All resourcesState guide · VA
Virginia background check laws
A practitioner-grade reference to Virginia 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 VA.
The four levers at a glance
| Lookback period | 7 years (FCRA default) |
| Ban-the-Box scope | Public sector (Executive Order 41) |
| Salary history | No restriction (Virginia Values Act enhances pay-equity remedies) |
| Cannabis testing | Recreational legal; limited employer protections |
Lookback period
Virginia applies FCRA. Expunged records under Va. Code §19.2-392.2 must be suppressed.
Ban-the-Box and Fair Chance rules
Governor Northam's 2020 executive order removed the conviction question from state-agency initial applications.
Salary history
No statewide salary-history ban, but the Virginia Values Act creates enhanced pay-equity remedies.
Cannabis & drug testing
Va. Code §40.1-27.4 protects medical-cannabis patients with a valid certification; recreational use does not carry off-duty protection.
Governing statutes & references
- Va. Code §19.2-392.2
- Va. Code §40.1-27.4
- Exec. Order 41
SafestHires compliance note
VSP fingerprint pathway under VA Code §22.1-296.2 for K-12 hires.