INFORMATION FOR EMPLOYERS

BAN THE BOX

Ban the Box is a policy that removes the criminal history question from job applications, allowing candidates to be evaluated based on their qualifications before a background check is conducted. These laws vary by state and locality, with some applying only to public employers and others extending to private businesses.

Our Lookup Tool below allows clients to quickly check Ban the Box laws by jurisdiction. By selecting a location, users can see which Ban the Box laws might apply, which employers are affected, and at what stage a background check can be conducted. This tool is for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal advice. Employers should consult their own legal counsel to ensure full compliance with applicable laws.

State :

Jurisdiction :

ID	State	Jurisdiction	Year_Enacted	Covered_Employers	Law_Summary
1	Alabama	Statewide	No statewide ban-the-box law	All Employers
2	Alabama	Birmingham	2016	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; Convictions cannot be used as an automatic bar to employment; Applicant has the right to appeal denial of employment and contest record content
3	Connecticut	Norwich	2008	Public employers, Private employers	Background checks only after a conditional offer of employment is made; No criminal history questions on job applications
4	Delaware	Statewide	2014	Public employers	No criminal or credit background check until after the initial interview; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated (positions with a statutory mandate for background checks exempt)
5	Michigan	Detroit	2010; 2012	Public employers (2010) and contractors/vendors (2012)	No criminal history questions on job applications; Background checks only after the initial interview or the applicant is determined to be otherwise qualified for the position; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated
6	Michigan	East Lansing	2014	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; Background checks only after an applicant is determined to be otherwise qualified for the position
7	Ohio	Cincinnati	2010	Public employers	Background checks only after a conditional employment offer is made; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated; Applicant has the right to appeal denial of employment; Must provide a copy of background check to applicant
8	Ohio	Cleveland	2011	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; Background checks only after applicant is selected as a finalist
9	Alaska	Statewide	No statewide ban-the-box law	All Employers
10	Arizona	Statewide	2017	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; No criminal history inquiries until after the initial interview; Positions for which state or federal laws otherwise preclude employment based on convictions exempt
11	Arizona	Glendale	2015	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; No criminal history inquiries or background checks until a conditional employment offer is made; Cannot inquire about or consider convictions older than 7 years
12	Arizona	Maricopa County	2017	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications (certain positions exempt); Background checks only after a conditional employment offer is made; Employers must comply with FCRA requirements even if a background check is conducted internally when making
13	Arizona	Phoenix	2016	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; Background checks only after a conditional employment offer is made; Cannot inquire about or consider convictions older than 7 years
14	Arizona	Pima County	2015	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; Background checks conducted later in the hiring process (certain positions exempt)
15	Ohio	Cuyahoga County	2012	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; Background checks only after a conditional employment offer is made; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated
16	Michigan	Genesee County	2014	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; Background checks only after conditional employment offer is made; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated
17	Michigan	Kalamazoo	2010; 2016	Public employers (2010) and contractors/vendors (2016)	No criminal history questions on job applications; Applicant has the right to appeal denial of employment
18	Michigan	Muskegon County	2012	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications unless required by law
19	Minnesota	Statewide	2013	Public employers and contractors, Private employers	No criminal history inquiries until after applicant is selected for interview or before a conditional employment offer is made; Only convictions directly related to the position may be used to bar employment (misdemeanor convictions for which no jail sent
20	Minnesota	Minneapolis	2006	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; Background checks required for only certain jobs and conducted only after applicant is determined to be otherwise qualified for position; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated
21	Ohio	Dayton	2012	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; Background checks only after candidate list has been narrowed down; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated; Applicant has the right to appeal denial of employment
22	Ohio	Franklin County	2012	Public employers	Background checks only after a conditional employment offer is made; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated; Sheriff’s office positions exempt
23	Ohio	Hamilton County	2012	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; Background check only after a conditional employment offer is made; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated; Positions where there are statutory prohibitions on hiring people with certain kinds of con
24	Ohio	Lucas County	2013	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; Background checks only after applicant is selected as a finalist
25	Ohio	Massillon	2014	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; No criminal history inquiries until initial interview; Background checks required for all positions
26	Arizona	Tempe	2016	Public employers	No criminal history inquiries until after the initial interview and applicant has been selected as a finalist; Applicants selected as finalists must complete a criminal history questionnaire; Fingerprint-based background check only after the candidate acc
27	Arizona	Tucson	2015	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; Background checks only after a conditional employment offer is made
28	Arkansas	Statewide	No statewide ban-the-box law	All Employers
29	Arkansas	Pulaski County	2016	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; Background checks only after a conditional employment offer is made
30	California	Statewide	2017	Public employers, Private employers with 5+ employees	Criminal history inquiries and background checks only after a conditional employment offer is made; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated; Applicant has the right to appeal denial of employment
31	California	Alameda County	2006	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; No criminal history inquiries until the final examination stage; No fingerprint-based background checks until a conditional employment offer is made; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated
