Flat-rate FCRA background screening for churches, ministries, and Christian schools. See pricing →
Flat-rate FCRA background screening for churches, ministries, and Christian schools. See pricing →
The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) applies any time a church uses a third-party consumer reporting agency (like Ministry Facts) to run a background check — even for unpaid volunteers. The three requirements churches most often miss:
The most common workflow: church volunteer coordinator downloads the PDF, adds their church’s letterhead to the header, and sends it to volunteers as part of the onboarding packet. Volunteer signs, church retains a copy in the volunteer file, and the church runs the background check based on the signed authorization.
If you use Ministry Facts for the actual screening, this workflow is handled electronically inside our platform — the FCRA disclosure and authorization are captured as part of the applicant flow. You never need to handle a paper form.
This template is a starting point, not legal advice. Every church should have this or any similar policy reviewed by their own attorney, particularly for state-specific language. States with additional requirements above and beyond the federal FCRA include California, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, and Washington.
Volunteer vs. employee. The FCRA applies whether the person is a paid employee or an unpaid volunteer, as long as a third-party consumer reporting agency is doing the check. Churches doing informal “reference checks” or looking up someone on Google are not covered by the FCRA — but any use of a real screening service triggers full compliance.
Rescreening. Best practice is to obtain a fresh authorization every time you run a new check. A single blanket authorization “for future checks” has been challenged in court and is not recommended.
