Gap Coverage Request (GCR) Form

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⚠ How This Form Works — Please Read First

By submitting this form, you are setting a standing instruction for your entire account. SecureSearch will automatically apply your selected gap coverage level to every criminal background check you order — including every Multi-State Criminal Database Search — without any additional steps required. You do not need to select these services individually or through our à la carte menu each time.

Paid staff vs. volunteers: Courts do not distinguish between paid employees and volunteers. Liability is determined by the roles and responsibilities assigned — not compensation status. We strongly recommend screening all individuals in similar roles to the same standard, regardless of whether they are paid or unpaid.

How Gap Coverage Works

The Multi-State Criminal Database is a useful starting point — but it is not a complete picture. Many counties and states do not consistently report criminal records to national databases, and federal convictions are never included. Relying on the database alone can leave meaningful gaps in your screening.

Gap Coverage closes those gaps by running additional searches based on each applicant's address history and known names over the past 7 years.

⚠️ Important: How Gap Coverage Costs Work

Gap Coverage fees are not a flat rate per applicant. Each individual search ordered is billed separately — costs multiply with the number of addresses and alias names found.

  • Each county or state location = one search charge
  • Each alias name = one additional search charge per search type ordered
  • Many counties and states add court access surcharges on top of search fees — these are billed at cost and can range from $0.80 to $98.00 (New York) per search
📋 Example: An applicant with 4 addresses and 2 aliases could trigger up to 6 county searches + 3 federal name searches = 9 individual charges, each with its own fee plus any applicable surcharges.
📄 Court Access Surcharge Schedules — Review Before Selecting Your Options

Many counties and states charge court access fees that are passed through to you at cost. These are in addition to SecureSearch service fees and can significantly affect your total cost per applicant. Review the schedules below before making your selections:

💰 See your SecureSearch Pricing page for per-search service fees specific to your organization's package.

Section 1: County & Statewide Search Options

These searches cover criminal records held at the local and state level that may not appear in the national database. Review each option carefully — the Coverage Risk column shows what may be missed with each choice.
OptionWhat Will Be SearchedCoverage Risk
Option 1
✅ Best Practice
Highest Cost		All county and/or statewide searches for every address in the past 7 years, including all alias names (maiden names, nicknames, misspellings, any name used for credit or financial transactions).
Why it matters: Criminal records are tied to specific counties. Skipping a county means a record from that location may never surface.
Lowest Risk
Option 2
Moderate Cost		Non-reporting county/statewide searches only, for all addresses in the past 7 years, including all alias names. Reporting counties (already in the database) are skipped.
A cost-efficient option that still covers all locations and names — just not the counties the database already captures.
Low Risk
Option 3
Lower Cost		Up to 2 non-reporting county/statewide searches, limited to the 2 longest residences in the past 7 years. May include one alias name.
⚠️ Gap risk: All addresses beyond the 2 longest will not be searched. Criminal records from those locations would not be found.
Moderate Risk
Option 4
Lower Cost		1 county or statewide search, longest residence only, in the past 7 years. May include one alias name.
⚠️ Gap risk: All addresses beyond the longest residence will not be searched. Records tied to other locations would not be found.
Higher Risk
Option 5
Lower Cost		1 non-reporting county/statewide search, longest residence only in the past 7 years. May include one alias name.
⚠️ Gap risk: Only the single longest-held non-reporting address is checked. Significant gaps remain for all other locations and names.
Higher Risk
Option 6
No Added Cost		Do not order county or statewide searches.
⚠️ I understand that criminal records held at the county and state level will not be found, and I accept full responsibility for any risks associated with this decision.
Highest Risk

Select your choice below:

County/Statewide Coverage Options:*

Section 2: Federal Court Search Options

Federal courts handle crimes that cross state lines or fall under federal law. These records will never appear in county or state databases — a separate federal search is the only way to find them.

Federal crimes include:
  • Child pornography, human trafficking, internet crimes against children
  • Wire fraud, mail fraud, bank fraud, identity theft, embezzlement
  • Cybercrime, internet hacking, data breaches
  • Drug trafficking, interstate domestic violence, transportation of illegal goods or persons across state lines
OptionWhat Will Be SearchedCoverage Risk
Option 1
✅ Best Practice
Higher Cost		Federal search across all known names from the past 7 years, including all alias names (maiden names, nicknames, misspellings, any name used for credit or financial transactions).
Why it matters: Federal cases are often filed under any name the person has used. Searching only the current name can miss records filed under a former or alternate name.
Lowest Risk
Option 2
Lower Cost		Federal search for the current name only as entered on the application.
⚠️ Gap risk: Records filed under a maiden name, nickname, or alias will not be found. Federal cases involving name changes may be missed entirely.
Moderate Risk
Option 3
No Added Cost		Do not order federal searches.
⚠️ I understand that crimes including fraud, trafficking, child exploitation, cybercrime, and drug trafficking will not be found through a federal search, and I accept full responsibility for any risks associated with this decision.
Highest Risk

Select your choice below:

National Federal Courts Coverage Options:*
Section 3: Authorization Statement
Before you sign — please confirm you understand the following:
  • Gap Coverage fees are charged per search, not per applicant — costs scale with the number of addresses and alias names found for each applicant.
  • Choosing a lower-coverage option means some locations or names will not be searched, and criminal records from those sources may not be found.
  • Court access surcharges are passed through at cost and are separate from SecureSearch service fees. Review the County Surcharge Schedule and Statewide Surcharge Schedule before submitting.
  • I have reviewed the SecureSearch Pricing page for my organization's package before submitting this form.

Authorization Statement*

MM slash DD slash YYYY
Information contained within this document is specific to SecureSearch.
Please contact us with any questions before submitting.

Phone: 866-891-1954  •  Email: Support@SecureSearchPro.com