32	California	Berkeley	2008	Public employers	Background checks only after a conditional employment offer is made; Background checks only required for certain positions; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated
33	California	Carson	2012	Public employers	Background checks only after a conditional employment offer is made; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated
34	California	Compton	2011	Public employers and contractors	Background checks only after a conditional employment offer is made; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated
35	California	East Palo Alto	2011	Public employers	No criminal history inquiries until the applicant is selected as a finalist
36	California	Los Angeles City	2016	Public employers and contractors, Private employers with 10+ employees (some exceptions)	No criminal history inquiries until after a conditional job offer is made; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated; If employment is withdrawn based on an applicant’s criminal history, an applicant has the right to appeal through the Fair Chance Proce
37	Delaware	New Castle County	2014	Public employers	Background checks only after a conditional employment offer is made
38	Minnesota	St. Paul	2006	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; Background checks required only for certain jobs and only conducted after applicant is determined to be otherwise qualified for position; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated
39	Mississippi	Statewide	No statewide ban-the-box law; Local rules preempted by 2014 SB 2689	All Employers
40	Missouri	Statewide	2016	Public employers	No criminal history questions on state executive branch applications (positions for which convictions make an applicant ineligible by law exempt)
41	Missouri	Columbia	2014	Public employers and contractors, Private employers	Background checks only after a conditional employment offer is made; Individualized assessment of convictions encouraged
42	Missouri	Jackson County	2016	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications
43	Missouri	Kansas City, MO	2013; 2018	Public employers and contractors/vendors (2013), Private employers (2018)	No criminal history inquiries until after an interview and determination that the individual is otherwise qualified for the position; Only convictions directly related to the position may be used to bar employment or promotional opportunities (misdemeanor
44	Missouri	St. Louis	2014; 2021	Public employers (2014), Private employers with 10+ employees (2021)	No criminal history questions on job applications; Background checks only after an applicant has been determined to be otherwise qualified for position; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated
45	Montana	Statewide	No statewide ban-the-box law	All Employers
46	Nebraska	Statewide	2014	All public employers (state, county, and city)	No criminal history inquiries until applicant is determined to be otherwise qualified for position; Law enforcement, certain school districts, and other positions with mandated background check requirements are exempted
47	Nevada	Statewide	2017	Public employers	Cannot consider an applicant’s criminal record until after the final interview or a conditional job offer has been made; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated
48	Nevada	North Las Vegas	2016	Public employers	No criminal history inquiries until the interview phase of the hiring process; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated
49	Ohio	Newark	2015	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications
50	Ohio	Stark County	2013	Public employers	Language in an employee handbook and on job applications that prohibited hiring those with felony convictions removed
51	Ohio	Summit County	2012	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; Background checks only required for security-sensitive positions and only conducted after initial interview; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated
52	Ohio	Warren	2015	Public employers	Background checks only required for certain jobs conducted only after a conditional employment offer is made
53	Ohio	Youngstown	2014	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; Background checks only after a conditional employment offer is made
54	Oklahoma	Statewide	2016	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications other than for safety-sensitive roles and those required by law
55	Oregon	Statewide	2015	Public employers, Private employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; No criminal history inquiries until initial interview; Positions where an applicant with a conviction history would be automatically disqualified by law, law enforcement, criminal justice, and volunteers
56	Oregon	Multnomah County	2007	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; No criminal history inquiries until later in the hiring process; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated
57	Oregon	Portland	2014	Public employers, Private employers with 6+ employees	No criminal history inquiries or background checks until after a conditional employment offer is made; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated; Law enforcement and criminal justice positions exempt
58	Pennsylvania	Statewide	2017	Public employers, Private employers	For public employers, no criminal history questions on job applications; Expunged records, arrests not leading to convictions, and convictions unrelated to the job cannot be considered; For both public and private employers, convictions barring employment
59	New Hampshire	Statewide	2020	Public employers	No criminal history inquiries until the interview stage of the hiring process; Law enforcement, positions requiring a fidelity bond, and positions for which state or federal law/contracts prohibit hiring someone with a criminal history exempt
60	New Jersey	Statewide	1999, amended 2017	Public employers and contractors/vendors, Private employers	No criminal history inquiries until after initial interview; No inquiries about or consideration of expunged records and online record searches during the initial application process
61	New Jersey	Atlantic City Superseded by state law (New Jersey Opportunity to Compete Act)	2011; 2015	Public employers and contractors/vendors (2011), Private employers with 15+ employees (2015) Superseded by state law (New Jersey Opportunity to Compete Act)	Background checks only after a conditional employment offer is made; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated; Applicant has the right to appeal denial of employment
62	Delaware	Wilmington	2013	Public employers	Background checks only after a conditional employment offer is made
63	Florida	Statewide	No statewide ban-the-box law	All Employers
64	Florida	Broward County	2016	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; Background checks only after applicant is selected as a finalist; Must provide a copy of background check to the applicant; Applicant has the right to appeal denial of employment; EEOC individualized asse
65	Florida	Clearwater	2013	Public employers	No criminal history inquiries until applicant is selected as a finalist; Criminal background checks required for all positions; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated
66	Florida	Daytona Beach	2015	Public employers	No criminal history inquiries until the city has “expressed a desire to hire the individual”
