Franchises & Multi-Location Businesses

Consistent screening across every location — location 1 or location 500

Your brand’s reputation depends on every location making the same defensible hiring decisions. We publish our real pricing openly so franchisors can set a brand-wide standard and franchisees can follow it — without guesswork.

No setup fees
No minimums
No contracts
FCRA certified staff
Brand-wide consistency
Individual franchisee accounts

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One of the only background check providers that publishes real pricing
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 complete their own forms and sign authorization documents online. No paper, no chasing candidates. Mobile-friendly and FCRA compliant.


The franchise screening problem — and how to solve it

One location runs a thorough background check. Another runs a quick database search. A third skips the federal courts entirely. When something goes wrong at location 47, the plaintiff’s attorney looks at what every other location did — and inconsistency becomes the liability.

For franchisors

Set the brand standard once

Work with us to define the required searches for each role type across your system. Each franchisee gets their own account and follows the same standard — automatically.

Consistency = brand protection

For franchisees

Meet your franchisor’s standard easily

Open your own account and run searches that match your brand’s requirements. No setup fees, no minimums — screen one person or one hundred.

Same quality at every location

Child-focused franchises

Extra layer for children’s brands

Tutoring centers, children’s gyms, kids’ activity franchises — any brand where staff work with children needs federal courts screening and child abuse awareness training as a non-negotiable standard.

Federal courts + Safeguard training

Screen the person, not just the role

Franchises hire people with varied histories across hundreds of locations. The right searches depend on the role AND the individual — their name history, where they’ve lived, and what records may exist in counties databases never capture.

Step 1

Define the role standard

What does this role require across your system?

  • Child contact → federal courts essential
  • Cash handling → credit + civil history
  • Driver or delivery → MVR + CDLIS
  • All roles → multi-state + county courthouse
Step 2

Look at the individual

Where have they lived? How many names have they used?

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

Apply it identically everywhere

Same role = same searches at every location. GCR handles criminal searches automatically.

  • Use GCR for criminal searches
  • Add other services per role type
  • Ask us to build a brand-wide package

What this costs in practice

Click any scenario to see exactly which searches are ordered and why. Every person deserves their own search, built around their role and history.

Simple profile · General franchise

Tyler — front-of-house hire at food service franchise, one name, one county for 3 years

Single location · Single name · Customer-facing · Cash handling

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Profile: Tyler has lived in Maricopa County, AZ his entire adult life. One name. Being hired for a front-of-house role at a fast food franchise location — customer-facing, cash handling at the register, no financial system access.
SearchWhy it’s orderedCost
Multi-State Criminal Search with AliasBroad sweep · all 50 states · instantCatches anything outside his home county. SSN trace confirms one county.$17.00
County Courthouse Criminal Search — Maricopa Co., AZDirect courthouse records · 7 yearsDatabase searches miss things. Every franchisee in the brand runs this same search for this role.$10.50
Total for TylerSimple profile · one county · front-of-house

$27.50

* Court access fees not included. The value here isn’t just the result — it’s that every Tyler at every location gets the same screen. That’s what makes it defensible.

Moderate profile · Child-focused franchise

Ms. Wong (formerly Lisa Chu, now Lisa Wong) — tutoring center instructor, 2 names, 3 counties, direct child contact

Two surnames · Three counties · One-on-one tutoring with minors

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Profile: Lisa married and took her husband’s surname, Wong. Previously known as Lisa Chu. She moved from San Jose to Sacramento to Fresno over 7 years. She is being hired as a tutoring instructor at a children’s education franchise — she will work one-on-one with students ages 6–16 in private sessions.
SearchWhy it’s orderedCost
Multi-State Criminal Search with AliasBoth names · SSN trace surfaces all counties“Lisa Chu” and “Lisa Wong” both searched. SSN trace returns all 3 counties.$17.00
County Courthouse — Santa Clara Co., CA (San Jose)7-year courthouse recordLived here years 1–3 of the lookback window.$10.50
County Courthouse — Sacramento Co., CA7-year courthouse recordLived here years 3–5 of the lookback window.$10.50
County Courthouse — Fresno Co., CA7-year courthouse recordCurrent county of residence.$10.50
National Federal Courts SearchAll 94 US districts · 7 yearsOne-on-one child contact — trafficking and exploitation charges live in federal courts. Non-negotiable for any child-focused franchise.$20.00
Total for Ms. Wong2 surnames · 3 counties · child-contact franchise role

$68.50

* Court access fees per county not included. For child-focused franchises, the federal courts search is required at every location — it should be built into your brand standard, not left to individual franchisee discretion.

Complex profile · Multi-location manager

Kevin — regional franchise manager, oversees 4 locations, 4 counties across 2 states, previous surname, cash & hiring authority

Multiple names · Four counties · Two states · Financial oversight · Hiring authority across locations

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Profile: Kevin is being hired as a regional manager overseeing 4 franchise locations across Ohio and Kentucky. He previously used a hyphenated surname and has lived in both states over 7 years. He will have cash management authority, hiring and firing authority across all 4 locations, and access to POS and payroll systems.
SearchWhy it’s orderedCost
Multi-State Criminal Search with AliasAll names · all states · instantBoth surname variants searched. SSN trace surfaces all 4 counties across 2 states.$17.00
County Courthouse — 4 counties across OH & KY$10.50 per county × 4Every county where he lived in the past 7 years searched individually.$42.00
National Federal Courts Search94 federal districts · 7 yearsCash management and payroll access — wire fraud and embezzlement live in federal courts.$20.00
County Civil Search — current countyCivil court records · 7 yearsCash management authority — civil judgments and liens are relevant due diligence.$12.00
Employment Verification — 2 prior employers$10.00 per employer × 2Management hire with hiring authority — confirm prior franchise and management experience.$20.00
Total for KevinMultiple names · 4 counties · 2 states · regional manager

$111.00

* Court access fees not included. A regional manager with cash, payroll, and hiring authority across multiple locations is a high-risk hire — this level of screening is the appropriate standard.

