Pennsylvania Background Checks for Employment: A Complete Guide [2025]

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pennsylvania background check

If you’re looking to hire new employees for your Pennsylvania company, it’s important to conduct background checks on all potential hires.

At iprospectcheck, we’re familiar with the unique laws and regulations surrounding the screening process for this state so we put together this guide on Pennsylvania background checks as a resource for employers.

What Is a Pennsylvania Background Check?

A Pennsylvania employment background check is an investigation of the background, qualifications, criminal history, education, and employment history of an applicant.

Employers conduct background checks on applicants to ensure they are qualified for their positions and are trustworthy and safe.

What Shows Up on a PA Background Check?

Most employers request the following searches on employment background checks in Pennsylvania:

  • Criminal history
  • Education verification
  • Employment verification
  • Social Security Number trace/Identity verification
  • Professional license verification

Here’s what might appear on these searches:

Criminal History Check

If an applicant has a criminal conviction or a pending criminal case, the following information will appear on a criminal background check for employment:

  • Case number
  • Type of offense
  • Offense date
  • Severity of the offense (misdemeanor/felony)
  • Disposition (if the case is finished)
  • Disposition date (if the case is finished)
  • Sentence (if the case is finished?

Education Verification

Education verification confirms the information applicants have reported about their education and shows the following information about the schools they have attended:

  • Name/address of the institution
  • Attendance dates
  • Degrees or diplomas awarded

Employment Verification

Employment verification reveals the following information about an applicant’s former jobs:

  • Name/address of the employer
  • Employment dates
  • Positions/job titles

Social Security Number Trace/Identity Verification

A Social Security Number trace shows the following information about the number reported by the applicant:

  • Issuance date
  • Names/aliases associated with the SSN
  • Date of birth associated with the number
  • The SSN’s validity
  • State in which the SSN was issued
  • Addresses that have been associated with the number

Professional License Verification

Employers that hire applicants for jobs requiring licenses or certifications might ask for professional license verification.

This type of search reveals the following information about an applicant’s license or certificate:

  • License or certificate number
  • Date of issuance
  • Expiration date
  • Validity
  • Sanctions/discipline against the license or certificate

Pennsylvania Background Check Laws (2025)

One of the most important aspects of conducting a background check for employment is understanding the specific background check laws in your state. For Pennsylvania, the laws are extensive, but we have broken them down for you here.

Federal Laws

Fair Credit Reporting Act

The first regulation that must be followed when conducting a PA background check on a potential employee is in conjunction with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). According to this federal law, an employer must notify their candidate of the employer’s intent to conduct a background check if utilizing a third-party company for the screening.

This notification must include the contact information of the background screening company through which the report will take place.

Once you obtain and review a candidate’s background check, you must decide whether or not you will proceed with hiring them.

If you decide you no longer wish to hire the candidate based on the information found on their background check report, you must follow the FCRA’s guidelines for Adverse Action.

According to the FCRA, if an employer decides they will not hire a candidate based on information found during the background screening process, they must take these steps:

  1. Send a pre-adverse action letter to the candidate notifying them of your intent to not hire them based on their background check report;
  2. Wait a reasonable amount of time before sending an official letter, giving the candidate time to review their report and dispute any errors;
  3. Finally, if you still choose to not hire them based on their background check report, send the applicant an official adverse action letter stating your decision.

To ensure you stay compliant with these PA background check laws, consider partnering with a reputable third-party background check company, such as iprospectcheck.

We are familiar with these regulations and can help you stay compliant throughout the entire process.

Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act

The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act is a federal law that applies to federal contractors and federal agencies.

This law prohibits agencies from contracting with contractors that ask about criminal history information before they have extended conditional employment offers to applicants.

Federal agencies must also wait until after extending conditional job offers to applicants to complete criminal background checks.

Since the law applies to federal contractors, it is critical for any employer with federal contractors to comply with it.

Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits workplace discrimination when it’s based on the protected characteristics of employees and applicants.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), which enforces Title VII, has provided guidance to employers when they learn about the criminal records of applicants.

Employers should individually assess criminal history information in terms of the duties of the job before basing a decision not to hire an applicant on that information.

