Most competitors make you call just to find out what things cost. Every price below is what you actually pay — no surprises, no hidden fees beyond clearly noted 3rd-party court costs.
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.
Every role in a school involves children. The liability is the same whether the person is paid or a volunteer.
A classroom teacher and a parent chaperone on a field trip are very different risk profiles — but both have access to your students. Courts do not distinguish between paid employees and volunteers when assessing negligent hiring liability. The question is always: what searches are right for this specific person’s role and history?
Screen the person, not just the role
Schools screen a wide range of people across very different risk levels. The right search depends on the role AND the person — their name history, where they’ve lived, what credentials they hold, and what records may exist in counties that databases never capture.
Start with the role
What access does this person have to students?
- →Teacher or aide → federal courts + credential check
- →Bus driver → MVR + CDLIS + federal courts
- →Administrator → full screen + verifications
- →Contractor or custodian → database minimum
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
Build the right search
Use the a la carte menu below. The SSN trace surfaces every county — search each one.
- →SSN trace reveals all counties
- →Verify teaching credentials separately
- →Use GCR to let our team handle it for you
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.
Patricia — substitute teacher, one name, one county for 8 years
Single location · Single name · Classroom coverage, direct student contact
+
| Search | Why it’s ordered | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-State Criminal Search with AliasBroad sweep · all 50 states · instant | Catches anything outside her home county. SSN trace confirms one county. | $15.00 |
| County Courthouse Criminal Search — Allegheny Co., PADirect courthouse records · 7 years | Database searches miss things. This is the gold standard for her county of residence. | $8.50 |
| National Federal Courts SearchAll 94 US districts · 7 years | Alone in a classroom with children — trafficking, exploitation, and internet crimes against children live in federal courts. Non-negotiable for any teaching role. | $12.00 |
$35.50
* Court access fees for Allegheny Co. not included. Note: PA MVR not available — does not affect this search. If the SSN trace returned additional counties, we’d add an $8.50 courthouse search for each one.
Ms. Chen (formerly Lisa Park, now Lisa Chen) — 4th grade teacher, 2 names, 3 counties in 7 years, state teaching license
Two surnames · Three counties · Licensed teacher · Daily child contact
+
| Search | Why it’s ordered | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-State Criminal Search with AliasBoth names searched · SSN trace surfaces all counties | Both “Lisa Park” and “Lisa Chen” searched. SSN trace returns all 3 counties. | $15.00 |
| County Courthouse — Hennepin Co., MN (Minneapolis)7-year courthouse record | Lived here years 1–3 of the lookback window. | $8.50 |
| County Courthouse — Dane Co., WI (Madison)7-year courthouse record | Lived here years 3–5 of the lookback window. | $8.50 |
| County Courthouse — Cook Co., IL (Chicago)7-year courthouse record | Current county of residence. | $8.50 |
| National Federal Courts SearchAll 94 US districts · 7 years | Full-time classroom teacher — federal crimes against children never appear in county or state records. | $12.00 |
| Professional Credential Verification — teaching license$10.00 per license | Confirms license type, current status, issuance date, and any disciplinary history with the state licensing board. | $10.00 |
$62.50
* Court access fees per county not included. A fixed package would have searched one name in one county. Ms. Chen has two surnames, three counties, and a teaching license to verify — a package would have left all of that unaddressed.
Principal Robert — paid administrator hire, 4 counties across 3 states, previous surname, budget authority & student oversight
Multiple names · Four counties · Three states · Administrative authority · Budget oversight · Licensed educator
+
| Search | Why it’s ordered | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-State Criminal Search with AliasAll names · all states · instant | Both surname variants searched. SSN trace surfaces all 4 counties across 3 states. | $15.00 |
| County Courthouse — 4 counties across TX, OK & KS$8.50 per county × 4 | Every county where he lived in the past 7 years searched individually. | $34.00 |
| National Federal Courts Search94 federal districts · 7 years | Oversight of all students + budget authority — child exploitation and financial crimes live here. | $12.00 |
| County Civil Search — current countyCivil court records · 7 years | Budget oversight role — civil judgments and liens are relevant due diligence. | $12.00 |
| Professional Credential Verification — 2 licenses$10.00 per license × 2 | Confirms both the administrator license and teaching license — status, issuance, and any disciplinary history. | $20.00 |
| Employment Verification — 3 prior schools$10.00 per employer × 3 | Administrative hire — confirm title, dates, separation reason, and rehire eligibility at each prior district. | $30.00 |
$123.00
* Court access fees not included. This is the appropriate level for a building principal — student oversight, budget authority, multi-state history, and two licenses to verify. Skipping any of these creates a documented gap.
