Professional license verification, often abbreviated and referred to as “PLV,” validates a candidate’s professional license is active and in good standing. Organizations hiring specialized or regulated roles may need to check a candidate’s professional license to determine eligibility.
Note: This product verifies data a candidate provides; it does not verify the candidate’s identity.
This article will help you understand:
- What types of professional licenses can Checkr verify?
- How does professional license verification work?
- How long does professional license verification take?
- How do I order professional license verification?
- How do Checkr reports show license verification?
- What documentation is required for a PLV check?
- What does the candidate experience look like?
What types of professional licenses can Checkr verify?
Checkr verifies a variety of professional license types, including:
- Accounting
- Coast Guard
- Contractors
- Dietitian
- Healthcare
- Insurance
- IT (Technology)
- Mental health
- Nursing
- Pharmaceutical
- Real estate
- Veterinary medicine
If you want to verify a professional license in a category not listed above, please share your feedback with our Customer Support team.
How does professional license verification work?
When you order a professional license verification, Checkr validates that the license:
- is active (i.e., not expired)
- is in good standing (i.e., no derogatory flags against the licensee)
- matches the name of the candidate
Checkr has a two-step verification process:
- Automated verifications are generally completed in <5 minutes.
- When an automated search is unavailable – for example, due to a candidate entry error – Checkr will then kick off a manual verification with certifying organizations. Manual verifications are generally complete in 1-2 business days.
How long does professional license verification take?
Many professional licenses can be checked instantly, while others can take up to 1-2 business days.
How do I order professional license verification?
To add professional license verification to your account, please reach out to our Customer Support team. It will take up to 1-2 business days for us to complete your account setup before you can order your first professional license verification.
How do Checkr reports show license verification?
If Checkr is able to confirm a candidate’s professional license, you will see their certification details as well as a copy of their documentation in Dashboard, along with a “clear” status.
If a candidate’s report comes back with a status of “Consider”, additional details are provided. For example, a candidate might provide their name as John Tom Smith, but their license result surfaced as John Thomas Smith.
Scenarios that may cause a consider status:
- Data inconsistency: candidate name and/or state did not match what was provided
- License is expired
- License is not in good standing – or the presence of derogatory marks
- License not found
What documentation is required for a PLV check?
Candidates must provide a copy of their professional license, which will be verified by the governing body that issued it. For example, the Florida Bar would verify a license to practice law in the state of Florida.
What does the candidate experience look like?
We collect the following information during the candidate apply flow:
- State
- Certifying organization
- License type
- License number
- Expiration date (optional)
- License document
Candidates have the opportunity to declare they do not have PLV information.
If a candidate has more than one license, the default confirmation allows candidates to upload a total of two (2) licenses for verification.
Candidates are required to upload a copy (or screenshot) of their professional license(s) within the Apply Flow.
They will then be presented and asked to acknowledge receipt of the applicable forms and notifications, including a Summary of Your Rights Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and an Acknowledgement and Authorization for Background Check.
After the candidate consents, Checkr will initiate the verification process.