Who Pays for a Background Check?
Who pays the initial and later charges?
The contractor pays the package and applicable initial court access fees when placing the order. Later county-court verification of records revealed by the Nationwide Criminal Database Search, plus applicable access fees for that verification, is billed monthly to the requesting organization. We cannot charge the contractor’s card a second time.
For planning, SafestHires estimates that about 5% of orders reveal a record in the Nationwide Criminal Database Search—about five orders in 100 on average. This is a company estimate, not a guaranteed rate; an order can reveal more than one record.
Tell contractors about possible initial court access fees before payment. Fees vary by jurisdiction and can reach $100 in the published county schedule. Use the access-fee lookup for the places being searched; later verification access fees are paid by the organization.
Estimate both sides with the contractor screening cost planner and explore the contractor onboarding workflow map. Service prices come from the pricing calculator; jurisdiction fees come from the access-fee lookup. Confirm your per-record verification price in a written quote.
Most employers pay for background checks directly, but some prefer to pass the cost to the candidate or independent contractor. Here is how SafestHires handles both models — and where the financial responsibility shifts.
Short answer
Who pays for a background check?
The requesting organization pays by default. In a contractor-pay arrangement, the contractor pays the package and initial court access fees through the invitation workflow. Later county verification of nationwide database records and its access fees are billed monthly to the organization, because the contractor’s card cannot be charged a second time. Review any worker-payment policy with counsel.
In most cases, the SafestHires client — the employer — pays for the background check. That is the standard model for U.S. employment screening, and it keeps the process simple for candidates while giving the employer full control over scope, timing, and billing.
Sometimes, however, an employer wants to shift the cost to the potential hire or independent contractor. SafestHires supports that workflow too, as long as the employer configures it correctly and stays mindful of a few important caveats.
How employer-paid background checks work
When the employer pays, SafestHires invoices the client every 30 days. Our default payment terms are net-30, and we will accept net-60 for certain high-volume clients. We accept payment by credit card, with the option to store the card on file or to enter it for each transaction. We also accept payment by check, ACH, and other electronic payment platforms such as BILL.com or Paymerang.
Storing a card on file
Employers that order frequently often choose to keep a card on file so orders are not delayed at checkout. Stored card information is handled through our secure payment processor; SafestHires does not retain raw card numbers on our servers.
How candidate-paid background checks work
For clients who want candidates to pay, SafestHires offers an email invitation ordering workflow. With this ordering workflow, SafestHires supports employer-paid and candidate-paid options. The employer sends the candidate a secure link, the candidate enters their own information, and if the "Applicant Pays" setting has been activated, the candidate provides consent and pays by credit or debit card. Results are delivered back to the employer through the same platform used for employer-paid orders.
Independent contractors
A candidate-pay arrangement may be available for independent contractors, volunteers or other non-employee roles. Have qualified counsel review the work location, classification, industry and screening type before requiring payment; disclosure and authorization do not alone establish that worker payment is permitted.
The source-verification caveat
In this contractor-payment arrangement, records revealed by the Nationwide Criminal Database Search are verified by ordering the record at the county court. This later verification service and its applicable access fees are billed monthly to the organization, after the contractor has paid the initial package and initial court access fees.
Because we cannot go back and apply these additional charges to the candidate's credit or debit card, the cost for source verification falls to the SafestHires client — the employer — even when the candidate paid for the initial search.
How to set up candidate-paid screening
- Confirm with your SafestHires account manager that candidate-pay is enabled on your account.
- Choose the package or searches you want the candidate to order.
- Send the candidate the secure email invitation from the SafestHires portal.
- Verify that the candidate completed disclosure, authorization, and payment before the report is run.
- Review the completed report in your organization’s account; any later database-record verification charges and applicable access fees appear on your monthly invoice.
Frequently asked questions
Is it legal to ask a candidate to pay for a background check?
Whether worker payment is permitted depends on work location, worker classification, industry and screening type. Have qualified legal counsel review the proposed arrangement before requiring someone to pay. The payment feature does not determine legality.
Does candidate payment change the employer's compliance obligations?
No. The employer must still provide the required FCRA disclosure and obtain written authorization before ordering the check. The employer is also responsible for adverse action if the report leads to a negative hiring decision.
What payment methods can candidates use?
Candidates pay by credit or debit card through the secure invitation portal. SafestHires does not accept candidate payments by check, ACH, or wire.
When is the employer invoiced?
For employer-paid orders, SafestHires invoices monthly. For candidate-paid orders, the candidate is charged at the time the order is placed, and no invoice is sent to the employer for that order unless source verification or additional searches are required.
Key takeaways
- Employers are the default payer for SafestHires background checks
- Candidate-pay is available through a secure email invitation workflow
- Candidates pay by credit or debit card; employers can pay by card, check, ACH, or supported electronic platforms
- Source-verification charges always fall to the employer, even when the candidate paid initially
- Disclosure, authorization, and adverse action obligations remain with the employer regardless of who pays
Related guides
- Adverse action: meaning, notices, and timelineWhat adverse action means under the FCRA, the two required notices, and how long to wait between them.Read the guide
- What shows up on a background checkEvery record type an employment screen can return, what it cannot return, and the lookback limits that apply.Read the guide
- How long does a background check take?Realistic turnaround by search type, the court and verification delays that drive it, and how to shorten it.Read the guide
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