Most background checks come back in a few days, and some are instant. Here's the typical turnaround by check and package, why some take longer, and how to speed things up.
Basic has an instant listed turnaround. Standard is listed as fast as one business day, and Premium as fast as two. A source-dependent check can extend those estimates when an employer, school, regulator, or reference is slow to respond.
That gap, between instant and a week, is the whole story of background check turnaround. Here's what drives it, and how to keep your hire moving.
Database and file searches return quickly. Checks that need an answer from an employer, school, regulator, or referee take longer.
Because a verification is only as fast as the person on the other end. A criminal record search runs against a database and returns a clear result almost immediately. Employment and education checks, by contrast, depend on a past employer's HR team or a school's registrar getting back to us. That human step is what stretches a screen from hours into days.
A slow response does not describe the candidate by itself. The order status may simply show that a former employer or school has not replied.
The package you choose sets your expected timeline, because each one bundles a different mix of fast and slower checks.
The duties of the role should set the scope. If you are comparing the current packages, which background check package you need walks through it in more detail.
You can't make an employer reply sooner, but you can remove the delays that are in your control:
Confirm the scope before the finalist stage. Check the candidate details when the order is entered. Tell the candidate to watch for the secure request and respond promptly. Start the screen early enough to allow a past employer or school time to answer.
At QSR, ordered checks start together. One slow source can hold its own result, while the other checks continue.
Use the catalogue estimate for planning, then allow extra time when the scope includes source verification. The portal shows the order status, and the specialist can ask for missing information when a source needs it.
When you're ready to start, you can place an order in a few minutes and let the screen run while you get on with the rest of your hiring.
Tell us what you need to verify and get a screening plan from a specialist.
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