How Far Back Does a Background Check Go in Utah?
General information, not legal advice. Read the full disclaimer.
Short answer: There isn't one Utah "lookback period" for background checks — it depends on who is checking, what kind of report it is, and what law applies. For the most common case, an employer using a background-check company, the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) says the company generally can't report arrests or civil suits and judgments older than 7 years (or until the statute of limitations expires, whichever is longer), bankruptcies older than 10 years, or other adverse items older than 7 years — but records of convictions are carved out of the 7-year limit, so a conviction can be reported with no federal time limit. And none of those limits apply if the job pays $75,000 or more a year.
Who this guide is for
Utah job applicants, renters, and anyone with an old arrest, charge, or conviction who wants to know whether it will still show up on a background check — and what they can do about it.
The federal rule for background-check companies
The FCRA (15 U.S.C. § 1681c) limits what a consumer reporting agency — a background-check company — can put in a report:
| Item | How far back it can be reported |
|---|---|
| Bankruptcy cases | 10 years |
| Civil suits, civil judgments, and records of arrest | 7 years from the date of entry, or until the statute of limitations expires, whichever is longer |
| Paid tax liens | 7 years from the date of payment |
| Accounts placed for collection or charged off | 7 years |
| Any other adverse item | 7 years — but not records of convictions of crimes |
The result: an arrest that didn't lead to a conviction generally falls off a standard background check after about 7 years, while a conviction can keep appearing for as long as it exists in the records the screening company searches.
The $75,000 exception
The time limits above don't apply to a consumer credit report used in connection with the employment of someone at an annual salary of $75,000 or more (or reasonably expected to reach it), or in connection with credit transactions or life insurance of $150,000 or more.
What this doesn't cover
- Court and government records. The FCRA limits consumer reporting agencies. It doesn't make a public court record disappear, so someone searching court records directly may find older cases than a screening company's report would show.
- Employers who check themselves. An employer that looks up public records without hiring a background-check company isn't acting through a consumer reporting agency. State law may add its own limits on what employers can ask. The sources reviewed for this article did not identify a general Utah cap on how far back a private employer may look at convictions.
- Different checks, different ranges. A criminal check, a driving record check, an eviction screening, and a credit report each draw on different databases with different retention rules.
Expunged records
An expunged record is treated differently from an old one. Once a Utah court enters an expungement order and the record is expunged, it generally shouldn't appear on a standard background check, though there are situations where it can still matter (for example, certain licensing or law-enforcement checks). See Does an Expunged Record Show Up on a Background Check in Utah? and How to Expunge a Criminal Record in Utah (Complete Guide).
What employers can ask
Utah's "ban the box" law applies to public-sector employers; private employers can generally ask about criminal history on the application. See Utah Expungement and Employment: What Employers Can and Can't Ask.
How to see what's on your Utah criminal history
You can request a copy of your own Utah criminal history from the Bureau of Criminal Identification (BCI), part of the Department of Public Safety:
- How: in person at the BCI office or by mail, with a valid government photo ID (Utah Driving Privilege Cards are not accepted).
- Fee: $20, per BCI's records page. Payment is by check, money order, or card; cash is accepted only for in-person applications.
- Fingerprints: BCI's instructions describe having your prints taken by a law enforcement agency. Check the current form instructions before you go.
- Delivery: mailed reports go to the address on your application and can't be faxed or emailed.
- What it's built from: BCI describes the Utah Criminal History as built from arrest information, fingerprint cards, and disposition cards.
- Juvenile records: BCI doesn't maintain juvenile offender records; those must be requested from the Juvenile Court.
If you find something wrong — a dismissed charge shown without a disposition, or a case that should have been expunged — fixing it usually means getting court paperwork and having the record updated at the source. For old records you may qualify to clear, see Utah Expungement Eligibility: What Determines Whether You Qualify.
Frequently asked questions
Will a conviction from 15 years ago show up on a Utah background check?
It can. The FCRA's 7-year limit doesn't apply to records of convictions, so a background-check company can report a conviction regardless of its age (unless it's expunged or another law limits it).
Will an arrest with no conviction show up after 7 years?
A background-check company generally can't report arrest records older than 7 years (or until the governing statute of limitations expires, whichever is longer) — unless the job pays $75,000 or more.
Does a bankruptcy show up after 10 years?
Bankruptcy cases generally can't be reported after 10 years.
Do these limits apply if a company checks court records itself?
The FCRA's limits apply to consumer reporting agencies. Direct searches of public records aren't automatically covered by them.
Can I get my own Utah criminal history?
Yes, through BCI for a $20 fee, with a valid government photo ID.
What if my record is old but not expunged?
Check your eligibility: see our guides on Utah Expungement Eligibility: What Determines Whether You Qualify and Utah's Automatic Expungement (Clean Slate) Explained.