Criminal Background Check on Myself: Your Complete How-To Guide

Cindy Ellis - December 24, 2022

Criminal background checks are an essential part of the pre-hiring process, and many employers require these reports as part of your application. Because these reports are such vital sources of information that employers or other individuals may require you to submit, it’s important to stay aware of what is on your report so that you know what people may see when they review this information.

Our article gives you more information on how to perform a criminal background check on yourself and verify other information that might appear on your background check report.

What Is a Criminal Background Check?

A criminal background check is a background report that focuses on items that may be a part of your criminal history, such as previous criminal offenses. You can expect to see misdemeanors, convictions, felonies, arrest records, and civil criminal issues all listed on your criminal background check report. Most states allow disclosure of criminal records up to 7 years after the offenses were recorded, while some states date criminal offenses back to 10 years.

Keep in mind that there are very state-specific laws about disclosure of criminal offenses and how long criminal items might be visible on your report, so it’s important to research the laws in your jurisdiction.

Reasons to Review Your Criminal Background Report

There are several important reasons to review your criminal background report. We list the most common reasons below why an individual might pull a criminal background report on themselves.

• Checking your own criminal background report allows you to understand what information is available about you. It allows you to stay aware of what you might need to inform an employer about ahead of time or details that need disclosing to an employer before they search the information themselves. Staying informed and aware of what is on your report allows you to provide context when necessary and encourage a more holistic review of your background report.
• Once you review your criminal background report, you’re able to locate any mistakes and correct them. It also gives you time to determine if your personal information or identity has been compromised and reach out to the according agencies to ensure your criminal background report properly reflects your personal history. Staying aware of mistakes also helps you to inform the individual reviewing your report about inaccuracies and what you might be doing to fix these issues.
• Even though a criminal background check focuses on criminal offenses that might have occurred in your history, they also provide basic identification information most of the time. As you review your own report, you can verify this information and make sure it aligns with everything you detailed on your resume or other job application.

Of course, there are many other personal reasons as to why you might want to perform a criminal background check on yourself. No matter your reason, as long as you follow the steps below, you should get the information that you need.

Completing a Criminal Background Check on Yourself

Completing a background check report on yourself doesn’t need to be complicated. Below, we give you essential information on how to verify your identification information, obtain vital background information about yourself, and review your own criminal history report.

Verify Your Social Security Number

Most criminal background check reports will need your social security number to accurately return a report. Employers will often also ask for this information as part of a job application. Double-check that your information is correct by verifying your social security number and other identification information via the Social Security Administration’s website.

Obtain Your Credit History

Oftentimes, your credit history will be a part of your criminal background check, especially if there are items in your financial history such as bankruptcies, debt, and evictions, or if the opportunity you are applying for is one that works with banks, finances, or loans.

There are plenty of online reporting services that will allow you to obtain this information for free with the creation of an account. Make sure that any reporting agency you use is a legitimate one so that you don’t accidentally fall victim to an identity theft scam.

Locate Your Criminal Records

Your criminal records are items such as criminal convictions (both felonies and misdemeanors), probation, parole and conviction history, arrest warrants, and civil court history. In some cases, pending criminal cases might be visible on your report, as will information about jail or prison time served or other sentencing information.

You can obtain criminal records on yourself manually by visiting state and county-level courthouse websites or county clerk’s offices to search public records. Keep in mind that states have varying laws about which types of criminal offenses are shown on public record; make sure you know your state’s laws before starting your search process so you don’t waste time trying to verify information that isn’t visible in the first place.

You should also note that there might be fees associated with obtaining your criminal records regardless of whether you perform an in-person search or an online one. However, these small fees are necessary to keep records-keeping offices running and generally aren’t avoidable.

Review Your Driving Record

In some states, your driving record might include criminal offenses and traffic violations if the offense was enough to be tried in court and earn a conviction or fine. However, some states might keep this information separate, which is why you want to make a point to search for your driving record and also review this information. Evaluating your driving record is also essential if you are applying for a job that works with machinery or primarily involves operating vehicles.

Your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) should be able to provide you with a copy of your driving record. You might be able to request this online, or you might need to go in person to request this depending on your state’s requirements. There may also be a fee associated with obtaining these records.

Review Personal Information

Personal identification information is often included in criminal background checks just to give the person viewing a complete picture of who the report belongs to. This personal information might include address, education, employment, and professional licensing history.

Review these items on your resume, contact former employers and education facilities to ensure your information is up to date, and double-check your personal information with licensing organizations or the IRS to ensure that everything is valid and up to date.

Is There an Easy Way to Complete a Criminal Background Check on Myself?

If you’re dreading the idea of manually going through records to find vital criminal records or other personal background information, you might want to consider utilizing an online search tool for your criminal background check on yourself instead.

A search tool like the one on Information.com will provide you with an easy way to search your name and location, verify the report that comes back (the report is compiled from public record), and review the information for inconsistencies or general awareness.

Plus, you won’t have to put long hours in searching for criminal records via courthouse and county clerk’s offices for all of the criminal records you need to review – you can simply have them in one place.

Things to Consider for a Personal Criminal Background Check

As you review your criminal background check report yourself, make sure to be patient and double-check all of the information on your report. It’s essential to stay aware of what your report may show and any information that employers could potentially note as an issue before applying for opportunities so that you give yourself the best chance of full disclosure and a holistic hiring process.