A level 2 background check means a fingerprint based criminal history search through the state records bureau and the FBI, plus sex offender registry checks, used mainly for jobs with children, older adults, patients and people with disabilities. A level 1 check is name based and stays at the state level. The terms come from Florida law, Chapter 435 of the Florida Statutes, and other employers often borrow them.
Applicants hear these words from HR without explanation all the time. The short version: Level 1 is lighter and faster, Level 2 is deeper and uses your fingerprints, and anything called Level 3, 4 or 5 is usually a company's own package name or a federal investigation tier, not a state law term.
Quick answers
Level 1
Name based: employment history check, statewide criminal check through the state bureau, national sex offender website search.
Level 2
Fingerprint based: state and FBI criminal history, local checks, and sex offender registries in states you lived in.
Where the terms come from
Florida Statutes, Chapter 435, sections 435.03 and 435.04.
Who needs Level 2
Healthcare, child care, schools, elder care, disability services and other care roles that a law names.
Level 3 and up
No state law standard. Usually a screening company's package, or a federal Tier 3 to Tier 5 investigation.
If disqualified
In Florida you can contest only a mistaken identity. Otherwise you ask for an exemption.
Level 2 background check: what the search includes
Under section 435.04 of the Florida Statutes, Level 2 screening includes:
- A fingerprint based statewide criminal history check run by FDLE, the state's law enforcement department
- A national criminal history check through the FBI
- Local criminal records checks
- Searches of sexual predator and offender registries in any state where you lived in the past five years
The statute then names a long set of disqualifying offenses, over a hundred specific crimes, including abuse of children or older adults, violent felonies, many drug and theft felonies and domestic violence. A pending arrest for one of those offenses also counts until it is resolved. You can read the full list in Chapter 435 on the Florida Legislature's site.
A disqualification does not mean the law has judged you unfit forever. It means you cannot work in direct contact with vulnerable people until you get an exemption, explained below.
Level 1 vs level 2 background check
| Level 1 | Level 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Identity method | Name and personal details | Fingerprints |
| Criminal records | Statewide, through the state bureau | Statewide and national (FBI), plus local |
| Sex offender search | The national public sex offender website | Registries in each state you lived in for five years |
| Employment history | Checked | Not named in the Level 2 section |
| Typical jobs | Roles a specific law assigns to Level 1 | Nurses, aides, caregivers, teachers, child care staff, therapists |
| Typical time | Often same day to a few days | Often a few days, longer if a record needs review |
Both levels apply the same disqualifying offense list, so the difference is mostly about how wide and how reliable the search is. Fingerprints catch arrests in other states and under other names. For more on prints, see how fingerprint checks work.
What does level 1 mean on a background check?
In section 435.03, a level 1 background check is described as an employment history check, a statewide criminal correspondence check through FDLE, a search of the national public sex offender website, and optional local checks. It is name based. If someone in another state has a similar name, it can produce a false match, and it will not catch out of state arrests the way prints do.
Outside Florida, "Level 1" printed on a screening vendor's report often just means its most basic package, such as an identity trace and one county search. Ask HR what the label covers. You can also run your own Florida name search through FDLE's criminal history record check page to see what a state level search returns.
Level 3, level 4 and level 5 background check
There is no state law that defines Level 3, 4 or 5 the way Florida defines Levels 1 and 2. When you see these words, they usually mean one of two things.
| Where you saw it | What it usually means |
|---|---|
| A screening company's order form | A bigger bundle: more counties, federal courts, employment and education verification, credit, drug test |
| A federal job or contractor | A federal investigation tier (Tier 1 to Tier 5) |
| A posting that says "Level 3 clearance" | Usually loose wording for a federal security clearance |
Since there is no common standard, never assume. A one line email to the recruiter clears it up:
Hi [Recruiter name], thanks for the offer for [Job title]. Could you tell me what the [Level 3] check includes, such as fingerprints, credit or education verification? I would like to have any documents ready. Thanks, [Your name]
Tier 1, tier 2 and tier 3 background check (federal)
Washington sorts its own investigations into five tiers by how much harm a person in the role could do, under standards that OPM's suitability office and other agencies apply.
| Tier | Usually for |
|---|---|
| Tier 1 | Low risk, non sensitive federal jobs |
| Tier 2 | Moderate risk public trust jobs |
| Tier 3 | Non critical sensitive jobs and Secret level clearances |
| Tier 4 | High risk public trust jobs |
| Tier 5 | Critical sensitive jobs and Top Secret clearances |
Higher tiers add credit, interviews, contact with neighbors and references, and checks going further back. Our federal background check guide covers the forms and steps.
Level 2 background check for healthcare workers
In Florida, most health and care workers who touch patients need Level 2. AHCA, the state health care agency, runs Florida's Care Provider Background Screening Clearinghouse, a secure system created under section 435.12 that lets participating state agencies share fingerprint results. That means one set of prints can follow you when you move between employers that use it, as long as your record is kept current.
The law also requires those prints to be retained, so new Florida arrests are reported back, and FBI records are refreshed on a set schedule. If you leave care work for more than 90 days, a new national screening may be needed. Our healthcare screening page covers the extra license and exclusion list checks, and the Florida background check guide for state details.
When you change jobs, ask the new employer whether it can see your existing clearinghouse result. It can save you a new fingerprint appointment.
If a level 2 check disqualifies you
Florida's section 435.06 requires a written notice from the employer naming the record it found. You can only contest the result by showing it is not you (mistaken identity). Otherwise you ask the agency head for an exemption under section 435.07.
- Felonies: at least two years must pass after you finish confinement, supervision or other court conditions.
- Misdemeanors: you can usually apply once the sentence and conditions are complete.
- What you show: clear and convincing evidence of rehabilitation, such as time since the offense, work history, training, references and the circumstances.
- Not eligible: registered sex offenders and some others named in the law.
Waiting periods and lists change when the Legislature amends Chapter 435. Read the current text before you count on a date.
These are summaries of Florida's statute, not legal advice. For an exemption request, the agency's background screening unit or a legal aid office that handles record issues can explain your options.
Questions people ask
Where can I get a level 2 background check?
As a rule, a job applicant cannot order one personally. The employer or licensing agency starts it and gives you a fingerprint appointment with an approved livescan provider, and the agency receives the results directly. HR can give you the request details.
What does a level 2 background check cost?
The cost combines the state fee, the FBI fee and the fingerprint vendor's charge, and may include record retention. Many employers pay it, and some ask you to pay and reimburse it. Ask before your appointment.
How long does a level 2 background check take?
With no matching record, a clean result usually arrives within about a week, often sooner. A record that needs review, an unreadable print or an out of state record can stretch it to weeks.
Is an FBI level 2 background check different from a regular FBI check?
The FBI search itself is the same fingerprint search. Level 2 adds the state search, local checks, registry searches and Florida's disqualifying offense rules on top of it.
What does a level 2 background check consist of?
Fingerprints sent electronically to FDLE, a statewide Florida search, a national FBI search, local law enforcement checks, plus registry searches for each state on your five year address list. Results are compared with the statute's list of disqualifying offenses.
What is an entry level background check?
Entry level is not an official term. It usually means a basic name based package for a first job, such as an identity trace and a county criminal search. Ask what is included.
Does a level 2 check show arrests that were dropped?
Fingerprint files can show an arrest even if charges were dropped, sometimes without the outcome. Bring the court paperwork so the reviewer sees the dismissal.