/ Cost
How much does an employment background check cost?
A basic employment background check typically costs $25 to $50 per candidate. Packages adding employment and education verification run $50 to $100, and regulated or executive-level screening with drug testing, credit, and international searches can reach $150 or more.
What drives the price
- Court access fees. Some counties charge per search; those pass-through costs vary by jurisdiction and are unavoidable.
- Number of counties. Address history determines how many county searches run.
- Verifications. Each employer, school, or license verified adds cost because it involves work by a human or a data partner.
- Drug testing. Collection site, panel size, and medical review officer time.
- International scope. Foreign records cost more and take longer.
Typical package tiers
| Tier | Typical contents | Price range |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | Identity, national criminal database, sex offender registry, one county search | $25–$50 |
| Standard | Basic plus employment and education verification | $50–$100 |
| Comprehensive | Standard plus credit, MVR, licenses, drug screening, international | $100–$200+ |
The costs that do not appear on the invoice
Slow turnaround costs more than the check itself. Every extra day to hire carries recruiter time, delayed productivity, and candidate drop-off. A report that is $10 cheaper but three days slower is usually the more expensive option.
- See Ethur's published per-check pricing, including add-ons, on the pricing page — no per-seat platform fee.
Frequently asked
Who pays for an employment background check?▼
The employer. Charging the candidate is prohibited or restricted in many states.
Are there free background checks?▼
Free public-record lookups exist, but using them for hiring decisions without an FCRA-compliant process exposes the employer to significant legal risk.