Church Background Checks

Background checks that help you build your church

EDIFY is the church background checks provider you’ve been searching for; ease of use, accuracy, compliance, speed, flexibility, outstanding service, and personalized customer support.

See for yourself why so many of our clients say “EDIFY is simply the best“ when it comes to background checks that help protect my church.

The Ultimate Guide to Background Checks for Churches and Volunteers

The hassle-free and fast way to run background checks for your church 

How It Works

  • 1. Create Your Account

  • 2. Invite Your Candidate (recommended) or Enter Their Info

  • 3. Review Results and Determine Next Steps

How We Do It

  • Compliance-First Process: Doing it the right way.

  • Flexible packages: You choose. We get to work!

  • Step-by-step support: We’re here to help!

Why It Matters

  • Protect Your Congregation

  • Protect Your Community

  • Protect Your Church

Why Background Checks Are Good For Your Church

Safer Church Environments
Background checks help churches create a safer place for members, children, families, and volunteers.

Informed Volunteer Decisions
Screening gives church leaders better information when placing people in positions of trust.

Stronger Protection Against Risk
Background checks can help identify concerns before a volunteer is placed in a sensitive role.

Trust and Accountability
A consistent screening process shows your church takes safety, responsibility, and stewardship seriously.

Support for Your Mission
Choosing the right volunteers helps protect the integrity of your ministry and the people you serve.

Not sure what you need? Get a custom recommendation for your roles.

The Right Packages for Each Role of Your Ministry

Benefit from our experience of helping 100s of churches across the country just like yours, by helping to ensure community safety and integrity with scalable packages and easy ordering.

Recommendations Built Around Your Church
No two churches are exactly alike. Your ministries, programs, and volunteer roles all come with different responsibilities and levels of risk. We take the time to learn about your needs so we can recommend the right background screening services for your church without adding unnecessary costs or complexity.

Packages That Scale With Your Needs
From vacation Bible school and summer camp staff to classroom teachers, ministry leaders, and volunteers working closely with children, we offer screening packages that fit the role. Our approach helps your church maintain the right level of protection while avoiding overspending on services that are not needed.

Support Through the Setup Process
You do not have to figure it out alone. Our experienced team will guide you through account setup and help you understand how your screening program is structured. We make the process simple, clear, and easy to manage from the start.

Fast and Straightforward Ordering
Ordering background checks should not be complicated. Our system allows your church to quickly order pre-set screening packages that match your program and positions. That means less guesswork, less administrative time, and greater confidence that your church is screening the right way.

With our simplified approach, you can trust that your volunteer background checks process is efficient, cost-effective, and aligned with your unique requirements. We firmly believe in background screening with churches in mind, and we’re here to make it easier for you to make informed decisions and create a comprehensive background screening program for volunteers and employees that fosters a safe environment for everyone involved.

Protecting Your Mission: A Simple Risk Matrix for Volunteer Background Checks

Church Background Check Pricing

Full Customizable Options to fit your needs…

and flexible Pricing to fit your Budget!

BACKGROUND CHECK PACKAGES AND PRICING

Need help choosing a package? Get our recommendations.

2-minute request. Same-day response.

15-minute call to match the right package.

EDIFY CORE

$22.95

per applicant*

Baseline Screening To Get You Started

Best for: Low-risk, cost-conscious roles

Typical use: When you need a simple, fast, essentials-only screen

What’s Included

  • SSN Trace (Address History + AKA Listing)

  • Nationwide Sex Offender Registry (includes AKAs)

  • Security Watchlists (includes AKAs)

  • Nationwide Criminal Database (includes AKAs)

*(from 7-year address history)

Popular Add-Ons

  • County Criminal Search: $12*

  • MVR: $12*

  • Drug Test (5-Panel Instant): $51.95

Account Features

  • No Monthly Minimums

  • No Annual Commitment

  • No Setup Fees

  • Unlimited Users

Most Popular

EDIFY PLUS

$49.95

per applicant*

7-Year Criminal For More Confident Hiring

Best for: Roles interacting with kids

Typical use: Added depth for safety-sensitive, ministry-facing, front-line roles

What’s Included

  • Everything in EDIFY Core, plus:

  • Unlimited County Criminal Search*

  • Federal District Criminal Search*

 *(from 7-year address history)

Popular Add-Ons

  • Education Verification: $15*

  • MVR: $12*

  • Drug Test (5-Panel Instant): $51.95

Account Features

  • No Monthly Minimums

  • No Annual Commitment

  • No Setup Fees

  • Unlimited Users

EDIFY PRO

$69.95

per applicant*

Broad Coverage For Higher-Risk

Best for: Higher-risk and safety sensitive roles

Typical use: For high-responsibility, safety-sensitive, leadership, and pastoral roles