Know Before You Hire

State Laws

Criminal Background Information

Under 18 Pa.C.S. § 9125 of the Pennsylvania Criminal History Record Information Act, employers can use an applicant’s criminal conviction information only when doing so complies with the following provisions:

  • Felony and misdemeanor convictions if they relate to the applicant’s suitability for the position
  • Notice must be provided when an employer bases a decision not to hire the applicant on the conviction information

Fair-Chance Human Resources Policy for Public Employers

Human Resources Policy TM-0001 was issued on May 15, 2017. This policy applies to public employers in the Commonwealth and prohibits state government employers from inquiring about the criminal records of applicants on their applications.

Public employers must also wait to investigate the criminal backgrounds of applicants until they have extended conditional employment offers.

Pennsylvania Clean Slate/Limited Access Law

Under 18 Pa.C.S. § 9122.2, certain individuals with misdemeanor convictions will automatically be granted limited access to those records.

Qualifying misdemeanors include those older than 10 years for which the individual has satisfied all restitution orders.

Convictions for which limited access has been granted can’t be reported to employers on criminal background checks for employment.

Pennsylvania also has a lesser category of offenses known as “summary offenses.” A conservative reading of 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. Ann. 9125 suggests that an employer in Pennsylvania should not review summary offenses in conjunction with the job offer.

Credit Information

In Philadelphia, PA, as of July 1, 2017, per the Philadelphia Code §9-1130, it is generally unlawful for an employer to obtain or use credit information in connection with the following: hiring, discharge, tenure, promotion, discipline, or conditions of employment.

This means that in Philadelphia, an employer cannot review a candidate’s credit history when determining a candidate’s employment status.

Past Salary Laws

While PA background checks include a variety of verifications and checks, they do not report past salary history. However, this information can still be uncovered during the interview process. In April 2018, the federal court, in the case of the Chamber of Commerce v. The City of Philadelphia, case no. 17-1548, ruled that the city could not ban employers from asking about salary history, but employers were still banned from using the knowledge of past salary to offer a lower salary.

However, to avoid possible litigation, it is best practice to not obtain past salary information at all.

Similarly, employers in Pittsburgh are prohibited from inquiring about an applicant’s wage history until after an offer of employment is made, pursuant to Article XI Chapter §181.13 of the City Code.

And effective on May 23, 2017, in Philadelphia, employers may not inquire about or require disclosure of a prospective employee’s wage history. An employer is forbidden to rely upon the wage history of a prospective employee obtained from a current or former employer when determining the wages for the applicant in question. This rule is in effect at any stage of the employment process, including during background checks.

These regulations are set in place to protect employees and provide employers with only the necessary information they need to make the best hiring decisions.

Pennsylvania Background Check Laws for Schools

Under Pennsylvania law, all student teacher candidates, applicants to private and public schools, and independent contractors that contract with schools must undergo pre-employment background checks if their positions require contact with students. Additionally, all applicants must also undergo reviews of their employment histories.

The required background check reports for applicants include the following:

At iprospectcheck, we can obtain reports from each of these sources for schools and companies that contract with them.

Philadelphia’s Prohibition on Marijuana Testing

The Philadelphia City Council passed an ordinance in April 2021 that will be effective as of Jan. 1, 2022.

Under Philadelphia Code Chapter 9-4700, non-exempt businesses are prohibited from conditioning offers of employment on pre-employment marijuana tests.

Certain employers are exempted, including law enforcement agencies, those who provide services to vulnerable populations, those that require commercial driver’s licenses, and those that are otherwise required to test for marijuana by state or federal law or that are hiring for positions that could significantly affect the safety and health of the public or other employees.

Certified Marijuana Users Can Sue for Adverse Job Actions

The Superior Court of Pennsylvania issued a decision in Aug. 2021 in Palmiter v. Commonwealth Health Systems, 2021 Pa. Super. 159 (2021). The court held that certified medical marijuana users have a private right of action under the Pennsylvania Medical Marijuana Act.

Local Laws

Local Ban-the-Box Laws

Ban-the-box laws control when you can request information about an applicant’s criminal history in the hiring process.

Some counties and cities only have ban-the-box laws for public sector employers, and others have laws that apply to both public and private employers.

The local laws also differ on whether the box is only banned on applications or if employers must wait until after an interview or conditional job offer to check criminal history.

