Access Fees Explained

When Verified First conducts background checks, it accesses information from various sources, including but not limited to: county courthouses, state repositories, state Department of Motor Vehicles (DMVs), and verification databases. Many of these sources charge a fee for access to their records. Without paying the fee, Verified First cannot access the data. Verified First passes these fees directly to its clients at cost, without any markup. This ensures transparent pricing and helps clients to understand the breakdown of costs associated with their background screening reports. 

Let’s take a look at some common fees that may be encountered when conducting a background check: 

County Criminal / Civil Access Fees 

Of the 3,144 counties in the U.S., only a small percentage charge a fee to access their court records. These fees are charged per name searched, per jurisdiction. 

Statewide Criminal Access Fees 

Criminal record repositories are maintained by various states, covering some or all counties. Verified First may incur access fees to search these databases.  Although New York's fee is high, it guarantees comprehensive coverage because  all counties are mandated to report to the state repository. Fees are charged per name searched, per jurisdiction. 

For a list of all available statewide repositories and their quality levels, please click here. 

MVR Access Fees 

The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) in every state in the United States levies an access fee for the retrieval of driving records. These fees, which Verified First pays, can range depending on the state and the specific type of driving record requested. The access fee is separate from any charges Verified First may have for its services in obtaining and providing driving record information to its customers. 

Verification Fees 

Verified First incurs charges from databases that store education and employment information. For instance, The Work Number (TWN) charges over $100.00 to verify an applicant's employment history. However, not all employers report to TWN, so this fee is not automatically applied to every employment verification. We will always seek your consent before using TWN for an applicant, unless you grant us blanket permission (please contact us to set that up). Other third-party verification providers also impose fees for verifying education and employment. These access fees are passed directly on to our clients at cost. 

Because access fees are not set by Verified First, they are subject to change without notice. For a listing of the most up-to-date fees, please visit: https://portal.verifiedfirst.com/#/access-fees

If you have any further questions, or need a product enabled on your account, 

please contact Verified First Client Services for assistance.

Call 844-709-2708 or email ClientServices@VerifiedFirst.com