Criminal Background Check Cost & Processing Times (United States)
Running a criminal background check in the United States in 2026 is rarely a single flat fee — the price depends entirely on who is asking and why. The cheapest route is the FBI Identity History Summary Check (IdHSC), priced at $18 paid directly to the FBI, plus a Channeler service fee of $25–$50 if you want electronic submission instead of mailing fingerprint cards. State-level criminal history checks run through each state's Department of Public Safety, State Police, or Department of Justice — California DOJ charges $25, New York DCJS $61, Texas DPS $15, Florida FDLE $24, Illinois ISP $20. Employment background checks done by commercial vendors like Sterling, Checkr, HireRight, GoodHire, or Accurio cost $20–$80 per applicant, and full FCRA-compliant employment screens with county-court searches, education and employment verification, and sex-offender registry sweeps land in the $25–$100 range. Turnaround times vary just as widely: the FBI mail-in process takes 1–12 weeks, an FBI-approved Channeler delivers electronically in 1–3 business days, and a Sterling or Checkr report on a clean record usually returns inside 48 hours. Expungement and record sealing also affect what appears: most expunged convictions still live in the FBI database flagged as sealed, but state-level checks generally suppress them.
When to use this calculator
- Immigration and visa applications requiring an FBI Identity History Summary with apostille for use abroad
- Pre-employment screening compliant with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and EEOC adverse-action guidance
- Adoption home studies that mandate both FBI and state-level criminal history clearance
- Professional licensing for nurses, real-estate agents, attorneys, teachers, security guards, and CDL drivers
- Firearm purchase eligibility checks (NICS) and concealed-carry permit applications at the state level
- Volunteer screening for youth-serving organizations under PROTECT Act and state-mandated checks
- Tenant screening by landlords subject to FCRA and HUD fair-housing rules
Calculation Example
- FBI IdHSC via Channeler (electronic)
- FBI fee $18 + Channeler service $35
- Total approx. $53, delivered in 1–3 business days
How it works
3 min readCriminal background checks in the United States operate across three distinct layers — federal, state, and commercial — each with its own pricing, statute, and use case. Choosing the wrong layer is the most common (and most expensive) mistake.
Federal: FBI Identity History Summary Check (IdHSC)
The FBI Identity History Summary, formerly called a "rap sheet" or "FBI background check," is the federal record of arrests and federal convictions tied to your fingerprints. The fee paid directly to the FBI is $18. You can submit two ways:
For international use (visa, residency, work abroad) the FBI summary must be apostilled by the US Department of State Office of Authentications — currently $8 federal apostille fee, with state-level apostilles for state-issued checks running $20–$40.
State-level criminal history checks
Each state maintains its own criminal repository through the State Police, Department of Public Safety, or Department of Justice. Common 2026 fees:
State checks pull from that state only — they do not include arrests or convictions from other states. For multi-state coverage you need either the FBI IdHSC or a commercial multi-state-sex-offender + county-court product.
Commercial employment background checks (FCRA)
When an employer runs a background check, it is governed by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and is performed by a Consumer Reporting Agency (CRA): Sterling, Checkr, HireRight, GoodHire, Accurio, Cisive, First Advantage, and similar. Typical employer-side pricing:
FCRA requires the employer to (1) provide written disclosure and obtain written authorization before pulling the report, (2) give a pre-adverse-action notice with a copy of the report and the FTC "Summary of Your Rights" before declining the candidate, and (3) issue a final adverse-action notice. EEOC guidance (2012) requires an individualized assessment of nature of the offense, time elapsed, and relevance to the job — blanket no-felons policies trigger disparate-impact liability.
Ban-the-Box and clean-slate laws
As of 2026, 37 states and over 150 cities have Ban-the-Box laws restricting when employers can ask about criminal history. State-employer rules cover CA, NY, IL, NJ, MA, CT, MN, OR, WA, CO, RI, VT, NM, HI, MD, GA, DE, KY, LA, MO, NE, NV, OH, OK, PA, TN, UT, VA, WI, AZ, IN, KS, MI, NH, NC, SC, WV. Fair-chance private-employer laws (covering all employers) exist in CA, CO, CT, DC, HI, IL, MA, MN, NJ, NM, NY, OR, RI, VT, WA. Several states (PA, MI, UT, NJ, CA) have automatic clean-slate / record-sealing laws that purge eligible records after a clean period.
Expungement, sealing, and what shows up
Expungement (court-ordered destruction) and sealing (hidden from public view) are state remedies. An expunged state conviction generally will not appear on a state check or a commercial FCRA report — but it usually remains in the FBI's NGI database flagged as sealed, accessible only to law enforcement and certain federal employers. Federal convictions cannot be expunged outside of a presidential pardon. The FCRA bars CRAs from reporting non-conviction arrest records older than seven years; convictions can be reported indefinitely (state law may shorten this — CA, MA, NY, NM, KS, MD, MT, NH, WA cap at seven years).
Live Scan vs. ink card
Live Scan captures fingerprints electronically at a licensed location (Channeler, sheriff's office, UPS Store with IdentoGO kiosk). Ink card (FD-258) is the traditional rolled-ink card — accepted by the FBI for mail-in IdHSC requests. The FBI sends a blank FD-258 free on request; many local police departments will roll prints for $10–$20.
For most 2026 use cases, the right combination is: Channeler-submitted Live Scan + FBI IdHSC + (if international) State Department apostille — total $50–$95, delivered in under a week.