The following cities and counties in Pennsylvania have ban-the-box laws:

  • Pittsburg – Public employers, city contractors, city vendors
  • Reading – Public employers only
  • York – Public employers only

How to Conduct a PA Background Check

1. Develop an Effective Background Check Policy

Before your organization begins conducting background checks, create a comprehensive background check policy to ensure your program complies with local, state, and federal laws.

Include information about the types of searches you’ll perform for different positions, and make sure your policy is uniform to avoid potential bias.

2. Train HR Staff

Once you’ve created your background check policy, train them thoroughly.

Ensure they know the laws that apply and the specific steps to take before, during, and after conducting a background check.

3. Follow Notice and Consent Rules

The FCRA includes notice and consent rules for employers that conduct background checks.

You must notify applicants and employees that your organization completes background checks. This notice must be on a standalone form without additional information.

Before you start a background check, you must also get the applicant’s signed consent.

4. Partner with the Right Provider

If you choose an incompetent background check provider, your reports will be of little value.

Instead, you should check the company’s reputation and choose a reliable partner like iprospectcheck.

We stay up-to-date with all local, state, and federal laws to maintain compliance, and we always return comprehensive, accurate, current, and FCRA-compliant background check reports to our clients quickly.

5. Assess and Communicate the Results

Once you receive your reports, review them closely.

If you are satisfied, communicate the results to the candidate and schedule onboarding and a hiring date.

If you are concerned because of information contained in a background check report, move forward with the next steps.

6. Individually Assess Convictions

A criminal conviction should not be an automatic disqualification for a job.

Instead, you should individually assess a conviction concerning the job for which the candidate is under consideration before you decide not to hire the applicant based on that information.

7. If Necessary, Complete the Adverse Action Process

If you decide not to hire an applicant based on information learned in a background check report, the FCRA requires you to complete the following adverse action steps:

  • Send the applicant a pre-adverse action letter explaining the problematic information and including a copy of the report.
  • Give the applicant a reasonable time to respond to the pre-adverse action letter. A reasonable response time is typically five business days. The applicant can provide evidence of the information’s inaccuracy or rehabilitation.
  • If you still don’t want to hire the applicant, send a final adverse action letter and enclose a copy of their rights under the FCRA and state law.

iprospectcheck: Your Trusted Partner for Compliant PA Background Checks

Hiring new employees is an important part of growing your company. We understand the care and consideration that goes into the hiring process, including conducting background checks on all potential candidates. That is why we offer Pennsylvania background checks for employers that are simple, quick, and cost-effective.

At iprospectcheck, we have a variety of background check packages for employment, so you only pay for the information you need. Plus, we provide other valuable services you may use during the hiring process, such as drug screening and clinical services.

Contact us today to learn more about our complete background check services and to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation: (888) 509-1979

DISCLAIMER: The resources provided here are for educational purposes only and do not constitute legal advice. Consult your counsel if you have legal questions related to your specific practices and compliance with applicable laws.

FAQs

How long does a background check in PA take to come back?

How long it might take you to receive the results of a Pennsylvania background check depends on how you complete it.

If you try a do-it-yourself background check by sending information requests to different agencies, former employers, and schools, you could be waiting for several weeks.

When you partner with iprospectcheck for employment background checks, you can benefit from our extensive access to reliable information sources and research methods.

In many cases, the turnaround time for our Pennsylvania background checks is within a matter of hours to a couple of days.

How far back does a background check in PA go?

In standard cases, a background check report cannot include any records of arrest that did not result in a conviction that are over seven years old.

However, for positions offering an annual salary of over $75,000 each year, the FCRA restrictions do not apply, and the background check can report back further than seven years.

There are no restrictions on convictions; all convictions, regardless of when they occurred, can be reported under the FCRA guidelines.

However, employers within the city of Philadelphia are subject to restrictions regarding the use of criminal records when employing any person within the city. Covered employers may only consider convictions within the last seven years [from date of disposition or release from confinement whichever is later], and may not consider non-convictions regardless of when they occurred.

What are the 3 PA clearances?

School employers must include three clearances for independent contractors seeking contracts with schools, teachers, student teachers, and volunteers who will have direct contact with children on their background checks.

