A background check is an essential part of the hiring process. Besides employment, background checks are requested by adoption agencies, financial institutions, and firearm sellers. Regardless of the purpose, waiting for the results of a background check can be overwhelming, both for the requester and the subject.

Our article will answer how long a background check takes under normal circumstances. Read on to find out if you've been waiting for a background check for too long.

Different Types of Background Checks

Before giving a general timeframe for background checks, let's first go over the common types of background checks. Knowing these will help you know how long your background check might take.

Identity Verification

Background checks often start with identity verification. It is an essential component that verifies the identity of the subject, ensuring that the individual is who they say they are.

Criminal Background Check

Criminal background checks are another essential component of background checks. It checks criminal records at federal, state, and local levels. A background check may also show if the person is a registered sex offender.

Employment History

A must component for employment, this type of background check verifies previous dates of employment, job titles, and responsibilities. Some background checks also include salaries and verify the candidate's references on their job application or resume.

Academic Credentials Verification

Education history is another verification point for most background checks. If the position requires a degree, the background check provider will check the individual's academic credentials, including degrees and certifications obtained.

Social Media Presence

A newer type of background check, background checks may include social media presence. This checks the public social media profiles of the individual to ensure their online presence doesn't contain unprofessional or inappropriate content.

Motor Vehicle Records

Motor Vehicle Records (MVR) is typically included in a background check if the position requires operating a motor vehicle. It looks for traffic violations and driving-related charges, such as DUIs.

Average Background Check Turnaround Time

Now that you know what goes into it, we can give a more concise answer to how long a background check takes to finish. Since background checks can have several components, the average turnaround time depends on the scope of your background check.

For most pre-employment background checks, it usually takes one to three days. However, your background check may take longer if there are any red flags, such as conflicting information. In these cases, it can take up to a week or two as the background check provider will need to further investigate details.

What May Delay a Background Check

Other than conflicting information, several other factors may delay a background check. Here are common reasons for a delayed background check.

• Additional Checks: While background checks usually take one to three days, you may need to sign new authorization forms to give consent for further checks. If this happens, your background check will be delayed for a few days more minimum.
• Verification Process Delays: Background check providers don't always use public records to verify information. Sometimes, they reach out to relevant organizations and people. During this process, slow responses from employers, educational institutions, and government departments are nothing unheard of.
• Inaccurate Information: Even minor spelling errors can slow a background check, let alone inaccurate details about your employment, education, identity, and so on.
• Holidays: Delays in background checks during holidays, especially Christmas and Thanksgiving, are common.

Run a Background Check on Yourself

While background checks may take some time, running one on yourself is a great way to familiarize yourself with the process and identify potential delays. For example, there may be specific details on your background check that the person or the organization that requested it may consider a red flag. This can delay your background check due to the need for further investigations.

As for how to run a background check on yourself, you'll find numerous websites. UnMask.com's criminal records check is a fast, efficient place to get up-to-date reports with all the components mentioned above.

You can get your background check report compiled from public records and web pages in just a few minutes by entering your name and city. If your background check is making you wait for too long, this can give you closure on the possible reasons.