Here is how to do a background check on yourself: request the same records an employer's screen would pull, which means your state criminal history from the state police or records bureau, court records from each county where you have lived, your driving record, your credit reports, and, if you need it, your FBI Identity History Summary. Each comes from an official source, and some are free.
Doing this a few weeks before you apply gives you time to fix mistakes, gather court papers and prepare a short explanation if something real is there.
Quick answers
Can I run one on myself?
Yes, by requesting each record from the official source.Criminal history
State police or state records bureau, plus county courts.National record
FBI Identity History Summary, with fingerprints.Credit reports
Free from the three nationwide credit bureaus through the official site.Driving record
Your state's motor vehicle agency.Avoid
People search sites; they are not built for hiring and can be wrong.
How to do a background check on yourself: what to request
| Record | Where to get it | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| State criminal history | State police, state bureau of investigation or records repository | Arrests and outcomes reported in that state |
| County court records | The county court clerk or its online case search | Cases filed in that county, including civil ones |
| FBI Identity History Summary | The FBI, through its CJIS Division | National fingerprint based arrest history |
| Driving record | Your state's motor vehicle agency | Violations, suspensions, license status |
| Credit reports | The three nationwide credit bureaus, through the official free report site | Accounts, debts, collections, bankruptcies |
| Your screening company file | The company named on a consent or adverse action notice | What it reported to an employer |
| Sex offender registry | Your state's public registry | Confirms you are not mismatched with a listing |
Criminal records: state, county and FBI
Start with your state's central records office. Most let you request your own criminal history online or by mail, sometimes with fingerprints. The state page in the state guides links the right office.
Next, search county court records. Many counties have a free public case search; others ask you to contact the clerk. A screening company searches the counties on your address history, so check those first.
For a national view, ask the FBI for its Identity History Summary on you. You submit fingerprints, which many post offices and approved fingerprint sites take for this purpose, and the FBI returns your record or a statement that none was found. The FBI check page covers the options. Check the FBI's site for its current steps, fee and processing time before you apply.
Credit reports and driving records
The FTC points job seekers to the official annual credit report site, where the three big credit bureaus each let you download your file without paying. An employer's credit check shows similar account details, not a score, and only for roles where the employer orders it.
Order your driving record from your state motor vehicle agency if the job involves driving. It lists violations and suspensions for the period your state keeps. See driving record checks for what employers look at.
Getting your file from a screening company
If you have had a job screen before, the company that did it may still hold your file. Federal credit reporting law lets you ask any consumer reporting agency for the file it keeps on you. If an employer turned you down because of a report, you are entitled to a free copy when you ask within 60 days of the decision, according to the FTC.
Subject: Request for my consumer file
To [Screening company name],
I am requesting a copy of all information in my consumer file. My full name is [Your name], date of birth [Date of birth], and I applied with [Employer name] around [Date]. Please tell me how to verify my identity securely.
[Your name]
Never email your full Social Security number. Use the company's secure form or follow its identity steps.
Why a people search result can mislead you
Use official records from courts and state agencies, and your credit reports from the official free site.
Rely on a people search website to predict what an employer will see. Most say in their terms that they are not for employment decisions, and they often mix records of people with similar names.
A people search result can still be useful in one way: if it shows a wrong record under your name, a screening company might hit the same bad data, so check the court file and be ready to dispute.
If you find something wrong
- Get the official court disposition or agency correction.
- Contact the source that holds the error, such as the court, state bureau or credit bureau, and ask how to correct it.
- If a screening company reported the error, dispute it in writing with your documents. It must reinvestigate at no cost, usually within 30 days.
- Keep copies of everything, and ask that corrected reports go to any employer that received the wrong one.
The dispute guide has a full letter. For sealing or expunging a real record, see expunged and sealed records.
Prepare your explanation, then apply
If a real record shows up, you know what the employer will see. The EEOC's guidance for applicants suggests being ready to explain any negative item and why it should not affect your ability to do the job. A short, factual note works best.
About [number] years ago I pleaded guilty to [offense] in [County] court. I finished all the terms the judge set, and I have since held a job at [Employer type] for [number] years with a clean record. Court papers and references are available if you would like them.
These are the usual steps; they do not settle how the law applies to you. For your own record, the agency's page is the first stop, and a legal aid clinic or job rights attorney can take it from there.
Questions people ask
Can I do a background check on myself for free?
Partly. Credit reports are free through the official annual report site, and many county court searches are free online. State and FBI record requests usually charge a fee, so check the agency's page.
Where can I get a background check on myself?
From the official sources: your state police or records bureau, county courts, your state motor vehicle agency, the credit bureaus and the FBI. Each holds a different piece of what employers see.
How do I get a criminal background check on myself?
Request your record from your state's central repository, then search the county courts where you lived. For a national fingerprint record, the FBI's Identity History Summary is the one to ask for.
Can I run an employment background check on myself?
Not the exact same package, since employers order those. You can ask any vendor that has screened you before for its file, and you can collect the same records it uses.
Will checking my own background hurt my credit?
No. Checking your own credit report does not lower your score.
Should I use a people search site?
It is not a good guide to a job screen. Those sites are not meant for hiring, often mix people up, and can miss court records employers find.