Diane — parent volunteer & field trip chaperone, one name, one county, direct unsupervised student contact
Unpaid volunteer · Single location · Alone with children on trips, in hallways, and during activities
+
| Search | Why it’s ordered | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-State Criminal Search with AliasBroad sweep · all 50 states · instant | Catches anything outside her home county. SSN trace confirms she has only lived in one county. | $15.00 |
| County Courthouse Criminal Search — Montgomery Co., MDDirect courthouse records · 7 years | Database searches miss things. Direct courthouse search is the gold standard for her county of residence. | $8.50 |
| National Federal Courts SearchAll 94 US districts · 7 years | Unsupervised student contact on field trips and in school — trafficking and exploitation charges live exclusively in federal courts. Paid or unpaid makes no difference to the risk. | $12.00 |
$35.50
* The same searches as a substitute teacher — because the risk is the same. “Volunteer” is not a lesser liability category when it comes to student safety. If the SSN trace returned additional counties, we’d add an $8.50 courthouse search for each one.
Stop guessing — set your standard once with Gap Coverage Request (GCR)
GCR applies to criminal background searches only. Make two selections — once, for your whole 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.
Most schools should choose Best Practice (Option 1) for both sections. It’s the most complete coverage available and the most defensible position for a district. Other services such as credential verification, employment verification, and driving records are added manually per order.
GCR applies to criminal searches only. Fees charged per search per name — costs scale with addresses and alias names found. Court access surcharges apply in some jurisdictions.
Safeguard from Abuse™ — Child Abuse Awareness Training
A background check tells you about someone’s past. But protecting students requires more — it requires a culture of accountability. Safeguard from Abuse pairs with your background screening to create the complete student protection picture that neither can provide alone.
What it covers
- ✓Recognizing signs of abuse
- ✓Mandated reporting requirements
- ✓Creating safe school environments
- ✓Grooming behavior awareness
- ✓Building accountability culture
Why it matters for schools
Teachers, coaches, aides, and bus drivers spend hours with students — often one-on-one. A background check screens for past offenses. Training teaches your entire staff how to recognize, prevent, and report abuse before it happens. Together they protect students 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.
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
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
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
National Federal Courts Search
All 94 US district courts — uncovers trafficking, internet crimes against children, child exploitation, and fraud that county and state searches miss. 7-year history. Recommended for all roles with student contact.
Same day – 3 business days
Nationwide Wants & Warrants
Local, county, state, and federal extraditable warrants — misdemeanors and felonies. Not all agencies contribute.
1–2 business days
County Civil Search
Non-criminal civil court records, 7-year history. Recommended for administrators and roles with budget responsibility.
3–5 business days · Court access fees may apply
Professional Credential Verification Agreement required
Verifies teaching licenses, administrator certifications, and other credentials — type, issuance date, current status (valid, expired, suspended, revoked), and any disciplinary history. Essential for all licensed educators.
1–3 business days · Credentialing fees may apply
Employment Verification Agreement required
Confirms title, dates, full/part-time, separation reason, and rehire eligibility at each prior employer. 3 contact attempts. Recommended for all paid staff.
1–5 business days · Employer fees may apply
Education Verification Agreement required
Confirms degree, major, graduation date, and GPA. 3 contact attempts.
1–5 business days · Third-party fees may apply
Professional Reference Interview
Structured interview with a supervisor, colleague, or personal reference — performance, reliability, strengths, and any concerns.
Turnaround varies
Employment Credit Report (PEER) Instant
Payment history, debts, public records, and address history. For administrators with budget or financial responsibility. Signed authorization required. State law may restrict use — ask us.†
Not a consumer credit report — no credit score provided
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
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 all bus drivers and any staff transporting students.
State access fees apply · State-specific authorization may be required
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 school bus drivers.
Identifies all prior CDL-holding states · SSN match included
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
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
International Criminal / Education / Employment
Available for many countries. Depth and availability vary. Country-specific release forms required. Relevant for international student teachers, exchange faculty, and foreign-educated staff.
3–15 business days · Call 866-891-1954 opt. 2 for a quote
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 every student in your school?
We’ll help you build the right screening program for teachers, administrators, bus drivers, and contractors. No pressure, no hard sell.
* 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.
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.