67	Pennsylvania	Allegheny County	2014	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; Background checks only required for certain positions and conducted only after a conditional employment offer is made; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated
68	Pennsylvania	Allentown	2015	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications (law enforcement, firefighters, and 911 operator positions exempt); Background checks only after a conditional employment offer is made
69	Pennsylvania	Beaver County	2018	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications or inquiries about it until applicant has a chance to interview (safety-sensitive positions exempt); the County must consider any clarifying information an applicant provides about a conviction before maki
70	New Jersey	Newark Superseded by state law (New Jersey Opportunity to Compete Act)	2012	Public employers, Private employers with 15+ employees, Licensing Boards, Housing Superseded by state law (New Jersey Opportunity to Compete Act)	Background checks only required for certain positions and only conducted after a conditional employment offer; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated; Applicant has the right to appeal denial of employment
71	New Mexico	Statewide	2010; 2019	Public employers and vendors (2010), Private employers with 4+ employees (2019), Licensing Boards (2010)	No criminal history inquiries until an applicant is selected as a finalist; Cannot use convictions as an automatic bar to employment; Can not consider misdemeanor convictions not involving “moral turpitude”
72	New York	Statewide	2015	Public employers	No criminal history inquiries until after initial interview and the agency has indicated interest in hiring applicant; EEOC individual assessment incorporated; Only convictions directly related to the position or that would involve unreasonable risk may
73	New York	Albany County	2017	Public employers	No criminal history inquiries until after a conditional job offer is made; Background checks only after a conditional offer is made and only if deemed necessary for the position; Must provide a copy of background check to applicant; Applicant has the righ
74	New York	Buffalo	2013	Public employers and contractors/vendors, Private employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; Criminal history inquiries only after initial interview
75	New York	Dutchess County	2016	Public employers	No questions about criminal history, dishonorable military discharges, or firings on job applications, exams, or recruitments
76	New York	Ithaca	2015	Public employers	No inquiries about criminal history unless required by law; Background checks only after applicant is selected as a finalist
77	New York	Kingston	2015	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; Can ask about criminal history during interviews and conduct background checks during interview phase
78	New York	Newburgh	2015	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; Can ask about criminal history during job interviews and conduct background checks during interview phase
79	New York	New York City	2021	Public employers and contractors/vendors, Private employers, Licensing boards	No criminal history inquiries or criminal background checks until a conditional job offer is made; Employers must complete the Fair Chance Process before denying employment based on convictions; Applicant has the right to appeal denial of employment
80	New York	Rochester	2014	Public employers and contractors/vendors, Private employers	No criminal history questions on job application; Background checks only after initial interview
81	New York	Suffolk County	2020	Public employers, Private employers	No criminal history inquiries until after initial interview; Only convictions relevant to the position may be considered (positions with legal requirements prohibiting the hiring of individuals with conviction records exempt)
82	New York	Syracuse	2014	Public employers and contractors, Licensing boards	Background checks only after a conditional employment offer is made; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated; Applicant has the right to appeal denial of employment
83	New York	Tompkins County	2016	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; Criminal background checks delayed until later in the hiring process; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated
84	New York	Ulster County	2014	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; Criminal history inquiries only after the initial interview
85	New York	Westchester County	2018	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; Cannot take adverse action based on a conviction record until considering the factors listed in NY Corrections Law Art. 23A
86	New York	Woodstock	2014	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications
87	New York	Yonkers	2014	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; Background checks only after a conditional employment offer is made
88	North Carolina	Statewide	2020	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; Criminal history inquiries and criminal background checks only after initial interview; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated; Positions for which a criminal conviction would legally preclude employ
89	North Carolina	Asheville	2016	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications except for certain sensitive positions
90	North Carolina	Buncombe County	2016	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications
91	North Carolina	Carrboro	2012	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated
92	North Carolina	Charlotte	2014	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; Criminal background checks required for all positions and conducted only after applicant is selected as a finalist
93	North Carolina	Cumberland County	2011	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; Background checks required for all positions and conducted only after applicant is selected as a finalist
94	North Carolina	Durham City	2011	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; Background checks only after a conditional employment offer is made
95	North Carolina	Durham County	2012	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; Background checks only after applicant is selected for hire; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated; Applicant has the right to appeal denial of employment
96	North Carolina	Forsyth County	2018	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; Background checks only after determination that the applicant is the best for the position; Cannot use convictions as a bar to employment unless relevant to the position
97	North Carolina	Mecklenburg County	2016	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications
98	North Carolina	New Bern	2019	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; Background checks only after a conditional job offer is made; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated; Applicant has the right to appeal denial of employment
99	North Carolina	New Hanover County	2016	Public employers	Background checks only after a candidate is selected as a finalist; Applicant has the right to appeal before an adverse employment decision; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated
100	Florida	Fort Myers	2015	Public employers	No felony conviction questions on job applications; Background checks conducted later in the hiring process; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated; Public safety positions exempt