Frequently asked questions
How much does an FBI background check cost in 2026?
The FBI charges $18 for the Identity History Summary Check (IdHSC) regardless of submission method. If you mail fingerprint card FD-258 directly to the FBI in Clarksburg, WV, your total is $18 plus shipping, turnaround 1–12 weeks. If you use an FBI-approved Channeler (Accurate Biometrics, IdentoGO/Idemia, Fieldprint, Inquiries Inc., National Background Check Inc.) for electronic submission, you pay the $18 FBI fee plus a Channeler service fee of $25–$50, total roughly $43–$68, delivered in 1–3 business days. The Channeler typically includes Live Scan fingerprint capture at no extra charge.
How long does an FBI background check take?
Mail submission with FD-258 fingerprint card takes 1–12 weeks (often 4–6 weeks in 2026). Channeler electronic submission delivers in 1–3 business days, sometimes same-day for early-morning submissions. State checks vary: California Live Scan returns in 3–7 days, Texas name-based CCH is instant online ($15 via Texas.gov), New York OCA name check takes 7–10 business days. Commercial FCRA employment checks typically complete inside 48 hours for clean records and 3–7 days when county-court hits require manual verification.
Will an expunged record show up on a background check?
It depends on which check. State criminal-history checks (CA DOJ, NY DCJS, TX DPS, etc.) generally suppress expunged or sealed records — they do not appear on personal-use or commercial reports. FCRA-regulated commercial reports from Sterling, Checkr, HireRight, etc. also exclude properly expunged records and cannot report non-conviction arrests older than seven years. The FBI Identity History Summary, however, retains expunged convictions in the NGI database flagged as sealed; they remain visible to federal law enforcement and certain federal-employer and security-clearance reviewers but not to most private employers. Federal convictions cannot be expunged absent a presidential pardon.
What is the difference between a state and federal background check?
A state check pulls criminal records only from that state's repository (State Police, DOJ, or Department of Public Safety) — for example California DOJ at $25 or New York DCJS at $61.50. It misses arrests or convictions from any other state. The FBI Identity History Summary ($18 + Channeler fee) is a federal fingerprint-based check covering arrests submitted to the FBI by any US law-enforcement agency nationwide, plus federal convictions. For multi-state coverage without the FBI, commercial CRAs use a national criminal-database sweep plus county-court searches at every reported address — that is what FCRA employment screens are built on.
Do I need an apostille on my FBI background check for international use?
Yes, for any country in the Hague Apostille Convention. Embassies, immigration ministries, and foreign employers require the FBI Identity History Summary to be apostilled by the US Department of State Office of Authentications in Washington DC — current fee $8 per document, processing 3–5 weeks by mail or same-day in person by appointment. Several Channelers (Monument Visa, IDENTOGO, National Background Check Inc.) offer combined Live Scan + FBI submission + apostille for $90–$150 total. State-issued background checks for international use need a state-level apostille from the Secretary of State of the issuing state, typically $20–$40.
Is Live Scan fingerprinting free?
Almost never. Live Scan capture itself is a service charge of $15–$30 collected by the licensed operator (UPS Store with IdentoGO, sheriff's substation, dedicated Channeler office). On top of that you pay the FBI fee ($18) and/or the state DOJ fee (CA $25, etc.). Some employers cover the full cost as part of onboarding, and some volunteer-screening programs for youth-serving organizations qualify for reduced or waived fees under the National Child Protection Act. The traditional ink fingerprint card (FD-258) is mailed free by the FBI on request, but you still pay a local police department $10–$20 to roll the prints.
Does my state have a Ban-the-Box law?
As of 2026, 37 states plus over 150 cities and counties have Ban-the-Box laws. All state-government employers in CA, NY, IL, NJ, MA, CT, MN, OR, WA, CO, RI, VT, NM, HI, MD, GA, DE, KY, LA, MO, NE, NV, OH, OK, PA, TN, UT, VA, WI, AZ, IN, KS, MI, NH, NC, SC, WV must delay the criminal-history question until after a conditional offer. Fair-chance laws covering private employers exist in California, Colorado, Connecticut, DC, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington. Cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Austin go further. Even where legal, EEOC guidance requires individualized assessment — blanket exclusions of all felony convictions create disparate-impact liability under Title VII.
How much do employment background checks cost employers?
Commercial FCRA-compliant screens through Sterling, Checkr, HireRight, GoodHire, Accurio, Cisive, or First Advantage typically run $20–$30 for a basic package (SSN trace, national criminal database, sex-offender registry), $30–$50 for a standard package adding 7-year county-court searches at every reported address, and $60–$100+ for a comprehensive package adding education verification, prior-employment verification, motor-vehicle record, professional-license verification, and drug screening. Volume buyers and ATS-integrated accounts negotiate lower per-report rates. Note that the employer pays the CRA — applicants should not be charged for an employment background check, and several states (NY, CA) explicitly prohibit passing the cost to the candidate.
Can I get a copy of my own FBI background check?
Yes. You have the right under the Privacy Act to request your own FBI Identity History Summary. Apply directly at edo.cjis.gov for electronic submission or mail fingerprint card FD-258 to FBI CJIS in Clarksburg, WV with a $18 money order. Channelers also process personal-use requests in 1–3 business days. The result is sent only to you — the FBI does not forward personal IdHSC results to employers. If an employer wants a federal check they must use an FCRA-compliant CRA, not the IdHSC.