Written by Background Check Repair
Background Checks | June 7, 2024
Table of Contents
Some individuals applying for a position at Amazon might be wondering about how far back does Amazon background screening go?
Since many states limit the amount of time a background check can examine, whether the criminal history search will go back 7 or 10 years depends on the state where it was administered.
Although it is unclear which background checks for Amazon go back 10 years instead of the industry-standard 7 years, by understanding the laws outlined by each state, anyone can determine if their background check will look at the last seven years of criminal history, or longer.
This complete guide explains the answer to how far back does an Amazon background check go, in every state.
When it comes to how far back does Amazon background check go, the answer will depend on the state the background check is taking place in.
Most states do not have any laws regarding employer background checks besides those outlined by the FCRA.1
Since the FCRA does not have any regulations regarding how far back an employer background check can go when it comes to conviction information,2 then Amazon is legally allowed to search an individual’s entire criminal history in these states.
However, Amazon will generally only go back 7 years on a background check, even in states where they are allowed to go more.
With more and more states adopting laws that limit employer background checks to only going back 7 years, most background check companies are simply adopting these policies across the board. It’s simply easier for these companies to have a single policy they use for all their checks, rather than modifying their policy for each state.
Amazon’s official background check policy is to go back 7-10 years for all employees.
The vast majority of employees will undergo a 7-year background check, which usually involves a county-level criminal history check for every county the individual has lived in during the last 7 years.
However, there are some cases, mainly high-ranking positions, when Amazon will go back a full 10 years for the criminal history check.
One thing individuals should be aware of is that it is possible for criminal history information that is older than 7 years to appear on an Amazon background check.
Since the check is performed by examining county-level criminal history records for every county the individual has lived in during the last 7 years, if the individual was convicted of a crime 20 years ago in the same county they currently live in, there is a good chance that this information will appear.
This shouldn’t be a major cause for concern as Amazon will only consider recent criminal history records when making the decision.
However, if the individual indicated on their application that they have never been convicted of a crime, then a conviction appearing on their background check could be cause for disqualification.
When in doubt, individuals should always try and perform a single records check on themselves beforehand. This will give individuals a chance to fix any mistakes on their checks as well as a chance to know exactly what will show up on the check.
Individuals can run a background check on themselves using the search bar at the top of this page to perform a free public record search on any name entered.
As far as background checks for major corporations, the Amazon background check is fairly standard and is comparable to the checks performed by other large corporations like Home Depot or UPS.
When it comes to how far back does Amazon background check go, their 7-10 year policy is also standard procedure for a company of its size.
All applicants to Amazon will be subject to a background check as a condition of employment. Although individuals are free to decline a background check, they will no longer be eligible for employment with Amazon.
Because of this, passing a background investigation can be challenging for some people. As a result, some people avail of trial records search services to review their own records.
When it comes to what does Amazon background check look for, all of the checks that Amazon performs are fairly standard considering the size of the company and the work that most positions entail.
Amazon uses a private background check agency that performs name-based checks on all applicants using a variety of public information. Criminal history information is generally searched at the national and county levels using the information the individual included on their application.
A typical Amazon background check will include checks of the following information.
As mentioned, Amazon does not perform any unique checks on its employees. Besides the checks listed above, many Amazon positions will be required to pass a few more checks.
Amazon delivery drivers will be required to undergo a driving record check to ensure they do not have too many accidents or traffic infractions on their records, as well as a drug test.
Some high-ranking positions at Amazon will also be required to undergo a credit history check, especially positions involving financial aspects of the company.
Many people will be eager to start their new job with Amazon and will be wondering, how long does Amazon background check take, luckily the wait time is fairly short.
Since Amazon uses a name-based background check, as opposed to a fingerprint-based background check, the check should be completed in less than a week in many cases.
However, individuals should be prepared for the check to take longer in some cases, mainly due to the massive amounts of applicants that a company of Amazon’s size needs to screen each week.
Some individuals will be trying to get everything they need in order before they even apply for a job at Amazon. Those wondering about the requirements for a background investigation for Amazon will be pleased to know that individuals only need some basic information about themselves.
The Amazon background check can be completed using the individual’s basic information such as their name and social security number. For the criminal history check, individuals will need to submit their last 7 years of address.
Many positions will also involve verification of education and employment history, so individuals will likely want to submit this information as well on the initial application. Certain positions will also require individuals to pass a drug test.
If the position the individual applied for requires a drug test, the hiring manager will reach out with instructions on where and how to schedule an appointment with a company that performs drug tests. Finally, federal law requires that employer background checks obtain written consent from the individual to perform a background check.5
Some individuals will be worried about criminal history information from years ago having an effect on their background check. Those wondering how far back into a person’s past a background check can dig up for Amazon employees (all levels) should know that Amazon background checks will go back 10 years at most.
Most entry-level employees such as Amazon warehouse employees and Amazon delivery drivers should expect their background check to go back 7 years. High-ranking jobs that have access to sensitive information or large amounts of company money will likely undergo a full 10-year background check.
Those wondering how to check status of Amazon background check, will have a few ways of doing so.
The easiest and recommended way to check the status of your check is to access the same website where the check was submitted. Most individuals will receive an email link from Amazon where individuals can access the website of the background check service.
Once submitted, individuals can log on to the background check portal to check the status or can wait for email updates in many cases. If there is an issue using this method, individuals can contact the background check service directly to help diagnose the issue or contact their hiring manager for more information.
Some people might have waited several weeks to find their Amazon background check still pending, although this might be annoying it is no cause for concern. As mentioned, background checks will usually take a week but sometimes issues outside the applicant’s control cause the check to take longer.