What’s Included

  • Everything in EDIFY Plus, plus:

  • Unlimited Federal Criminal Districts Search*

  • Education Verification (1)

*(from 7-year address history)

Popular Add-Ons

  • MVR: $12*

  • Employment Credit: $14*

  • Drug Test (4–10 Panel Laboratory): $58.95

Account Features

  • No Monthly Minimums

  • No Annual Commitment

  • No Setup Fees

  • Unlimited Users

*Additional fees may apply. Learn more about ‘7-Year Address History’ and pass-through fees.

We Can Customize Packages To Fit Your Roles

Expand sections below for add-ons checks to meet your organization or industry requirements. Click any add-on for expanded details

Criminal and Civil Checks
County Criminal Search*
$12.00/search
Search for criminal records in county courts.
7-Year County Criminal Search*
$25.00/search
Searches county court criminal records by assigning county jurisdictions based on where the applicant has lived in the past 7 years. Included in EDIFY PLUS and EDIFY PRO packages.
Statewide Criminal Search*
$16.00/search
Searches criminal records across a state’s available repositories where supported. Not all states maintain reliable statewide repositories, so coverage can vary.
Federal Criminal Search*
$12.00/search
Searches U.S. federal district court records for criminal filings in applicable jurisdictions. Federal courts are independent of local county courts and may include cases involving fraud, embezzlement, money laundering, drug trafficking, and other federal offenses. Included in EDIFY PLUS and EDIFY PRO packages.
Federal Statewide Criminal Search*
$16.00/search
Searches criminal filings across U.S. federal district courts on a statewide basis. Federal courts are independent of local county courts and may include cases involving fraud, embezzlement, money laundering, and drug trafficking. Included in EDIFY PLUS and EDIFY PRO packages.
County Civil Search*
$22.00/search
Identifies non-criminal civil lawsuits filed in a county (for example: product liability, civil-rights violations, or judgments for nonpayment). Results may include related judgments or conditions, and availability can vary by jurisdiction.
Federal Civil Search*
$22.00/search
Searches civil records in a single U.S. Federal District Court within a state for qualifying cases (for example, disputes between parties in different states/countries, claims over $75,000, or alleged constitutional/federal law violations). Results may include items like class actions or interstate commerce matters, and may show related judgments.
Aliases*
Starting at $8.00/alias
Additional name searches to help capture records that may exist under alternate names, maiden names, or prior surnames.

Database Checks
Nationwide Sex Offender*
$6.00/search
Searches sex offender registries in all 50 states to provide more complete, up-to-date coverage since not every state reliably reports to a single national registry. Also includes Native American Tribe registries and all U.S. territories.
Security Watchlists Search*
$8.00/search
Designed to support USA PATRIOT Act compliance by screening against 80+ U.S. and foreign sanctions and watch lists from governments and international organizations, including sources like OFAC, Interpol, and the FBI.
Global Watchlists Search*
$10.00/search
Screens applicants against 1,600+ global watchlist sources (6M+ records) that are continuously updated, including databases like OFAC, UN sanctions lists, Interpol, SAM.gov, and more.
Fraud Abuse Control Information System (FACIS) Healthcare Search*
Starting at $8.00/search
Checks healthcare sanctions and disciplinary actions using federal sources (including OIG and GSA) and FDA lists of disqualified or “totally restricted” clinical investigators. Level III includes everything in Level I, plus adds disciplinary actions from licensing and certification agencies across all 50 states and additional sources like DEA and TriCare. Pricing: Level I $8.00, Level III $16.00.

Verifications
Education Verification*
$16.00/verification
Verifies an applicant’s education by confirming a degree, certificate, or diploma (and dates of attendance and final GPA when available) directly with the school or its authorized agent.
Employment Verification*
$16.00/verification
Confirms an applicant’s work history, including employer name and location, dates of employment, and positions or titles held, directly with former employers or their authorized agents.
Professional License Verification*
$16.00/verification
Confirms active/professional license status, license type, and standing through available licensing authority sources.
Professional Reference Verification*
$16.00/reference
We contact colleagues and coworkers to gather feedback on the applicant’s capabilities and work ethic, and to help authenticate work history.
Pre-employment Credit Report*
$16.00/report
Provides a comprehensive credit history and public record information (such as bankruptcies and financial civil judgments) to help identify patterns of financial overextension for roles handling money or sensitive financial transactions. Report does not include account numbers, DOB, or FICO/credit scores, and some states restrict employment use. Check your state guidelines before ordering.