The clearances include the following:

County Resources

Adams County

Adams County is located in southern Pennsylvania along the central portion of the border. It has a population of slightly more than 106,700 people. The largest city and county seat is Gettysburg.

Adams County public records and information resources:

Allegheny County

Allegheny County is located in southern Pennsylvania along the central portion of the border. It has a population of slightly more than 106,700 people. The largest city and county seat is Gettysburg.

Allegheny County is located in western Pennsylvania and has a population of more than 1.2 million people. The largest city and county seat is Pittsburg.

Allegheny County public records and information resources:

Armstrong County

Armstrong County is located in western Pennsylvania and has a population of slightly more than 64,000 people. The county seat is Kittanning.

Armstrong County public records and information resources:

Beaver County

Beaver County is located on Pennsylvania’s western border. It has a population of more than 165,600 people. The largest city is Aliquippa, and the county seat is Beaver.

Beaver County public records and information resources:

Bedford County

Bedford County is located in southern Pennsylvania along the border. It has a population of slightly more than 47,000 people. The county seat is Bedford.

Bedford County public records and information resources:

Berks County

Berks County is located in southeastern Pennsylvania and has a population of nearly 433,000 people. The largest city and county seat is Reading.

Berks County public records and information resources:

Blair County

Blair County is located in central Pennsylvania. It has a population of slightly more than 120,200 people. The largest city is Altoona, and the county seat is Hollidaysburg.

Blair County public records and information resources:

Bradford County

Bradford County is located in northern Pennsylvania along the border. It has a population of slightly less than 60,000 people. The county seat is Towanda.

Bradford County public records and information resources:

Bucks County

Bucks County has a population of nearly 646,000 people. It is located on Pennsylvania’s eastern border. The county seat is Doylestown.

Bucks County public records and information resources:

Butler County

Butler County is located in western Pennsylvania and has a population of slightly more than 198,400 people. The county seat is Butler.

Butler County public records and information resources:

Cambria County

Cambria County is located in southwestern Pennsylvania and has a population of slightly more than 130,600 people. The county seat is Ebensburg.

Cambria County public records and information resources:

Cameron County

Cameron County is a rural county located in northern Pennsylvania. It has a population of slightly more than 4,500 people. The largest town and county seat is Emporium.

Cameron County public records and information resources:

Carbon County

Carbon County is located in eastern Pennsylvania and has a population of around 65,000 people. The largest city and county seat is Jim Thorpe.

Carbon County public records and information resources:

Centre County

Centre County is located in central Pennsylvania and has a population of nearly 158,000 people. The county seat is Bellefonte.

Centre County public records and information resources:

Chester County

Chester County is located in Pennsylvania’s northeastern corner and has a population of slightly more than 545,000 people. The largest city and county seat is West Chester.

Chester County public records and information resources:

Clarion County

Clarion County is located in western Pennsylvania and has a population of around 37,000 people. The largest city and county seat is Clarion.

Clarion County public records and information resources:

Clearfield County

Clearfield County is located in central Pennsylvania and has a population of slightly more than 77,000 people. The largest city is DuBois, and the county seat is Clearfield.

Clearfield County public records and information resources:

Clinton County

Clinton County is located in north-central Pennsylvania and has a population of slightly more than 37,600 people. The largest city and county seat is Lock Haven.

Clinton County public records and information resources:

Columbia County

Columbia County is located in eastern Pennsylvania and has a population of slightly more than 65,000 people. The largest city and county seat is Bloomsburg.

Columbia County public records and information resources:

Crawford County

Crawford County is located in northwestern Pennsylvania along the border. It has a population of slightly more than 82,000 people. The county seat is Meadville.

Crawford County public records and information resources:

Cumberland County

Cumberland County is located in southern Pennsylvania and has a population of slightly more than 270,700 people. The largest city and county seat is Carlisle.

Cumberland County public records and information resources:

Dauphin County

Dauphin County is located in eastern Pennsylvania and has a population of slightly more than 289,000 people. The largest city and county seat is Harrisburg.

Dauphin County public records and information resources:

Delaware County

Delaware County is located in Pennsylvania’s southeastern corner and has a population of slightly more than 576,700 people. The county seat is Media.

