Texas Caregiver Background Checks Made Simple: County, DPS, and NAR/MAR/EMR Screening
If you run a home care agency in Texas, you already know the rule: you can’t let a caregiver walk into a client’s home until they pass a background check. Texas law spells out exactly what licensed agencies (HCSSAs) must do before hire — and every 12 months after.
Those checks live in different places. Criminal history sits with the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS). Registry checks sit with Texas Health and Human Services. County records sit in hundreds of local courthouses. Running them one by one eats up hours your team doesn’t have.
Sure Check brings all three into one order, one report, and one price.
What Texas Law Requires for Caregiver Hires
Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 250 sets the rules for home and community support services agencies (HCSSAs). Before an unlicensed caregiver has their first face-to-face contact with a client, your agency must:
- Run a criminal history check through the Texas DPS
- Search the Nurse Aide Registry (NAR)
- Search the Employee Misconduct Registry (EMR)
Then you must repeat the registry checks every 12 months for as long as the caregiver works for you. If a caregiver shows up as “unemployable” on either registry, you cannot hire them. Certain convictions bar employment too. Some, like abuse or sexual offenses, are permanent bars. Others block employment for five years. Miss one of these and your agency risks citations, fines, or a harmed client.
The Three Checks Every Texas Agency Needs
1. Texas DPS Criminal History Check
The DPS check searches the state’s official criminal history database. It’s the baseline check Texas law expects for caregiver hires. SureCheck runs your Texas DPS checks fast, with results built into your screening report — no separate state account or manual lookups needed.
2. County Criminal Search
Here’s what many agencies miss: the DPS database only knows what counties report to it, and reporting can lag or have gaps. A county criminal search goes straight to the courthouse where a person lived or worked. It’s the most accurate, up-to-date source of criminal records available.
Pairing a county search with the DPS check closes the gap. If a caregiver picked up a charge last month in Harris County, the county search finds it — even if it hasn’t reached the state database yet.
3. Texas NAR, MAR, and EMR Registry Checks
SureCheck searches all three Texas employability registries in one step:
- NAR (Nurse Aide Registry): Lists certified nurse aides and flags findings of abuse, neglect, or theft
- MAR (Medication Aide Registry): Confirms medication aide permits and any disciplinary findings
- EMR (Employee Misconduct Registry): Lists unlicensed workers found to have committed abuse, neglect, or exploitation — anyone listed is barred from hire
Texas requires the NAR and EMR checks before hire and every 12 months. SureCheck handles both the new-hire checks and the annual rechecks, so nothing slips through the cracks at renewal time.
Why Agencies Choose SureCheck Background
One order, full compliance. Order the county search, Texas DPS check, and NAR/MAR/EMR registry checks together in a single click. One report shows everything you need for your personnel file. Fast turnaround. Registry and DPS results come back quickly, so you can put safe caregivers to work sooner. In home care, speed to hire wins — the best caregivers take the first offer they get. Affordable pricing. With the entire criminal background check, Texas registries, driving history, and Texas DPS in one check agencies save time and money using Sure Check.
Built for FCRA compliance. SureCheck follows the Fair Credit Reporting Act, including the notices and consent steps that protect your agency from lawsuits.
Annual recheck tracking. We help you stay on top of the 12-month registry recheck requirement, so a survey never catches you with an expired check.
Survey-ready records. When the state surveyor asks for proof of your background checks, you’ll have clean, dated reports for every caregiver.
What Happens If You Skip a Check?
Texas surveyors review personnel files during licensure surveys. Missing checks are one of the most common citations agencies receive. Consequences can include enforcement actions, fines, and damage to your agency’s license. And if an unscreened caregiver harms a client, the legal and reputational costs can shut an agency down.
The fix is cheap by comparison: a complete screening package costs less than one hour of billed care.
Frequently Asked Questions
What background checks are required for caregivers in Texas?
Licensed home care agencies must run a Texas DPS criminal history check and search the Nurse Aide Registry (NAR) and Employee Misconduct Registry (EMR) before a caregiver’s first client contact. The registry checks must be repeated every 12 months.
Is a county criminal search required in Texas?
It isn’t required by state law, but it’s strongly recommended. County courthouse records are more current than the state database, so a county search catches recent charges the DPS check can miss if the candidate has lived outside of Texas previously.
What is the MAR check?
The MAR is the Texas Medication Aide Registry. It verifies that a medication aide holds a valid permit and has no disqualifying findings. Agencies whose staff handle medications should include it.
How often do NAR and EMR checks need to be repeated?
Every 12 months for each employee, under Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 250 and 26 TAC §558.247.
Sure Check Background bundles the county criminal search, Texas DPS check, and NAR/MAR/EMR registry checks into one simple order — with fast results and annual recheck reminders built in.
Contact SureCheck Background today and make every Texas hire a safe, compliant one.
Source 2
This article is for general information only and is not legal advice. Check current Texas HHSC rules or consult an attorney for your specific situation.