Churches & Faith-Based Organizations

Background checks built around the person, not a package

We publish our pricing openly — no quotes required, no sales call just to find out what things cost. Because protecting your congregation should be simple and transparent.

No setup fees
No minimums
No contracts
FCRA certified staff
Rock RMS & Pushpay
20 years serving churches

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One of the only background check providers that publishes real pricing
Most competitors make you call just to find out what things cost. We don’t believe in that. Every price below is what you actually pay — no surprises, no hidden fees beyond clearly noted 3rd-party court costs.

Free

SearchMyBackground™ with Paperless Consent — included with every account

Applicants enter their own info and sign authorization forms online. No paper, no chasing people down. Mobile-friendly and FCRA compliant.


Screen the person, not just the role

A one-size-fits-all package sounds simple — but it either over-spends on straightforward cases or under-screens complex ones. Thorough vetting means looking at who this specific person is, where they’ve lived, and what names they’ve used.

Step 1

Start with their role

What will this volunteer actually do? This shapes the baseline searches.

  • Direct child contact → federal courts essential
  • Handling finances → civil + credit history
  • General volunteer → database search is a strong start
Step 2

Look at their history

Where have they lived in the last 7 years? How many names have they used?

  • One county, one name → straightforward
  • Multiple counties → search each one
  • Multiple states or name changes → broader coverage needed
Step 3

Build the right search

Combine searches from the a la carte menu below to match that specific person.

  • SSN trace surfaces all counties lived in
  • Search each county individually
  • Add federal courts for child-contact roles

What this costs in practice

Click any scenario to see exactly which searches are ordered and why. Every person deserves their own search, not a package.

Simple profile

Maria — Sunday school helper, one name, one county for 9 years

Single location · Single name · No direct unsupervised child contact

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Profile: Maria has lived in Jefferson County, KY her entire adult life. One name. Wants to help with Sunday school setup — not leading a class, no direct unsupervised child contact.
SearchWhy it’s orderedCost
Multi-State Criminal Search with AliasBroad sweep · all 50 states · instantCatches anything outside her home county. SSN trace confirms she’s only ever lived in one county.$10.00
County Courthouse Criminal Search — Jefferson Co., KYDirect courthouse records · 7 yearsDatabase searches miss things. This is the gold standard for her county of residence.$7.00
Total for MariaSimple profile · one county · one name

$17.00

* Court access fees for Jefferson Co. not included and may add a small surcharge. If the SSN trace had returned additional counties, we’d add a $7 courthouse search for each one.

Moderate profile

Betsy aka Elizabeth Smith-Anderson — youth group co-leader, 3 names, 3 counties in 7 years

Three names · Three counties · Direct child-contact role

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Profile: Betsy goes by “Betsy” but her legal name is Elizabeth. She married and hyphenated her name to Smith-Anderson. Three names in play: Betsy Smith, Elizabeth Smith, and Elizabeth Smith-Anderson. She moved from Nashville to Louisville to Cincinnati over 7 years and wants to co-lead the youth group — regular, direct child contact every week.
SearchWhy it’s orderedCost
Multi-State Criminal Search with AliasAll 3 names searched · SSN trace surfaces all countiesBetsy Smith, Elizabeth Smith, and Elizabeth Smith-Anderson all searched. SSN trace returns all 3 counties.$10.00
County Courthouse — Davidson Co., TN (Nashville)7-year courthouse recordLived here years 1–3 of the lookback window.$7.00
County Courthouse — Jefferson Co., KY (Louisville)7-year courthouse recordLived here years 3–5 of the lookback window.$7.00
County Courthouse — Hamilton Co., OH (Cincinnati)7-year courthouse recordCurrent county of residence.$7.00
National Federal Courts SearchAll 94 US districts · 7 yearsEssential for any role with direct child contact — catches crimes that don’t show in county or state records.$12.00
Total for Betsy3 names · 3 counties · child-contact role

$43.00

* Court access fees per county not included. A fixed package would have searched one name in one county and called it done. Betsy has three searchable names and three counties — any one of them could hold a record that disqualifies her from working with children.

