Martin Luther King Day Holiday
In honor of Martin Luther King, Universal will be closed on Monday, January 20, 2025. Other businesses, courts, and schools may also be closed on Monday, January 20, 2025. Delays may occur in court searches, verifications, as well as drug testing and Occupational Health services during this time. We will update the searches with expected ETAs as available. Our Client Services team will be available on Tuesday, January 21, 2025, at 8am EST.
Pricing Update Notice
Effective January 1, 2025, the pricing for QuickConfirm will increase from $54.00 to $58.95. The pricing for Verification Manager will increase from $53.95 to $63.95. This adjustment reflects changes in costs from our third-party providers and ensures we continue to deliver the high-quality service you expect.
Thank you for your understanding and continued support. For questions, please contact us at cs@universalbackground.com or call (877) 263-8033.
Thank you for your understanding and continued support. For questions, please contact us at cs@universalbackground.com or call (877) 263-8033.
Huron County, MI Fees
Effective Jan 1st, 2025, Huron County, Michigan has updated its fees.
You can locate these updates by going to your “Help Tab” and choosing the “State and County Fees” dropdown.
New York Child Abuse Registry - Delays
Due to the high volumes New York Child Abuse is receiving, there is an ongoing delay averaging about 10-12 weeks as a TAT. NY does not currently have an ETA on resolution/lower volumes. Please continue to expect extended delays.
Michigan Clean Slate Law Search Restrictions
Due to the Michigan Clean Slate law, the following courts are limiting the scope of work that they will search:
Updated 1/3/2025:
Antrim (7-10 years District)
Bay (10+ years District)
Baraga (7 years District)
Cheboygan (10+ years District)
Clare (7 years District)
Gladwin (7-10 years District)
Grand Traverse (7-10 years District)
Kent (10+ years District and 2018-Present Circuit)
Leelanau (7-10 years District)
Ottawa (7-10 years and 10+ years circuit)
Presque Isle (10+ years District)
Saginaw (7+ years District and 10+ years Circuit)
St. Joseph (10+ years District and Circuit)
Schoolcraft (2008- Present Circuit)
Updated 1/3/2025:
Antrim (7-10 years District)
Bay (10+ years District)
Baraga (7 years District)
Cheboygan (10+ years District)
Clare (7 years District)
Gladwin (7-10 years District)
Grand Traverse (7-10 years District)
Kent (10+ years District and 2018-Present Circuit)
Leelanau (7-10 years District)
Ottawa (7-10 years and 10+ years circuit)
Presque Isle (10+ years District)
Saginaw (7+ years District and 10+ years Circuit)
St. Joseph (10+ years District and Circuit)
Schoolcraft (2008- Present Circuit)
Updated 1/17/2025- Court Search Delays
Illinois Statewide:
10/15/2024: The Illinois State Police is working with limited staff and resources. Please expect extended delays.
Los Angeles County, California:
Updated 9/6/2024: Effective 2/23/2024 the Superior Court of Los Angeles County will no longer include the month and year of birth as criteria in its criminal name search engines. Courts are also setting limitations on file pulls based on staffing levels and service demands extending excessive delays. Please continue to expect extended delays. Information will be updated as it's available.
Berrien County, Michigan:
10/15/2024: Courts in Berrien County, MI have completed their change in their case management system and now contain complete information past April of 2024. Searches are now being processed. Please expect delays while the courts catch up through the backlog.
NSOPW:
8/16/2024: The NSOPW is back up and processing, however the database continues to experience intermittent outages that occur when individual jurisdictions go down. These outages may cause minor delays in processing. We are monitoring the database and will provide updates if extended delays are to be expected.
MVR's:
11/19/2024: Please expect delays as the database continues to experience intermittent outages that occur when individual jurisdictions go down. These outages may cause minor delays in processing. We are monitoring the database and will provide updates if extended delays are to be expected.
Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands:
11/20/2024: Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands searches are currently experiencing delays this month with turnaround times. Please continue to expect delays to work through the backlog. We will continue to closely monitor and provide updates as they become available.
