Let’s say you’re ready to hire several truck drivers in advance of your busy season. Several great candidates have accepted your offers, and you’ve begun a background check on all of them. You’re just waiting for the results. And waiting. And waiting.

State and federal regulations require a thorough background check on these candidates. This check confirms whether they have a valid commercial driver’s license (CDL) and provides information on their records.

It’s an important step. But if it takes too long, candidates may back out. They could even choose to work for a competitor whose hiring process is more efficient. This could put your busy season in jeopardy.

So, how long does a CDL background check take, and how can you create a more efficient process?

Table of Contents

1. What Is a CDL Background Check?
2. What Do CDL Background Checks Include?
3. How Long Do CDL Background Checks Take?
4. What Can Delay CDL Background Checks?
5. The Role Driver iQ Plays in Running Timely CDL Background Checks

What Is a CDL Background Check?

A CDL background check is a comprehensive screening process for CDL holders seeking employment as drivers in the trucking industry. It involves looking into various aspects of a driver's history to examine their safety record and compliance with regulations.

There are several types of CDL background checks, including:

• • Motor vehicle record checks
  • Drug and alcohol screenings
  • Employment verifications

Background checks provide a complete picture of a driver's qualifications and past performance. Performing them protects your company from liability and can reduce insurance premiums.

They also help you maintain a safe workforce by hiring qualified drivers capable of operating your equipment responsibly. Background checks give you the data you need to make smarter hiring decisions and grow your workforce the right way.

Here’s what you’ll find on a CDL background check:

• • Driving history
  • Drug and alcohol test results
  • Roadside inspection results
  • Employment history
  • CDL records in all states
  • License status
  • Road test results
  • Physical exam results
  • Criminal record check
  • Hazardous material endorsement

Conducting a CDL background check keeps your company compliant with state and federal DOT regulations. Having drivers with clean qualifications and clean driving records prevents legal problems and reduces the likelihood of an avoidable accident.

Why Are CDL Background Checks Important?

CDL background checks help organizations maintain high safety and performance standards. They’re valuable for both drivers and employers for several reasons. Let’s look at a few:

They Protect Your Business From Liabilities

CDL background checks help you identify drivers with poor driving histories or records of reckless behavior. When you avoid high-risk drivers, you reduce the chances of life-threatening incidents on the road.

These checks help protect your company from lawsuits and other potential damages. The fewer liabilities you have in your company, the more jobs you can complete, allowing you to focus on other areas of growth.

You Stay Compliant With Industry Standards

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) requires comprehensive background checks for CDL drivers.

You should always be prepared to provide background information upon a DOT request. Failing to conduct proper checks can result in hefty fines and penalties. In severe cases, non-compliance can lead to a company shutdown. When you comply with regulations, you maintain your company's good standing.

You Can Verify That an Applicant Is Qualified

With a CDL background check, you can confirm that applicants have the necessary qualifications to operate your equipment. Hiring properly qualified drivers reduces the risk of accidents and improves fleet performance.

Checks verify the validity of the applicant’s CDL and special endorsements. You can also confirm the completion of required training programs. You no longer have to rely on the candidate’s application; you’ll have peace of mind knowing that your information is accurate and up-to-date.

You Can Screen for Driver Regulatory Violations

Background checks can reveal that a driver has a pattern of non-compliance with industry regulations. You can screen applicants to discover who has altered logbooks or violated hours-of-service rules.

The information helps you avoid hiring drivers who’d continue poor practices at your company. Maintaining a workforce that respects regulations protects your company's reputation and avoids potential fines or sanctions.

You Can See Drug & Alcohol Test Results

With a CDL background check, you can see a history of failed tests or refusals to test. This information helps you maintain a safe and sober workforce and comply with DOT requirements for drug-free workplaces. This also reduces the risk of impaired-driving incidents, protecting other drivers and pedestrians.

What Do CDL Background Checks Include?

CDL background checks include a comprehensive review of an applicant’s driving history, criminal record, and employment history. They verify their license status, check for traffic violations, and examine drug and alcohol testing records. Checks also assess safety performance and compliance with transportation regulations.

Background checks pull from multiple databases. As a result, gathering the information can sometimes take a long time. Different agencies provide separate records, so you may have to query each source individually. State and federal databases may not always communicate, and you may need to cross-reference information.

Background checks scan different databases to gather comprehensive information about a driver’s history. Common databases include:

• • Motor vehicle records: These records contain an applicant’s driving history, including violations, accidents, and license status.
  • Criminal records: These databases hold information about arrests, convictions, and court records at local, state, and federal levels.
  • FMCSA drug and alcohol clearinghouse: This database tracks drug and alcohol violations for CDL holders nationwide.
  • DOT physical exam results: This database contains records of who holds the medical certifications required for CDL holders.
  • Previous employment verification: While not a centralized database, this involves contacting the candidate’s former employers to verify work history.

