All resourcesState guide · OH
Ohio background check laws
A practitioner-grade reference to Ohio 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 OH.
The four levers at a glance
| Lookback period | 7 years (FCRA default) |
| Ban-the-Box scope | Public sector (Fair Hiring Act, ORC §9.73) |
| Salary history | Local — Cincinnati, Columbus, Toledo |
| Cannabis testing | Recreational legal (Issue 2, 2023); employer rights preserved |
Lookback period
Ohio applies FCRA. Sealed and expunged records under ORC §2953.32 must be suppressed.
Ban-the-Box and Fair Chance rules
State agencies may not inquire about criminal history on initial applications.
Salary history
Major city ordinances apply; no statewide rule.
Cannabis & drug testing
ORC §3796.28 (medical) and Issue 2 preserve the employer's right to enforce zero-tolerance policies.
Governing statutes & references
- ORC §9.73
- ORC §2953.32
- Issue 2 (2023)
SafestHires compliance note
K-12 reprint required every five years under ORC §3319.39.