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3rd Degree Screening

PBSA Accredited · FCRA Compliant · 100% US-Based

Background Checks
Don’t Have to Be
a Pain in the Ass

Large legacy providers keep hiking prices while service quality falls short. Get a modern partner who never offshores your applicants’ PII.

Start NowSee Demo

No setup fees · Cancel anytime · Results in as little as 5 minutes

PBSA Accredited

PBSA Accredited

Background Screening Association

FCRA Compliant

FCRA Compliant

Fair Credit Reporting Act

100% US-Based

100% US-Based

Support and Operations

Equifax Data

Equifax Data

Smart Screen™ Network

How It Works

From invite to results in minutes.

Your candidates get a simple, mobile-friendly experience — no logins, no portals, no confusion.

  1. 01

    Get the Invite

    Your candidate receives a text or email with a secure, single-click link. No app downloads, no account creation.

  2. 02

    Snap Your ID

    The candidate takes a photo of their driver's license or state ID. Our AI reads it instantly — no typing required.

  3. 03

    Scan for Records

    We run the candidate's information against 3,400+ jurisdictions, county courts, and state prison systems — all in one search.

  4. 04

    Sign and Authorize

    Disclosures and authorization forms are presented automatically. The candidate signs right on their phone — done in under 90 seconds.

See the full platform
3rd Degree Screening platform dashboard
3rd Degree Screening dashboard on a laptop

Platform Preview

Get a Sample Report

See what a real 3rd Degree background check looks like. We’ll email a fully redacted report so you can compare side-by-side with your current vendor.

No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

  • Redacted, real report
  • 5-minute read
  • No sales call
  • Cancel any time

Adjudication Intelligence

Background Checks That Think

Our platform is powered by Kizuna, decision-intelligence that turns raw records into relevant hiring signals. Map risk. Surface trends. Decide with confidence.

Policy Nexus

Map records to relevant, role-specific risks.

Learn more

185M+

Records Processed

3,400+

Jurisdictions Covered

< 2 min

Avg. Decision Time

Risk Signal Analysis

Walk through a real adjudicated report in 90 seconds.

Open Full Demo

Customer Experience

White-Glove Support.
Seamless Candidate Experience.

From onboarding to adjudication, our US-based team is with you every step of the way. Your candidates get clarity. You get peace of mind.

5 min

Average Results

90%

Complete in 24h

100%

US-Based Support

The most personal screening service in the industry.

Not your typical background check.

We built 3rd Degree because we were tired of watching employers get ripped off.

Hidden fees, offshore support, and zero transparency. So we did the opposite.

Background Checks

Every check you need. One platform.

Criminal, employment, education, MVR, biometric identity, ordered in seconds and delivered in hours, not days. One portal. One price.

  • Results in as little as 5 minutes
  • 90% complete within 24 hours
  • PBSA accredited. FCRA compliant.

Smart Screen™

The most comprehensive criminal data network.

Smart Screen™ by Equifax is integrated into 3rd Degree and provides instant access to 1,900+ county jails, 30+ state prison systems, 185M+ records, and 50+ sex offender registries. All in one search.

Explore Smart Screen

Identity Verification

Biometric identity verification with liveness detection.

Government ID scan + biometric selfie match with real-time liveness detection. We verify your candidate is who they say they are. Not a photo, not a mask, not a deepfake.

See how it works

Built-In Compliance

Compliance handled for you. Automatically.

FCRA disclosures, digital signatures, state & local compliance forms, adverse action notifications, and EEOC questionnaires, all generated and tracked automatically. You stay protected without lifting a finger.

Learn about compliance

Testimonials

What our clients say.

3rd Degree has been an outstanding partner to my company! We can quickly uncover fraudulent attempts to purchase vehicles by verifying their identity. Quick, easy, inexpensive, and always professional!

M

Mark N

Compliance Specialist

We started using 3rd Degree Screening around 6 months ago and I have been consistently impressed with their customer service (thanks Jimmy!) and the ease of the portal to request background checks. All of the checks have come back quicker than I had expected and were very thorough.

L

Lindsay K.

Head Recruiter

We have been using 3rd degree exclusively since 2019. 3rd Degree have been a reliable partner we trust. They have been successful in promptly completing complex background checks onshore and offshore. We highly recommend working with them.

L

Lynda Foll

Owner

Pricing

Simple, transparent pricing.

Pay per background check. No contracts, no hidden fees, no surprises. Lock in your rate forever.

3DS basic

24-90 hours Turnaround Time

$29.99/check
Get Started
  • Identity Verification
  • Enhanced SSN Smart Trace
  • Incarceration/Bookings Records
  • Global Watch Lists
  • Nationwide Criminal Database Record
  • Nationwide Sex Offender
  • Current County Criminal*
  • Current Statewide Federal Criminal

Any records identified outside the current county or federal jurisdiction may require confirmation at the originating source and are subject to an additional fee.

Most Popular

3DS complete

24-90 hours Turnaround Time • Comprehensive Coverage*

$49.99/check
Get Started
  • Identity Verification
  • Enhanced SSN Smart Trace
  • Incarceration/Bookings Records
  • Global Watch Lists
  • Nationwide Criminal Database Record
  • Nationwide Sex Offender
  • Unlimited County Criminal*
  • Nationwide Federal Criminal

*Possible 3rd Party Fees

3DS premium

24-90 hours Turnaround Time • Comprehensive Coverage*

$74.99/check
Get Started
  • Identity Verification
  • Enhanced SSN Smart Trace
  • Incarceration/Bookings Records
  • Global Watch Lists
  • Nationwide Criminal Database Record
  • Nationwide Sex Offender
  • Unlimited County Criminal*
  • Nationwide Federal Criminal
  • Education Verification*
  • Employment Verification*

*Possible 3rd Party Fees

Running over 200 background checks a year?

Get volume-based pricing tailored to your organization.

Talk to Sales
View full feature comparison →

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Built-In Compliance

Compliance that runs itself. You focus on hiring.

Automated Disclosures and Authorizations

FCRA disclosures are generated, delivered, and tracked the moment a check is ordered. State-specific forms and restrictions apply automatically based on the candidate's location.

Digital Signatures and Audit Trails

Candidates sign on any device in under 90 seconds. Every signature is timestamped, geo-tagged, and stored with a complete chain of custody for auditors and legal.

Adverse Action Automation

Pre-adverse and final notices are generated, queued, and tracked automatically. Mandatory waiting periods are enforced by the system, not by a calendar reminder.

State and Local Compliance Engine

3,400+ jurisdictions each have unique reporting rules. Our engine applies those filters before results reach your dashboard, so you never see information you can't legally consider.

100%

FCRA Compliant

50-State

Coverage

Zero

Manual Forms

24/7

Audit Trail

Every compliance step is automated and documented. Your audit defense is built in, not bolted on.

Blog

Insights & Resources

Expert guidance on background screening, compliance, and smarter hiring.

View all articles

Get a Demo

Ready to see what a modern background check looks like?

Skip the sales pitch. We’ll walk you through a real report, show you how Smart Screen™ works, and answer every question with no commitment.

  • Results in as little as 5 minutes
  • US-based support. Never offshore
  • No setup fees. Cancel anytime.
  • PBSA Accredited. FCRA Compliant.
Reach out within one business day
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