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Our recommendation: Best Practice

Automate criminal search coverage with Gap Coverage Request (GCR)

GCR applies to criminal background searches only. Make two selections — once, per account — and our compliance team automatically adds every appropriate county, state, and federal search for each person based on their address history and alias names. Every franchisee running GCR Option 1 means every location is operating at the same standard.

Most franchises should choose Best Practice (Option 1) for both sections. It’s the most complete coverage and the most defensible position brand-wide. Other services are added manually per order or built into a role-specific package.

County & Statewide — 6 options
Option 1 — Best PracticeAll counties, all addresses, all names — lowest risk
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 — Best PracticeAll 94 districts, all known names & aliases — lowest risk
Option 2 — Current name only — misses aliases & former names
Option 3 — Skip federal searches entirely ⚠

Child-focused franchises: federal courts are non-negotiable. General franchises: strongly recommended for any role with financial or management authority.

GCR applies to criminal searches only. Fees charged per search per name — costs scale with addresses and aliases found. Court access surcharges apply in some jurisdictions.

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Franchisors: set a brand-wide screening standard across all locations.

We can work with you to define required searches for each role type in your system, then set up each franchisee account to follow that standard automatically. Contact us and we’ll build it out at no extra charge.

Talk to us →

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For child-focused franchises
Sister company

Safeguard from Abuse™ — Child Abuse Awareness Training

If your franchise involves children — tutoring, kids’ fitness, childcare, enrichment programs — a background check alone is not enough. Training teaches every staff member at every location how to recognize, prevent, and report abuse before it happens. Make it part of your brand standard.

What it covers

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

Why it matters for children’s franchises

A background check screens for past offenses. Training teaches your entire franchise network how to prevent future ones. For a brand with hundreds of locations serving children, the training is as important as the screen — and it’s scalable across your whole system.

Starting at only

$6.75

per seat

Bundle & save over 30%

vs. per-seat pricing

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Free eBook

The Defensible Workplace

New for 2026. An executive guide to employment screening, FCRA compliance, and negligent hiring risk. Essential reading for franchise operators building a defensible hiring process across multiple locations.

Download free →


Full a la carte pricing

Build the right search for each role. 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

$17

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

$10.50per county + fees*

Statewide Criminal Repository Search

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

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

$10.50+ fees*

National Federal Courts Search

All 94 US district courts — wire fraud, embezzlement, identity theft, trafficking, and child exploitation that never appear in county or state searches. 7-year history. Required for all child-focused franchise roles.

Same day – 3 business days

$20

Nationwide Wants & Warrants

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

1–2 business days

$20

County Civil Search

Non-criminal civil court records, 7-year history. Recommended for managers and roles with cash or financial access.

3–5 business days  ·  Court access fees may apply

$12+ fees*

Verifications & credentials

Employment Verification Agreement required

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

1–5 business days  ·  Employer fees may apply

$10per employer

Education Verification Agreement required

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

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

$10per school

Professional Credential Verification Agreement required

Verifies licenses and certifications — type, issuance date, current status, and any disciplinary history. For licensed trade, healthcare, or credentialed franchise roles.

1–3 business days  ·  Credentialing fees may apply

$10per license

Professional Reference Interview

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

Turnaround varies

$10per reference

Healthcare Sanctions Level 3 (OIG LEIE Plus)

Required for any healthcare-related franchise. Checks OIG LEIE, GSA EPLS/SAM, FDA lists, DEA registrant lists, DOD TriCare, and 900+ state regulatory agencies.

Instant

$10

Employment Credit Report (PEER) Instant

Payment history, debts, public records, and address history. For managers with cash or financial system access. Signed authorization required. State law may restrict use — ask us.†

Not a consumer credit report — no credit score provided

$15.50

E-Verify

Post-hire employment eligibility verification through SSA and DHS. Completed after the I-9 Form. Includes application assistance and MOU setup.

1–2 business days once account established  ·  MOU with SSA/DHS required

$15

Worker’s Compensation Search

Post-employment search identifying prior workplace injury claims. Useful for physical labor and trade franchise roles. Not available in all states.

State surcharges may apply  ·  Signed release may be required

$13+ fees***

Driving 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. Required for delivery, transportation, and fleet roles.

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

$5+ fees*

Commercial Driver’s License Check (CDLIS) Instant

Verifies current CDL and identifies all states where an additional driving record should be requested. FMCSA compliant under 49 CFR Part 391. Required for any commercial vehicle role.

Identifies all prior CDL-holding states · SSN match included

$9

Drug testing

5-Panel Urinalysis

Amphetamines, cocaine, opiates, PCP, marijuana. 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. Relevant for international franchise expansion or candidates with overseas history.

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 brand at every location?

We’ll help you build a consistent screening standard across your entire system. No pressure, no hard sell.

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.
*** Worker’s Compensation: additional state surcharges may apply. Not available in all states.
MA statewide repository requires additional steps — contact Support@SecureSearchPro.com. PA MVRs not available.
E-Verify requires execution of a Memorandum of Understanding between your organization and SSA/DHS prior to use.
All searches subject to FCRA compliance. State and local law may restrict use of certain report types.