How to Choose a Background Check Provider

Why background checks matter 

Think of hiring like building a house: you wouldn’t skip checking the foundation or the contractor’s past work. Background checks are your foundation — they reduce risk, protect your people and assets, and help maintain trust with customers and stakeholders. 

They also protect your company legally and reputationally. A bad hire discovered after the fact can cost far more than the screening — layoffs, litigation, customer loss, or worse. So, choosing the right background-check partner is like picking the right toolbox: the better the tools, the less time you waste, and the fewer mistakes you make. 

Understand the legal and ethical framework 

FCRA basics (U.S.) — disclosure & adverse action 

If you operate in the U.S., the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) sets the ground rules when you use third-party consumer reports for hiring. Employers must give clear disclosure, get written consent, and — importantly — follow pre-adverse and adverse action steps when declining a candidate because of a report. That means giving the candidate a chance to see and dispute the report and sending a formal adverse-action notice if you move forward with a denial. Federal Trade Commission 

EEOC guidance on criminal records 

Using criminal records can trigger discrimination risk if policies disproportionately harm groups protected under Title VII. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recommends “individualized assessments” and job-related analysis so your hiring decisions aren’t discriminatory. In short: apply criminal-history rules sensibly and consistently. EEOC 

GDPR / UK / international privacy rules 

If you screen candidates in the EU/UK (or hire remote people there), privacy laws like GDPR/UK GDPR require transparency, lawful bases for processing, and strong data protections. Employers should provide clear privacy notices and limit processing to what’s necessary for the role. Different countries will have additional rules (e.g., criminal-record access), so know the local playbook. ICO 

Identify your screening needs 

Types of checks — pick what you really need 

Not every role needs every check. Common types: 

• Criminal background checks (national, state, county) 

• Employment verification 

• Education verification 

• Motor vehicle record (MVR) checks (drivers) 

• Credit checks (finance roles — be careful with consent and relevancy) 

• Drug testing 

• Identity verification & SSN trace 

• International checks (local criminal, sanctions, watchlists) 

Ask: what risk does this role create? A delivery driver needs an MVR. A CFO candidate might need deep credit and fraud screening. A warehouse worker probably won’t need a credit check. Being surgical here reduces costs and legal exposure. 

Position-related vs universal checks 

Make job-based screening policies and stick to them. Blanket policies that do the same check on all applicants increase legal and fairness risk. 

When to use deep-court searches vs database searches 

National databases are fast and cheap but can miss county-court records and recent filings. County courthouse searches are more thorough but take longer and cost more. Use county searches for high-risk roles or where accuracy is mission-critical. 

Compliance & legal features to look for 

Built-in FCRA workflow & adverse-action tools 

A provider must make it easy to follow the FCRA workflow: disclosure form, electronic consent capture, pre-adverse action packet (report + FCRA summary), and adverse action notice templates. Automating these steps reduces human error and legal exposure. Federal Trade Commission 

EEOC-friendly features: individualized-assessment support 

Does the vendor provide guidance or templates to support individualized assessments (i.e., documenting job-relatedness of criminal records)? Tools that help you record business necessity and mitigate disparate impact are valuable. EEOC 

Data protection certifications (SOC 2, ISO 27001) 

Your provider will hold extremely sensitive data — names, SSNs, dates of birth, criminal records. Look for SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, and clear encryption practices for data in transit and at rest. These certifications don’t guarantee perfection, but they show the company has third-party-audited controls and processes to protect data. Providers often publish compliance pages or Trust portals where you can request reports. Checkr+1 

Accuracy, data sources & turnaround time 

County courthouse vs national databases — accuracy tradeoffs 

As mentioned, national data is fast but can be incomplete. If accuracy matters — for safety-sensitive or regulated roles — require county or court-depth searches and criminal-record verification. Also ask the vendor about their dispute rates and how they handle corrections. 

Dispute handling and error rates 

Candidates will sometimes find errors. A good vendor has a clear dispute mechanism, fast correction paths, and low error/dispute rates. Ask for KPIs: average turnaround for disputes, percent of reports amended, and sample dispute workflows. 

Candidate experience & transparency 

Candidate portal and notifications 

A smooth candidate experience makes consent collection painless and reduces drop-offs. Look for mobile-friendly portals, multilingual interfaces (if you hire globally), and clear real-time updates so candidates can view and respond to findings. 

Mobile experience and consent collection 

Mobile-first consent forms, e-signatures, and candidate-facing result summaries reduce friction. If the candidate experience makes them feel blindsided, you’ll lose quality hires and increase disputes. 

