A Guide to Reading TransUnion's Criminal Background Check

What information shows up on a criminal background check for renters?

TransUnion criminal background checks offer landlords access to key information needed to help make confident leasing decisions. With a tenant criminal background check, landlords gain access to:

• Multiple state criminal background checks*
• National coverage of state Sex Offender Public Registries
• Global Sanctions

*The Criminal Report and National Eviction Related Proceedings Report are subject to federal, state, and local laws that may limit or restrict TransUnion’s ability to return some records. Certain jurisdictions may limit what records are eligible for return, click here for more information.

The reporting period depends on the data source and applicable laws. The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) allows reporting of criminal convictions without a time limit but restricts non-conviction information to seven years. Some states further limit reporting timeframes or prohibit the inclusion of pending or non-conviction records.

Reports may contain the following information:

• Identifying information related to the charge. This includes name, dataset (court database), the category of the charge, state it took place in, and age of the applicant at the time
• Any aliases and a physical description of the applicant (height, weight, sex, race, and any other physical features)
• Court action: including the activity type (civil, criminal/traffic, misdemeanor, felony) and court record ID:
  • The Activity Type field reflects the offense information contained in the record.
  • The Court Record ID is the reference number the court uses to look up an offense.
• Court Charge: Any charges, including a description and filing date
  • The Charge Degree field provides certain information, including the severity of the offense, the result of the charge, and other information the agent/landlord/manager can use to conduct additional research

Applicant Identity Verification

• TransUnion will verify that the applicant's information matches the SSN or ITIN that was provided.
• The applicant will answer 3-5 verification questions about their credit history that they must answer 100% correctly

If there is further information you would like regarding the items on the report, you can search the court's online database using the Court Record ID and/or the applicant's information.

Click here to view a sample application that includes a criminal background check