Motor Vehicle Reports (MVR)
Motor Vehicle Report*
$12.00/report
Pulls a driver’s record showing a history of violations, suspensions, and other driving activity, and typically includes license verification details (issue/expiration and related status info).
Commercial Driver Check (CDLIS)*
$14.00/search
Uses the Commercial Driver’s License Information System (CDLIS), a national system used by State driver licensing agencies to confirm a CDL holder has only one state license with a complete driving history. Results typically include identity match details, current state and CDL number, up to three previously held CDL numbers, and AKA information.
FMCSA Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse*
$18.00/query
Queries the FMCSA Clearinghouse, a secure online database that provides real-time records of CDL/CLP drug and alcohol program violations, including positive tests, refusals, and return-to-duty status. EDIFY can run limited or full queries as your C/TPA once the employer designates us in your Clearinghouse account.
Commercial MVR with CDLIS Search
$26.00/report
Provides a commercial motor vehicle report showing violations, suspensions, and other driving history, plus a CDLIS national check to confirm the driver holds only one state CDL with a complete driving history. CDLIS search are $14.00/report, and subsequent MVRs completed as a result of the CDLIS search are $12.00/report plus DMV fee.

Drug and Alcohol Tests and Health Assessments
Instant Drug Test
Starting at $51.95
5-Panel – 10-Panel: Rapid urine drug screening option available in a 5-panel – 10-panel configurations for non-DOT. Additional panels available without THC.
Clinic-based Drug Test
Starting at $58.95
Multiple panel configurations available 4-10 panels. Laboratory drug screening completed at one of 15,000+ partner clinics, with electronic scheduling, digital chain-of-custody, MRO review, automatic confirmation rechecks, and electronic reporting of results.
DOT Drug and Alcohol Tests
Starting at $50.00
DOT-compliant urine drug testing and breath alcohol testing (BAT) support safety-sensitive programs with federally regulated procedures, trained technicians, certified equipment, and strict chain-of-custody for secure, compliant reporting (49 CFR Part 40). Available for pre-employment, random, post-accident, and return-to-duty testing. Pricing: starting at DOT Urine $59.95, DOT BAT $50.
Onsite Drug and Alcohol Testing
Starting at $51.95
DOT and non-DOT Drug testing and breath alcohol testing (BAT) available at our Greensboro office or onsite at your location across the Piedmont Triad. Service covers Greensboro, Winston-Salem, High Point, and surrounding areas, with fully trained, DOT-compliant EDIFY Breath Alcohol Technicians. Pricing varies based on location, volume, and test configuration.

Specialty Checks
Medical Credentialing Services*
Starting at $649.00/applicant
A compliance-first credentialing solution for healthcare providers, practices, and research organizations to validate a provider’s qualifications before patient care or trial participation. Includes primary source verifications plus sanction and exclusion checks to confirm licensing, certifications, training, adverse actions, and supporting documentation.
Non-FCRA Process Searches*
Starting at $29.95/search
Specialty search options that may fall outside FCRA-regulated employment screening workflows. Use cases and pricing vary, call to discuss specific needs.
Tenant Screening Report*
Starting at $29.95/search
Tenant screening package options. Pricing varies by package, coverage, and configuration.

*Additional fees may apply. Learn more about ‘7-Year Address History’ and pass-through fees.

Don’t see the perfect fit? Let us build a custom package suite for your business.

2-minute request. Same-day response.

15-minute call to match the right package.

Ready to get started with your church background checks…

 

What You Will Get

Nationwide coverage

  • NATIONWIDE COVERAGE

  • FAST TURN AROUND

  • COMPLEMENTARY FORMS

  • 24/7 ACCESS

  • PERSONAL SUPPORT

What You Won’t Get

  • SETUP FEES

  • ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION

  • MONTHLY MINIMUM

  • COMPLICATED ORDERING

  • ROBO SUPPORT

Background Check Icon


Execute Ministry with confidence.
Screening that fits the role.

Need help choosing? Talk to a Specialist

US-based support. No outsourcing. No setup fees. No long-term contract.

We believe people matter more than profits…

As a trusted partner for churches like yours for volunteer background checks, we believe in the importance of people. And our focus is on safeguarding you, your volunteers, and your organization. We prioritize doing things right the first time, refusing to take shortcuts in our processes, reporting, compliance, and service to you.

As our valued client, you can expect more than just excellent service. Our commitment goes beyond mere satisfaction—we are dedicated to providing you with a truly exceptional experience. Our team, comprised of highly trained professionals, is here to go above and beyond, ensuring you have all the information you need to make informed hiring decisions promptly.

