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Background Check FAQs

Background Check Questions

Got a background check question? Whether you're looking for general information about background checks or for more concrete information on our background check services, we've got your answers here.

Question Areas:

CriminalWatchDog Company & Product Information

General background check information

Types of background checks

What records are included with my search?

Coverage varies by search. For a complete listing of available instant jurisdictions please refer to the posted Data Coverage. In addition, we offer direct court searches in every county in the US and the District of Colombia to ensure coverage of all publicly available criminal records.

How will I receive my background check report results?

Your results will be returned online and stored in a private Report Management Account. Simply click on the individual's name under "Applicant".

How long will I have access to my background check reports?

Your report history will be stored for the life of your account.

Is there a setup or monthly fee when I use your service?

No, all charges are per search. There will never be any hidden fees while using CriminalWatchDog.com's services.

Are CriminalWatchDog.com's results guaranteed?

CriminalWatchDog.com does offer a Money Back Guarantee for the accuracy of its data. A 100% refund will be issued if CriminalWatchDog.com is unable to generate a completed background check report* or if a criminal conviction should have been included in the search results and was not based on our posted data coverage. Coverage must be agreed upon before a report is ordered.

*Please see our Terms for additional information regarding refund policies.

I believe the individual under investigation has a criminal record in a particular jurisdiction, though no records were found. Why?

Not all jurisdictions or counties provide instant access to criminal records, in which case a county search may be appropriate. Before a criminal report is ordered you must review the data coverage for the associated search.

A criminal conviction was returned though I do not believe it is the applicant I am investigating.

The criminal search query mainly relies on the name and date of birth to link any criminal convictions to the search criteria entered. An individual's alias may also return records. Our Advanced Background Check reports also use a social security number to search for an alias history which will help target your applicant's true information.

What do I do if my search yield's a criminal record on my applicant?

Check your state laws. Verify the returned record is associated with your applicant and have a consistent screening policy. Keep in mind in many cases you are not allowed to consider data older than 7 years while screening applicants.

Background Check Information

What is a background check?

What shows up on a background check?

How do you get a background check?

How long does a background check take?

How much does a background check cost?

Do warrants show up on background checks?

How long does a felony stay on your record?

Do misdemeanors show up on background checks?

Do pending charges show up on background checks?

How do you fail a background check?

What is a misdemeanor?

What is a felony?

Types of Background Checks

What types of background checks are there?

What does an employment background check consist of?

How do you run a personal background check?

What does a tenant background check consist of?

What do I need about background checks for guns?

What do nanny background checks consist of?

How do you run a dating background check?

How do you run church background checks?

How do I run a medical background check on a doctor?

What do I need to know about international background checks?

Are small business background checks necessary?

What is a federal background check?

How do you do a lawyer background check?

What are juvenile records?

Do colleges do background checks?