempt from the rule limiting the reporting of information to seven years. For example, Transportation Network Companies (TNCs) in California are required to look for records older than seven years and thus background reports for TNCs may include information older than seven years.
For limitations on how far back records can appear on a background check, the question of “what defines X years” can be complex to answer. For example, "seven years" could be defined as:
- Seven years from the date of disposition (like the conviction date); or
- Seven years from when the person was released from incarceration.
Looking for more information
If you have questions about how a lookback period was selected or what the eligibility criteria is for a role, please contact the company that you applied with. Checkr prepares background reports for its customers and does not make engagement or hiring decisions.