101	Florida	Gainesville	2015; 2022	Public employers (2015); Private employers with 15+ employees (2022)	Public employers cannot include criminal history questions on job applications; HR must individually assess criminal convictions as they relate to the job; Private employers cannot use language in advertisements that indicate people with convictions shoul
102	Florida	Jacksonville	2008	Public employers	Background checks only after a conditional employment offer is made; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated; Applicant has the right to appeal denial of employment
103	Florida	Miami-Dade County	2015	Public employers	Background checks only after a conditional offer of employment is made; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated
104	Florida	Orange County	2021	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications
105	Florida	Orlando	2015	Public employers	Background checks only after a conditional employment offer is made; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated
106	Florida	Pompano Beach	2014	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; Background checks only after initial interview; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated
107	Florida	Sarasota	2016	Public employers	Background checks only after applicant is selected as a finalist; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated
108	Florida	St. Petersburg	2015	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications
109	Florida	Tamarac	2020	Public employers	No criminal history inquiries or background check until it is determined that applicant is otherwise qualified for position (some exemptions); Cannot advertise open positions in a way that excludes those with criminal records
110	Florida	Tampa	2013	Public employers	No about criminal history questions on job applications; Background checks only after a conditional employment offer is made
111	Florida	Tallahassee	2015	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; Background checks only after applicant has been selected as a finalist
112	North Carolina	Spring Lake	2012	Public employers	Convictions reviewed on a case-by-case basis to determine relevancy to position; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated
113	North Carolina	Wake County	2016	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; Background checks only after applicant is selected as a finalist; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated; Applicant has the right to appeal denial of employment
114	Pennsylvania	Bethlehem	2016	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications (certain law enforcement positions exempt); Background checks only after applicant is selected as a finalist; Applicants accepting a conditional employment offer must provide Pennsylvania Child Abuse Histo
115	Pennsylvania	Lancaster	2014	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; Background checks only after applicant is selected as a finalist; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated
116	Pennsylvania	Northampton County	2018	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications (law enforcement and positions working with vulnerable populations exempt)
117	Pennsylvania	Philadelphia	2015	Public employers, Private employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; Criminal background checks limited to last seven years; Background checks only after a conditional employment offer is made; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated; Applicant has the right to appeal
118	California	Los Angeles County	2024 (most recent)	Public employers and vendors, Private employers	Background checks only after a conditional job offer is made; Employers must include a statement in recruiting materials that applicants with criminal histories will be considered; Employers must specifically list each job duty the employer believes a con
119	California	Oakland	2007	Public employers	Background checks only required for certain positions and only conducted after a conditional job offer is made; EEOC individualized assessment is incorporated; Applicant has right to appeal denial of employment
120	California	Pasadena	2013	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications
121	California	Richmond	2013	Public employers and contractors/subcontractors with 10+ employees	No criminal history questions on job applications; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated
122	California	Sacramento	2016	Public contractors with 20+ employees and contracts of $100,000+	No criminal history inquiries until after determining applicant meets the minimum qualifications for the position; City may terminate contract with a vendor for breach of this prohibition
123	California	San Francisco	2014	Public employers (city and county), Private employers with 5+ employees, Affordable housing	Public employers can conduct background checks only after the applicant is selected as a finalist; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated (jobs where state and local laws bar convictions exempt); Private employers can conduct criminal history inquiri
124	California	Santa Clara County	2012	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; Background checks only after applicant is tentatively selected as a finalist; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated
125	Colorado	Statewide	2012; 2019	Public employers (2012), Private employers (2019)	Public employers cannot conduct background checks until an applicant is deemed a finalist; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated; Private employers cannot inquire about criminal history on job applications but can obtain publicly available backgrou
126	North Carolina	Wilmington	2018	Public employers	Background checks required only for specific positions and conducted only after a conditional job offer is made; Applicant has the right to appeal denial of employment
127	North Carolina	Winston-Salem	2017	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications
128	North Dakota	Statewide	2019	All public employers (state agencies, counties, and cities)	No criminal history inquiries until the candidate has been selected for interview; Positions for which a criminal conviction would legally preclude employment exempt
129	Ohio	Statewide	2015	All public employers (state, counties, and cities)	No criminal history questions on job applications; Felony convictions can’t be used against certain classes of public employees unless they committed the crime while in public service; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated
130	Ohio	Alliance	2014	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; Background checks only required for certain jobs(copy provided to applicant upon request); Cannot use convictions as a bar to employment unless relevant to the position
131	Ohio	Akron	2013	Public employers	Applicants are not required to answer criminal history questions on job applications unless position is safety-sensitive; Background checks required before an interview; EEOC individualized assessment is incorporated; Applicant has the right to appeal den
132	Ohio	Canton	2015	Public employers	City Civil Service Commission may certify those with misdemeanor or felony convictions as eligible for jobs as long as their convictions do not substantially relate to the job duties or impact workplace safety; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated
