Wisconsin background check laws
A practitioner-grade reference to Wisconsin 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 WI.
The four levers at a glance
| Lookback period | 7 years (FCRA default) |
| Ban-the-Box scope | Public sector (Executive Order 17) |
| Salary history | No restriction |
| Cannabis testing | Illegal (limited CBD) |
Lookback period
Wisconsin applies FCRA. Pardons and expungements under Wis. Stat. §973.015 must be suppressed.
Ban-the-Box and Fair Chance rules
Governor Evers' 2019 executive order removed the conviction question from state-agency initial applications.
Salary history
No statewide salary-history ban.
Cannabis & drug testing
Wisconsin permits limited CBD use; no recreational or broad medical legalization.
Governing statutes & references
- Wis. Stat. §111.335 (conviction-record discrimination)
- Wis. Stat. §973.015
SafestHires compliance note
Wis. Stat. §111.335 prohibits discrimination based on convictions unsubstantially related to the position.
Frequently asked questions about Wisconsin background checks
How long does a background check take in Wisconsin?
Most SafestHires Wisconsin background checks complete in under 24 hours when the county courts of record are electronic. Manual-access counties in Wisconsin typically add 1–3 business days, and verification-heavy packages (employment, education, professional license) usually land in 1–3 business days end-to-end. See the state-by-state turnaround guide for county-level detail.
What shows up on a Wisconsin employment background check?
A standard Wisconsin employment background check returns an SSN trace and address history, national criminal database scan, sex offender registry, county criminal records for every Wisconsin county lived or worked in during the FCRA lookback window, federal criminal records, and OFAC/global sanctions. Common WI add-ons include employment and education verification, professional license verification, motor vehicle records, and drug screening.
How much does a Wisconsin background check cost?
SafestHires prices Wisconsin background checks per component — no platform fees, no seat licenses, no minimums. A standard county criminal + national database + SSN trace package for Wisconsin typically falls in the $20–$45 range depending on how many WI counties are searched and which add-ons are included. Use the pricing calculator for a WI-specific quote.
Do I need consent to run a background check on a Wisconsin candidate?
Yes. Federal FCRA §1681b(b)(2) requires a stand-alone written disclosure and the candidate's written authorization before any consumer report is procured, and Wisconsin follows that federal baseline. Additional WI-specific disclosures may apply — SafestHires builds the correct Wisconsin disclosure package into every order automatically. See the sample forms library for templates.
Can Wisconsin employers run a Financial Risk Search?
Yes. The SafestHires Financial Risk Search (bankruptcies, civil judgments, and tax liens from public records) is available for Wisconsin hires in fiduciary, finance, cash-handling, and other roles with a documented permissible-purpose need. It is a public-record search — scoped and adverse-actioned like any other component under FCRA §§615 and 604.
How far back can a Wisconsin employer look at criminal records?
Wisconsin applies FCRA. Pardons and expungements under Wis. Stat. §973.015 must be suppressed.