Compliance services

Paperless I-9 verification and electronic Form I-9 administration

Eliminate paper I-9 forms, reduce errors, and stay audit-ready with electronic I-9 verification and direct E-Verify integration.

Request a demo(866) 440-0302
E-Verify integrationAudit-ready electronic storageMulti-site employers supported
Someone completing a form on a laptop, representing electronic Form I-9 completion
Electronic I-9 completion has been permitted by DHS since 1997.
The problem

Paper I-9s are a compliance nightmare

Paper I-9 forms are the single most common source of employer fines during ICE audits. Missing signatures, wrong dates, expired documents. Even small mistakes can cost thousands per form. For multi-location employers, managing paper I-9s across sites is nearly impossible to do consistently.

$288 to $2,861 per formThe penalty range for technical violations. These are paperwork errors, not knowingly hiring an unauthorized worker, and they add up fast across a workforce.
Missing or late formsEvery employee must have a completed I-9 on file. Section 1 is due by the first day of work and Section 2 within three business days of the start date.
Incorrect document reviewEmployers must follow exact List A, B, and C rules. Asking for a specific document, or accepting the wrong combination, is itself a violation.
Reverification quietly lapsesWork authorization that expires needs timely reverification. On paper, the deadline is only as reliable as whoever remembered to diary it.
An office worker reviewing employment records at a desk
How it works

How paperless I-9 works

Catapult’s paperless I-9 solution eliminates the paper, automates the compliance checks, and integrates directly with E-Verify so every new hire is processed correctly from day one.

Electronic form completionEmployees and employers complete Section 1 and Section 2 electronically with built-in validation that catches errors before submission.
E-Verify integrationAutomatic submission to E-Verify with real-time case status tracking. No separate login or manual data entry required.
Audit-ready storageAll I-9s stored electronically with automated retention schedules, reverification alerts, and instant retrieval for government audits.
Ongoing reverificationExpiring work authorization surfaces as an alert before the deadline rather than after, so reverification happens on time.
Multi-site and remote

Built for distributed workforces

The employers who get hurt most by paper I-9s are the ones running them across several locations, where consistency depends on whoever happens to be onboarding that day.

One standard across every location

The same validated workflow at every site, so a new hire in one location is processed exactly like a new hire in another.

Remote hires and authorized representatives

Employees complete Section 1 remotely, and an authorized representative can complete Section 2 with document verification following current DHS guidance.

Central visibility

Outstanding, incomplete, and expiring I-9s visible in one place instead of reconstructed from filing cabinets during an audit.

Evaluating vendors

Running an RFP for electronic I-9 services?

If you are comparing electronic I-9 vendors formally, these are the requirements worth writing into the specification. They are also what Catapult provides.

Electronic signature and storage complianceThe system must meet federal requirements for electronic signature, storage, and retrieval of Form I-9. Ask any vendor to state how they meet each one.
Direct E-Verify integration, not re-keyingCases should submit from the same record, with status tracked in the system. A vendor that requires separate E-Verify data entry has not removed the error source.
Audit response capabilityOn a Notice of Inspection you generally have three business days. The system should produce complete I-9 records and reports within minutes, not days.
Retention and purge schedulingAutomated retention against the federal rule, and the ability to purge records that have aged out, which is the half of retention most employers ignore.
Reverification alertingAutomated alerts ahead of expiring work authorization, with an auditable record of when the alert fired.
Handling of your existing paper I-9sMigrating forward does not fix what is already in the cabinet. Ask how historical forms are handled. See I-9 audit and remediation for the corrective side.
FAQs

Electronic I-9 questions

Are electronic I-9s legally compliant?
Yes. The DHS has allowed electronic I-9 completion since 1997. Our system meets all federal requirements for electronic signatures, storage, and retrieval.
Can remote employees complete I-9s through your system?
Yes. Employees can complete Section 1 remotely, and authorized representatives can complete Section 2 with document verification following current DHS guidelines.
What happens during a government audit?
Our system can generate complete I-9 reports and produce all required forms within minutes. Electronic storage means no lost or damaged paperwork.
How long do we have to keep I-9s?
Federal rules require retaining a Form I-9 for three years after the date of hire or one year after employment ends, whichever is later. Automated retention scheduling handles the calculation, including flagging records that have aged out and can be purged.
Does this replace E-Verify?
No. E-Verify is the federal confirmation system and Form I-9 is the underlying documentation requirement. The two work together, and the paperless system submits to E-Verify directly from the same record rather than making someone re-enter it.
We are running an RFP for electronic I-9 services. What do you provide?
Catapult provides electronic Section 1 and Section 2 completion with built-in validation, direct E-Verify integration with case status tracking, audit-ready electronic storage with automated retention scheduling, reverification alerting, and support for multi-location and remote hires. Send us your requirements matrix and we will respond against it line by line.
What about employees hired before we switch?
Going paperless fixes new hires. It does not correct forms already on file, and those are what an ICE audit examines. An internal I-9 audit and remediation reviews your existing forms against current USCIS standards and produces a written correction plan. Most employers do both at the same time.
PBSA Member, Professional Background Screening Association

Catapult is a proud member of the Professional Background Screening Association, upholding the highest standards of accuracy, compliance, and consumer protection in background screening.

Screening services

Related screening services

Most employers combine several of these into one screening package.

Pre-employment screening→FACIS Level 3 healthcare screening→Continuous criminal monitoring→Employment history verification→Education verification→Professional reference checks→MVR monitoring & driver screening→Volunteer background checks→Military service verification→I-9 audit & remediation→Drug screening services→Background check pricing→Professional license verification→Name and SSN verification→Credit history checks→

Go paperless on I-9s

Eliminate compliance risk with electronic I-9 verification and direct E-Verify integration.

Request a demo(866) 440-0302

*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.

Kevin von der Lippe, Director, HR Products & Technologies at Catapult
Kevin von der LippeDirector, HR Products & Technologies
Talk to a specialist