133	Colorado	Denver	2016	Public employers	Background checks only after a conditional employment offer is made; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated
134	Pennsylvania	Pittsburgh	2012	Public employers and contractors/vendors	Background checks only after a conditional employment offer is made; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated;; Applicant has the right to appeal denial of employment
135	Connecticut	Statewide	2016	Public employers and vendors, Private employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; no inquiries about erased records at any point; Convictions for which applicant has received a provisional pardon/certificate of rehabilitation cannot be the sole basis for adverse hiring decisions
136	Connecticut	Bridgeport	2009	Public employers	EEOC individualized assessment incorporated; Applicant has a right to appeal denial of employment
137	Pennsylvania	Reading	2015	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; Background checks only after conditional employment offer is made
138	Connecticut	Hartford	2009	Public employers and contractors	Background checks only required for certain positions and only conducted after a conditional offer of employment is made; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated; Applicant has a right to appeal denial of employment
139	Pennsylvania	York	2018	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; HR to consider public’s interest in allowing people with convictions to gain employment before making hiring decisions
140	Connecticut	New Haven	2009	Public employers and vendors/contractors	Background checks only after a conditional employment offer is made; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated; Applicant has the right to appeal denial of employment
141	Rhode Island	Statewide	2013	Public employers, Private employers	No criminal history inquiries until the initial interview; Positions for which a conviction would disqualify someone by law exempt
142	Rhode Island	Providence	2009	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; Background checks only after determination that the applicant meets the minimum qualifications for the position
143	South Carolina	Statewide	No statewide ban-the-box law	All Employers
144	South Carolina	Aiken	2020	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; Background checks only after a conditional offer of employment is made; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated; Applicant has the right to appeal denial of employment; Employers must keep data on and
145	South Carolina	Columbia	2019	Public employers and contractors	No criminal history questions on job applications; No wage history questions at any time during the hiring process; No background checks unless a good-faith determination is made that they are necessary for the job; EEOC individualized assessment incorpor
146	South Carolina	Richland County	2019	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; Criminal inquiries and background checks only after applicant is selected for interview; Positions requiring a full background check due to the nature of the work exempt
147	South Carolina	York County	2017	Public employers	No criminal history inquiries or background checks until after a conditional employment offer is made
148	South Dakota	Statewide	No statewide ban-the-box law	All Employers
149	Tennessee	Statewide	2016 Tennessee also passed a law (SB 2103) prohibiting local governments from expanding ban-the-box laws to private employers in 2016	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated
150	Tennessee	Chattanooga	2015	Public employers	No criminal records questions on job applications; Can only inquire about criminal history through background checks after application is submitted
151	Tennessee	Hamilton County	2012	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; Background checks only after applicant is selected as a finalist; Applicant must be allowed to provide an explanation of the circumstances for any convictions
152	Tennessee	Memphis	2010	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications (certain positions exempt); No criminal history inquiries until after an applicant has been determined to be otherwise qualified for the position; Applicants must complete a form listing their entire crimi
153	Tennessee	Nashville	2015	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications (police and fire department positions exempt)
154	Tennessee	Shelby County	2020	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications
155	Texas	Statewide	No statewide ban-the-box law; 2023 Texas Regulatory Consistency Act preempted local laws that go beyond what the state provides, including all ban-the-box laws	All Employers
156	Virginia	Staunton	2016	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; Criminal history inquiries only after initial interview
157	Virginia	Virginia Beach	2013	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; Background checks required for all positions and only conducted after a conditional employment offer is made; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated
158	Washington	Statewide	2018	Public employers, Private employers	Criminal history inquiries and background checks only after determining that the candidate is otherwise qualified for the position; Employers cannot advertise positions in a way that excludes those with records from applying; Cannot use convictions older
159	Washington	Pierce County	2012	Public employers	No criminal history questions on county job applications; Background checks only after a conditional employment offer is made (law enforcement exempt); EEOC individualized assessment incorporated; Applicant has the right to appeal denial of employment
160	Washington	Seattle	2009	Public employers, Private employers	No criminal history inquiries until it is determined that applicant is otherwise qualified for the position; Background checks only required for some positions; Applicant has the right to appeal denial of employment; EEOC individualized assessment incorp
161	Washington	Spokane	2017	Public employers, Private employers	Private employers cannot make criminal history inquiries until after initial interview or a conditional job offer is made (employers required by law to conduct background checks and positions with access to vulnerable populations exempt); Public employers
162	Washington	Spokane County	2017	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; Background checks only after the applicant is determined to be otherwise qualified for the position; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated; Applicant has the right to appeal denial of employment; Mu
163	Washington, DC	Statewide	2014	Public employers, Private employers with 11+ employees	No criminal history inquiries or background checks until a conditional offer of employment is made; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated
164	West Virginia	Statewide	No statewide ban-the-box law; HB 4229 is pending in the Judiciary as of June 2024 and would ban the box if passed	All Employers
165	Wisconsin	Statewide	2016	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; No criminal history inquiries until applicant is certified for the position
166	Wisconsin	Dane County	2014	Public employers	No criminal history questions on county job applications
