Denied a job or rental over a Certn report?

Who Certn is and who relies on its reports

Certn is a background screening company that operates in the United States, Canada and other countries. Its applicant terms identify Certn Holdings Inc. and affiliates including Certn (Canada) Inc. and Certn (USA) Inc. On its U.S. website, Certn markets employment screening (criminal record checks, credential, education and employment verification, and reference checks), screening for property management, and biometric identity verification.

For U.S. residents, Certn’s own applicant terms state that Certn is a consumer reporting agency under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. That matters. It means the FCRA’s accuracy, dispute and disclosure rules apply to the reports Certn furnishes about you, whether to a prospective employer or to a landlord.

Certn’s applicant experience runs largely through an online portal and app, where you consent to the check, submit identity documents and, according to Certn’s terms, may be able to request a copy of your results. A digital process can be fast, but it also means an automated mismatch can reach an employer or landlord before anyone looks closely.

Errors that show up on Certn reports

• Wrong-person criminal records. A case belonging to someone with a similar name or birth date.
• Incomplete case outcomes. A charge reported without the dismissal or acquittal that ended it.
• Sealed or expunged records. Cases a court ordered closed, still reported.
• Identity verification problems. A failed document or biometric match that stalls or ends an application.
• Verification mistakes. Employment dates, degrees or credentials reported incorrectly.
• Tenant screening errors. Eviction filings or other records that are not yours, or that omit how the case ended. See our tenant screening errors page.

Our background check errors page covers employment screening problems in more detail.

How to get your Certn report and dispute it

1. Get the report. An employer must give you a copy of the report before taking adverse action based on it, and a landlord that denies you must name the screening company in its adverse action notice. Certn’s applicant terms say its services may let you request a copy of your background check.
2. Dispute with Certn. Certn’s terms say you can dispute results within its app or by contacting its support team, and can ask it to investigate information you believe is inaccurate or incomplete. Certn’s help center has a page on disputing results.
3. Put it in writing. Identify each wrong item, explain why it is wrong, and attach proof such as court dispositions, expungement orders, ID, diplomas or pay records.
4. Tell the employer or landlord. Let them know you are disputing and ask them to hold their decision.
5. Keep copies of every notice, report, message and response, including screenshots of the portal.

Your rights under the FCRA

• Accuracy (15 U.S.C. § 1681e(b)). Certn must follow reasonable procedures to assure maximum possible accuracy of what it reports.
• Public records for employment (§ 1681k). When reporting public record information likely to hurt your job prospects, Certn must either notify you at the time, with the employer’s name and address, or maintain strict procedures to make sure the record is complete and up to date.
• Reinvestigation (§ 1681i). After a dispute, Certn must reasonably reinvestigate, free of charge, generally within 30 days, and correct or delete information that is inaccurate, incomplete or unverifiable.
• File disclosure (§ 1681g). You may see all information in your file and its sources.
• Free copy after adverse action (§ 1681j). You are entitled to a free copy within 60 days after an adverse action notice.
• Reporting time limits (§ 1681c). Arrests and other non-conviction records generally cannot be reported after seven years. Convictions are not subject to that limit, and the limits do not apply to jobs paying $75,000 or more a year.
• Employer duties (§ 1681b(b)). The employer must give you a standalone disclosure and get your written authorization first, and must give you the report and a summary of your rights before taking adverse action.
• Adverse action notice (§ 1681m). An employer or landlord that turns you down based on a Certn report must name Certn and explain your right to a free copy and to dispute.

What you may recover

For a negligent violation, you may recover your actual damages, such as lost wages, lost housing, application fees and emotional distress, plus attorney’s fees and costs (15 U.S.C. § 1681o). For a willful violation, you may recover actual damages or statutory damages of $100 to $1,000, punitive damages, and fees and costs (§ 1681n).

Get a free case review

If a Certn report cost you a job or an apartment because it got your record wrong, do not wait. An FCRA lawsuit generally must be filed within two years after you discover the violation and no later than five years after it occurred (15 U.S.C. § 1681p). FCRA Attorneys represents consumers in federal court on contingency, so there is no fee unless we win. Contact us for a free case review, or see our FCRA practice and the other companies we cover.

Questions about suing Certn

Can I sue Certn?

Yes, if the facts support a claim. Certn's applicant terms state that for U.S. residents, Certn is a consumer reporting agency under the FCRA. If it reported inaccurate information without reasonable procedures, or failed to reasonably reinvestigate your dispute, you may have a claim.

Is Certn a U.S. company?

Certn's applicant terms name Certn Holdings Inc. and affiliates including Certn (Canada) Inc. and Certn (USA) Inc., and are governed by the law of British Columbia, Canada. For U.S. residents, Certn says it acts as a consumer reporting agency under the FCRA, and the FCRA's protections apply to reports it furnishes about you.

How do I dispute a Certn report?

Certn's applicant terms say you can dispute results within its app or by contacting its support team, and can ask Certn to investigate information you believe is inaccurate or incomplete. Its help center has a page on disputing results. Put your dispute in writing and keep a copy.

What does it cost to bring a case?

There is no fee unless we win. FCRA Attorneys handles these cases on contingency, and the FCRA lets a successful consumer recover reasonable attorney's fees and costs from the company.

Sources

• Certn Applicant Terms of Use (Certn Holdings Inc. and affiliates; consumer reporting agency for U.S. residents; disputes and copies)
• Certn U.S. website (employment screening, property management screening, identity verification)
• Certn Help Center: Can I dispute my results?

Updated November 2026. This page is general information, not legal advice.