All resourcesState guide · GA
Georgia background check laws
A practitioner-grade reference to Georgia 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 GA.
The four levers at a glance
| Lookback period | 7 years (FCRA default) |
| Ban-the-Box scope | Public sector (Executive Order 2015) |
| Salary history | No restriction |
| Cannabis testing | Low-THC medical only |
Lookback period
Georgia uses the FCRA window. Records restricted under O.C.G.A. §35-3-37 should be suppressed.
Ban-the-Box and Fair Chance rules
Governor Deal's 2015 executive order removed the conviction question from state-agency initial applications.
Salary history
No statewide salary-history ban.
Cannabis & drug testing
Georgia permits low-THC medical cannabis (Haleigh's Hope Act). No recreational legalization and no employer off-duty protection.
Governing statutes & references
- O.C.G.A. §35-3-34 (GCIC)
- O.C.G.A. §42-8-60 (First Offender)
- Exec. Order 2015
SafestHires compliance note
GCIC access via O.C.G.A. §35-3-34 requires a signed waiver; First Offender records must not be reported unless adjudicated guilty.