167	Wisconsin	Madison	2014; 2015	Public employers (2014) and contractors (2015)	No criminal history questions on job applications; Background checks only after a conditional employment offer is made
168	Wisconsin	Milwaukee	2016	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; Background checks only after applicant is placed on an employment eligibility list
169	Wisconsin	Milwaukee County	2011	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications
170	Wyoming	Statewide	No statewide ban-the-box law	All Employers
177	Georgia	Statewide	2015	Public employers	Cannot use criminal record as an automatic bar to employment (certain positions deemed sensitive exempt); No criminal history inquiries until after the initial stage of the application process
181	Georgia	Albany	2015	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; Background checks only after selection for interview; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated; Applicant has the right to appeal denial of employment
182	Georgia	Atlanta	2014	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; Background checks only after it is determined that the applicant is otherwise qualified for the position; Must provide applicant with a copy of background check
183	Georgia	Augusta	2016	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications (positions required by law to make inquiries exempt); Criminal background checks only after applicant is selected as a finalist; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated
184	Georgia	Cherokee County	2016	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; Background checks only after initial interview; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated; Applicant has the right to appeal denial of employment
185	Georgia	Columbus	2015	Public employers	Background checks only after applicant is selected as a finalist; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated
186	Georgia	Fulton County	2014	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; Background checks only required for “sensitive positions” and conducted only after the initial interview
187	Georgia	Macon-Bibb County	2015	Public employers, Professional licensing boards	No criminal history questions on job applications; All positions require background checks; Copy of background check must be provided to applicant if employment is denied based on a conviction
188	Georgia	Savannah	2015	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; Cannot use convictions as an automatic bar to employment; Background checks only after applicant is tentatively selected for position; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated
189	Georgia	South Fulton	2019	Public employers and contractors	No criminal history inquiries until after initial interview or the city or contractor determines the individual is otherwise qualified; Cannot use convictions as a bar to employment unless directly related to the position
190	Hawaii	Statewide	1998	Public employers, Private employers	No criminal history inquiries until after a conditional employment offer is made; Cannot use convictions as a bar to employment unless they have a “rational relationship” to the position; Cannot inquire about or consider convictions older than 10 years (e
191	Idaho	Statewide	No statewide ban-the-box law	All Employers
192	Illinois	Statewide	2021	Public employers and vendors, Private employers with 15+ employees	Criminal background checks only after applicant has been notified of selection for interview or has received a conditional employment offer (some exemptions); Cannot use convictions as a bar to employment unless substantially related to the position or i
193	Illinois	Chicago	2004; 2014	Public employers (2004), Private employers with 15+ employees (2014)	No criminal history inquiries until after applicant has been selected for an interview or has received a conditional employment offer; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated
194	Indiana	Statewide	2017	State employment in executive branch	No criminal history questions on job applications; Criminal background check must typically wait until later in the hiring process
195	Indiana	Indianapolis and Marion County [PREEMPTED]	2014	Public employers and contractors (city and county)	Local law preempted by Indiana Code § 22-2-17
196	Iowa	Statewide	No statewide ban-the-box law	All Employers
197	Iowa	Johnson County	2018	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications (positions requiring a full background check because of the nature of the work exempt); Background checks only after applicant is selected for interview; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated
198	Iowa	Linn County	2018	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; Criminal background checks only after applicant is selected for interview; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated
199	Iowa	Waterloo	2019	Public employers, Private employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; Background checks only after a conditional job offer is made; Cannot use convictions as a bar to employment unless the offense has a “direct and substantial bearing” on the position
200	Kansas	Statewide	2018	State employment in executive branch	No criminal history questions on job applications; Cannot use criminal record as an automatic bar to employment; Background checks only after the initial application phase; Cannot use convictions as a bar to being selected for interview; Positions for whi
201	Kansas	Johnson County	2016	Public employers	No questions about criminal history on job applications (public safety positions exempt); Background checks only after conditional employment offer is made
202	Kansas	Kansas City, KS	2014	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated
203	Kansas	Topeka	2015	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications (some exemptions); Background checks only after conditional employment offer is made; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated; Applicant has the right to appeal denial of employment
204	Kansas	Wichita	2015	Public employers	Background checks only after completion of the hiring process; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated
205	Kentucky	Statewide	2017	State employment in executive branch	No criminal history questions on job applications; Criminal history inquiries and background checks only after an applicant has been selected for interview
206	Kentucky	Louisville	2014	Public employers and contractors/vendors	No criminal history inquiries until after applicant has been determined to be otherwise qualified for position; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated
212	Louisiana	Statewide	2016; 2021	Public employers (2016), Private employers (2021)	For public employers no criminal history inquiries until initial interview or a conditional job offer is made; Unclassified positions, law enforcement, corrections, and other positions requiring background checks are exempt; Private employers are barred f
213	Louisiana	Baton Rouge	2015	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications
214	Louisiana	New Orleans	2014; 2018	Public employers (2014) and contractors/vendors (2018)	Criminal history inquiries and background checks only after an initial interview or the applicant has been determined to be otherwise qualified and selected as a finalist; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated; Applicant has the right to appeal deni
