Repeatable role profiles
Define a package for the positions you hire most often, then reuse it for similarly situated candidates.
SMALL BUSINESS SCREENING
Practical background screening for small businesses.
Build a repeatable hiring process around the roles you actually fill, with flexible ordering and no need to buy every available search.
Approved site content confirms no setup fees, accounts that can be set up in minutes, and no monthly minimums.
WHY SCREEN
A small team still benefits from a consistent process.
In a small business, one owner or manager may recruit, interview, onboard, and supervise the same employee. That makes a clear screening process especially useful: it documents what is ordered, keeps similar roles aligned, and reduces last-minute decisions based on incomplete information.
Screening does not eliminate hiring risk and should not be used as a substitute for interviews, references, training, or supervision. It provides selected information from selected sources to support a broader employment decision.
Clear ownership
Identify who may order reports, who may review them, and who handles candidate communication.
Documented criteria
Review the relevance of information using a written process rather than changing standards from person to person.
START WITH THE ROLE
Choose searches from responsibilities, not assumptions.
List the role’s driving duties, access to customer property or systems, financial authority, required experience, education, credentials, location, and physical or policy-related requirements. Then map only the relevant screening components.
A bookkeeper, delivery driver, field technician, retail associate, and office coordinator may require different information. Those differences should come from the job, not personal characteristics.
General employee package
Depending on the role, a starting point may include identity development and selected criminal-record sources.
Driving position
An MVR report may be relevant when operating a company vehicle, delivery, or regular field travel is part of the job.
Experience or credential-dependent role
Employment, education, license, or certificate verification may be appropriate when the qualification matters to the position.
CONTROL COST
Spend on relevant information, not unnecessary searches.
Cost depends on the services, jurisdictions, source fees, verifications, testing components, and volume involved. The most practical way to control cost is to define role-based packages and avoid ordering components that have no documented connection to the job.
Do not rely on a manually copied price in an article or sales page. Review current package information on the Pricing page and ask about possible county, repository, verification, clinic, or other third-party fees before approving the program.
Flexible ordering
Approved site content states that there are no monthly minimums, so an employer can order based on actual hiring activity.
A la carte or package options
Existing FAQ content confirms packaged and individual service options. Use the combination that fits the role.
Plan for variable fees
Jurisdictional access, manual source research, verification databases, or collection services can affect a final quote.
CANDIDATE WORKFLOW
Keep the process simple, secure, and visible.
A practical workflow moves from a role profile to required disclosure and authorization, secure candidate information collection, ordering, component-level status, report review, and any required candidate notices. The owner or hiring lead should know which step is open and who is responsible for it.
Use consistent criteria for similar candidates, protect access to reports, and consult qualified legal counsel about federal, state, and local requirements. A provider can help configure services but does not replace the employer’s legal advice or make the employment decision.
Prepare
Create the role package and reviewed candidate forms before a job is posted.
Order
Collect complete information through the approved process and confirm the correct package.
Review
Read scope and status, apply documented criteria, and follow applicable notice procedures.
RELATED SERVICES
Build from the sources the role calls for.
Review each service’s scope and limitations before adding it to a package.
Criminal Records
Criminal-record searches configured around role requirements and the jurisdictions relevant to a candidate.
Explore serviceVerifications
Employment, education, and credential verification options for candidate-provided history.
Explore serviceMVR Reports
Motor vehicle record reports for positions involving driving responsibilities or company vehicles.
Explore serviceDrug Screening
Configurable drug-testing options coordinated through available collection locations and testing networks.
Explore serviceNEXT STEPS
Connect the program to the rest of your hiring workflow.
Current Pricing
See current package names, features, turnaround wording, and pricing from the shared source of truth.
Learn moreEmployment Background Checks
Understand how records, verifications, MVR, and other services can form a role-based package.
Learn moreAll Services
Compare the available screening, verification, health, and specialty service categories.
Learn moreEMPLOYER RESOURCES
Make the next decision with more context.
Use these guides to compare source types, plan the workflow, and ask better provider questions.
A Background Screening Checklist for Small Businesses
A small-business screening program should start with the job, use a written and consistent process, select relevant searches, protect candidate information, and follow applicable notice procedures.
Read Guide 5 minHow Much Does an Employee Background Check Cost?
Background-check cost depends on the searches selected, jurisdictions involved, source fees, manual verifications, testing components, and the way a hiring program is configured.
Read Guide 4 minWhat Shows Up on an Employment Background Check?
An employment background check is not one universal report. Its contents depend on the role, searches ordered, candidate information, available sources, jurisdictions, and applicable law.
Read Guide 5 minWHY EXPRESS
Practical screening support for real hiring teams.
Configure services around the work, keep expectations clear, and reach a person when the process needs attention.
No monthly minimums
Order when you are hiring, using the flexibility already approved in the site FAQ.
Role-based packages
Keep common jobs consistent while selecting different services for materially different responsibilities.
No setup fees
Approved site content states there are no setup fees and accounts can be set up in minutes.
Real-person support
A dedicated customer professional can help explain available services and open-order questions.
FAQ
Questions employers often ask.
Is there a monthly minimum?
No. The approved Express Background Checks FAQ states that there are no monthly minimums.
Does a small business need every screening service?
No. Choose components that reflect the role’s responsibilities, relevant sources, and applicable law. A package can differ for a driver, credentialed worker, or office employee.
Where can I find current prices?
Use the Pricing page as the current source of truth. A written quote can also identify package scope and possible third-party or jurisdictional fees.
Can we order individual services?
Existing approved FAQ content states that Express offers both packaged services and individual services tailored to the organization’s needs.
TALK THROUGH THE ROLES
Build a screening package around your workforce.
Share the positions, locations, expected volume, and services you are considering. Our team can explain available options and current pricing.