Complex profile

Pastor David — paid staff hire, 4 counties across 3 states, previous name, children’s ministry & finances

Multiple names · Four counties · Three states · Paid role with financial responsibility

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Profile: Pastor David is being hired as a paid children’s ministry director. He has lived in Georgia, Florida, and Tennessee over the past 7 years and previously used a hyphenated surname. He will oversee children’s programs and have signatory access to ministry funds.
SearchWhy it’s orderedCost
Multi-State Criminal Search with AliasAll names · all states · instantBoth surname variants searched. SSN trace surfaces all 4 counties across 3 states.$10.00
County Courthouse — 4 counties across GA, FL & TN$7.00 per county × 4Each county where he lived in the past 7 years searched individually.$28.00
National Federal Courts Search94 federal districts · 7 yearsPaid staff with child contact — non-negotiable.$12.00
County Civil Search — current countyCivil court records · 7 yearsFinancial responsibility role — civil judgments and liens are relevant due diligence.$12.00
Employment Verification — 2 previous employers$10.00 per employer × 2Paid staff hire — confirm his ministry and employment history directly.$20.00
Education Verification — seminary degree$10.00 per institutionConfirms the credentials he listed on his application.$10.00
Total for Pastor DavidMultiple names · 4 counties · 3 states · paid role

$92.00

* Court and repository access fees not included. Skipping any of these searches creates a documented gap in your due diligence — and Pastor David’s complex history is exactly why holistic, person-based screening matters.

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Stop guessing — set your standard once with Gap Coverage Request (GCR)

The Multi-State database is a useful starting point — but it is not a complete picture. Many counties never report to national databases, and federal convictions never appear there at all. GCR closes those gaps automatically.

You make two simple selections — once, for your whole account. Our compliance team then reviews each applicant’s full address history and alias names, automatically adding every appropriate search and location. You set the standard. We make sure it’s met.

County & Statewide — 6 options
Option 1 — All counties, all addresses, all names  ✓ Best Practice
Option 2 — Non-reporting counties only, all addresses & names
Option 3 — Up to 2 non-reporting counties, 2 longest residences
Option 4 — 1 county search, longest residence only
Option 5 — 1 non-reporting county, longest residence only
Option 6 — Skip county searches entirely ⚠

Federal Courts — 3 options
Option 1 — All 94 districts, all known names & aliases  ✓ Best Practice
Option 2 — Current name only
Option 3 — Skip federal searches entirely ⚠

Federal records include trafficking, child exploitation, fraud, cybercrime — never visible in county or state searches.

Your selections apply to your entire account automatically. Fees are charged per search per name — costs scale with addresses and aliases found. Court access surcharges apply in some jurisdictions.

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Sister company

Safeguard from Abuse™ — Child Abuse Awareness Training

A background check tells you about someone's past. But protecting children in your congregation requires more — it requires a culture of accountability. Safeguard from Abuse pairs with your background screening to create the complete child protection picture that neither can provide alone.

What it covers

  • Recognizing signs of abuse
  • Mandated reporting requirements
  • Creating safe environments
  • Grooming behavior awareness
  • Building accountability culture

Why it matters for churches

Churches are trusted environments — which makes them a target. Volunteers and staff spend time alone with children in classrooms, nurseries, and youth programs. A background check screens for past offenses. Training teaches your entire congregation how to recognize, prevent, and report abuse before it happens. Together they protect children in ways neither can alone.

Starting at only

$6.75

per seat

Bundle & save over 30%

vs. per-seat pricing


Full a la carte pricing

Build the right search for each person. Every price shown is what you pay — no membership, no minimum order, no surprises.