215	Maine	Statewide	2019; 2021	State employers (2019), Private employers (2021)	No criminal history questions on job applications; No criminal history inquiries until initial interview or the applicant is determined to be otherwise qualified for the position; Applicant has the right to appeal denial of employment; Positions within p
216	Maryland	Statewide	2013; 2020	Public employers and contractors (2013), Private employers with 15+ employees (2020)	No criminal history inquiries until after initial in-person interview; Employers providing services to vulnerable groups, corrections, law enforcement, and positions requiring background checks exempt
217	Maryland	Baltimore	2014	Public employers and contractors, Private employers with 10+ employees	No criminal history questions on job applications; Background checks only after a conditional employment offer is made; Background checks only required for jobs qualified as “Positions of Trust”; EEOC individual assessment incorporated
218	Maryland	Montgomery County	2015	Public employers and contractors, Private employers with 15+ employees	No criminal history inquiries until after initial interview; Applicant has the right to appeal denial of employment
219	Maryland	Prince George’s County	2014	Public employers and contractors, Private employers	No criminal history inquiries until after initial interview; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated; Applicant has the right to appeal denial of employment
220	Massachusetts	Statewide	2015;2018	Public employers and contractors, Private employers	No criminal history questions on applications (exemptions for legal restrictions where applicable); Applicants must be given a copy of their criminal history before they are asked it; Cannot inquire about sealed or expunged convictions; Cannot use felony
221	Texas	Austin		PREEMPTED by Texas Regulatory Consistency Act
237	Massachusetts	Boston	2006	Public employers and contractors/vendors	Background checks only required for specific jobs; No criminal history questions on job applications; Applicant has the right to appeal denial of employment;
238	Massachusetts	Cambridge	2008	Public employers and contractors/vendors	No criminal history questions on job applications; Background checks only required for some jobs and only conducted after applicant is found to be otherwise qualified for position; Applicant has the right to appeal denial of employment; Must provide a cop
239	Massachusetts	Worcester	2009	Public employers and contractors	No criminal history questions on job applications; Background checks only required for some jobs; Applicant has the right to appeal denial of employment; Must provide a copy of background check to applicant; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated
240	Michigan	Statewide	2018	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; Background checks only during or after the interview stage of the hiring process; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated; Positions where state or federal law prohibits hiring a candidate with crimin
241	Michigan	Ann Arbor	2014	Public employers	Background checks only after a conditional employment offer is made; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated
258	Texas	Dallas County		PREEMPTED by Texas Regulatory Consistency Act
259	Texas	Desoto		PREEMPTED by Texas Regulatory Consistency Act
260	Texas	San Antonio		PREEMPTED by Texas Regulatory Consistency Act
261	Texas	Travis County		PREEMPTED by Texas Regulatory Consistency Act
262	Utah	Statewide	2017	Public employers	No criminal history inquiries until after the initial interview or a conditional employment offer is made (positions working with vulnerable populations, law enforcement, criminal justice, tax commission, alcoholic beverage control, and other safety-sensi
263	Vermont	Statewide	2016	Public employers, Private employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; Applicant must be allowed to provide an explanation of the circumstances for any convictions
264	Virginia	Statewide	2015; 2020	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications for state executive branch; No criminal history inquiries until initial interview; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated; Law enforcement, local school boards, and positions deemed sensitive exempt
265	Virginia	Alexandria	2014	Public employers	Background checks only after a conditional employment offer is made
266	Virginia	Arlington County	2014	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications (public safety roles exempt); No criminal history inquiries until after initial interview; Background checks required for all positions; Applicants with convictions must be given the opportunity to provide
267	Virginia	Blacksburg	2016	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; Background checks only after an applicant has been selected as a finalist; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated
268	Virginia	Charlottesville	2014	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; Background checks conducted later in the hiring process but before a final offer of employment is made
340	Virginia	Danville	2014	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; Background checks only after a conditional employment offer is made; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated; Applicant must be allowed to provide an explanation of the circumstances for any convictio
341	Virginia	Fairfax County	2014	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; Background checks only after a conditional employment offer is made
342	Virginia	Fredericksburg	2014	Public employers	Background checks only after a conditional employment offer is made; EEOC individualized assessment incorporated; Applicant has the right to appeal denial of employment
343	Virginia	Harrisonburg	2014	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; Background checks only after a conditional employment offer is made; Applicant has the right to appeal denial of employment
344	Virginia	Henry County	2016	Public employer	No criminal history questions on job applications
345	Virginia	Montgomery County	2016	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications
346	Virginia	Newport News	2012	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications (public safety, child welfare, and elder care positions exempt); EEOC individualized assessment incorporated
347	Virginia	Norfolk	2013	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications (positions deemed sensitive exempt); EEOC individualized assessment incorporated
348	Virginia	Petersburg	2013	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications (positions deemed sensitive or security-related exempt); Background checks only after a conditional employment offer is made
407	Virginia	Portsmouth	2013	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications
408	Virginia	Prince William County	2015	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications; No criminal history inquiries until after the completion of the interview process (law enforcement positions exempt)
425	Virginia	Richmond	2013	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications (certain positions exempt as determined by the city)
428	Virginia	Roanoke	2014	Public employers	No criminal history questions on job applications
	State	Jurisdiction

