Criminal Background Check for Tenants — $7.50, Results in Minutes
VerticalRent's criminal background check covers nationwide criminal databases across all 50 states. See offense type, date, disposition, and state of record — FCRA compliant, with adverse action notices included.
$7.50 per report. Applicant-pays option available. No monthly fee required.
What Shows Up on a Tenant Criminal Background Check
VerticalRent searches nationwide criminal databases and returns structured results for each of the following record types.
Felony convictions
Federal and state felony convictions, including violent crimes, drug offenses, and financial crimes.
Misdemeanor convictions
Including dismissed or expunged records where state law permits reporting.
Sex offender registry
Nationwide sex offender registry search covering all 50 states and federal registry.
Offense date and disposition
Not just 'convicted' — the full outcome, including acquittals, guilty pleas, and sentencing.
State of record
The jurisdiction where the offense occurred, essential for evaluating severity under applicable law.
Case and docket number
Official case identifiers for independent verification with the originating court.
What does NOT show up:
- Arrests without conviction (in most states)
- Offenses beyond the 7-year lookback (where state law limits reporting — CA, NY, KS, MD, MA, MT, NH, NM, WA)
- Expunged records where state law requires their removal from reports
How Our Criminal Background Check Works
From order to results in under 5 minutes — fully FCRA compliant at every step.
Landlord places the order
Order a criminal background check directly, or send the applicant a payment link so they pay the $7.50 fee themselves.
Applicant submits electronic consent
FCRA requires written consent before running any background check. VerticalRent collects consent electronically, with a timestamp and IP address for your audit log.
System searches nationwide criminal databases
Our Data Divers integration searches criminal databases across all 50 states simultaneously — federal records, state repositories, and sex offender registries.
Results returned in 2–5 minutes
You receive a structured report showing every match: offense type, date, disposition, jurisdiction, and docket number.
AI interprets results in the Risk Score
The AI Risk Score reads offense type, severity, recency, and pattern — then synthesizes the criminal data with credit, eviction, and rental history into a single 0–100 score.
Adverse action notice auto-generated if denying
If you deny the application based on the criminal check, VerticalRent automatically generates the FCRA-required adverse action notice — saving you from a compliance mistake.
Criminal Background Check + AI Risk Score
A criminal background check returns raw data. VerticalRent's AI Risk Score interprets it. A DUI from 2009 with no subsequent offenses is a very different risk signal than a fraud conviction from 2023. The AI reads offense type, severity, recency, and pattern — then synthesizes it with credit, eviction, and rental history into a 0–100 risk score with a plain-English explanation.
Example AI Interpretation
“One misdemeanor assault from 2017, no subsequent criminal history in 7 years. Pattern suggests isolated incident rather than ongoing risk. Combined with strong rental history and no eviction records, overall risk classification: Low-Moderate.”
AI Risk Score is included with every full screening bundle. Learn how AI screening works →
FCRA Rules for Using Criminal Records in Tenant Screening
Violating FCRA when screening tenants can expose you to lawsuits and regulatory penalties. Here is what you must know.
FCRA Compliance Requirements
- You MUST get written consent before running a criminal background check on any applicant.
- You CANNOT categorically deny all applicants with criminal records in many jurisdictions — HUD guidance and local "ban the box" laws require individualized assessment.
- You MUST send an adverse action notice before formally denying an application based on criminal records.
- The 7-year lookback rule applies in some states (CA, NY, KS, MD, MA, MT, NH, NM, WA) — older records may not be reportable.
- VerticalRent handles consent collection and adverse action notices automatically — protecting you from the most common FCRA mistakes.
See our full compliance guide: FCRA Compliance Checklist for Landlords →
Criminal Check Pricing
Straightforward per-report pricing. No subscription required to run a criminal background check.
Screening Report Prices
Criminal Background Check
All 50 states, felony + misdemeanor + sex offender
Full Screening Bundle (Criminal + Credit + Eviction)
Save vs. ordering separately
Rental History / SSN Trace
Address history, rental references
Applicant-pays option
Send a link — applicant pays directly
Compare Criminal Background Check Providers
VerticalRent offers the lowest per-report price with AI-powered interpretation — features competitors don't offer at any price.
| Feature | VerticalRent | SmartMove | RentPrep | MyRental |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price per report | $7.50 | $25–$38 | $18.95–$34.95 | $24.99–$39.99 |
| Nationwide coverage | ||||
| AI Risk Score | ||||
| Applicant-pays option | Limited | |||
| Adverse action notice | Auto | Manual | Manual | Manual |
| FCRA compliant |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a criminal background check for a tenant cost?
$7.50 through VerticalRent. Full screening bundle (criminal + credit + eviction) is $23.50 total.
What shows up on a tenant criminal background check?
Felony and misdemeanor convictions, sex offender registry, offense date, disposition, and state of record. Does not show arrests without conviction or expunged records where state law requires removal.
Can I deny a tenant based on a criminal record?
In many jurisdictions, blanket denial based on any criminal record is not permitted under HUD guidance. You must evaluate the nature, recency, and relevance of the offense. Consult your state's specific landlord-tenant laws.
Is a criminal background check required for tenant screening?
Not legally required, but strongly recommended. Eviction history and criminal background are the two most predictive factors for tenancy risk.
Does VerticalRent's criminal check cover all 50 states?
Yes. The nationwide criminal database search covers all 50 states.
Run Your First Criminal Background Check Today
$7.50 per report. No subscription required. Results in under 5 minutes. FCRA compliant with adverse action notices included.
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