What Shows Up on a Tenant Background Check: 7 Searches

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Quick answer: A tenant background check shows criminal records, sex-offender registry status, identity and SSN trace results, and, where ordered, eviction history, credit and employment or income verification. Reveal Background returns most searches the same day. Federal law generally limits reporting of arrests and civil suits to seven years under 15 U.S.C. 1681c.

• Which searches you order decides what appears. No single search covers everything.
• Convictions are not limited to seven years under federal law. Arrests and civil suits generally are, and some states set stricter limits.
• Disclosure, written authorization and adverse action notices are required whenever a report influences a rental decision.

What does each search on a tenant background check show?

Reveal Background is an FCRA-compliant screening provider. Property managers choose from the searches below based on their screening policy. Each search answers a different question about the applicant.

Tenant screening searches and what each one reports

Search	What it shows	Best used to
SSN trace	Names, aliases and addresses linked to the Social Security number	Confirm identity and find counties to search
County criminal	Felony and misdemeanor filings and dispositions from the county court	Verify records at the source
National criminal database	Records aggregated from many jurisdictions	Find records outside known counties
Federal criminal	Federal court cases	Catch offenses prosecuted federally
Sex-offender registry	Registry listings	Meet community and property policy
Employment verification	Employer, title and dates	Confirm stated work history
Eviction and credit reports	Prior landlord-tenant judgments and payment history, where ordered	Assess payment risk

How far back do tenant background checks go?

Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (15 U.S.C. 1681c), consumer reports generally may not include arrests, civil suits or civil judgments older than seven years. Convictions are not limited by that federal rule. Several states restrict how far back criminal records can be reported or considered, so confirm the rule for each property location.

Does a tenant check show arrests without convictions?

It can, within the seven-year window and subject to state law. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has stated that an arrest alone is not proof of criminal conduct. Its Office of General Counsel guidance on criminal records under the Fair Housing Act says a blanket policy can create discrimination risk. Write a policy that weighs the type of offense, how long ago it occurred and its relevance to tenancy.

What are the FCRA steps for landlords?

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) guidance for landlords describes your duties when you use a consumer report. Follow these steps in order.

1. Give the applicant a clear disclosure that you will obtain a report.
2. Obtain written authorization before ordering it.
3. Order the report from a consumer reporting agency such as Reveal Background.
4. Apply your written screening criteria to every applicant the same way.
5. If you deny, raise the deposit or add conditions based on the report, send an adverse action notice. It must name the reporting agency and explain the applicant's right to a free copy and to dispute errors.

What is on a tenant screening checklist?

• Written screening criteria applied to all applicants
• Disclosure and signed authorization on file
• SSN trace to identify counties of residence
• County criminal search in each county found
• National and federal criminal searches
• Sex-offender registry search
• Eviction, credit or verification checks that match your policy
• Check of state and local limits, including fair-chance housing rules
• Adverse action notices sent and retained

How fast are results?

Most Reveal Background searches return the same day. County courts that need manual retrieval can take longer. There is no setup fee and you pay per report. You can create an account and order when an application arrives. For a full overview of services, see Reveal Background screening. If your organization also hires staff, drug testing is coordinated through American Screening Corp.

What do tenants and landlords ask most?

Can a tenant background check show sealed or expunged records?

Reports should not include records a court has sealed or expunged, but databases can lag. If an applicant disputes a record, they can contact the reporting agency, which must reinvestigate.

Does a tenant background check include credit?

Only if a credit report is ordered. Criminal, identity and registry searches do not include credit history.

How long does a tenant background check take?

Most Reveal Background searches return the same day. Records that need manual court retrieval can take longer.

What must a landlord do after denying an applicant?

Send an adverse action notice naming the reporting agency, and tell the applicant about the right to a free copy of the report and to dispute errors.

Sources

• FTC: Using Consumer Reports: What Landlords Need to Know
• HUD: Guidance on Application of Fair Housing Act Standards to the Use of Criminal Records
• Cornell Law School LII: 15 U.S.C. 1681c, Requirements relating to information contained in consumer reports

This article is general information, not legal advice; consult counsel on adverse action and state housing rules.