Credit history checks for employment
Employment credit reports for roles with financial responsibility. $10.50 per report for Catapult members, with a one-time $125 setup before the first file can be pulled. Several states restrict this, so check before you order.
An employment credit report is not a credit score
The version an employer receives is deliberately narrower than the one a lender sees, and understanding the difference matters before you decide whether you need it.
Several states limit or prohibit employment credit checks
This is the part employers most often get wrong. A growing number of states and cities restrict the use of credit history in hiring, typically allowing it only for specific categories of role such as positions with fiduciary duty, access to significant assets, or certain managerial and law-enforcement roles.
Confirm before you order
Whether you may run a credit check depends on the state, sometimes the city, and the specific duties of the role. Confirm it is permitted for your jurisdiction and position before ordering.
Document the job-relatedness
Where credit checks are allowed for particular categories of role, the record of why this role qualifies is what defends the decision later.
Ask us if you are unsure
Catapult members can raise this through HR Advisory On-Call before ordering rather than after.
This page describes how the service works. It is not legal advice, and state and local rules in this area change frequently.
Roles where employers most often consider it
Credit history pricing
| Search | Member | Non-member |
|---|---|---|
| Credit history | $10.50 | $15.00one-time $125 setup fee |
The $125 setup is charged once, before the first credit file can be pulled. It covers the credentialing the credit bureaus require.
A $3 applicant fee applies to every person screened. See full background check pricing.
Employment credit check questions
How much does an employment credit check cost?
Does an employment credit check show a credit score?
Can we run a credit check on any candidate?
Why is there a $125 setup fee?
Does a credit check hurt the candidate’s credit?
Do we still have to follow adverse action rules?
Catapult is a proud member of the Professional Background Screening Association, upholding the highest standards of accuracy, compliance, and consumer protection in background screening.
Related screening services
Most employers combine several of these into one screening package.
Ask about employment credit checks
We will confirm whether it is permitted for your role and jurisdiction before anything is ordered.
*Catapult Services Corporation is an investigative agency licensed by the Private Protective Services Board of the State of North Carolina specializing in corporate pre-employment background screening. Our corporate agency license is BPN 001473P11M, Qualify Agent, Kevin von der Lippe, PI, 2891. Catapult Services Corporation is a consumer reporting agency that supplies applicant screening services for employment, volunteer and student screening, to authorized organizations under the conditions of the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act.
Human Trafficking
If you feel you are a victim of Human Trafficking, click on this link to learn more about your rights as it relates to your background screening report.
Personal Information Disclosure: United States or Overseas
Personal information submitted to Catapult Services Corporation for background screening is not transferred to third parties outside of the United States or its territories unless the completion of a background report about the person requires gathering information about that person from outside the United States (ex. international criminal check, verification of employment records outside the United States or verification of education records outside the United States.) All personal information will be transmitted and stored in a secure manner in accordance with the terms of this Privacy Policy.
