NACI Background Check: Everything You Need to Know

Cindy Ellis - July 27, 2023

Background checks help employers identify potential applicants and learn more about them. Depending on the background check, many different types and levels of thoroughness take place. One of the most common types of background checks for federal employees is a NACI background check. These background checks came about in 2015 and are known as National Agency Check with Inquiries (NACI).

That said, when you’re applying for a federal job or if you’re an employee at a federal job, it’s important to understand what a NACI background check is and how it works. The good news is that we’re here to help. We’ll show you what a NACI background check is, what information appears on it, and much more.

Read on to learn everything you need to know.

What Is a NACI Background Check?

A NACI background check is a general background check for federal employees. It’s considered the generic type of background check or the average type of background check because it’s not used for sensitive federal jobs or jobs that require any secret clearance. Usually, a NACI background check pulls information that’s up to five years old. Unlike other background checks, this gives potential applicants some wiggle room when it comes to their public records.

NACI background checks are usually sufficient enough to provide you with insights about a potential employee. However, some federal background checks may dig deeper into someone’s history or past.

Overall, what makes a NACI background check unique is the information that’s included and the types of people it’s used for.

What Information Is Included in a NACI Background Check?

NACI background checks include plenty of information about potential applicants. While it covers the basics, it also covers things like criminal records and much more. Below we list some of the items that are included in a NACI background check.

• General public records search
• Law enforcement checks (criminal, court, and jail records)
• Written inquiries about previous employers
• Inquires about educational achievements
• Credit history and information

Some NACI background checks will pull more information when it’s available. That said, it’s still one of the more basic federal background checks compared to some that require secret clearance.

What Jobs Require NACI Background Checks?

Several jobs require a NACI background check because most federal employment requires it by law. Federal jobs can range from things like service in the armed forces to court judges. NACI background checks are also useful for more basic government jobs as well. These include jobs like:

• The federal postal service
• FBI agents
• CIA agents
• All branches of the military
• Government agencies
• Jobs within the government like politicians and other officials

Ultimately, NACI background checks are used for any job that has to do with the federal government. Some states also use a similar method to check state officials and workers like teachers and police officers. 

How Do You Fail a NACI Background Check?

Failing a NACI background check is possible in a few ways but it depends on the type of job you’re applying to. For example, if you have a bad driving record you can still get a government job that doesn’t have to do with driving. This also applies to other jobs like failing a credit check but applying to a federal job that doesn’t involve working with money. Still, there are some clear disqualifiers to be aware of.

The biggest disqualifier is a criminal record within the last five years. For most federal jobs, this results in not getting the job. Thankfully, you can wait about five years for your record to not show the criminal records in your report. Another disqualifier may be having a DUI when applying for a job that requires driving.

These are only some of the things that get flagged during a NACI background check. For this reason, it’s always important to be prepared.

What Disqualifies You From a NACI Background Check?

Disqualifiers are events or types of records that disqualify you from getting the job you want. Getting Disqualified for a NACI background check comes down to a few factors:

• Bad credit
• SF 85 disqualification
• Records not adding up
• Criminal history
• Citizenship

Learn more about each of these disqualifiers below.

Bad Credit 

When you’re applying for a government job that works with money, credit is essential. A NACI background check may pull your general records but it’s also possible for any organization to take things a step further. Therefore, having bad credit may cause you to fail a background check for the federal government.

Aside from general bad credit problems, things like liens and bankruptcies will also cause you to fail. Outstanding taxes and other financial problems will also get you flagged and result in a failed background check. Keep all of this in mind when applying and try to fix your credit before going through the background check process.

SF 85 Disqualification 

Public trust positions have a questionnaire that all potential employees must fill out before going through the public records search. The questionnaire is important because purposefully lying about one of the questions will lead to an automatic failure of the check. Never lie or withhold information on the questionnaire to avoid potential problems.

Records Not Adding Up 

Your records can be different than the ones that you provide. If you provide an organization with records and different records appear during a NACI background check, this can cause you to get flagged. In this case, you do have a better chance of getting through the job interview because you can offer an explanation or obtain the updated records. However, you may still not make it through if you don’t have answers for the records not adding up.

Fabricating your records will also result in your records not adding up. An example of this would be lying about employment or education. If the federal government finds out you’ll be disqualified.

Criminal History 

Criminal history isn’t always a deal breaker for a federal job. However, many jobs will look into your criminal records. In the federal government, crimes are not taken lightly and will often result in an automatic disqualification. During a federal government background check, there are a few things that are considered above the basics. These include fraud, embezzlement, and tax evasion.

Some states also have unique laws that allow people with a criminal record to get the job. Unfortunately, that’s rare.

Citizenship

NACI background checks look into the status of your citizenship in the United States. People who aren’t United States citizens will fail a NACI background check automatically. It’s also important to note that this applies to green card holders as well. On the other hand, naturalized citizens of the U.S. do count and won’t be disqualified.

Now that you know what can disqualify you from a federal job, it’s time to learn about what your records include.

How to Check Your Background With Information.com

Checking your background is one of the best ways to prepare for a NACI background check. Doing so will give you an idea about the information that will appear in the report. When you discover this information you can fix any issues if you notice that anything is wrong. Furthermore, you can be upfront with the job you’re applying to about your background to get ahead of any problems.

Learn about how you can run a background check with Information.com and what you can find below.

