What does Amazon look for in a background check?
Amazon does not publish a list of what its background check covers. What it does say: for warehouse and other hourly jobs, your offer is contingent on your background check and drug test results, and its hiring FAQ says Amazon reviews “the results of your background check and drug test,” along with your work history and application answers, when deciding which candidates move forward. For all applicants, including corporate roles, Amazon’s U.S. applicant privacy notice lists “background check information” among the data it collects and says it uses applicant data for “conducting background checks and screening.”
Here is how that breaks down by job type.
Warehouse, delivery station and other hourly jobs (hiring.amazon.com)
- After you apply and attend any pre-hire appointment, Amazon’s hiring site says you log in to your Amazon Jobs account and use the pre-hire checklist to “check the status on your contingent offer, including background check and drug test results.”
- Once you pass, you accept the formal offer and complete paperwork.
- Amazon’s FAQ says your department assignment can depend on background check results, among other factors.
- Amazon’s FAQ also says it does not share specific reasons for a rejection.
Corporate and tech jobs (amazon.jobs)
- Amazon’s applicant privacy notice says it collects background check information and conducts background checks and screening as part of recruiting and onboarding.
- Amazon does not publish separate screening rules for corporate roles, so the scope can vary by job and location.
- The notice says the specific Amazon company you are applying to controls your data. That company is the one that orders and uses the report.
What Amazon does not publish
- Which records it checks (criminal, driving, employment, education)
- How far back it looks
- Which convictions disqualify an applicant
- Which screening company it uses
If any of that matters for your decision, ask your recruiter for the written screening policy for your role.
Who runs the Amazon background check?
Amazon’s hiring pages do not name a screening company, and we could not verify one from Amazon’s own current pages. Lists you see online naming a vendor are not from Amazon.
Two documents should tell you:
- The disclosure and authorization form you sign before the check usually names the screening company.
- Any pre-adverse or adverse action notice must give the name, address and phone number of the consumer reporting agency that supplied the report, under 15 U.S.C. § 1681m.
Once you know which company it is, you can deal with it directly. We have guides for several large employment screening companies, including Accurate Background, First Advantage, Sterling, HireRight and Checkr.
How long does the Amazon background check take?
Amazon does not publish a standard time frame for its background check. The status tool is the official way to track it: for hourly roles, your Amazon Jobs account and pre-hire checklist show where your background check and drug test stand.
Delays usually come from:
- A county court that has to be searched in person
- A name or birth date that matches someone else’s records
- Missing or mismatched identification information
- Waiting on past employers or schools to confirm details
If your status has not moved, contact Amazon’s hiring support and ask which screening company has your file, then contact that company with your identifying details.
What do you sign before the Amazon background check?
Federal law requires the same steps for Amazon as for any employer that gets a background report from a screening company. Under 15 U.S.C. § 1681b(b)(2), Amazon must:
- Give you a clear and conspicuous written disclosure, in a document that consists solely of that disclosure, that a report may be obtained for employment purposes, and
- Get your written authorization
Take a screenshot of the disclosure and authorization screens when you apply online. They are easy to lose once the application closes, and they often name the screening company.
What if your Amazon background check is wrong?
Amazon’s FAQ says it does not share specific reasons for rejection. That general policy does not override the FCRA. If a background report from a screening company played any part in the decision, you have rights before the decision becomes final.
Use your pre-adverse action rights
Under § 1681b(b)(3), before taking adverse action based in whole or in part on a report, the employer must give you:
- A copy of the report, and
- A written summary of your rights under the FCRA
“Adverse action” includes denying employment or any other employment decision that hurts you, under § 1681a(k). That can include a rescinded contingent offer.
When the pre-adverse notice arrives:
- Read the full report and mark everything that is wrong
- Reply to the contact in the notice in writing, right away, saying the report is wrong and that you are disputing it with the screening company
- Attach proof, such as a court disposition showing a dismissal, an expungement order, or ID showing a different birth date from the person in the record
The FTC explains that the advance notice exists so you can review the report. The statute does not set a specific number of days, so do not wait.
Dispute with the screening company
The screening company is the one that must correct the report. Under 15 U.S.C. § 1681i, once it receives your dispute it must reinvestigate for free, finish within 30 days (up to 15 more days if you send new relevant information during that window), correct or delete inaccurate or unverifiable information, and send you written results within five business days after finishing.
