The cost of a background check is something you have to consider if you plan on running one. This is because several types of background checks are available, each looking into different types of information. For example, a background check that verifies someone’s identity will be less expensive than an extensive criminal records check. Therefore, it’s important to understand how much you’ll pay for a background check, depending on your plans.
The good news is that we’re here to help. We’ll take you through everything you need about background checks and how much they cost.
Read on to learn how much a background check costs below.
What is a Background Check?
A background check is a public records search that looks into someone’s records to verify identity, check for criminal records, and anything else that’s public records.
Depending on the search, a background check will search for different things. Some background checks focus more on the criminal records portion of someone’s background, whereas traffic records checks will consider someone’s driving history more heavily.
What Are the Types of Background Checks?
Several types of background checks are available. In most cases, background checks are grouped and search for a few things. However, some background checks examine a specific portion of someone’s records.
Below, we list the types of background checks and briefly describe them.
- Criminal History Check: A Look into an applicant’s criminal record.
- Employment Verification: Verification of prior employment. It may include a reference check.
- Drug Test: Tests for marijuana, cocaine, and other federally illegal substances. Varies depending on your state.
- Identity Verification: Checks someone’s identity, which includes social security number and other information (social media is possible).
- Pre-Employment Drug and Health Screenings: Done for jobs requiring physical or mental health.
- Reference Check: Employers check someone’s references.
- Credit Background Check: Deep dive into someone’s credit history. It is more common at financial institutions like banks.
- Driving Record Check: Views someone’s driving records. Done for jobs that involve driving.
- Social Media Behavior Check: A look into someone’s social media behavior.
- Education Verification: Someone’s education history is verified.
These are the most common types of background checks. Many of these are grouped during the pre-employment hiring process.
Who Runs Background Checks?
Anyone can run a background check. You can run one as an individual, business, or corporation. In fact, even the government can run background checks on people. There are some rules you need to follow, though, to ensure you don’t get into legal trouble. These rules include not running a check on someone without consent and not running background checks on current employees or domestic help.
As long as you get consent for a background check, just about anything is possible.
How Much Does a Background Check Cost?
Background checks vary in price depending on the type of background check. That said, estimating price also depends on factors like the entity running the check, how many checks are being run (bulk pricing), and several other factors. Below, we take you through factors that influence the cost of a background check.
How Much Does a Background Check Company Charge for a Background Check?
Background check companies charge more than small platforms for a background check, usually around $50 to $100. Large companies need background checks for thousands of employees and potential applicants. For example, the recruiting team might interview dozens of applicants before choosing a candidate. This means they’ll need several background checks before hiring an employee.
In this case, the company usually pays between $50 and $100 per employee. The price does climb, however, if more information is necessary. For example, credit and driving records may add another $50 to $100 to the background check process. Government jobs may also spend even more on background checks.
How Much Does a Pre-Employment Drug Test Cost?
A pre-employment drug test varies in price but usually costs about $60 for an employer. This includes the cost of collecting and having the sample tested at a lab for traces of drugs. In most cases, the employer will cover the entire drug test cost.
What’s the Most Affordable Background Check?
The most affordable way to run a background check is to have it run through an online people search engine. This method works best for small businesses and individuals. To run a background check online, Information.com’s people search tool provides all the tools you need to succeed.
You can view their full report when you enter someone’s full name, address, city, and state into the search tool. Complete reports include the following:
- Criminal records
- Sex offender status
- Address
- Email addresses
- Social media accounts
- Dating profiles
- Phone numbers
- Relatives
- Court records
- Police records
- Jail records
- Education History
- Employment history
These are only a few examples of what a full report from Information.com can provide you with. This makes it one of the best online background check tools.
Can You Run a Background Check for Free?
Yes, in some cases, you can run a background check for free. In these cases, employers can contact references, educational institutions, and previous employers for information about an applicant. They can also view social media profiles and other public records if they know where to look. Most of these items are grouped in with other background checks.
Save Money on Background Checks Today
Background checks don’t have to cost you or your company an arm and a leg. Tools like Information.com make background checks affordable for individuals and small businesses. It’s hard to beat background checks that cost less than $10 and take less than 10 minutes to get results. Therefore, we always recommend going this route.
That said, it’s best to use a background check company if you’re an employee at a large company (100s of employees) or plan on running dozens of monthly checks. They take the workload from you and offer affordable pricing for bulk offers.
