Clara's background check searches public records to verify your criminal history, eviction history, and identity, giving landlords confidence in their screening decisions.
Here's exactly what's included and what landlords are looking for.
What's Included in Your Background Check
Clara partners with CIC, a trusted third-party background check provider, to search public records databases. Your background check includes:
Criminal Records
- National criminal database (30+ million records)
- All homicide, sexual abuse, terrorism, or treason offenses (any timeframe)
- All violent felonies (any timeframe)
- All other felonies committed in the past 7 years
- All misdemeanors committed in the past 5 years
- Traffic, vehicle, and minor statutory violations are excluded
Sex Offender Registry
- National and state sex offender databases
Eviction Records
- Housing court records showing eviction filings and judgments
Civil Records
- Liens (unpaid debts that have become legal claims)
- Civil judgments (court rulings requiring you to pay money)
Global Watchlist
- Screening against terrorist watch lists and sanctioned individuals
What Landlords Are Looking For
Most landlords focus on:
Recent criminal activity Older offenses (especially 5-7+ years ago) typically carry less weight than recent ones. Many landlords consider the nature of the offense and whether it's relevant to tenancy.
Eviction history Previous evictions are serious red flags since they directly relate to rental history. Landlords want to know if you've been evicted before and why.
Patterns vs. isolated incidents Multiple offenses or evictions raise more concern than a single incident from years ago.
Context matters Many landlords are willing to consider the circumstances around criminal records or civil judgments, especially if you've demonstrated rehabilitation.
Understanding Criminal Background Screening Laws
Fair housing considerations: Many states and cities have laws limiting how landlords can use criminal history in screening decisions:
- "Ban the box" laws in some jurisdictions restrict blanket rejections based on criminal records
- Individualized assessment may be required—landlords must consider the nature of the offense, how long ago it occurred, and relevance to tenancy
- Arrests without convictions typically cannot be used in screening decisions
These laws protect you from automatic rejection based solely on past criminal records.
If You Have a Criminal Record
Don't hide it—address it proactively:
Use your Personal Statement Clara gives you space to explain your situation:
- Provide context about what happened
- Explain steps you've taken toward rehabilitation
- Highlight positive changes since the incident
- Show stable employment, community ties, or education
Be honest and direct Landlords appreciate transparency. Explaining the situation yourself is better than letting them discover it without context.
Consider a guarantor A guarantor with clean records and strong finances can offset concerns about your background.
Provide strong references Excellent references from previous landlords showing you're a responsible renter can counterbalance past records.
If You Have an Eviction Record
Evictions are particularly concerning to landlords since they directly relate to rental history. If you have an eviction:
Explain the circumstances:
- Job loss, medical emergency, or other hardship?
- Dispute with previous landlord that's been resolved?
- Victim of domestic violence or unsafe living conditions?
Show what's changed:
- Current stable employment
- Improved financial situation
- Time passed since the eviction
- Clean rental history since then
Offer additional security: Larger security deposit or prepaid rent can sometimes overcome eviction concerns.
Civil Judgments and Liens
What these mean:
- Liens: Unpaid debts (taxes, medical bills, etc.) that have become legal claims
- Civil judgments: Court orders requiring you to pay money
How landlords view them: Active liens and recent judgments raise concerns about your ability to pay rent. Satisfied (paid off) liens and judgments have less impact.
If you have these: Explain the circumstances and show they've been resolved or you have a payment plan in place.
What Doesn't Show Up
Your background check does NOT include:
- Expunged or sealed records (removed from public access)
- Juvenile records (in most cases)
- Arrests that didn't result in convictions
- Minor traffic violations
- Records from outside the United States (in most cases)
Privacy & Accuracy
Your rights:
- You have the right to know if you're denied housing based on background check information
- You can dispute inaccurate information on your background check
- Landlords must follow Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) guidelines when using background checks
If you see errors: Contact Clara support immediately at support@rentwithclara.com so we can help you work with CIC to correct inaccurate records.
The Bottom Line
Background checks help landlords make informed decisions, but they're not automatic disqualifications. Many renters with past records successfully find housing by:
- Being honest and upfront
- Providing context and showing rehabilitation
- Demonstrating current financial stability
- Offering strong references and additional security
Your past doesn't have to define your future housing opportunities.