Ask it to send a corrected report to Amazon, and tell your Amazon hiring contact that you have done so. Our background check dispute letter guide walks through what to write.
The final adverse action notice
If Amazon goes ahead, the adverse action notice must name the screening company, say that company did not make the decision, and tell you about your right to a free copy within 60 days and your right to dispute, under § 1681m.
What can an Amazon background check legally report?
Federal law sets outer limits on what screening companies may include. Under 15 U.S.C. § 1681c:
- Arrest records more than seven years old generally cannot be reported.
- Most other negative information older than seven years cannot be reported, except convictions, which have no federal time limit.
- These limits do not apply to a job paying $75,000 a year or more, which can matter for higher-paying corporate roles.
State and local laws can add further limits, and they differ from place to place.
When can an Amazon background check error lead to an FCRA claim?
A wrong report or a skipped notice can support a claim in several situations.
Against the screening company
- It did not follow reasonable procedures to assure maximum possible accuracy, under § 1681e(b). Common examples are someone else’s conviction attached to your name, a dismissed charge shown as a conviction, or one case reported several times.
- It did not reasonably reinvestigate your dispute, or verified an error you documented, under § 1681i.
- It reported information too old to report, under § 1681c.
Against the employer
- It took adverse action without first giving you the report and summary of rights, under § 1681b(b)(3).
- It got the report without a proper stand-alone disclosure and your written authorization, under § 1681b(b)(2).
Possible recovery. For negligent violations, actual damages (such as lost wages and emotional distress) plus attorney’s fees and costs under § 1681o. For willful violations, actual damages or statutory damages of $100 to $1,000, possible punitive damages, and attorney’s fees under § 1681n.
Deadline. Under § 1681p, generally two years from when you discover the violation and no more than five years from when it occurred.
Save screenshots of your application, any status messages in your Amazon Jobs account, every notice and the report itself. If a mix-up with another person’s records caused the problem, see what to do if your background check is incorrect.
Get a free case review
If an Amazon offer was pulled because of a background check that got your history wrong, or you never received the report before the decision, talk to a background check error lawyer. Our case review is free, and we work on contingency: no fee unless we win.
Frequently asked questions
What does Amazon look for in a background check?
Amazon does not publish a list of what its background check covers or which records disqualify an applicant. Its hourly hiring site says offers are contingent on background check and drug test results, and its FAQ says background check results are one of the factors it reviews when deciding whether to move a candidate forward.
How long does the Amazon background check take?
Amazon does not publish a time frame. Its hourly hiring site says you can check the status of your contingent offer, including background check and drug test results, through your Amazon Jobs account and pre-hire checklist.
Who does Amazon use for background checks?
Amazon's hiring pages do not name a screening company. The company that prepared your report must be named in any pre-adverse or adverse action notice, and is often named on the authorization form you sign.
Amazon says it does not share reasons for rejection. Do I still get to see the report?
Yes, if the decision was based in whole or in part on a background check report from a screening company. The FCRA requires the employer to give you a copy of the report and a summary of your rights before taking adverse action, whatever its general policy on sharing reasons.
Is the background check different for Amazon corporate jobs?
Amazon does not publish separate screening rules for corporate roles. Its applicant privacy notice, which covers applicants generally, says Amazon collects background check information and conducts background checks and screening. Ask your recruiter what applies to your role.
Sources
- Amazon Hiring, How hiring works (hourly roles)
- Amazon Hiring, FAQ
- Amazon Jobs, Applicant privacy notice (U.S.)
- FTC, Using Consumer Reports: What Employers Need to Know
- EEOC and FTC, Background Checks: What Job Applicants and Employees Should Know
- 15 U.S.C. § 1681a, definitions (Cornell LII)
- 15 U.S.C. § 1681b, employment rules (Cornell LII)
- 15 U.S.C. § 1681c, information that cannot be reported (Cornell LII)
- 15 U.S.C. § 1681e, accuracy procedures (Cornell LII)
- 15 U.S.C. § 1681i, disputes (Cornell LII)
- 15 U.S.C. § 1681m, adverse action notices (Cornell LII)
- 15 U.S.C. § 1681n, willful violations (Cornell LII)
- 15 U.S.C. § 1681o, negligent violations (Cornell LII)
- 15 U.S.C. § 1681p, time limit to sue (Cornell LII)
Updated November 2026. This page is general information, not legal advice.