Memorial Day Closure
In honor of the Memorial Day holiday, Universal Background Screening will be closed on Monday, May 26, 2025. Many courts throughout the country will also be closed. This holiday will affect the closure of courts, government agencies, employers, and collection sites, throughout the United States. Universal will resume normal operations on Tuesday May 27, 2025, at 8 am EST. During our closure, all Universal Background Screening applications and websites will be operational and accessible.
Updated 5/23/2025- Court Search Delays
Multiple Counties, Texas:
4/9/2025: Texas county searches are currently experiencing system issues, which are causing a delay in the turnaround times. We are closely monitoring this and will provide updates as they become available.
Franklin County, Kentucky:
4/24/2025: Franklin County, KY Courts have opened a temporary location where the Public Access Terminal is accessible. Searches are currently being processed. Please expect delays in this jurisdiction as they work thru the backlog.
Tehama County, CA Courts:
5/20/2025: Tehama County searches are currently experiencing a delay in processing. The new turnaround time for returning results is now estimated to be 4-6 weeks due to a high volume of requests and being a clerk assisted county. This will create a delay in the turnaround times. We will provide updates as they become available.
Bell County, KY Courts:
5/21/2025: Bell County, Kentucky Courts have advised the court is closed on Friday, 5/23/2025 due to the local festival. Please expect possible delays during this closure.
Clay County, KY Courts:
5/21/2025: Clay County, Kentucky Courts have advised the court is closed on Friday, 5/30/2025 due to the local festival. Please expect possible delays during this closure.
4/9/2025: Texas county searches are currently experiencing system issues, which are causing a delay in the turnaround times. We are closely monitoring this and will provide updates as they become available.
Franklin County, Kentucky:
4/24/2025: Franklin County, KY Courts have opened a temporary location where the Public Access Terminal is accessible. Searches are currently being processed. Please expect delays in this jurisdiction as they work thru the backlog.
Tehama County, CA Courts:
5/20/2025: Tehama County searches are currently experiencing a delay in processing. The new turnaround time for returning results is now estimated to be 4-6 weeks due to a high volume of requests and being a clerk assisted county. This will create a delay in the turnaround times. We will provide updates as they become available.
Bell County, KY Courts:
5/21/2025: Bell County, Kentucky Courts have advised the court is closed on Friday, 5/23/2025 due to the local festival. Please expect possible delays during this closure.
Clay County, KY Courts:
5/21/2025: Clay County, Kentucky Courts have advised the court is closed on Friday, 5/30/2025 due to the local festival. Please expect possible delays during this closure.
Clean Slate Initiative
The Clean Slate initiative automatically seals certain non-violent conviction records if a person has remained conviction-free for a period of time (seven years for misdemeanors, 10 years for felonies).
Universal will continue to provide information that is reportable by state and federal laws.
States that are part of this initiate are as follows:
• PA
• UT
• NJ
• MI
• CT
• DE
• VA
• OK
• CO
• CA
• MN
• NY (Effective November 2024)
Please click on the below link for additional information by state. States with pending bills:
• Kentucky (HB 588)
• Missouri (HB 753)
• Rhode Island (SB 606)
• Hawaii (SB 1168)
Learn more
Universal will continue to provide information that is reportable by state and federal laws.
States that are part of this initiate are as follows:
• PA
• UT
• NJ
• MI
• CT
• DE
• VA
• OK
• CO
• CA
• MN
• NY (Effective November 2024)
Please click on the below link for additional information by state. States with pending bills:
• Kentucky (HB 588)
• Missouri (HB 753)
• Rhode Island (SB 606)
• Hawaii (SB 1168)
Learn more
California Delays caused by DOB Redaction
On June 21, 2021, several CA courts have redacted DOB from their public index and files due to a 4th Appellate District Court, Court of Appeal, Division One, State of CA opinion.
We are still able to conduct name-based searches. Due to the redaction, researchers are having to use alternative methods to obtain DOB, where possible, therefore causing delays. These delays will impact County Criminal searches and Nationwide Database searches.
Counties with redactions: Amador, Butte, Calaveras, El Dorado, Fresno, Kern, Lassen, Los Angeles, Merced, Nevada, Placer, Riverside, Sacramento, San Bernadino, San Diego, San Francisco, San Joaquin, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Siskiyou, Stanislaus, Tulare, Ventura
We are still able to conduct name-based searches. Due to the redaction, researchers are having to use alternative methods to obtain DOB, where possible, therefore causing delays. These delays will impact County Criminal searches and Nationwide Database searches.
Counties with redactions: Amador, Butte, Calaveras, El Dorado, Fresno, Kern, Lassen, Los Angeles, Merced, Nevada, Placer, Riverside, Sacramento, San Bernadino, San Diego, San Francisco, San Joaquin, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Siskiyou, Stanislaus, Tulare, Ventura
Suspended Services
All verification services out of the following countries are suspended:
• Afghanistan
• Russia
• Sudan
• Ukraine:
Education verifications are being completed in Ukraine.
Employment verifications are not able to be completed in Ukraine.
Criminal searches are currently not available in:
• Afghanistan
• Palestine
We will continue to monitor the situation and notify you when we are able to reinstate services.
• Afghanistan
• Russia
• Sudan
• Ukraine:
Education verifications are being completed in Ukraine.
Employment verifications are not able to be completed in Ukraine.
Criminal searches are currently not available in:
• Afghanistan
• Palestine
We will continue to monitor the situation and notify you when we are able to reinstate services.