We understand that pricing is an important consideration, which is why we have adopted a balanced approach. While we are not the most expensive firm offering premium background screening, we also don’t compromise on quality by being the cheapest. Instead, we offer a fair pricing structure that provides outstanding value for your investment. Our goal is to deliver a wide range of products and solutions at reasonable prices, ensuring your hiring process is reliable and efficient.

By choosing us, you gain access to a dedicated support team that understands your specific needs and is willing to go the extra mile. With our expertise and unwavering commitment to your success, you can trust that your organization and the lives it touches are in capable hands.

Experience our personalized approach to church volunteer background checks, designed with churches in mind because we genuinely believe that people matter.

Background Check Icon


Execute Ministry with confidence.
Screening that fits the role.

Need help choosing? Talk to a Specialist

US-based support. No outsourcing. No setup fees. No long-term contract.

GOT QUESTIONS OR NEED MORE INFORMATION...

1453120807_Mail-01Send us an email

1453120755__WhatsappOr give us a call!

888-503-3439

Professional background processor

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT BACKGROUND CHECKS

How Background Checks Are Done?

A: Each package includes the searches listed in the package card. If you need more coverage for certain roles, you can add any checks from the “Customize Your Package” section, and we’ll set up matching quick-order packages in your account that include your base package plus the add-ons you select.

A: Our Core packages is designed to help churches with low-risk, cost-conscious roles and focuses on baseline screening. You can add courthouse searches or role-specific checks as needed to any package.

A: Any potential record must be verified at the original source before it can be reported, in line with FCRA requirements. Verification may require the addition of a county search.

A: No, most courts, DMVs, schools, and institutions charge access or service fees. If they apply, they are passed-through to your invoice as an itemized list, providing visibility of all additional costs incurred to complete your search requests.

A: Most database checks come back fast, often within a few hours. County courthouse searches typically return in 24 to 48 hours. Verifications (employment, education, licenses) usually take 2 to 5 business days depending on how quickly the employer or school responds. MVRs are often available in 1 business day, and drug testing timing depends on scheduling and lab processing, usually 1 to 3 business days after the candidate completes the test.

A: Yes. Many churches use lighter screening for low-risk roles and broader coverage for higher-risk positions. You can add any checks you need from the “Customize Your Package” section, and we’ll set up role-based quick-order packages in your account that match your base package plus the add-ons you choose.

A: Yes. If you’re unsure, use “Talk to a Screening Specialist” and we’ll recommend the best fit based on role risk, industry, and hiring needs.

A: No. There are no monthly minimums and no annual commitment.

A: Background checks help churches make safer hiring and volunteer decisions, especially for roles involving children, students, vulnerable adults, finances, transportation, or leadership responsibilities. They are an important part of reducing risk and creating a safer ministry environment.

A: Churches commonly screen employees, pastors, ministry leaders, childcare workers, youth volunteers, camp staff, teachers, drivers, and any volunteer or staff member who may work closely with children, students, or vulnerable individuals.

A: Yes. Volunteers often serve in roles with direct access to children, students, and families. Screening volunteers is an important part of a consistent church safety program, not just a hiring practice for paid staff.

A; That depends on the role. Many churches use criminal history searches as a starting point, then add other checks such as sex offender registry searches, identity verification, motor vehicle records for drivers, or other screenings based on the position and level of responsibility.

A: No. A nursery worker, youth leader, finance staff member, and church van driver may each need a different screening package. The best approach is to match the level of screening to the responsibilities and risk of the role.

A: Many churches screen before placement and then rescreen on a regular basis. Annual or periodic rescreening is a common practice, especially for ongoing staff and volunteers in higher-risk roles.

A: Yes. Many churches use separate screening packages for staff, youth ministry volunteers, childcare workers, drivers, camp teams, and leadership roles. This helps keep screening thorough without paying for services that are not needed for every position.

A: Yes. Like employers, churches also need proper authorization before conducting background checks.

A: A background check is helpful, but it does not replace sound judgment. Churches should also look at references, experience, conduct, policy alignment, and the person’s fit for the role and ministry environment.

A: A church can still put a simple, effective screening program in place. Even if screening volume is low, having a clear and consistent process helps protect the church and the people it serves.

A: They can be an important part of risk management. Consistent screening practices, documented policies, and role-based procedures can help show that the church is taking reasonable steps to promote safety and make informed placement decisions. Plus, many insurance carriers offer discounts when you perform regular background checks for safety-sensitive roles.