How to Run a Background Check on a Nanny or Caregiver

Caregiver assisting with drinking a glass for an aging senior

How to Run a Background Check on a Nanny or Caregiver

· @Maggie

If you’re wondering how to run a background check on a nanny or caregiver, many families run into the same problem. A few years ago, my family needed help caring for my grandmother. She did not want to move into assisted living, so our first call was to a home care agency.

The care sounded great. Then we realized the price was out of reach for my family with 3 kids and a grandma that spent her career as a secretary. At $40 an hour, keeping her home with an agency caregiver was out of our budget.

So we decided to hire a caregiver on our own. That saved money, but it meant we had to handle everything ourselves. We had to find the person, interview them, check their background and set up payroll.

I remember my parents looking at list of names and a lot of questions. Who were these people, really? Would grandma be safe at home with them all day? We didn’t realize we could run a background check on a caregiver ourselves. That experience is a big part of why I started Sure Check. Families who hire on their own deserve the same careful screening a big agency would do, at a price they can afford. The steps below are the ones I wish someone had handed us back then.

To run a background check on a nanny or caregiver, you need: their written permission, a trusted screening company and a plan for reading the results. The whole process can be done in a few hours.

A nanny cares for your kids. A caregiver may help your mom or dad at home. Either way, this person will be in your house, often alone with someone you love. A good interview is a great start, and a background check helps you see the rest of the picture.

Step 1: Get permission before you run a background check on a nanny

You must ask before you check. A federal law called the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) covers background checks done for hiring. It says the person must agree in writing before a screening company can run the report.

The Federal Trade Commission explains these rules in Background Checks: What Employers Need to Know. When you hire a nanny, you are an employer, even if you think of yourself as “just a parent.”

However, you don’t need to print forms or collect anyone’s Social Security number. You don’t even need an EIN to open a Sure Check account. With our system, you send your nanny an email invite. They type in their own details and sign the permission form online, so you never handle their private information.

Tell candidates early that the job offer depends on a background check. Most good hires would expect it. If someone refuses, that tells you something too. Avoid phrases like “no felons” in your job post. Blanket bans can run against fair hiring rules, and looking at each record case by case is safer.

Step 2: What a nanny background check should include

A good nanny or caregiver background check looks at several kinds of records. Each one answers a different question.

Search What it tells you
SSN trace Confirms the person is who they say they are. It also lists past addresses and other names they have used.
County criminal search Checks court records in each county where they have lived. County courts hold the most detailed records, which makes this the gold standard of criminal record checks.
Nationwide criminal search Takes a wide first look across many states to catch records outside your area.
Sex offender registry Checks sex offender registries in every state.
Watchlists Checks government watchlists, such as the OFAC list.
Driving record (MVR) Shows license status, tickets and accidents. A must if they will drive your kids or your parent.

Why do past addresses matter so much? People move. If your nanny lived in three counties over the last seven years, you want all three searched. This is also why a screening company beats a single state search. A consumer reporting agency can follow the person’s address history across state lines.

You can also search the free National Sex Offender Public Website yourself. It is run by the U.S. Department of Justice. A name search alone can miss people who use a different name, so treat it as an extra step.

Curious what the final report looks like? Read What Shows Up on a Background Check.

Step 3: How to run the background check on your nanny or caregiver

Free people-search websites are quick, but they often mix up people with the same name. They also don’t follow FCRA rules for hiring. The safest way to run a background check on a nanny is through a screening company that follows the law and has real people review the results.

Here is how it works with Sure Check:

  1. Create your account. Go to our nanny background check sign-up page. Enter your name, email and a payment method. If it asks for a company name, just use your own name. Most accounts are approved within an hour.
  2. Invite your nanny or caregiver. Send them an invite from your account. They fill in their details and sign the permission form online.
  3. We run the search. Our team runs the criminal, sex offender, identity and driving searches. A real person checks the report for mistakes.
  4. Get your results. You get an email when the report is ready. Most checks come back within 8 hours.

Want more details first? See our guide, Nanny Background Checks for Parents.

Hiring through a home care agency? Ask what kind of background check they run, since some agencies do less than you might expect. Agencies hire often and need a different setup. Our caregiver background checks page explains agency pricing.

Live in California? You can also use TrustLine, the state’s registry of screened nannies and babysitters. Turnaround times vary, and some checks have been reported to take months.

Step 4: Read the results and decide fairly

Most reports come back clean. If something does show up, slow down and look closely. Ask yourself a few questions:

  • How long ago did it happen?
  • Does it relate to the job? A speeding ticket from 2015 is very different from a recent DUI for someone who will drive your kids.
  • Is the record really about this person? Mix-ups can happen with common names.

If you decide not to hire someone because of the report, the FCRA has steps you must follow. This is called “adverse action.” First, you send the person a copy of the report and a summary of their rights. Then you give them time to respond, in case the report has an error. Only after that do you make your final decision and tell them.

You don’t have to figure this out alone. Sure Check guides you through each adverse action step.

Step 5: Add the checks a report can’t do

A background check shows records. It can’t tell you how someone acts with a toddler or a grandparent. These extra steps fill in the gaps:

  • Check references. Talk to past families or employers, not friends. Sure Check offers reference checks too.
  • Run a drug test. You can add one to your Sure Check package.
  • Ask about gaps. If there are long breaks between jobs, ask why.
  • Do a paid trial day. Watch how they handle real moments, like nap time or a doctor visit.
  • Search online. Look up their name and public social media for red flags.

Need help checking past jobs? You can add employment or reference verification when you place your order.

How much does a nanny background check cost, and how long does it take?

A Sure Check nanny or caregiver background check costs $45. That covers the criminal searches, the sex offender check, the identity check and the driving record.

Some courts and state DMVs charge their own small fee to release a record. When they do, that fee is added on top of the $45. Many counties charge nothing at all. If you place the order yourself, you see the total before you pay. If you invite your nanny by email, any court or DMV fees show on your receipt once they enter their details. Learn more in Additional State and Court Fees Explained.

Most checks come back within 8 hours. Once in a while, a court record needs a person to double-check it by hand. That can take a little longer, but it keeps your report correct.

Frequently asked questions

Can I run a background check on a nanny without their permission? No. For hiring, the law says the person must agree in writing first. Our online invite handles this for you.

Can I run a background check on a nanny for free? You can search the free national sex offender website on your own. A full hiring check with county court records, identity checks and driving records requires an FCRA-compliant screening company, and those searches carry a cost.

Do I need to be a business to order a check? No. Families order checks through our portal every day. Where it asks for a company name, enter your own name.

Is a babysitter background check any different? No. The steps are the same for a nanny, babysitter or senior caregiver. If they will drive, always add the driving record.

What if my nanny came through an agency? Ask the agency what they checked and when. You can still run your own check for extra peace of mind.

How often should I re-check a caregiver? Many families re-check once a year. It’s also smart to re-check if the person’s role changes, like when they start driving your kids.

Is my information safe? Yes. All data is encrypted and never sold. Only you can see the finished report in your account.

Ready to run a background check on your nanny or caregiver?

You found someone you like. Now make sure they are as great on paper as they are in person. Sign-up takes about five minutes, and most results are back the same day.

Start your $45 nanny background check

Have questions first? Contact Sure Check and our team will walk you through it.

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