No background check jobs are most common at small, locally owned businesses, in day labor and seasonal farm work, in some kitchen and cleaning roles, and in self employment, because no law requires a check for those jobs and many small owners hire on an interview and a trial shift. No list can promise that a given employer will not check, since each employer decides for itself and policies change.
If you are looking because of a record, it also helps to know that many employers who do check will still hire people with records, and some actively welcome them. This page covers both paths.
Quick answers
Least likely to check
Small local shops, family restaurants, day labor, farm and seasonal work, self employment.Almost always check
Schools, child care, healthcare, banks, government, security, driving jobs.Gig and remote work
Many platforms and remote employers do run checks. Read the sign up terms.Better question
Who hires people with records? Look for fair chance employers.Scam warning
"No checks, start today, just pay a fee" is a classic job scam.
No background check jobs by type
| Job type | How often checks happen | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Small family restaurants, kitchen help, dishwashing | Less often | Owners often hire on a trial shift |
| Day labor, moving help, landscaping crews | Less often | Short jobs, paid by the day or task |
| Farm, harvest and seasonal work | Less often | Fast, temporary hiring |
| Small construction trades as a helper | Varies | Job sites for schools or government often require checks |
| Self employment and freelancing | Usually none | You are the business; some clients still ask |
| Large retail, warehouses and big chains | Often | Standard policy at many large employers |
| Rideshare, delivery and other gig apps | Usually | Most platforms screen drivers and driving records |
| Remote customer service and data entry | Often | Employers handling customer data screen staff |
Even within one type, practices differ. A small diner might check; a large warehouse might not. Ask the hiring manager directly if it matters to you.
Jobs that almost always do background checks
Some roles are covered by laws that require a check, often with fingerprints. Applying to these without knowing that can lead to a surprise:
- Teaching, school support staff and child care
- Nursing, home health, care homes and other healthcare work
- Banking, insurance and roles handling money or financial data
- Federal, state and local government jobs, see federal background checks
- Security guards, law enforcement and corrections
- Commercial driving, school bus and delivery roles with a company vehicle
Warehouse, gig and remote jobs with no background check
These searches are very common, so here is the honest picture. Warehouse jobs at large employers usually include at least a basic criminal search, though staffing agencies vary. Gig apps for driving and delivery almost always screen, because of safety rules and insurance needs. Remote jobs often check too, since staff may see customer records.
Where checks are lighter is at small businesses and in short term work booked by phone or in person. Building a work history there can make the next step easier.
A remote job ad that says "no background check, no interview" and then wants money for training, equipment or a starter kit is a common scam. The FTC's page on job scams warns that real employers never make you pay to be hired.
Fair chance employers: a better route for many people
A fair chance employer still runs a check, but looks at the record in context. Local and state fair chance rules, sometimes called ban the box, often hold record questions back until later in the process. Under the federal Fair Chance Act, most federal agencies and contractors must wait until a conditional offer to ask about records, apart from some exempt posts. Federal openings are listed on USAJOBS.
The EEOC asks employers who screen for records to think about what the offense was, how old it is, and whether it connects to the work. Its arrest and conviction records page is worth reading before an interview so you know what a fair review looks like.
Local workforce centers, reentry programs and legal aid offices often keep lists of employers in your area that hire people with records. Ask them directly.
Will an employment background check reveal jobs not disclosed?
Usually not in the way people fear. An employment verification contacts the employers you list to confirm dates and titles. It does not normally build a list of every job you ever had. The address history from your Social Security number trace can hint at gaps, though, and government, security clearance and some finance applications ask for your full history and check it.
Leaving a short job off a private application is common. Omitting a job the form specifically asked for, or inventing one, is a different matter and can cost you the offer later. See how past jobs are verified.
If you have a record: practical steps
- Get a copy of your own record so you know what an employer will see. See checking yourself.
- Find out whether any part of it can be sealed or expunged in your state.
- Practice a short, honest explanation that ends with what you do now.
- Apply widely, including to employers that check, since many still hire people with records.
- If an offer is pulled, use your FCRA rights to see and respond to the report.
Related reading: misdemeanors, a failed check and expunged records.
A note on honesty and the law
Even at a job that skips the check, the application may ask about convictions. Answer truthfully. If the employer learns of a conviction you denied, that can be grounds for firing even years later.
Hiring practices and record laws vary by city and state, and this page is not legal advice. In your own situation, a reentry program or legal aid clinic can point you to local rules.
Questions people ask
What jobs don't require a background check?
No law requires checks for many jobs at small private businesses, in day labor, farm and seasonal work, and self employment. Whether a specific employer checks is its own choice.
Are there work from home jobs with no background check?
Some freelance and small client work skips checks, but many remote employers do screen. Be wary of remote ads that promise no check and then ask for money.
Do gig jobs do background checks?
Most driving and delivery apps run a criminal check and a driving record check. Task and freelance marketplaces vary.
Do warehouse jobs have no background check?
Many large warehouses run at least a basic check. Some smaller operations and staffing agencies are lighter, but you should not count on it.
Can I get a job with a felony?
Yes. Many employers hire people with felony records, especially when time has passed and the record does not relate to the job. Fair chance employers and reentry programs can help.