--- title: Understanding Background Checks & Motor Vehicle Records on Golden description: Organizations can require checks during opportunity creation. Participants complete checks (under 30 seconds) that are valid for one year across all Golden opportunities. Results typically return in under 5 minutes. --- [Skip to content](https://support.goldenvolunteer.com/knowledge_base/understanding-background-checks-motor-vehicle-records-on-golden#main-content) English Show submenu for translations [Support Request](https://support.goldenvolunteer.com/knowledge_base/kb-tickets/new?hsLang=en) [Customer Portal](https://support.goldenvolunteer.com/customer?hsLang=en) [![Golden Volunteer](https://support.goldenvolunteer.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Logo-Goldfish-RGB-1.png?width=171&height=50&name=Logo-Goldfish-RGB-1.png)](https://Goldenvolunteer.com) - [Blog](https://goldenvolunteer.com/blog/) - [Ebooks](https://goldenvolunteer.com/ebooks/) - [Webinars](https://goldenvolunteer.com/webinars/) - [Partner Directory](https://goldenvolunteer.com/partners/) - [Success Stories](https://goldenvolunteer.com/success-stories/) - [App for Volunteers](https://goldenvolunteer.com/volunteers-app/) - [Contact Golden](mailto:support@goldenvolunteer.com) Open main navigation Close main navigation - [Blog](https://goldenvolunteer.com/blog/) - [Ebooks](https://goldenvolunteer.com/ebooks/) - [Webinars](https://goldenvolunteer.com/webinars/) - [Partner Directory](https://goldenvolunteer.com/partners/) - [Success Stories](https://goldenvolunteer.com/success-stories/) - [App for Volunteers](https://goldenvolunteer.com/volunteers-app/) - [Contact Golden](mailto:support@goldenvolunteer.com) - English Show submenu for translations - [Support Request](https://support.goldenvolunteer.com/knowledge_base/kb-tickets/new) - [Customer Portal](https://support.goldenvolunteer.com/customer) - [Create a Support Request](https://support.goldenvolunteer.com/knowledge_base/kb-tickets/new) [Create a Support Request](https://support.goldenvolunteer.com/knowledge_base/kb-tickets/new?hsLang=en) How can we help you? - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. 1. [Golden Help Center](https://support.goldenvolunteer.com/knowledge_base?hsLang=en) 2. [Organizer Resources](https://support.goldenvolunteer.com/knowledge_base/organizer-resources?hsLang=en) October 16, 2026 # Understanding Background Checks & Motor Vehicle Records on Golden Do you need participants to complete either Background Checks (BGC) or Motor Vehicle Record checks (MVR) in order to participate in your opportunities? Golden's Check System is an innovative combination of secure, complete and easy-to-use. **(NOTE: US ONLY)** #### What do the checks cover? **Golden's Background Checks search and verify:** - National Criminal Records Check - County Criminal Records Check - State Criminal Records Check - Global Watchlist Search - Sex Offender Registry Searches **Golden's Motor Vehicle Records checks can tell you:** - If their license is currently suspended or expired - What types and classes of vehicles they are licensed to drive - Recent violations or restrictions - Issue and expiration dates for various license types #### How it Works Every organization on Golden now has the ability to require participants to complete a Background Check and/or a Motor Vehicle Record check in order to register for specific participant opportunities. **Note:** Participants can also screen themselves via their profile in the Golden mobile apps or Volunteer Web Portal. These checks will be applied to any requirements that your organization has. When creating or editing an opportunity, the "Extras" page lists an option to require BGCs and/or MVRs from your participants. When registering for your opportunity, participant(s) will be prompted to perform the check(s) that you require. Each check takes less than 30 seconds to fill out and results come back in under 5 minutes. Participants using the Web Portal may be prompted to log in or claim their accounts in order to proceed. **Participants who have already completed the required checks will NOT need to run the checks again.** #### What does it cost? The cost of the check ($20 for BGC, $25 for MVR) can be covered by either your organization or the participant personally. The check is attached to the participant's Golden profile and is valid for one year, and can be used for any Golden opportunity. If you choose to require the participant to pay for their own check, there is no charge to your organization. You only are billed if you cover the cost of the checks on behalf of your participants. #### Managing Your Participants' Checks **We will notify you if:** - A participant tries to register and does not complete the check - A participant has issues with their background check **We will NOT notify you when:** - A participant completes the check successfully. You'll just see them in your Dashboard as "Registered"! - If you use background checks through Credentials, you can get notifications when a check needs your review, is completed, or is about to expire. A participant who fails a background check is immediately suspended from the Golden system as a whole until the issues can be resolved (if possible). These participants will not appear on your opportunity's registration page nor will they receive location/address information for your opportunity. Participants are issued a report and receipt upon completion of the check. While we cannot provide that information directly to you, you can request that the participant brings this information with them. Your Dashboard will confirm that participants have successfully completed their checks. If the screening requirement is enabled AFTER participants have already registered, and they have not had a screening run before, a "Not Yet" indicator will appear in these columns. To get these participants to run their checks, you will either need to have the participants conduct this manually, or you will need to cancel their registration and have them sign up again so that they are prompted to run a screening. #### More Details **Legal first, middle (if applicable), and last name** - Date of Birth - Social Security Number - Zip/Postal Code - Phone Number - Email **Motor Vehicle Record checks will require:** - Driver's License number/state - Date of Birth - Email Towards the end, participants will be asked to upload a copy of their photo ID and a payment method for the screening. **Accepted IDs are:** - Driver's license - State ID - Passport #### FAQs **"How long is a background check good for?"** Good for one year. Our background check is only $20 and our motor vehicle records check is only $25. We'll remind you to renew next year. **"Can I cover the cost of a screening for a participant?"** YES! [Click here for more info](https://support.goldenvolunteer.com/knowledge_base/paying-for-background-checks-and-motor-vehicle-record-checks?hsLang=en). **"Can I see the specific details for a participant in the Dashboard"** No, we will only show the status indicators. Participants are given a copy with specifics that you may ask the participants directly to obtain. **"Do I need to be on a paid-plan to be able to require a screening?"** No, this option is available for all users and poses no cost to the organizer. **"Will the background check statuses show in my Golden-integrated CRM?"** Yes! If the CRM that you integrated with has a field for this, then the information will flow into the CRM. **"Will a participant's cleared background check status be recognized and valid for opportunities that are hosted by different organizations?"** Yes! A cleared and active background check status will be attributed to a participant and recognized by the system, across organizations and opportunities. **"What happens if a participant fails a check? Can I work with them to see if I still want them to participate?"** Participants will be notified if they fail a check. As an organizer, you can reach out to them directly to see if their specific results disqualify them from your program. Our Support Team can work with you to appropriately update any relevant records if they find the participant is qualified for the role. **"What if I already use a Background Check or Motor Vehicle Record check provider?"** Golden's Credentials add-on supports background checks through Sterling, Checkr, and Accurate Background, with organization-paid or participant-paid options and review before approval. To learn more or connect your account, reach out to your Client Strategy Lead or email [support@goldenvolunteer.com](mailto:support@goldenvolunteer.com). **"What security procedures do you use?"** All data in Golden is encrypted in transit and at rest. 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