State law · For employers
Background check laws by state
Every state can add its own rules to the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA): when you may ask about criminal history, what a report may include, sealed records, credit checks, salary history, cannabis and drug testing. Pick a state to see each rule, who it covers and the law it comes from.
Reviewed
Primary sources
51 of 51 published
Pick a state
Each state page was researched from the statute text and checked a second time before publishing. States marked “In review” are still being checked.
New and coming changes, every state in date order: What changed.
| State | Topics with a state rule | Reviewed |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 5 topics | October 20, 2026 |
| Alaska | 3 topics | October 20, 2026 |
| Arizona | 5 topics | October 20, 2026 |
| Arkansas | 3 topics | October 20, 2026 |
| California | 7 topics | October 20, 2026 |
| Colorado | 7 topics | October 20, 2026 |
| Connecticut | 8 topics | October 20, 2026 |
| Delaware | 5 topics | October 20, 2026 |
| District of Columbia | 6 topics | October 20, 2026 |
| Florida | 3 topics | October 20, 2026 |
| Georgia | 4 topics | October 20, 2026 |
| Hawaii | 7 topics | October 20, 2026 |
| Idaho | 3 topics | October 20, 2026 |
| Illinois | 7 topics | October 20, 2026 |
| Indiana | 3 topics | October 20, 2026 |
| Iowa | 5 topics | October 20, 2026 |
| Kansas | 4 topics | October 20, 2026 |
| Kentucky | 5 topics | October 20, 2026 |
| Louisiana | 5 topics | October 20, 2026 |
| Maine | 7 topics | October 20, 2026 |
| Maryland | 7 topics | October 20, 2026 |
| Massachusetts | 6 topics | October 20, 2026 |
| Michigan | 3 topics | October 20, 2026 |
| Minnesota | 7 topics | October 20, 2026 |
| Mississippi | 3 topics | October 20, 2026 |
| Missouri | 4 topics | October 20, 2026 |
| Montana | 6 topics | October 20, 2026 |
| Nebraska | 4 topics | October 20, 2026 |
| Nevada | 7 topics | October 20, 2026 |
| New Hampshire | 4 topics | October 20, 2026 |
| New Jersey | 6 topics | October 20, 2026 |
| New Mexico | 6 topics | October 20, 2026 |
| New York | 8 topics | October 20, 2026 |
| North Carolina | 3 topics | October 20, 2026 |
| North Dakota | 3 topics | October 20, 2026 |
| Ohio | 3 topics | October 20, 2026 |
| Oklahoma | 4 topics | October 20, 2026 |
| Oregon | 5 topics | October 20, 2026 |
| Pennsylvania | 5 topics | October 20, 2026 |
| Rhode Island | 8 topics | October 20, 2026 |
| South Carolina | 3 topics | October 20, 2026 |
| South Dakota | 3 topics | October 20, 2026 |
| Tennessee | 2 topics | October 20, 2026 |
| Texas | 4 topics | October 20, 2026 |
| Utah | 6 topics | October 20, 2026 |
| Vermont | 8 topics | October 20, 2026 |
| Virginia | 5 topics | October 20, 2026 |
| Washington | 7 topics | October 20, 2026 |
| West Virginia | 3 topics | October 20, 2026 |
| Wisconsin | 4 topics | October 20, 2026 |
| Wyoming | 1 topic | October 20, 2026 |
Federal law applies everywhere
The FCRA sets the base rules in every state: a standalone disclosure, written authorization, and the pre-adverse and final notices. The adverse action letter generator and the waiting period calculator apply them.
General information, not legal advice.