Does your criminal record clear after 7 years?

Once an individual has any sort of criminal record it may be difficult to get a job. Fortunately, after enough time certain convictions may not show up on your record. The following answers questions regarding if a criminal record will clear after seven years.

What Shows Up on a Background Check?
What shows up on a background check can vary depending on the employer and what type of job an individual is applying for. Employers will conduct background checks to find the best individual for the job as well as to protect themselves against any future liability cases.

Employers may check everything from criminal and driving records to medical and financial records. They might also check military records, past drug tests, and even social media profiles. An employer is looking for things such as felonies, misdemeanors, and sex crimes. Other things in a background check might include court records, warrants, bankruptcies, and federal and civil judgments.

What About Convictions After 7 Years?
Non-convictions can show up on a background check for up to seven years. Cases that have been dismissed or have gone through a pre-trial diversion will likely not show up on a background check after seven years. This means felony arrests can be reported for up to seven years on background checks.

Felony convictions can be reported for as far back as an employer wants to go. There are, however, several states that limit reporting on cases that are older than seven years. These states include Washington, Texas, New Hampshire, New York, Nevada, Montana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Kansas, California, and Colorado. It’s also important to note that many employers personally choose only to do background checks back to five or ten years.

No matter what criminal record a person may have, it’s important to be prepared for questions regarding their background when applying for a job. It’s important to be honest about past incidents when interviewing or filling out job applications.