A background check can help an individual or organization understand the result of a criminal record search. For this type of check, the report should be read carefully because it does not provide a broad profile of a person. Instead, it returns one of three standard results based on the information provided and the search completed.
Those three results are Negative, Confirmation of a Criminal Record, and Incomplete. Each result has a specific meaning. Knowing the difference helps prevent wrong assumptions, especially when a search cannot be completed conclusively. Below, we clearly explain what each result means in simple terms.
Quick Answer: A background check can return one of three standard results: Negative, Confirmation of a Criminal Record, or Incomplete. An Incomplete result does not, by itself, mean that a person has a criminal record.
Example of a Negative Fastkey Report
This example uses the actual Fastkey Standard Criminal Record Check layout and Negative-result wording. Applicant and report details are fictional. The Stellarton Police logo is shown to illustrate the report layout; this sample was not issued by the police and is not a valid background check.
What Are the Three Background Check Results?
When a name-and-date-of-birth criminal record check is completed, the result will fall into one of three standard categories.
1. Negative
A Negative result means no criminal convictions were disclosed or found through the check.
This is the simplest of the three results. The check was completed using the information provided, and no criminal convictions were disclosed or found.
If you need to learn more about the screening process, visit FastKey or review FastKey's criminal record checks.
2. Confirmation of a Criminal Record
A Confirmation of a Criminal Record means disclosed conviction information was confirmed by the check.
In other words, conviction information was disclosed before the search, and the check confirmed that information.
This result is different from a Negative result because disclosed conviction information was confirmed during the screening process.
3. Incomplete
An Incomplete result means the name-and-date-of-birth search could not be completed conclusively, or the disclosure and search results did not match.
Fingerprinting may be recommended as a next step.
Most importantly, an Incomplete result is not, by itself, proof that the person has a criminal record.
This distinction matters. An Incomplete result should not automatically be treated as a Confirmation of a Criminal Record.
What Does a Negative Background Check Mean?
A Negative result means no criminal convictions were disclosed or found through the check.
It is one of the three standard outcomes of the search.
A Negative result should be understood based on the specific check that was completed. It does not change the meaning of the other two possible results.
What Does Confirmation of a Criminal Record Mean?
Confirmation of a Criminal Record means that conviction information disclosed by the person was confirmed through the check.
The key point is that the information was disclosed and then confirmed.
This makes it different from an Incomplete result, where the search could not be completed conclusively or the information did not match.
What Does an Incomplete Background Check Mean?
An Incomplete result means the name-and-date-of-birth search did not produce a conclusive result.
There are two main reasons this may happen:
The search could not be completed conclusively.
The disclosure and search results did not match.
Fingerprinting may then be recommended.
An Incomplete result should not be described as a confirmed criminal record. It simply means the original search could not reach a conclusive result.
Why Is It Important to Understand These Results?
The wording of a background check result matters.
The three outcomes have different meanings:
Negative: No criminal convictions were disclosed or found.
Confirmation of a Criminal Record: Disclosed conviction information was confirmed.
Incomplete: The search was not conclusive or the disclosure and results did not match.
Understanding these differences helps prevent an Incomplete result from being mistaken for a confirmed criminal record.
Organizations and individuals should read the exact result rather than making assumptions based on the word "Incomplete."
For individuals who need their own screening, FastKey also provides criminal record checks for individuals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Negative result mean no convictions were found?
Yes. A Negative result means no criminal convictions were disclosed or found through the check.
What does Confirmation of a Criminal Record mean?
It means disclosed conviction information was confirmed by the check.
Does an Incomplete result mean someone has a criminal record?
No. An Incomplete result is not, by itself, proof that someone has a criminal record.
Why might a background check be Incomplete?
The name-and-date-of-birth search may not have been completed conclusively, or the disclosure and search results may not have matched.
What happens after an Incomplete result?
Fingerprinting may be recommended to help complete the process.
Final Takeaway
When asking what background checks show, the most important point is that the check returns one of three standard results: Negative, Confirmation of a Criminal Record, or Incomplete.
Each result has a clear meaning. A Negative result means no criminal convictions were disclosed or found. Confirmation of a Criminal Record means disclosed conviction information was confirmed. An Incomplete result means the search could not be completed conclusively or the information did not match, and it does not by itself prove that a criminal record exists.