How to Read a Background Check

Employers and candidates are the two primary audiences for a background check report. Employers use reports to make hiring decisions, while candidates review them to confirm accuracy and understand where they are in the screening process.

On the employer side, a hiring manager, recruiter, or HR representative usually reviews the completed report. If there is no relevant negative information, they can continue with the hiring process. If the report shows potentially negative information, the employer follows its adjudication process to decide the next steps.

Candidates can also review their background check reports. They can double-check that all information is accurate and have the right to dispute any inaccuracies.

A background check report status shows the current state of the screening process. Both employment and personal background checks have these statuses. Understanding what they mean helps you know when it’s time to act on a background check and when to wait.

The exact statuses you see depend on the report, the searches ordered, and whether any candidate action or employer review is needed. Some reports move quickly from invitation to final status, while others may pause if information is missing or results require review. As a result, a background check may not go through every possible status. In fact, you'll likely only see a few.

Here are the statuses you may see in the Checkr dashboard:

Invitation Sent means Checkr sent the candidate an invitation link to start the background check process, but the candidate hasn’t completed the required steps yet. The screening can’t begin until the candidate enters their personally identifying information (PII) and provides consent.

For employers, this status is a sign to follow up with the candidate and encourage them to complete the invitation. The report hasn’t officially started, so delays at this stage may affect the hiring timeline.

For candidates, this status means Checkr is waiting for you to take action. Confirm that you’ve completed all required steps and provided the necessary information and documentation in the Candidate Portal.

Invitation Expired means the candidate didn’t respond to the invitation link within the allotted time. The default invitation window is seven days, but employers can contact Checkr Support to customize it.

For employers, this status means you’ll need to order a new report and send a new invitation, using the employer dashboard. It’s a good idea to contact the candidate first to confirm they’re still interested, so you don’t spend time restarting a background check they no longer plan to complete.

For candidates, this status means the original invitation link is no longer active. Contact the employer and ask them to send a new invitation.

Pending means the report has started processing, and the searches included in the background check package are actively running. No action from the candidate or employer is usually required while a background check is in this status.

For employers, Pending means the report isn’t ready to review yet. Wait for the next status update before making a hiring decision based on the background check.

For candidates, Pending means Checkr is still working on the report. You typically don’t need to do anything unless Checkr contacts you for more information.

Suspended means the report has stopped processing because information is missing, or a search couldn’t be completed. For example, some states require additional information before certain criminal background checks can continue.

For employers, this status usually means you need to wait while Checkr contacts the candidate for the missing information. If the candidate doesn’t provide the necessary details, the related screening may be canceled after a period of time, and the rest of the report may continue. Contacting the candidate directly and asking them to follow up with Checkr may reduce the wait.

For candidates, this status means Checkr needs more information from you before any part or all of the report can continue. Check the Candidate Portal for details and submit the requested information as soon as possible.

Canceled typically means the candidate contacted Checkr to withdraw consent for the background check. This status is rare and typically occurs when a candidate no longer wants to continue in the hiring process.

For employers, this status means the report won’t continue. Consider following up with the candidate to confirm whether they’re still interested in the role. If they are, order a new background check via the Employer Dashboard.

For candidates, this status means your consent was withdrawn, and the background check has stopped. If you’re still interested in the position, contact the employer and ask whether they can send another invitation.

Clear means the background check is complete, and the background check searches ordered didn't return information that the employer defined as necessary to evaluate a candidate's suitability for the role.

Clear does not mean that no results were found. It simply means that no relevant records were located. For example, if an employer used Checkr’s adjudication tools and indicated that misdemeanor records older than 20 years weren't relevant to the position, the report will show a Clear status even if the search returned those records.

For employers, Clear means the report is complete and doesn’t require additional review under your adjudication guidelines. You can move forward according to your hiring policy.

For candidates, Clear generally means the background check is complete and returns no relevant adverse information. It doesn’t always mean the report found nothing at all, but it does mean there are no results of concern that require employer evaluation under the employer's policies. At this point, you just need to wait for the employer to make their final hiring decision.

Consider means the report is complete and contains information the employer may need to review, such as criminal convictions that may be relevant to the position.

For employers, this status means you should review the report in accordance with your hiring policy and adjudication guidelines. Depending on your policy, the role, and the nature of the information, you may decide to continue the hiring process or initiate an adverse action process.

For candidates, Consider doesn’t mean you’ve been rejected. It means the employer may review information in your report before making a final hiring decision. You don’t need to take further action with Checkr, but you can contact the employer if you have questions about their review process. If the employer decides not to move forward because of information in the report, you’ll have a chance to review and dispute inaccurate or incomplete information.

Dispute means the candidate contacted Checkr to dispute information in their completed report that they believe to be inaccurate or outdated. Once Checkr investigates the dispute, the employer and the candidate will be notified.

For employers that began the adverse action process using Checkr’s built-in workflow, the adverse action steps are automatically canceled when a dispute is initiated. Wait for a response from Checkr and then consider next steps.

If you're the candidate seeing this status, your dispute is under investigation. No further action is necessary until you hear from Checkr.

Complete means an individual search has finished running, such as “SSN Trace: Complete.” Clear means the overall report returned no information that the employer needs to review under its adjudication guidelines. A report can show individual searches as Complete while the overall report status is Consider.

When viewing a candidate’s report in the Checkr Dashboard, it’s helpful to understand the various components. These include:

Background check reports aren't just for employers. If you're a candidate waiting on screening results, here's how to navigate your report, understand what each status means, and take action if something doesn't look right.

Here are some commonly used terms related to background checks and their definitions.

Whether you're an employer reviewing a candidate's report or a candidate tracking your own screening, clarity at every stage makes the process faster and less stressful for everyone involved.

Checkr is designed to make that clarity the default—with easy-to-read reports, plain-language charge descriptions, built-in adjudication tools, and a candidate portal that keeps candidates informed throughout. When the process is transparent on both sides, hiring moves faster and decisions are easier to stand behind.

Learn more about how to read a background check report by reviewing the answers to these frequently asked questions.

The difference between Clear and Complete comes down to results. Clear means that a search didn’t yield relevant negative information. Complete means the screening has finished running. A pointer screening used to determine what other checks may be necessary will typically show Complete instead of Clear.

When a background check says Consider, it means it contains relevant information that an employer should review before making a hiring decision. It doesn’t mean a candidate should be disqualified automatically.

A background check typically takes three to five days. However, some reports may be available sooner or later, depending on whether additional information is needed. For example, 89% of Checkr’s criminal checks are complete in one hour.

Yes, a candidate can typically see their own background check report once it’s complete. On Checkr’s candidate platform, reports remain visible for 12 months.

If a candidate disputes a background check, Checkr will pause the adverse action process and change the report status to Dispute. In compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), Checkr typically has 30 days to complete a reinvestigation. However, if documentation is provided to supplement the dispute, the process may take up to 45 days.

On a background check report, Geo refers to the geographic location where the candidate will work, if hired. Geo is important because employment screening rules can vary by location. For employers, this field helps apply the right location-specific adjudication rules when reviewing background check results.

On a background check, a disposition is the final resolution of a criminal case. Examples include conviction or dismissal.

The difference between a pointer search and a record-returning search comes down to purpose and results. A pointer search identifies what other screenings may be necessary. A record-returning search looks directly for reportable records from a specific source, such as a county, state, or federal court.

About the author

Hayley Harrison writes about a wide range of business topics and best practices, including background checks, candidate experience, and recruitment and retention. Her work includes educational articles, e-books, and blog posts.