Information on Instructor Background Checks
Background checks are a key part of the TakeLessons instructor certification process. We use one of the nation's leading background check services to provide a comprehensive evaluation of our instructors.
Here is what is included in our background checks:
Social Security Number Trace
The SSN Trace is included with the Multi-State Criminal Search and Criminal History Search. This search will verify the person's social security number, gather a list of address history for the criminal search, and provide any AKA's or aliases.
Multi-State Criminal Search
The Multi-State Criminal Searche is typically included as part of the core offering, the Comprehensive U.S. Criminal Search, in an effort to identify criminal records within an applicant's background that might fall outside their area of residence.
The Multi-State Criminal Search is run against the most complete database of such information available, including over 250 million criminal records from over 44 states (Departments of Corrections, Administrative Offices of the Courts, and directly from counties) and Sex Offender Registry information from all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
The SSN Trace offering is an additional service that can be bundled into the Multi-State Criminal Search to precisely identify questionable jurisdictions in which the applicant has a record(s).
Offenses for minors may not appear in the public record and therefore are not accessible in the background checks.
Not all arrest logs, sex offender registries and conviction records are available for all years in all counties and states, and therefore cannot be accessible in the background checks. See state details below.
Nationwide Sex Offender Registry Search
The Nationwide Sex Offender Registry Search is a nationwide search against state-owned sex offender registries from all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Typically, reported information includes full name of the offender, classification of the offense and the offender's last known address. However, since these databases are state owned and operated, the level of detail provided back about the offender may vary. This search will also provide photos of the offenders when available. Average turnaround time: “Clears” are near instant; “Hits” average 24-72 hrs.
The National Criminal Check Includes the following Coverage. The data provided by our partner is only as current and accurate as our source data from the states or the originating counties.
Descriptions:
Department of Corrections (DOC)
The DOC contains criminal records on individuals who are or have been incarcerated or supervised by the Department of Corrections. Information can contain current inmates, released inmates, parolees and probationers. Primarily contains felony convictions, but dependant on state may contain deferrals, adjudication withheld, first offender probation, pre-trial intervention and serious misdemeanors.
Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC)
The AOC is a state agency that receives criminal record updates from county courthouses located within their jurisdiction (within a particular state). This may contain felony and misdemeanor criminal records. Information may include the following: convictions, adjudication withheld, deferrals, first offender, pre-trial intervention and may or may not contain some traffic violations. Please note that traffic violations are not checked unless a state reports these violations as a criminal offense.
State Sex Offender Registry
The state sex offender registries may contain data on sexual predators, high risk offenders and violent offenders.
What's covered in each state:
Alabama
Department of Corrections,
State Sex Offender Registry
Alaska
Administrative Office of the Courts
State Sex Offender Registry
Arizona
Department of Corrections
Administrative Office of the Courts
Criminal coverage in the following counties in Arizona:
- Mariposa
- Pima
State Sex Offender Registry
Arkansas
Department of Corrections
Administrative Office of the Courts
State Sex Offender Registry
California
State Sex Offender Registry
Criminal coverage in the following counties in California:
- Alameda
- Butte
- Contra Costa – Municipal and Superior
- Fresno – Municipal and Superior
- Indio
- Los Angeles Municipal and Superior
- Marin
- Orange
- Riverside
- San Mateo
- Sacramento
- San Bernardino
- San Diego – Municipal and Superior
- San Luis Obispo
- San Mateo
- Santa Barbara – Municipal and Superior
- Santa Clara – Municipal and Superior
- Santa Cruz
- Ventura
Colorado
State Sex Offender Registry
Connecticut
Department of Corrections
Administrative Office of the Courts
State Sex Offender Registry
Delaware
State Sex Offender Registry
Florida
Department of Corrections
Administrative Office of the Courts
Criminal coverage in the following counties in Florida:
- Alachua
- Bay
- Brevard
- Broward
- Charlotte
- Dade
- Duval
- Hernando
- Indian River
- Highlands
- Hillsborough
- Leon
- Marion
- Monroe
- Orange
- Osceola
- Palm Beach
- Pinellas
