As part of your TransUnion screening, criminal reports (as well as eviction and credit reports) are included.
Most of the time, if criminal records aren't returned, it is due to the records being outside our coverage or some records being filtered out in adherence with state and national laws. In this instance, it's possible that they were arrested for resisting/obstruction and/ or battery, but formal charges were never actually filed. If this is the case, TransUnion will not return a record.
TransUnion only returns records where the individual has been formally charged with a crime(s) by a court of law. Criminal reports will no longer include non-conviction records as of May 16th, 2024.
As of July 24th, 2024, reports for the following states are not available for return:
Alabama, Colorado, Delaware*, District of Columbia, Hawaii*, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts*, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey*, New York, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, South Carolina, South Dakota*, Vermont, and Wyoming*
*Criminal records impacted by local legislation
What Information Shows Up on a Criminal Background Check for Renters?
TransUnion SmartMove criminal background checks offer landlords access to key information needed to make confident leasing decisions. With a tenant criminal background check, landlords gain access to:
Multiple state criminal background checks*
Data from the National Sex Offender Public Registry
Records from federal agencies, including:
FBI
Drug Enforcement Administration
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives
U.S. Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control
Interpol
*The Criminal Report, National Eviction Related Proceedings Report, and SmartMove recommendation service (a credit score-based recommendation) are subject to federal, state, and local laws that may limit or restrict SmartMove's ability to return some records or recommendations.
Certain jurisdictions may limit what records are eligible for return, click here for more information.