Security guard background checks that cover what the licence doesn't
A guard licence tells you one criminal record check came back clear, on one day, for the regulator. It says nothing about where they worked, who vouches for them, or what has happened since.
Credibled fills that gap. Reference checks, employment verification, and criminal record checks back in about 15 minutes. Pay per check, no subscription.
Checking your own record? Get your own check with MyCheck
What a licence number actually tells you
Every guard you hire is licensed. That is the floor, not the file.
A licence confirms that a criminal record check came back clear for the regulator when the licence was issued. Here is what it leaves out.
The check goes to the regulator, not to you.
Licensing results go to the provincial regulator. You end up holding a licence number with nothing behind it.
It is a snapshot.
Each province sets its own renewal cycle. Between renewals, nobody is re-checking on your behalf.
Nobody verified their work history.
Licensing does not confirm past employers, site experience or references. A clean record and 3 invented years on a hospital post pass licensing without a problem.
Your office staff aren't licensed.
In most provinces, dispatchers, schedulers, payroll and admin staff sit outside licensing entirely. Many of them can see client schedules and site access details.
Move your cursor to look around.
Licensing never asks who they worked for. You should.
A criminal record check can't tell you whether someone actually worked the posts on their résumé. References and employment verification can.
Reference checks at $9 per candidate
Not per referee.
The candidate enters their own referees, so nobody on your team has to chase them. Requests go out instantly. Reminders go out automatically every 24 hours for up to 10 days.
If a candidate lists 2 referees, you pay $9. If they list 5, you pay $9.
The completed report arrives in your inbox as a PDF.
More on reference checksReferences you can rely on
Credibled flags a reference when the candidate and referee submitted from the same IP address, when the reference came from a personal email rather than a work address, or when both submissions came from the same device.
The alert doesn't block anything. You review it, you decide, and your decision is logged.
Employment verification, straight from the employer
We contact previous employers directly to confirm job titles and dates. No third-party database. We make several attempts over 3 business days and report what we find either way.
Employment verification carries pass-through access fees, published at credibled.com/pass-through-access-fees. They appear on the invoice after the fact.
More on employment verificationLoud failure beats silent failure
If a reference request goes to a mistyped address, you are told within minutes, with the reason. Fix it and resend, rather than finding out on day 4.
When a client asks how your guards were screened
Your clients can ask how the guard on their site was screened. A licence number is not much of an answer.
On Credibled, every guard has a screening file:
Full audit trail and role-based access on every account.
A fresh check whenever you need one
A criminal record check is accurate on the day it runs. How often to re-screen is your decision, or your client's.
When a contract calls for a recent check, or a guard moves to a more sensitive site, run one. Canadian criminal record checks usually come back in about 15 minutes.
Identity verification is included in the price. No appointment, no police station. The guard completes it from their phone.
More on criminal record checksThe right checks for every role you fill
| Role | Common checks |
|---|---|
| Licensed guard | References, employment verification, criminal record check with ID |
| Mobile patrol | Add a driver's record check |
| Supervisor or site lead | Add education or credential verification |
| Cash handling or high-value assets | Add a credit report |
| Dispatch, scheduling, payroll, admin | Criminal record check with ID, references |
| Candidates who lived outside Canada | International criminal record checks, 200+ jurisdictions |
| Quebec hires | SOQUIJ court record search |
Published turnaround, per check
Fast
Automated, doesn't wait on anyone| Check | Turnaround |
|---|---|
| Canadian criminal record check, standard | Under 4 hours, often about 15 minutes |
| Canadian criminal record check, enhanced | 24 to 48 hours, often about 15 minutes |
| Identity verification | Instant, included with the criminal record check |
| Credit report | Instant |
| Public records check | Instant |
| SOQUIJ court record, Quebec | Under 24 hours |
| Social media check | 1 to 2 business days |
| Driver abstract, Canada | 1 to 3 business days |
Depends on who replies
A third party has to respond| Check | Turnaround | What we do about it |
|---|---|---|
| Reference check | Varies by referee | Automated reminders over 10 days |
| Employment verification | Varies by employer | Several attempts over 3 business days |
| Education verification | Varies by institution | 3 to 5 attempts, findings reported either way |
| Credential verification, Canada | Varies by credential and location | 3 to 5 attempts to obtain source data |
The clock starts when the candidate submits their consent form, not when you send the request.
Two branches, one candidate, one charge
Larger guard companies recruit from several offices at once. The same candidate applies to two branches, and both screen them.
Nobody notices until the invoice.
Credibled catches it at the point of request. If anyone on your account has ordered a check for this candidate in the last 30 days, you see it before anything is charged. It covers every check type, not just criminal record checks.
Then you choose. Cancel, or proceed anyway if the second check is intentional.
It also spares the candidate. Being asked for ID, referees and consent twice by the same company is a good reason to take the next offer.
Priced for continuous hiring
Guard hiring doesn't follow a season. Your screening costs shouldn't be locked into a contract that assumes it does.
Pay per check. No subscription, no minimum, no annual commitment. You only pay for completed checks, never ones still waiting on a candidate.
Sign up with a work email and run your first check the same day. No sales call required.
A named account manager, at any volume
Every account gets a named person, at 5 checks a month or 500. Not a shared inbox, not a ticket queue.
When a result comes back incomplete on a Friday and the guard is due on site Monday, that is the difference between a phone call and a support ticket.
Your candidate's check, without the police station
Some security companies don't cover pre-employment screening and ask candidates to bring their own police check. That usually means a trip to a police station, a fee and a wait. Meanwhile, your post sits empty.
MyCheck is Credibled's personal criminal record check. The candidate completes it online, with no appointment, and shares the result with you.
Security companies can set up a partnership so their candidates are directed to MyCheck.
What we can't do, so you know upfront
We don't replace the licence application.
The police check submitted with a licence application is between the guard and the provincial regulator. Nothing on this page replaces it.
We can't grant government clearances.
Transportation Security Clearance, Reliability Status and Marine Transportation Security Clearance are run by the federal government. We screen alongside them, not instead of them.
We can't run a vulnerable sector check.
No Canadian provider can. It can only be requested through the police service where the candidate lives. If a post requires one, the guard goes to their local police service.
Questions security companies ask
The licence and the law
Our guards are already licensed. Why screen them again?
Do we get a copy of the check done for the licence?
Which police check does a guard need for an Ontario licence?
Can someone with a criminal record work as a security guard?
Are background checks legal in Canada?
Is a criminal record check the same as a security clearance?
What's the difference between a criminal record check, a CRJMC and a vulnerable sector check?
Can you run a vulnerable sector check?
What the checks cover
Do security companies run background checks on guards?
How far back does a background check go?
How do employers verify employment history in Canada?
When does a criminal record check expire?
Can you screen dispatchers, schedulers and office staff?
Can you screen candidates who lived outside Canada?
Speed
How long does a background check take?
Why is a check taking longer than expected?
Audits and records
What do we show a client who audits our screening?
Who can see our candidate data?
Cost and getting started
How much does it cost?
Is there a contract or minimum volume?
Do you catch duplicate checks across our branches?
Can I start today without talking to sales?
Can I run checks from our ATS or HR system?
Do I get a dedicated contact?
Screen the guard, not just the licence number.
Create an account with a work email and run your first check today. Pay per check, no subscription.