Missouri Background Checks
A background screening in Missouri is normally conducted by law enforcement agencies, but other non-criminal parties may perform this procedure as well, often as part of the pre-employment process.
Typically, an MO background screening is viewed as a criminal history check, and it is available in two forms at the moment: a name-based search or a fingerprint search. Note that getting a background check will reduce the possibility of any crime, and it can help protect your company, your employees, your clients and other individuals.
How to Get a Missouri Background Check
Background verification in Missouri may be done by any requestor or agency, as this is an open records state. Closed reports may be released only to authorized agencies. To complete a background screening in MO, individuals have several options at their disposal.
Currently, two forms of a Missouri background check are available: a personal identifier and a fingerprint search. A request for the personal or name-based search may be submitted online, in person or by mail.
In case you decide on the in-mail background search, you will need to complete a Request for Criminal Record Check Form, which may be obtained through the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Note that the processing time for the in-mail requests is four to six weeks. The fingerprint based search will require a completed applicant fingerprint card. It may also be conducted online, via mail or personally. Though applicants have the in-person and in-mail methods at their disposal, a more convenient option is to order the background report online.
Ordering a Missouri Background Check Online
With an online background check in Missouri, you must have certain information available concerning the person you want to investigate. To perform a background search using the online system, be sure that you have the following information on hand:
- The subject’s first and last name.
- The subject’s date of birth.
- The subject’s Social Security Number.
Who needs a Missouri Background Check?
The background investigation in MO is available to both law enforcement agencies and non-criminal parties. Government agencies, as well as employers and separate individuals, may require a background search for different purposes.
If you want to hire a new employee in your company, for instance, gathering information on the background of the applicant will help you during the recruitment process. Additionally, a personal background check may be conducted to also purchase a firearm.
Getting a background check in Missouri will depend on the specific needs of the individual or the agency requiring information of this type.
Renters
To receive an MO rental background check, individuals can use take advantage of an online screening. Landholders may perform a full background check on tenants who are applying to rent their property.
Note that ordering a renter background verification in MO will help you eliminate unqualified requestors, making sure that you entrust your property to the best-qualified applicants.
A clean Missouri background report will help property owners avoid any unnecessary repairs and court costs, which may occur in the event of renting to an individual with a criminal history.
Employees
Employers in Missouri can also request an employee background report about the individual’s criminal record during the pre-employment procedure.
Performing an MO background check online is an option for the company’s management to get a better understanding of the personal and professional history of the future employee, and help them choose the best applicant for the job position. Note that in this state, legal limits exist on employers obtaining and using this kind of information.
Once the employer background check is performed, it may be discriminatory for recruiters to ask the job applicants about their criminal records. Employers may only ask about existing crimes which are directly related to the prospective hire’s ability to meet the job requirements in question.
EMS/First Responders
Missouri medical background investigation may be performed when hiring medical staff in hospitals and other health institutions.
Workplaces like these often require a responsible individual with a clean record. By doing the EMS background search, requestors can be sure that the person in question is the right one when it comes to meeting the requirements of such stressful job position.
Care Givers
A complete background verification in Missouri is often necessary in case the public needs information on a person who provides daycare services of children, or healthcare services to older people and those with disabilities.
An online background screening will help you check the individual’s criminal history, and assure you that you are hiring the right person to look after your family member.
Managers
An employee background check in Missouri can be very beneficial, especially when companies are looking for the right candidate to fill a management position. Prospective managers are expected to perform their duties in a responsible and professional way. A clean full background check will only confirm that the company is hiring the right applicant.
When You Will Need a Background Check
Getting a background check in MO may vary, and it often depends on the individual’s or agency’s specific needs at a given moment. Generally, a background investigation is performed in the following situations:
- To check an individual’s criminal record.
- For hiring purposes by a company.
- To legally buy firearms.
- To rent a property.
Obtaining a Missouri full background check will simplify the completion of the aforementioned procedures.
The Difference Between Standard and Criminal Background Checks
A standard background report may typically include information about an individual or a company such as a credit report, a bankruptcy search, or an education history verification.
In the state, a Missouri background screening is considered a criminal record check, and it provides details including notations of arrest, indictments, detentions, or other formal criminal charges.
Note: The personal identifier search will include open records, in the form of convictions, or arrest information which is less than 30 days old from the date of arrest, among others. The fingerprint-based background investigation will provide closed record involving all criminal history data.