Run a Background Check Using a People Search

People Search is the best way to run a background check on yourself using Information.com. It’s a simple tool that allows you to enter your full name, address, city, and state to generate a report about yourself. However, you may have to answer some additional prompts as the report loads. 

These questions usually include the age range of the person and relative identification. That said, other questions may apply depending on how many people with the same name are in your area.

To run a people search on yourself with Information.com, we’ll take you through a few simple steps below.

1. Enter Your Information: Enter your information into our people search tool. All you need is your name, address, state, and city.
2. Provide Additional Information: If prompted to provide information about your age and relatives, select the correct age range or family members
3. Accept the Terms and Conditions: There are a few terms and conditions you need to accept before proceeding, as well as a privacy agreement.
4. Open the Full Report: Once you have your results, open a full report to view the information.
5. Create an Account: Sign up for an account or a free trial to view your results.

When you run a search with Information.com your results may vary. The good news is that your full report will always contain current and accurate information.

What Information Do You Find When You Run a People Search?

Information.com is a hub of information. Our database is connected to thousands of public records databases across the United States. Aside from general information you can find court records, criminal records, and much more. Plus, the process takes less than 10 minutes and you can enter into a free trial for your first search.

Below we list some of the information that you’ll find when you run a people search.

• Marriage records
• Divorce records
• Sex offender status
• Criminal history
• Address
• Email address
• Phone records
• Traffic records
• Court records
• Jail sentences
• Dating profiles
• Social media accounts

The information you find about yourself will vary depending on how many public records you have. An increased online presence may result in more results. These results will give you an idea about what will appear on a NACI background check.

Can You Run a Background Check on Information.com About Someone Else?

Background checks are also fantastic for use on someone else. When you want to learn information about someone else you can run a people search on them. Therefore, you don’t have to be a part of the government to compile records about an employee or someone you’re looking for. Running a background check on someone is inexpensive, fast, and easy with Information.com as long as you have their information.

When running a background check on someone else always make sure you have permission first, especially if it’s for employment. Also, you can’t run background checks on domestic help without consent, so keep this in mind.

Information.com makes background checks simple and efficient and it’s a great way to prepare before a background check.

How Long Does a NACI Background Check Take?

For most government jobs, expect a NACI background check to take between two and three days. Sometimes it may take one or two weeks and for high-level positions, a NACI check can take up to 30 days. If you notice that it’s been past 30 days, you can start reaching out to your employer for more information.

How Long Does an FBI Background Check Take?

FBI Background checks take longer than standard NACI background checks. While instant background checks may also be used, working for a government agency that involves some type of law enforcement will take longer. In these cases, expect to be waiting for up to 30 days. If you’re lucky, it may come back sooner, especially with a clean record.

How Long Does a NACI Background Check for the Military Take?

The military is an important part of the federal government. It’s responsible for keeping people safe, fighting wars, and much more. Military service is a great career path with nearly limitless opportunities after service but you will have to go through a NACI background check and a few other types of background checks. The background check usually takes a few days or weeks.

That said, the military is different and requires even more background checks that are physical. So, while the background check process is happening training also begins. Basic training for the military takes about six months.

How Long Does a Public Trust Clearance Background Check Take?

When working with the public, being a person of good standing is essential to get the job. For this reason, it’s possible to fail the background check if you had a bad experience with people in the past or have a criminal record. Still, it doesn’t require any type of secret clearance and it may accompany traditional NACI background checks.

NACI Background Check FAQ

NACI background checks can become complicated and it’s not easy to know all of the answers. If you have specific questions about NACI background checks, we have answers down below.

How Do You Know If You Failed a NACI Background Check?

NACI background checks can fail for a handful of reasons and the government needs to alert you when this happens. There are several methods that the government uses to notify you of a failed background check. First and foremost, your potential employer will give you a call and say you failed.

Another way that you’ll know you failed is if you get flagged for something, like a crime. Some federal jobs won’t let you work for them if you have a criminal record, so this is important to note.

Do State Governments Use NACI Background Checks?

Yes, state governments use NACI background checks but there can be some exceptions. In most cases, any job that’s in the public sector will require some type of NACI background check. It’s better to be prepared for a NACI background check than to cross your fingers and hope that one isn’t coming.

How Does NACI Verify Employment?

Employment is verified by NACI in a few ways. The first method is by looking at the public records about someone’s work history. If this doesn’t yield the necessary results other measures will be taken like a written inquiry about someone’s work history. This also applies to education and other areas of someone’s life.

How Long Does a NACI Background Check Take for the United States Postal Service (USPS)?

NACI background checks usually take about five days. In some cases, you might have to wait longer but at most, you’re looking at about 30 days. Providing records and answering questions correctly will speed up this process. The background check process usually begins after you get through the interview process. 

Learn More About Your NACI Profile Today 

NACI background checks are a requirement for most federal jobs. Therefore, knowing what shows up on your records is a great way to be prepared. Plus, you can see if any of your records are past the five-year limitation on NACI background checks. While you can’t run a NACI background check on yourself, you can run a traditional background check with our background check tools.

When you run a background check with Information.com you’ll have an idea about what appears in your public records. Using this information you can assume that some records will also show up on a NACI background check. 

Always keep an eye on your records, even if you’re not applying for a job, just to be sure that your identity hasn’t been compromised. Checking your background regularly will also help you remove any potential discrepancies that you catch.