Delaware County public records and information resources:

Elk County

Elk County is located in northern Pennsylvania and has a population of around 31,000 people. The county seat is Ridgway.

Elk County public records and information resources:

Erie County

Erie County is located in Pennsylvania’s northwestern corner and has a population of slightly more than 267,500 people. The largest city and county seat is Erie.

Erie County public records and information resources:

Fayette County

Fayette County is located in southern Pennsylvania along the border. It has a population of slightly more than 123,900 people. The largest city and county seat is Uniontown.

Fayette County public records and information resources:

Forest County

Forest County is located in northwestern Pennsylvania and has a population of slightly more than 6,400 people. The county seat is Tionesta.

Forest County public records and information resources:

Franklin County

Franklin County is located in southern Pennsylvania along the border. It has a population of slightly more than 157,800 people. The county seat is Chambersburg.

Franklin County public records and information resources:

Fulton County

Fulton County is located in southern Pennsylvania along the border. It has a population of slightly more than 14,400 people. The county seat is McConnellsburg.

Fulton County public records and information resources:

Greene County

Greene County is located in the southwestern corner of Pennsylvania. It has a population of slightly more than 35,000 people. The county seat is Waynesburg.

Greene County public records and information resources:

Huntingdon County

Huntingdon County is located in central Pennsylvania and has a population of slightly more than 43,500 people. The largest city and county seat is Huntingdon.

Huntingdon County public records and information resources:

Indiana County

Indiana County is located in western Pennsylvania and has a population of around 83,000 people. The largest city and county seat is Indiana.

Indiana County public records and information resources:

  • Indiana County website
  • Public records request – Indiana County
  • Court case records – Indiana County

Jefferson County

Jefferson County is located in western Pennsylvania and has a population of around 44,000 people. The county seat is Brookville.

Jefferson County public records and information resources:

Juniata County

Juniata County is located in central Pennsylvania and has a population of around 23,000 people. The county seat is Mifflintown.

Juniata County public records and information resources:

Lackawanna County

Lackawanna County is located in northeastern Pennsylvania and has a population of more than 216,000 people. The largest city and county seat is Scranton.

Lackawanna County public records and information resources:

Lancaster County

Lancaster County is located in southeastern Pennsylvania along the state’s southern border. It has a population of more than 558,000 people. The largest city and county seat is Lancaster.

Lancaster County public records and information resources:

Lawrence County

Lawrence County is located in western Pennsylvania along the border. It has a population of around 86,000 people. The county seat is New Castle.

Lawrence County public records and information resources:

Lebanon County

Lebanon County

Lebanon County is located in eastern Pennsylvania and has a population of slightly more than 143,000 people. The county seat is Lebanon.

Lebanon County public records and information resources:

Lehigh County

Lehigh County is located in eastern Pennsylvania and has a population of more than 377,000 people. The largest city and county seat is Allentown.

Lehigh County public records and information resources:

Luzerne County

Luzerne County is located in eastern Pennsylvania and has a population of around 327,000 people. The largest city and county seat is Wilkes-Barre.

Luzerne County public records and information resources:

Lycoming County

Lycoming County is located in central Pennsylvania and has a population of around 113,000 people. The largest city and county seat is Williamsport.

Lycoming County public records and information resources:

McKean County

McKean County is located in northern Pennsylvania along the border. It has a population of around 40,000 people. The county seat is Smethport.

McKean County public records and information resources:

Mercer County

Mercer County is located on Pennsylvania’s northwestern border. It has a population of slightly more than 108,000 people. The largest city is Hermitage, and the county seat is Mercer.

Mercer County public records and information resources:

Mifflin County

Mifflin County is located in central Pennsylvania. It has a population of around 46,000 people. The largest city and county seat is Lewistown.

Mifflin County public records and information resources:

Monroe County

Monroe County is located on Pennsylvania’s eastern border. It has a population of slightly more than 166,000 people. The largest city and county seat is Stroudsburg.

Monroe County public records and information resources:

Montgomery County

Montgomery County is located in far southeastern Pennsylvania. It has a population of nearly 870,000 people. The county seat is Norristown.

Montgomery County public records and information resources:

Montour County

Montour County is located in central Pennsylvania and has a population of around 18,000 people. The county seat is Danville.