Some individuals have even reported the check taking up to a month to complete. As long as there is no status update in regards to needing additional information, then applicants should simply wait patiently.
Many individuals will be confused when they receive an email that states their Amazon background check completed, however, this is a good thing in most cases. The background check service will email individuals when the background check is completed, many people will see this and get worried that the update didn’t indicate if they passed or not, however, this is more of a technicality.
Although the background check service that Amazon uses performs the check, it is ultimately up to Amazon to decide if the individual passed the check, based on their own policies. Once the check is completed, the information will be sent to Amazon which will review the information and decide if they want to extend a job offer to the applicant.
One of the more perplexing updates individuals might receive about their checks is, Amazon background verification failed. This update simply means that information on the individual’s background check could not be verified.
This could indicate a problem with the individual’s past employers or education information. An extreme example of a failed verification is if an individual claims to have a college degree when they do not.
This kind of discrepancy will cause disqualification. However, smaller discrepancies like GPA being incorrect will often be overlooked.
Sometimes applicants will be surprised to receive a status update of, Amazon background check denied. Although this can be frustrating, there are still a few things individuals can do.
Federal law requires that individuals who failed background checks be notified of the information that was found that led to the denial.6 In some cases, this will be a result of the information being incorrect.
Should this happen, the background check service will provide detailed instructions on how to dispute the results of the check in order to rectify the information.
If the information on the report is correct, individuals may need to contact the hiring manager they worked with to figure out what the problem was and if there are any options available to reapply.
So, how do you know if you passed Amazon background check, most individuals will find out soon after the check is completed. As soon as the check is completed, Amazon will also be notified about the check and will usually extend a job offer via email, assuming the check was passed.
Individuals who did not pass will be contacted via email by the background check service with the specific information that was found on the check that led to the disqualification.
Many individuals have reported their Amazon background check taking forever, although this can be frustrating for individuals who wanted to get to work right away, this is nothing to be concerned about.
Amazon is a massive company with thousands of employees, and Amazon’s hiring practices can also lead to delays.
One of the most common reasons for delays in background checks is a sudden large influx of checks causing a backlog. Since Amazon tends to do large hiring events where hundreds of applications are sent out at once, this can lead to extensive delays.
Those trying to find an Amazon background check number will need first to identify what company was used for their background check.
Amazon contracts with several different background check companies so individuals will need to look at the emails they have received from the hiring manager in order to call the company about any issues.
Some individuals will want to do research on the Amazon background check company before submitting an application. Unfortunately, this can be somewhat difficult as Amazon has used several different companies.
In the United States, Amazon currently uses Accurate for its background checks.
One of the concerns for individuals that have records on their file is if unsettled charges may appear on a background check report?
Background checks are fairly confusing and many individuals will be wondering, do pending charges show up on background checks, and might be disappointed by the answer.
Since background checks rely on court documents, any charges that have been officially filed will appear on a background check.
When it comes to out of state crimes showing up on a records check, it will depend slightly on the kind of check being performed, although most checks will include national crime data.
Most private background checks these days are on a mixture of local and national databases to conduct their checks so an out-of-state conviction will likely appear on most background checks.
Amazon background checks will go back 7-10 years for all positions. Being prepared for an in-depth records check is the best thing that an individual can do to improve their chances of passing.
You don’t have to shell out money for a records check as there are services that offer a free trial. Knowing the answer to questions like how far back does Amazon background check go, will allow individuals to prepare for their checks and complete the process as quickly as possible.
Amazon’s official policy is that checks go back 7-10 years, there are a number of ways that older crimes will appear on the check. When it comes to how far back does Amazon background check go, individuals should treat every check like it will go back forever.
Amazon currently uses Accurate, to perform pre-employment background checks.
Individuals who have not been convicted of violent misdemeanors will have a fairly good chance of having their misdemeanors overlooked.
All Amazon background checks will go back 7 -10 years.
Individuals should contact the hiring manager to learn about the reason for the failure and what options are available.
Accurate is a private background check service that Amazon uses to conduct pre-employment checks on applicants to the company.
Accurate background checks will verify identity, employment, and education information as well as perform criminal history checks on all applicants.
Amazon background check requirements are fairly standard. Individuals will need to submit their personal information such as their name and SSN, as well as the last 7 years of addresses they have resided in.
A background check status of “in progress,” simply means the check is still being performed by the background check agency.
1United States Government. (2022, October 27). Fair Credit Reporting Act. Federal Trade Commission. Retrieved November 26, 2022, from <https://www.ftc.gov/legal-library/browse/statutes/fair-credit-reporting-act>
2files.consumerfinance.gov. (2022). A Summary of Your Rights Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. files.consumerfinance.gov. Retrieved November 26, 2022, from <https://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/documents/bcfp_consumer-rights-summary_2018-09.pdf>
3FBI. (2015, April 6). National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Operations 2013. FBI. Retrieved November 26, 2022, from <https://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/nics/reports/2013-operations-report>
4US Department of Justice. (2022). Homepage. United States Department of Justice National Sex Offender Public Website. Retrieved November 26, 2022, from <https://www.nsopw.gov/>
5US Government. (2022, March 7). Employer Background Checks and Your Rights. Federal Trade Commission. Retrieved November 26, 2022, from <https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/employer-background-checks-your-rights>
6US Government. (2014, March 11). Background Checks: What Employers Need to Know | U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Retrieved November 26, 2022, from <https://www.eeoc.gov/laws/guidance/background-checks-what-employers-need-know>
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