How Long Do CDL Background Checks Take?

CDL background checks take a few days to several weeks to complete. On average, you can expect a CDL background check to take five to ten business days.

There are several reasons a background check takes a certain amount of time, such as:

• • The number of states in which the applicant has held a license
  • The application and the number of supporting documents required
  • How responsive employers are to employment verification requests
  • How available records are in different local, state, or federal databases
  • Your company’s hiring requirements

Since background check timelines can differ per request or agency, you need to account for a longer timeline in your hiring process. If you typically get results within two weeks, add the two weeks into your hiring schedule.

Tell the applicant your typical timeline so they know what to expect. If you also notice unique circumstances (for example, if you typically hire drivers from one state but this driver lives one state over), let them know that the check could take even longer. Keeping the applicant informed will help you both be on the same page.

What Can Delay CDL Background Checks?

The list above includes items that are a normal part of the CDL background check process. You can count on them and build them into your hiring process. However, numerous unexpected issues can delay a background check beyond its expected timeline. Here are some common delays:

1. Varying State Regulations

Each state has unique laws and procedures for accessing and reporting criminal record information. Some states, like Florida, have open-access policies. Others, like Washington and Alabama, require citizens to apply for access and justify their intended use of the information.

If you’re hiring drivers from different states, these variations can complicate the background check process. Requesting the check may take longer due to the additional information required. If your request isn’t perceived as justified, access could be denied, adding time as you resubmit the request.

2. Constitutional Privacy Concerns

Some states, like Alaska and California, have privacy provisions in their constitutions. This requires them to balance the public's right to access records against individuals' constitutional privacy rights. California has used this to limit electronic access to certain records, even if they’re on paper at courthouses.

Privacy laws can change every year. Using a background check service can help you know which states have these regulations in place and may take longer than others.

3. Electronic vs. Physical Access

As courts move from paper to electronic records, they must decide how to handle online access. Some courts justify limiting online access by saying records can still be viewed in person at courthouses. When this happens, your timeline may go from hours or days up to several weeks as the information is gathered.

4. Redaction & Partial Access

Many states redact confidential information from electronic documents to protect privacy or limit access. They may also limit what categories of information are available online.

Limits may include posting only certain details, like case numbers or hearing dates. When this happens, background check companies may take more time getting this information and verifying it through other records.

5. Backlogs at Testing Facilities

Drug and alcohol testing facilities may experience backlogs during peak hiring seasons. The holiday season at the end of the year is a common example, but it’s also common in tourist towns or ahead of large events. Backlogs occur due to increased demand for testing as businesses hire seasonal or temporary workers.

Unexpected events like natural disasters or public health crises can further strain testing facility capacities as they prioritize public health. As backlogs occur, testing facilities may delay the completion of required screenings for CDL holders.

6. Name Commonality

Applicants with common names may require additional time for verification. Screening and matching the right person with the right name involves cross-referencing additional identifiers like date of birth, social security number, or previous addresses. In some cases, you may need to confirm details with courthouses or other agencies directly.

The Role Driver iQ Plays in Running Timely CDL Background Checks

Driver iQ is a background screening service designed for the trucking industry. It’s powered by Cisive, a background check company that specializes in highly regulated industries. With that foundation, Driver iQ offers reliable, comprehensive background checks tailored specifically for CDL drivers and transportation companies.

The Driver iQ platform streamlines the background check process by providing quick access to employment verification, criminal records, and driving histories. Our industry-focused approach allows for faster turnaround times compared to general background check providers. Receive results quickly to make timely hiring decisions.

Driver iQ provides several benefits to your trucking company, such as:

• • Fast hiring speed with quick turnaround times
  • Compliance with DOT and FMCSA regulations
  • Lower safety or legal risk through comprehensive screening and continuous monitoring
  • Streamlined processes with ATS integration and a user-friendly interface
  • Access to industry-specific data and insights for informed decision-making

Our platform integrates with other applicant tracking systems to create a seamless background check ordering process with faster results. You can even customize screening packages to meet your specific needs and compliance requirements.

Try Driver iQ to Run Background Checks With Ease

How long does a CDL background check take? With Driver iQ, it can take less time than with other companies. 

Running a background check for your trucking company shouldn’t be a hassle. Automate your processes and pull driver backgrounds from multiple sources into a single, user-friendly platform with Driver iQ. With our help, you can stay compliant, promote safe hiring practices, and hire qualified drivers.

Fill out our online form to schedule a demo or speak to an expert.