Getting a job offer contingent on a background check can feel like a black box — you're not sure what's being reviewed or how long it takes. Knowing exactly what shows up on an employment background check puts you in control, whether you're a job seeker preparing or an employer deciding what to screen for.
Criminal History
This is the section most people think of first, and for good reason — it's typically the most consequential. A standard criminal background check pulls from county, state, and federal court records and may include:
- Felony and misdemeanor convictions
- Pending criminal charges
- Sex offender registry status
- Arrest records (though many states restrict how employers can use these)
The lookback period varies. Some states limit reporting to 7 years; others have no cap for certain offenses or salary thresholds. If a role pays over $75,000 annually, federal FCRA rules allow reporting beyond the 7-year window in most categories.
Employment Verification
Employers want to confirm you actually worked where you said you did, for how long, and in what capacity. A verification check typically contacts previous employers directly or uses a third-party database to confirm:
- Job titles held
- Dates of employment
- Whether you're eligible for rehire (some companies will only confirm this without elaborating)
Salary history is increasingly off-limits due to state-level pay equity laws, so don't expect that detail to surface in most jurisdictions.
Education Verification
Degree fraud is more common than most hiring managers assume. Education checks verify the institution, degree type, field of study, and graduation date. If you listed a degree you didn't complete, this is where it gets flagged. For roles requiring professional licenses — engineering, nursing, law, accounting — license verification runs alongside this step.
Credit History
Not every job triggers a credit check — but many do. Roles in finance, accounting, executive leadership, or positions involving access to sensitive financial data routinely include it. The report shows:
- Outstanding debts and collections
- Bankruptcy filings
- Payment history patterns
- Public financial judgments
Importantly, credit checks for employment do not include your credit score — only the underlying report. Twelve states currently restrict or prohibit employment credit checks except in specific circumstances, so location matters.
Driving Record (MVR)
If the position involves operating a vehicle — even occasionally — a Motor Vehicle Record check is standard. This pulls from the DMV and typically shows:
- License class and status (valid, suspended, revoked)
- Traffic violations and DUIs over a set lookback period
- At-fault accidents on record
Commercial drivers and delivery roles often face stricter MVR standards than office workers who might drive a company car a few times a year.
Drug Testing
Technically separate from a background check, but almost always bundled with it. Pre-employment drug panels commonly screen for marijuana, cocaine, amphetamines, opiates, and PCP. With marijuana legalization expanding across states, some employers are dropping cannabis from panels for non-safety-sensitive roles — but federal contractors and DOT-regulated industries generally cannot.
Social Security Number Trace
This isn't a separate product you'll see on a report, but it underpins the whole process. An SSN trace confirms your identity, checks for fraud indicators, and maps every address you've lived at — which tells the background check provider which county and state courts to search for criminal records. If an address doesn't surface in the trace, a record tied to it could be missed in a standard search.
What Typically Does NOT Show Up
A few things people assume are searchable but generally aren't:
- Medical records or diagnoses (HIPAA protected)
- Workers' compensation history in most states (protected post-offer)
- Bankruptcies older than 10 years under FCRA for most purposes
- Arrests without conviction in states with strong "ban the box" laws
How Long Does It Take?
A basic check — criminal history plus employment and education verification — often completes in 1–3 business days. International verifications, court record delays, or manual employer contact can push it to 5–10 business days. Expedited services cost more and don't always move faster if courts are the bottleneck.
Choosing the Right Provider
The quality of a background check depends heavily on which databases a provider accesses, how current their data is, and whether they do manual court searches. If you're comparing providers — for your business or to understand what's being run on you — Mercoly makes it straightforward to find and compare trusted background check services all in one place.
Start your comparison today and make sure whoever is running your next check has the coverage and compliance track record to back it up.