Professional license verification

Professional license verification is a type of background screening that employers use to confirm that a job candidate or employee holds appropriate licenses for a position. Certain roles require that employees hold licenses or certifications—either by law or according to company policy—to demonstrate they possess the necessary skills and training for their job duties.

State governments or industry regulatory bodies may require that you verify professional licenses. For example, professional license verifications are commonly used by employers in the healthcare industry, financial institutions, construction businesses, schools, and more. You may also choose to check for specific licenses relevant to the roles you hire for based on organizational policy. Regardless of your industry, running this type of check can help you maintain compliance, ensure that employees are qualified for their positions, and create a safe and productive work environment. 

A professional license background check may provide the following information:

Since most professional licenses are state-issued, the information that shows up on a verification screening can vary depending on where you live and the reporting service you use. Your industry and compliance regulations can also impact what you see on a verification report. 

Employers conduct professional license verifications to enable compliance with local, state, and federal regulations, reduce risk in their workplace, and maintain a safe working environment. Information from a license search—like expiration dates and disciplinary actions—can help you make informed hiring decisions and assess the continued employment eligibility of current team members.

While licenses are often required by law for safety-sensitive positions or roles that require extensive training, compliance isn’t the only reason employers should consider conducting professional license verification. Checking your team’s licensure protects your workforce and customers, patients, or the public from risk (depending on your industry). Ensuring that the people you employ are qualified for their jobs, fully trained, and maintain their licenses over time can help you avoid issues related to poor professional performance—or worse, unsafe situations in the workplace.

License checks can also function as a key piece of a comprehensive employment background check program that includes additional reports such as criminal background checks, driving record checks, and employment verification. Employers who work with a background check provider, like Checkr, to run a customized suite of screenings are able to consider the results of a license verification within the context of additional background information.

Many different industries require a professional license or certificate, like healthcare, construction, education, and accounting. While this list isn’t exhaustive, companies that hire individuals in the following sectors may need to run professional license verifications for job candidates or current employees.

Most healthcare professionals have ongoing licensing requirements they have to meet, and these can vary by state. Common licenses include those for doctors, nurses, mental health counselors, medical assistants, first responders, lab technicians, pharmacists, dentists, home caregivers, and more. Some providers and technicians may also need to hold specialized certifications related to their field. 

Positions such as general contractors, plumbers, electricians, architects, and other roles in the construction industry often require state licensure. Specialty positions, such as HVAC technicians, may also require certification to confirm employment eligibility. Generally, employers will need to verify these licenses before employment and on a recurring basis.

Teachers, professors, and other educators often need to hold state-sponsored teaching credentials to qualify for employment. In addition to a general teaching license, some educators may need to maintain supplemental certifications to teach specific grades or subjects. Other school employees, such as administrators or teaching assistants, may also be required to obtain professional certifications related to their job duties. 

Certified public accountants (CPAs) must typically hold a license from their state board of accountancy to be eligible for employment. Other positions within financial services may require a professional license that certifies an individual has the proper training and qualification for finance management (depending on the state). 

When employers check a professional license, it’s important to verify that the individual's licensing requirements are active and comply with industry regulations. You also want to see if that job candidate has received any disciplinary actions and if they’re in good standing. 

Employers may also choose to perform a more comprehensive background check that includes employment verification, professional reference checks, and more. Checkr’s easy-to-use dashboard and built-in adjudication tools make reviewing background screenings simpler and safer. By customizing your screenings and assessment workflows, your team can feel confident that they're reviewing correct and relevant information returned in a professional license verification. 

Checking a professional license can take a few seconds or a few days, depending on the type of license and whether you work with a background check provider to conduct verifications. Turnaround times can also vary whether the license is in a public database or requires putting in a request for records. For records held by a private organization, you may need to submit a license request and wait for the organization to send you a report.

A manual license search can involve visiting multiple databases, scheduling time to do recurring checks, and putting yourself at compliance risk due to human error. In comparison, working with a professional license verification service or background check provider, like Checkr, comes with customizable screening options, the ability to schedule recurring checks, and integration with your comprehensive background screening process.

Employers who work with Checkr benefit from faster turnaround times, more accurate results, and access to a candidate portal that helps candidates stay informed and engaged with regular updates about the status of their verifications.

Employers can stay compliant with professional licensing regulations by creating a comprehensive background check policy, building consistent verification workflows that reduce errors, and partnering with a CRA that provides simplified compliance tools.

To develop a policy, employers may start by identifying any ongoing professional licensing requirements and relevant compliance requirements related to candidate consent, timing for recurring license verification, and adverse action. From there, you can create a consistent background screening process that helps your team conduct consistent and compliant verifications every time. You can even work with your background check provider, like Checkr, to develop customized and automated workflows that make adhering to your policy easy for your hiring team.

Consulting with counsel can also help organizations stay compliant with federal, state, and local consumer protection laws and hiring regulations like the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). Checkr’s compliance tools can also help employers mitigate this risk. Our platform categorizes data consistently so you can hire faster and meet complex regional requirements. And, Checkr’s legal team monitors changes in legislation so our software is always up-to-date.

Professional license verifications are often an important part of a comprehensive employment background check. Checkr offers multiple background screening options, including fast and accurate professional license verification for a wide range of industries. 

Employers that partner with Checkr to complete license background checks benefit from faster turnaround times, simplified compliance workflows, and the option to automate license verification rechecks at set intervals. Our easy-to-use dashboard and 100+ ATS integrations allow you to streamline your background check process and start running safer, smoother professional license verifications at any scale. Get started with Checkr.

The resources provided here are for educational purposes only and do not constitute legal advice. We advise you to consult your own counsel if you have legal questions related to your specific practices and compliance with applicable laws.