State Sex Offender Registry
Georgia
Department of Corrections,
Georgia – State Board of Pardons and Paroles
Georgia – Bureau of Investigations
State Sex Offender Registry
Hawaii
Department of Corrections
State Sex Offender Registry
Idaho
Department of Corrections
State Sex Offender Registry
Illinois
Department of Corrections
- Includes Cook County
State Sex Offender Registry
Indiana
Department of Corrections
State Sex Offender Registry
Iowa
Administrative Office of the Courts
Department of Corrections
Iowa, PNP – (Pardons and Paroles)
State Sex Offender Registry
Kansas
Department of Corrections
State Sex Offender Registry
Kentucky
Department of Corrections
State Sex Offender Registry
Louisiana
Department of Corrections
Criminal coverage in the following county in Louisiana:
- St Tammany Parish
State Sex Offender Registry
Maine
Department of Corrections
State Sex Offender Registry
Maryland
Department of Corrections
Administrative Office of the Courts
State Sex Offender Registry
Massachusetts
State Sex Offender Registry
Michigan
Department of Corrections
Criminal coverage in the following county in Michigan:
- Wayne County
State Sex Offender Registry
Minnesota
Department of Corrections
Department of Public Safety
State Sex Offender Registry
Mississippi
Department of Corrections
Department of Probations and Pardons
Criminal coverage in the following county in Mississippi:
- Hinds
State Sex Offender Registry
Missouri
Department of Corrections
Administrative Office of the Courts
State Sex Offender Registry
Montana
Department of Corrections
State Sex Offender Registry
Nebraska
Department of Corrections
State Sex Offender Registry
Nevada
Department of Corrections
State Sex Offender Registry
New Hampshire
Department of Corrections
State Sex Offender Registry
New Jersey
Department of Corrections
Administrative Office of the Courts
State Sex Offender Registry
New Mexico
Department of Corrections
State Sex Offender Registry
New York
Department of Corrections
State Sex Offender Registry
North Carolina
Department of Corrections
Administrative Office of the Courts
State Sex Offender Registry
North Dakota
Administrative Office of the Courts
State Sex Offender Registry
Ohio
Department of Corrections
Criminal coverage in the following counties in Ohio:
- Allen
- Ashtabula
- Auglaize
- Butler
- Champaign
- Clermont
- Columbiana
- Delaware
- Fulton
- Greene
- Hamilton
- Hancock
- Hardin
- Lake
- Licking
- Mahoning
- Medina
- Montgomery
- Portage
- Putnam
- Richland
- Sandusky
- Trumbull
- Tuscarawas
- Warren
- Wayne
State Sex Offender Registry
Oklahoma
Department of Corrections
Administrative Office of the Courts
Oklahoma Courts
Department of Public Safety
Oklahoma Supreme Court
State Sex Offender Registry
Oregon
Department of Corrections
Administrative Office of the Courts
State Sex Offender Registry
Pennsylvania
Department of Corrections
Administrative Office of the Courts
State Sex Offender Registry
Rhode Island
Administrative Office of the Courts
State Sex Offender Registry
South Carolina
Department of Corrections
Criminal coverage in the following counties in South Carolina
- Greenville
- York
State Sex Offender Registry
South Dakota
State Sex Offender Registry
Tennessee
Department of Corrections
Administrative Office of the Courts – Municipal and Superior
State Sex Offender Registry
Texas
Department of Corrections
Department of Public Safety
Criminal coverage in the following counties in Texas:
- Bexar
- Brazoria
- Cameron
- Collin
- Chambers
- Dallas
- Denton
- El Paso
- Fort Bend
- Gregg
- Harris
- Jefferson
- Midland
- Montgomery
- Potter
- Rockwell
- Travis
- Victoria
- Waller
- Williamson
State Sex Offender Registry
Utah
Department of Corrections
Administrative Office of the Courts
State Sex Offender Registry
Vermont
State Sex Offender Registry
Virginia
Department of Corrections
Administrative Office of the Courts
State Sex Offender Registry
Criminal coverage in the following county in Virginia:
- Fairfax
Washington State
Department of Corrections
Administrative Office of the Courts
State Sex Offender Registry
Washington DC
Department of Corrections
Sex Offender Registry
West Virginia
State Sex Offender Registry
Wisconsin
Department of Corrections
Administrative Office of the Courts
State Sex Offender Registry
Wyoming
State Sex Offender Registry
Single Jurisdiction Criminal History Searches
Single Jurisdiction Criminal History Searches are performed based on the results of the criminal history search. They are comprehensive courthouse check aimed at uncovering applicants with criminal records at the state and county level for one jurisdiction applicants (generally performed at the current jurisdiction of residence).
This search reveals felonies, misdemeanors, and violations (where available) reported at the highest court in the county (i.e. Superior, County and/or Municipal).
Please note that the background check is run once a year for TakeLessons instructors, and we do not guarantee or warrant that there has not been a significant and material change in their status since the last time the check was run.