DISCLAIMER: The information provided above is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Please consult your legal counsel to ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations.

INTERNATIONAL COVERAGE

EDIFY is your go-to solution for global background checks. Our vast network of in-country researchers allows us to conduct background checks in over 120 countries. When performing international searches please note that local courts, jurisdictions, and institutions may charge access or processing fees depending on the search type ordered. These fees are subject to change and are not included in the initial price. They will be added to the final billing at the current rate at the time of the order, along with any additional researcher, third-party access fees, or translations services required to complete specific searches.

id	Country	Service	Availability
1	Albania	Civil	YES
2	Algeria	Civil	YES
3	American Samoa	Civil	YES
4	Andorra	Civil	YES
5	Angola	Civil	YES
6	Anguilla	Civil	YES
7	Antigua and Barbuda	Civil	YES
8	Argentina	Civil	YES
9	Armenia	Civil	YES
10	Poland	Civil	YES
	Country	Service	Availability

DISCLAIMER: Country availability and fees change rapidly and often without notice from the country, courts, or vendors. We do our best to keep fee information updated as soon as we learn of changes; however, we cannot guarantee any fees shown reflects the current rate. To inquire about the current fee for a specific jurisdiction please contact our office.

PASS THRU FEES

When performing on-site county courthouse searches, motor vehicle records checks, education, and employment verifications, please note that local courts, DMVs, and educational institutions may charge varying court/service fees depending on the jurisdiction. These fees are subject to change and are not included in the initial price. They will be added to the final billing at the current rate at the time of the order, along with any additional researcher or third-party access fees required to complete specific searches.

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DISCLAIMER: Fees change rapidly and often without notice from the courts/vendors. We do our best to keep fee information updated as soon as we learn of changes; however, we cannot guarantee the fee shown here reflects the current rate. To inquire about the current fee for a specific jurisdiction please contact our office.

PRODUCT and SERVICE SOURCE INFORMATION

At Edify Background Screening, we are committed to truth in advertising by providing clear, accurate, and comprehensive information about our background screening services. We use a tech-savvy approach that connects the dots between different pieces of information like aliases, court records, birth dates, and more. This helps us build a fuller picture of each candidate. The result? You get more precise and detailed results.

The Products & Services Table below serves as a detailed reference guide to help clients understand the key attributes of each background check product we offer. This table provides insight into the following essential components:

Source Type – Identifies the origin of the information included in a report, such as county records, state records, federal databases, or other official data sources.
Scope of Records Searched – Defines the range or limitations of a data search, including geographic boundaries, time frames, and available jurisdictions.
Variables Affecting Information – Highlights any factors that may impact data accuracy or completeness, such as data freshness, reporting delays, or source restrictions.
Search Methodology – Highlights the process used to obtain and verify the information, whether through automated systems, manual research, or direct-source verification.

By providing this level of transparency, we empower our clients to make informed decisions about the background screening solutions that best meet their needs. Our commitment to accuracy, compliance, and ethical practices ensures that every report delivers reliable and actionable insights.

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DISCLAIMER: This policy applies to all consumer reports prepared by Edify Background Screening and includes supplemental information available on Edify’s website. The products, services, jurisdictional requirements, and available data are subject to change, which may impact the scope, applicability, or variables relevant to certain circumstances. While we strive to keep this table updated, we cannot guarantee that it is always 100% accurate or up to date. This information is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Clients are advised to consult their own legal counsel to ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations.

DOWNLOADS

Part of our service commitment to our clients is to provide timely updates, useful links, and news regarding background screening, best-practices for employers, rules changes, EEOC guidance, and compliance updates. If you have a specific question but are having trouble finding the answer, send us an email: [email protected] and well help point you in the right direction.

DISCLAIMER: The information provided above is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice, guidance or counsel. Employers should consult their own attorney about their compliance responsibilities under the FCRA and applicable federal, state, or local law. Edify Administration Professionals, Inc. expressly disclaims any warranties or responsibilities or damages associated with or arising out of any information, forms, sample documents, or links provided. You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Edify Administration Professionals, Inc., and its employees and agents from any and all liability or damages resulting to you, your associates, or your organization at any time from using these in part or entirety.

ID	Download_Link	Download_Description
2		Sample FORMS: Click Here To Login To Download (Current Clients Only)
3		FCRA (Fair Credit Reporting Act)
4		A SUMMARY OF YOUR RIGHTS UNDER THE FAIR CREDIT REPORTING ACT
5		CONSUMER IDENTITY THEFT RIGHTS
6		NOTICE TO USERS OF CONSUMER REPORTS: OBLIGATIONS UNDER THE FCRA
7		NOTICE TO FURNISHERS OF INFORMATION: OBLIGATIONS OF FURNISHERS UNDER THE FCRA
8		Disposing of Consumer Report Information
9		Driver’s Privacy Protection Act

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