What kind of background check does the federal government do?

Federal background checks include searches for criminal offenses prosecuted through U.S. federal courts. They differ from national background checks, which may include court records from tribal territories, counties and states across the country.

How many years does a Top Secret clearance go back?

five years
The clearance process for Secret level access uses an investigation called the National Agency Check with Law and Credit that goes back five years, while the clearance process for Top Secret uses a Single Scope Background Investigation that goes back ten years.

How much does a Top Secret security clearance add to salary?

A Top Secret Clearance in your area makes on average $102,276 per year, or $2,366 (2\%) more than the national average annual salary of $99,910.

What do you need to know about security clearance?

Security Clearance. Some jobs require a security clearance. The security clearance level depends on the type of access to classified information and secure facilities that you’ll need to perform your job. For jobs that require a security clearance, you’ll need to provide at least 10 years of personal information and maybe more.

Can you apply for a security clearance without a background check?

You can’t apply for a security clearance on your own. Applicants must be sponsored by the federal government or a company with a contract requiring classified work. 1  When you’re applying for a federal government job, the background check process will start after you have accepted a tentative job offer.

Can a spouse be investigated for a security clearance?

There are circumstances in which limited records checks or an investigation may be conducted on a spouse or cohabitant. How often is a security clearance renewed? An individual is normally subject to reinvestigation approximately every five years for a Secret or Top Secret clearance.

Can a federal agency’s investigation be used as a basis for clearance?

Federal agencies will normally accept another agency’s investigation as the basis for granting a security clearance, provided the applicant’s last security clearance investigation was completed within the past five years for a Top Secret clearance and 10 years for a Secret clearance, and there has not been a break in service of more than two years.