Felonies are serious convictions that tend to stick around on someone’s criminal record. They’re the most serious class of crime, and even if states have lookback laws in place, felonies may still appear on a criminal record. In fact, it comes down to how far back companies may want to look. While every state has unique laws about how felonies are handled on background checks, it’s important to know whether or not you have to disclose a felony.
So, do you have to disclose a felony after seven years? The short answer is yes, but there’s a lot more to it than that. Read on to learn more about when you have to disclose a felony.
When Do You Have to Disclose a Felony?
You have to disclose a felony on applications for employment, housing, and sometimes even bank loans. Ultimately, if someone is running a background check, there’s a good chance that you have to disclose information about any felonies. Some states limit how far background check agencies can check for arrests, but convictions are usually something you have to disclose regardless. However, if felony charges were dropped, there’s a good chance that you don’t have to disclose that information.
Does a Felony Appear on a Background Check?
Felonies will appear on a background check and can remain on your criminal record indefinitely. This means that even after seven years, you’ll still have to disclose information about any past felonies if your employer asks. Some states have lookback laws that limit how far back employers can check, so in some states, you might not have to disclose anything.
Additionally, you can have felonies expunged from your record after 5-10 years, depending on your state. However, this doesn’t usually apply to violent felonies, and some states, like Texas, have laws in place to ensure that felonies remain on someone’s criminal record indefinitely.
How Long Does a Felony Stay on Your Criminal Record?
Felonies remain on your criminal record indefinitely unless you have them expunged. This means that people can view felonies on your record whenever they want unless you have them expunged. That said, some states have lookback laws that limit how far back a company can look for a felony during the background check process. However, violent felonies may be an exception.
Can You Remove Felonies from Your Criminal Record?
You can remove felonies from your record if they were non-violent crimes after 5-10 years. Each state has a specific period you have to wait before you can start the process, but most states allow you to do so. You’ll need a lawyer, and a judge will have to reside over the appeal. Unfortunately, this won’t always work, so keep that in mind before you begin the process because it can be expensive.
How to Check Your Criminal Record
You should never go into a background check without knowing about what will appear in your records. Doing so can create problems and put you in awkward situations where you have a lot of explaining to do.
Thankfully, there are ways to be prepared, and it comes down to running a public records search on yourself. Plus, you don’t have to go through the extensive background check process to do so when you use the right tools. For this reason, we always recommend checking your criminal record yourself online.
All you need to get started is your name, address, and state, and a site like Information.com will do the rest. It will compile a full report that includes your criminal records, court records, and anything else that’s a public record. Therefore, if you see a felony appear in your records, you’ll know that you have to disclose it. Furthermore, if you know that a felony was expunged, you can take the necessary steps to have it removed from your records before your next background check.
Know When You Have to Disclose Felonies
Knowing when you have to disclose a felony is important because a felony can determine whether or not you’re hired or even if you can get a mortgage. Therefore, it’s important to know if you have to disclose a felony after seven years. While you usually have to disclose this information, there are exceptions depending on where you live. Moreover, you can have a felony expunged from your record if it wasn’t a violent crime. That said, we always recommend checking your record before applying for a job; being prepared can go a long way when it comes to discussing felonies.