Criminal Background Check Free

Background checks provide important information about potential employees, roommates, love interests or neighbors. There are several different elements of a person’s history that can be found for free. Most of this information is a matter of public record and some of it can be found online.

The first step in performing a background check should be searching vital records databases. These records provide information about birth certificates, death certificates, divorce decrees and marriage licenses. They can also help in adoption searches. Vital records databases are useful when searching for relatives and siblings.

The key piece of information involved in performing a criminal background check is the person’s social security number. Most of the information about a person cannot be found otherwise. The most common way to find a person’s social security number is by gaining access to their driving license records. Many states print the social security number in their file. In these states, writing a letter to the state motor vehicle department allows someone to request a copy of the file. There are exceptions to whom can request a copy. Creditors, potential employers or people collecting a judgment are authorized access to these records.

The motor vehicle department can help in performing a background check in other ways. Usually, only a name and a date of birth is required to check their records, plus a nominal fee. The motor vehicle department holds their current address, last known address, physical features and the number and types of vehicles owned by that person. These records are used to skip-trace many missing persons.

Sometimes the address held by the department of motor vehicles will not be correct. This information is readily available by requesting a list of motor vehicles owned by that person. These records almost always contain their current address because they must be renewed annually.

Vehicle identification numbers can potentially help find information about someone. These numbers are commonly found in divorce records and bankruptcy filings. Ownership of vehicles is carefully tracked by the government, so updated information is mandatory for owners. After finding the vehicle identification number, requesting a vehicle history report will give the names and addresses of anyone who has ever owned it. Contacting previous owners can give otherwise unknown information about someone, if they have come in contact with them.

Checking for traffic tickets are another way to find important information about someone. This can be performed when asking for driving records. If there are tickets on a person’s record, writing to the jurisdiction where it was issued will allow someone to gain a copy of the citation. Accident reports are handled in a similar manner and can contain a wealth of information.

Criminal background checks can be a lengthy process to perform. While it is possible to hire a service or a professional to do the work, much of the information can be found for free by following these steps. Depending on the depth of the background search, there can be costs involved. Decide what information is needed about someone before following this guide.