How long do background checks take?

Most "real" background checks take 24-72 hours to complete, unless there are hangups with particular elements of the background check:

Delays are typically caused by:

1. Educational institution fails to respond or is slow to respond - Like during the Summer or holidays, when no one may be in the registrar's office.

2. PreviOS employers and references fail to respond or are slow to respond.

3. Applicable courts are closed or slow to respond, ie: Clerks are understaffed.

4. Applicant provides incomplete or innaccurate information, ie: bad phone numbers, provided school name without city, etc. Anything that makes it harder for a verification to be completed slows the process.

5. Fingerprinting through FBI is required.

More than 95 percent of background checks are completed within 5-10 business days, including above delay factors.

Added: If the questioner is referring to background checks conducted for government security clearances, they can take as long is it takes to find, interview, and investigate all the relevant background information necessary. In other Words, there is no stated time for completion.