Alabama background check laws
A practitioner-grade reference to Alabama pre-employment background screening: lookback caps, ban-the-box scope, salary-history limits, cannabis testing rules, and the statutes the SafestHires compliance team applies on every order routed to AL.
The four levers at a glance
| Lookback period | 7 years (FCRA default; no state cap) |
| Ban-the-Box scope | Public sector only |
| Salary history | No restriction |
| Cannabis testing | Medical only; tested freely |
Lookback period
Alabama has no state statute shortening the FCRA seven-year reporting window for arrests or non-convictions, and convictions may be reported indefinitely.
Ban-the-Box and Fair Chance rules
There is no statewide private-employer ban-the-box statute. State agency hiring removed the conviction question in 2016.
Salary history
Alabama has no statewide salary-history ban.
Cannabis & drug testing
Medical cannabis is permitted under SB 46 (2021) but there is no employer off-duty-use protection. Employers may continue to test and disqualify based on a positive THC result.
Governing statutes & references
- 15 U.S.C. §1681 (FCRA)
- Ala. Code §41-22-50 (state agency hiring)
SafestHires compliance note
No state-level expungement seal for employer reports — but Alabama's first-time-offender pardon program may suppress records.