Database searches

Multi-State Criminal Search with Alias Instant

1 billion+ records across all 50 states — counties, DOC, courts, sex offender registries, and terrorism sources. Includes alias names, SSN trace & validation, death index, and address history. All flags reviewed by FCRA-certified staff before release.

⚠ Best paired with county courthouse searches — not recommended as a standalone

$10

Courthouse & repository searches

County Courthouse Criminal Search

Direct courthouse lookup — felonies & misdemeanors, 7-year history. All convictions and pending cases reported. Order one per county the applicant has lived in.

Same day – 3 business days  ·  Court access fees may apply

$7per county + fees*

Statewide Criminal Repository Search

State law enforcement database, 7-year history. Coverage varies widely by state — contact us about yours. Not available in all states.

Same day – 1+ week  ·  Repository fees may apply  ·  MA requires extra step

$8.50+ fees*

National Federal Courts Search

All 94 US district courts — uncovers trafficking, internet crimes against children, child exploitation, and embezzlement that county and state searches miss. 7-year history. Recommended for all child-contact roles.

Same day – 3 business days

$12

Nationwide Wants & Warrants

Local, county, state, and federal extraditable warrants — misdemeanors and felonies. Not all agencies contribute to this database.

1–2 business days

$20

County Civil Search

Non-criminal civil court records, 7-year history. Recommended for roles with financial responsibility.

3–5 business days  ·  Court access fees may apply

$12+ fees*

Verifications

Employment Verification Agreement required

Confirms job title, dates, full/part-time, separation reason, and rehire eligibility. 3 contact attempts. Recommended for all paid staff.

1–5 business days  ·  Employer fees may apply

$10per employer

Education Verification Agreement required

Confirms degree, major, graduation date, and GPA with the institution. 3 contact attempts.

1–5 business days  ·  Third-party fees may apply

$10per school

Professional Reference Interview

Structured interview with a supervisor, colleague, or personal reference — covers performance, reliability, strengths, and any concerns.

Turnaround varies

$10per reference

Employment Credit Report (PEER) Instant

Payment history, debts, public records (bankruptcies, liens, judgments), and address history. For paid staff in financial roles. Signed authorization required. State law may restrict use — ask us.†

Not a consumer credit report — no credit score provided

$15.50

Motor vehicle records

Motor Vehicle / Driving History Instant–5 days

3-year driving record — violations, suspensions, revocations, points, and current license status. Available from 49 states + DC. PA not available.

State access fees apply  ·  State-specific authorization may be required

$5+ fees*

Drug testing

5-Panel Urinalysis

Amphetamines, cocaine, opiates, PCP, marijuana. Includes lab screen, GC/MS confirmation if needed, and MRO review.

1–3 business days after specimen received  ·  Collection fees may apply separately

$35

10-Panel Urinalysis

All 5-panel substances plus barbiturates, benzodiazepines, methadone, propoxyphene, and methaqualone.

1–3 business days after specimen received  ·  Collection fees may apply separately

$37

International

International Criminal / Education / Employment

Available for many countries. Depth and availability vary. Country-specific release forms required.

3–15 business days  ·  Call 866-891-1954 opt. 2 for a quote

Call for
pricing

Important: Database searches are broad but should never be your only source. Always pair them with individual county courthouse searches for each location the applicant has lived. The SSN trace included in the Multi-State search will surface those counties for you.

Ready to protect your congregation?

We’ll help you figure out the right searches for your volunteers and staff. No pressure, no hard sell — just honest guidance from a team that’s served 10,000+ churches for 20 years.

Let’s talk
Open a free account

* 3rd-party court, repository, and state access fees may apply and are not included in listed prices.
† Employment credit reports and employment verifications may require a one-time physical site inspection — ask us for details.
MA statewide repository requires additional steps — contact Support@SecureSearchPro.com. PA MVRs not available.
All searches subject to FCRA compliance. State and local law may restrict use of certain report types.