How far back does a security clearance go?

Security Clearance Adjudicative Process

The clearance process for Secret level access uses an investigation called the National Agency Check with Law and Credit that goes back five years, while the clearance process for Top Secret uses a Single Scope Background Investigation that goes back ten years.

What clearance goes back 7 years?

Section 22, Police Record, generally looks only 7 years back; however, some police record questions expect you to report any criminal actions, ever: any convictions resulting in 12 months sentence and incarceration and charges (regardless of conviction) for the likes of any felony under any circumstances; any domestic ...

What disqualifies you from getting a secret security clearance?

These conditions may disqualify you from access to classified information: Drug abuse. Illegal drug possession. Diagnosis of drug abuse or dependence by a medical professional.

What does a security clearance look for?

Credit and criminal history checks will be conducted on all applicants. For a Top Secret security clearance, the background investigation includes additional record checks which can verify citizenship for the applicant and family members, verification of birth, education, employment history, and military history.

How far back does a SF 86 go?

Form must be completed going back 10 years.

If not back 10 years, it will slow down the processing time of your background investigation. The SF-86 form requests information back 7 years for employment and residence; however, to comply with the investigative standards, 10 years is required.

Understanding the Federal Security Clearance Process

What is a Tier 4 background investigation?

Tiers Three and Four – Secret Security Clearance & High Risk Public Trust. This clearance tier means that you are allowed access to information or material that could cause grave danger to the security of the United States if it were disclosed.

What are the 5 levels of security clearance?

Do security clearances check Internet history?

Although security clearance background checks can be intensely thorough, the government can't view your emails, Internet browsing history, hard drive data, and other virtual assets without a subpoena or warrant.

What percentage of people get denied security clearance?

But don't lose heart – 20-30% of all interim security clearances are denied, but that is vastly different than the figure of final clearance denials, which hovers around 1%.

What disqualifies you from getting a federal job?

In most cases, individuals tried in federal criminal courts are disqualified from government jobs. Crimes, such as fraud, embezzlement, and tax evasion, and similar white-collar offenses, are highly frowned upon.

What is the highest security clearance you can get?

What is the highest security clearance you can get? The federal government provides three levels of clearance: confidential, secret, and top secret. Top secret clearance is the highest security clearance level anyone can get. A candidate's responsibilities determine the level of clearance granted.

How much is top secret clearance worth?

Taking into account the intensity of the process, you may be wondering, “How much is a top secret clearance worth?” As reported in January 2021, the average cost of a top secret security clearance was between $3,000 and $15,000, and these costs tend to be paid by the government for its own employees.

Do all Top Secret clearances require a polygraph?

Polygraph tests accompany some Top Secret or TS/SCI clearances; however, they are not required to obtain either type of clearance and are not part of the clearance background investigation.

What causes a red flag on a background check?

Common background report red flags include application discrepancies, derogatory marks and criminal records.

What shows up on a criminal background check?

Criminal background checks will reveal felony and misdemeanor criminal convictions, any pending criminal cases, and any history of incarceration as an adult. Arrests pending prosecution may also be reported.

What is a Tier 3 security clearance?

A Tier 3 investigation is required for a Confidential or Secret clearance, for a Department of Energy (DOE) “L” access authorization, or to hold a non-critical sensitive position.

How difficult is security clearance?

The National Security Agency denied the most applicants–9.2 percent. The National Reconnaissance Office and the Central Intelligence Agency had the next greatest number of denials, at 7.4 percent and 6.5 percent, respectively. These numbers might seem relatively low, but there's a reason for that.

What is required for secret clearance?

For a secret clearance in a national security position, the investigation requires agents to interview people who have lived or worked with the applicant at some point in the past seven years, or sometimes farther back.

Can you lose your clearance if you fail a polygraph?

The reality is while the government can't deny a security clearance based solely on a failed polygraph, it can absolutely deny a clearance based on negative information disclosed during a polygraph – that's the entire point.

Do security clearances look at text messages?

INTERNET HISTORY, EMAILS, TEXT MESSAGES AND iCLOUD

Security clearance background investigators do not check your browsing history, read your emails, surveil your every move, bug your telephones, or photograph you commuting to work. That's just not feasible, or allowable.

Do security clearance look at social media?

"All personnel who have a security clearance or complete a Personnel Security Background Investigation for a security clearance are giving authorization to be subject to scrutiny of their social media to look for character, trustworthiness, reliability issues and foreign contacts," said Bullard.

What do clearance Investigators ask references?

“The best references are individuals who have knowledge of you over a long period of time, if possible, and who know your work ethic through direct observation.” Strong references can also describe the best of your personality traits—such as reliability, honesty, and dedication.

What is the lowest security clearance?

The Department of State official site lists three federal clearances from lowest to highest. They are, respectively, Confidential, Secret, and Top Secret.

What is a Tier 1 security clearance?

Tier 1 is the investigation for positions designated as low-risk, non-sensitive. It is also the minimum level of investigation for a final credentialing determination for physical and logical access.

How far back does a Tier 3 investigation go?

The T3 Investigation

The New T3 is now all the same for military, civilian and contractor positions. The new scope is the last 5 years.