Montour County public records and information resources:

Northampton County

Northampton County is located on Pennsylvania’s eastern border. It has a population of around 319,000 people. The county seat is Easton.

Northampton County public records and information resources:

Northumberland County

Northumberland County is located in central Pennsylvania and has a population of slightly more than 90,000 people. The county seat is Sunbury.

Northumberland County public records and information resources:

Perry County

Perry County is located in southern Pennsylvania and has a population of slightly more than 46,000 people. The county seat is New Bloomfield.

Perry County public records and information resources:

Philadelphia County

Philadelphia County is located in the far southeastern corner of Pennsylvania and is the most populous in the state with a population of more than 1.5 million people. The largest city and county seat is Philadelphia.

Philadelphia County public records and information resources:

Pike County

Pike County is located on Pennsylvania’s northeastern border and has a population of slightly more than 61,000 people. The county seat is Milford.

Pike County public records and information resources:

Potter County

Potter County is located on Pennsylvania’s northern border. It has a population of around 16,000 people. The largest city and county seat is Coudersport.

Potter County public records and information resources:

Schuylkill County

Schuylkill County is located in eastern Pennsylvania and has a population of nearly 143,000 people. The largest city and county seat is Pottsville.

Schuylkill County public records and information resources:

Snyder County

Snyder County is located in central Pennsylvania and has a population of around 40,000 people. The largest city and county seat is Middleburg.

Snyder County public records and information resources:

Somerset County

Somerset County is located in southwestern Pennsylvania along the state’s southern border. It has a population of slightly more than 72,000 people. The largest city and county seat is Somerset.

Somerset County public records and information resources:

Sullivan County

Sullivan County is a rural county located in northern Pennsylvania. It has a population of around 5,800 people. The county seat is Laporte.

Sullivan County public records and information resources:

Susquehanna County

Susquehanna County is located in northeastern Pennsylvania along the northern border. It has a population of slightly more than 38,000 people. The largest city and county seat is Montrose.

Susquehanna County public records and information resources:

Tioga County

Tioga County is located in northern Pennsylvania along the border. It has a population of around 41,000 people. The county seat is Wellsboro.

Tioga County public records and information resources:

Union County

Union County is located in central Pennsylvania and has a population of around 42,000 people. The county seat is Lewisburg.

Union County public records and information resources:

Venango County

Venango County is located in northwestern Pennsylvania and has a population of slightly more than 49,000 people. The county seat is Franklin.

Venango County public records and information resources:

Warren County

Warren County is located in northwestern Pennsylvania on the state’s northern border. It has a population of more than 37,000 people. The county seat is Warren.

Warren County public records and information resources:

Washington County

Washington County is located in southwestern Pennsylvania on the state’s western border. It has a population of more than 210,000 people. The county seat is Washington.

Washington County public records and information resources:

Wayne County

Wayne County is located in the northeastern corner of Pennsylvania. It has a population of around 52,000 people. The county seat is the Borough of Honesdale.

Wayne County public records and information resources:

Westmoreland County

Westmoreland County is located in southwestern Pennsylvania and has a population of around 351,000 people. The largest city is Hempfield Township, and the county seat is Greensburg.

Westmoreland County public records and information resources:

Wyoming County

Wyoming County is located in northeastern Pennsylvania and has a population of slightly more than 25,000 people. The county seat is Tunkhannock.

Wyoming County public records and information resources:

York County

York County is located on Pennsylvania’s southern border. It has a population of nearly 465,000 people. The county seat is York.

York County public records and information resources:

Know Before You Hire

About the Author
matthew rodgers

Matthew J. Rodgers

Matthew J. Rodgers is a highly accomplished business executive with over 30 years of experience providing strategic vision and leadership to companies ranging from the fortune 500 to iprospectcheck, a company which he co-founded over a decade ago. Matthew is a valued consultant who is dedicated to helping companies create and implement efficient, cost effective and compliant employment screening programs. Matt has been a member of the Professional Background Screeners Association since 2009 . When not focused on iprospectcheck, he can be found spending time with his family, fly fishing, or occasionally running the wild rivers of the American west. A lifetime member of American Whitewater, Matt is passionate about protecting and restoring America’s whitewater rivers.