How to Run a Georgia Criminal Background Check on Myself

Has it ever cross your mind to conduct a criminal background check on yourself? Honestly, it might be a good idea for everyone to do this at least one, just to verify everything is accurate. No one wants a surprise, especially if there is something at stake, like a job or a new apartment rental which both sometimes require a background check. Keeping up with your records will help you avoid unpleasant surprises if you do have a criminal history. There are a couple of things to consider before choosing which Georgia background check resources to use. An official background check will give you certified documentation, that’s FCRA compliant, for employment, rentals or official purposes. The unofficial background check will be for reference only but will give you deep insights of what’s on your background record. Most of the unofficial background record websites offer anonymous searches as well as being cheaper.

The fact is that anyone in the United States is allowed to run a criminal background check on themselves, this is supported by the FCRA. Everyone is entitled to view these documents online and it’s best practice to review these for any inaccuracies.

Benefits of  Conducting a Georgia Criminal Background Check

• Future employers and landlords may ask you questions. You can anticipate these and prepare responses.
• In addition, any errors in legal records compiled on you will be revealed
• Researching yourself will save you time and money
• You can also lookup anyone else’s criminal history
• All searches are anonymous through public record websites like SearchQuarry.com

When you conduct your criminal background check, you will find information to verify is someone is married or divorced, criminal history, vital records, driving records, arrests and incarcerations. If you find any errors within the background report, there are ways to correct incorrect public records.

This report will also show detailed criminal history such as felonies, misdemeanors and infractions as well as arrests, warrants, court records and incarcerations. Some criminal records will stay on a person’s record indefinitely where other’s may drop off after 7 years which is the statute of limitations for certain offenses.

The criminal background check may also include a Sex Offender Registry check, which searches all state registries to determine whether the person is currently on any sex offender lists. You may also find other self identifying information such as addresses, phone numbers and relatives so that you can verify that you’re looking at the correct Georgia criminal record for the right person.

How Far Back Does a Georgia Criminal Background Check Go

The seven-year lookback period of the FCRA applies to Georgia’s background checks for employment. So, when you conduct your research on your criminal background, you might see information that happens ten years ago.

Also, when a potential employer does the screening, they may not find the conviction if it was from seven or more years ago. The same will apply to other types of publicly recorded information, such as liens, civil judgments, collections, and bankruptcies originating from more than seven years ago. It also depends on if the offense was a criminal offense or if the criminal record was sealed or expunged.

Although the FCRA time restrictions do not typically apply to hiring for positions that pay over a certain amount, which limits may change over time. An person applying who has been convicted of a misdemeanor or felony can potentially have that information reported, no matter how long ago it happens.

How to Get an Official Georgia Criminal Background Check

You can start by researching the Georgia Bureau of Investigation website to find information on criminal background checks. Then, you will have to contact the Georgia Crime Information Center (GCIC) and schedule an appointment to gather information on your background checks.

You can reach the office at (404) 244-2639 and hit option one to schedule an appointment. It is possible to request a fingerprint-based criminal background report from the GBI for a nominal fee. There are also other online FCRA certified private companies that offer comprehensive and official background reports that can be used for official purposes.

Another option is to contact your local Georgia Sheriff’s office to request a Georgia Criminal Background check on yourself.  Some government agencies sometimes hire outside services to obtain certified documents from the courts or other public record resources.

Please note that third-party websites are not always FCRA-certified, so you should be aware of that if you decide to use them. Therefore, you cannot use them to check employees’ backgrounds, renters, or security reasons. These third-party or unofficial background record websites are for reference only and cannot be used for official purposes.