How Long Does a Background Check Usually Take? I’m Waiting Two Weeks Already

A lot of background checks finish in 2–5 business days, but 1–2 weeks can be normal depending on what’s included in the screening. At the two-week mark, the delay is usually caused by one slow verification step, not necessarily a problem with your record.

Why background checks get delayed

The parts that take the longest are the ones that depend on outside agencies or people responding. The most common slowdowns are county court searches, employment verification, education verification, DMV/MVR checks, or identity mismatches that require manual review. High hiring volume can also slow things down.

What “two weeks” usually means

In many cases, the background check is mostly done and just waiting on one item, like a court in a specific county, a former employer confirming dates, or a state driving record update. Sometimes the report is actually complete, but the employer or platform hasn’t reviewed it yet.

What you should do today

Ask the screening company (or the employer) what portion is still pending - criminal search, employment, education, or driving record, and whether they need any documents from you to finish. If you’re applying through an app-based platform, also ask whether this is truly a background check delay or an identity/account verification issue being labeled as “background check.”