Integrations & workflow automation 

ATS/HRIS/ID verification integrations 

Does the provider integrate with your ATS or HRIS? Native integrations remove manual data entry and speed hires. If you use Applicant Tracking Systems like Greenhouse, Workday, Lever, or BambooHR, confirm compatibility and ask for implementation support. 

API, webhooks & bulk ordering 

For scale, check for APIs, webhooks and bulk ordering. If you plan to run hundreds or thousands of checks, automation is critical for speed and accuracy. 

Pricing, contracts & scalability 

Per-check pricing vs subscription vs enterprise 

Some vendors charge per-check; others offer monthly seats or enterprise bundles. For low volume, per-check may be cheaper. For high volume, bulk discounts or enterprise pricing with SLAs is better. Ask for a total cost breakdown, including add-ons for county searches, verifications, and international checks. 

Hidden fees to watch for 

Watch for: county courthouse fees billed separately, re-run fees, identity-verification fees, and “rush” charges. Get everything spelled out in writing. 

Reporting, audit trails & recordkeeping 

Audit logs & compliance reports 

Your HR or legal team will need audit trails: who ordered what, when disclosures were sent, where consents are stored, and adverse action records. Ensure the vendor provides exportable logs and long-term storage options compliant with local recordkeeping laws. 

International screening & local rules 

Local privacy, right-to-work, and translation needs 

If you screen internationally, expect a patchwork of rules: some countries block certain checks; others require consent, translations, or local police checks. Vendors with global coverage should explain local limitations and supply compliant local checks rather than forcing a one-size-fits-all product. ICO 

Customer support, SLAs & legal help 

Dedicated reps, compliance experts, legal templates 

Good vendors offer proactive compliance guidance, customer success reps, and template letters for disclosures and adverse actions. When issues arise — like a high-risk finding or a data breach — a responsive partner makes all the difference. 

Red flags & gotchas 

What to avoid 

• Guarantees of “all records” or “100% accuracy” — no one can promise that. 

• Extremely low prices with opaque sourcing — cheap can mean unreliable or illegal scraping. 

• No compliance documentation — if a vendor can’t show SOC 2 reports or FCRA processes, pause. 

• Hard-to-reach customer service or no SLAs for turnaround/disputes. 

Quick comparison of reputable providers 

There are many reputable names, but what matters most is finding a partner that fits your specific needs. PPS is widely recognized in the industry for its strong focus on compliance, accuracy, and user-friendly technology. It offers a combination of fast turnaround times, customizable screening packages, and excellent customer support — making it a solid choice for businesses of all sizes. 

When evaluating options like PPS, focus on what aligns best with your operations — such as integration capabilities, data security standards, global coverage, and candidate experience. Use vendor trust pages and independent reviews to compare features, service quality, and pricing transparency before making your final decision. 

How to run a pilot and pick the final vendor 

30–90 day pilot checklist 

1. Define candidate groups and roles to screen. 

1. Run a control batch with a current trusted provider (if any) to compare accuracy and speed. 

1. Test the FCRA/adverse-action workflow end-to-end (disclosure → consent → pre-adverse → adverse). 

1. Measure candidate experience (drop-off rates, time-to-consent). 

1. Measure support responsiveness (SLA tests). 

1. Review security artifacts (SOC 2 Type II report, encryption details). 

1. Run dispute scenarios and time-to-resolution. 

Decision matrix sample 

Build a simple spreadsheet with weighted factors: Compliance (25%), Accuracy & Data Depth (20%), Turnaround (15%), Price (15%), Integrations (10%), Candidate Experience (10%), Support (5%). Score each vendor and pick the best total — not just the cheapest. 

Final checklist: 10 must-haves before signing 

1. FCRA-compatible workflow and templates (if in the U.S.). Federal Trade Commission 

1. Proof of data-security certifications 

1. Clear pricing and list of add-ons. 

1. Integration support for your ATS/HRIS. 

1. Transparent data sources (county vs national). 

1. Candidate-facing portal and mobile consent. 

1. Strong dispute resolution process and KPIs. 

1. International-local compliance coverage for regions you hire in. ICO 

1. Good references and case studies from similar companies. 

1. Service-level agreements (turnaround time, uptime, support response). 

Conclusion 

Choosing a background check provider is a mix of detective work and common sense. Start by defining what you actually need — which checks, how deep, and where — then vet vendors for compliance, security, accuracy, integrations, and candidate experience. Run a pilot, use a weighted decision matrix, and make sure your final choice gives you both legal protection and hiring velocity. Remember: the right partner will feel like an extension of your HR team — fast, transparent, and reliable.