Arkansas Statewide:
12/5/2024: The Arkansas Statewide search is currently experiencing outages and has created a delay in processing. Searches are unable to be completed at this time. We do not have a timeline for resolution of these issues. We will continue to closely monitor and provide updates as they become available.
Kent, MI:
1/17/2025: The Public Access Terminal at the District Court in Kent County is now back up and processing; however, the backlog is substantial and will take time to process. Please continue to expect extended delays during this time. Information will be updated as it is received.
Wood County, Ohio:
12/24/2024: The public access terminals in Wood County, OH are currently experiencing outages and has created a delay in processing. Searches are unable to be completed at this time. We do not have a timeline for resolution of these issues. We will continue to closely monitor and provide updates as they become available.
Sacramento County, California:
The Public Access Terminal at the District Court in Sacramento County is currently down. There is no ETA on when the system will be up again, please expect extended delays during this time. Information will be updated as it is received.
California Wildfires:
Please be advised that the wildfires in Los Angeles have caused a significant disruption due to closures and evacuations in the following counties: Los Angeles, Ventura, San Bernardino, Orange, and Riverside Counties. Please expect delays thru this time. We will provide updates as they become available.
Riverside County, CA:
Please expect delays as courts in Riverside County, CA are undergoing a change in their case management system on Tuesday, January 21st, 2025. We will provide updates as they become available.
Nevada Statewide:
Please expect delays as the Nevada Statewide search will be transitioning to their new case management platform, and will be unavailable on Monday, January 27th, 2025. Searches will resume on Tuesday, January 28th, 2025. We will provide updates as they become available.
10/15/2024: The Illinois State Police is working with limited staff and resources. Please expect extended delays.
Los Angeles County, California:
Updated 9/6/2024: Effective 2/23/2024 the Superior Court of Los Angeles County will no longer include the month and year of birth as criteria in its criminal name search engines. Courts are also setting limitations on file pulls based on staffing levels and service demands extending excessive delays. Please continue to expect extended delays. Information will be updated as it's available.
Berrien County, Michigan:
10/15/2024: Courts in Berrien County, MI have completed their change in their case management system and now contain complete information past April of 2024. Searches are now being processed. Please expect delays while the courts catch up through the backlog.
NSOPW:
8/16/2024: The NSOPW is back up and processing, however the database continues to experience intermittent outages that occur when individual jurisdictions go down. These outages may cause minor delays in processing. We are monitoring the database and will provide updates if extended delays are to be expected.
MVR's:
11/19/2024: Please expect delays as the database continues to experience intermittent outages that occur when individual jurisdictions go down. These outages may cause minor delays in processing. We are monitoring the database and will provide updates if extended delays are to be expected.
Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands:
11/20/2024: Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands searches are currently experiencing delays this month with turnaround times. Please continue to expect delays to work through the backlog. We will continue to closely monitor and provide updates as they become available.
Arkansas Statewide:
12/5/2024: The Arkansas Statewide search is currently experiencing outages and has created a delay in processing. Searches are unable to be completed at this time. We do not have a timeline for resolution of these issues. We will continue to closely monitor and provide updates as they become available.
Kent, MI:
1/17/2025: The Public Access Terminal at the District Court in Kent County is now back up and processing; however, the backlog is substantial and will take time to process. Please continue to expect extended delays during this time. Information will be updated as it is received.
Wood County, Ohio:
12/24/2024: The public access terminals in Wood County, OH are currently experiencing outages and has created a delay in processing. Searches are unable to be completed at this time. We do not have a timeline for resolution of these issues. We will continue to closely monitor and provide updates as they become available.
Sacramento County, California:
The Public Access Terminal at the District Court in Sacramento County is currently down. There is no ETA on when the system will be up again, please expect extended delays during this time. Information will be updated as it is received.
California Wildfires:
Please be advised that the wildfires in Los Angeles have caused a significant disruption due to closures and evacuations in the following counties: Los Angeles, Ventura, San Bernardino, Orange, and Riverside Counties. Please expect delays thru this time. We will provide updates as they become available.
Riverside County, CA:
Please expect delays as courts in Riverside County, CA are undergoing a change in their case management system on Tuesday, January 21st, 2025. We will provide updates as they become available.
Nevada Statewide:
Please expect delays as the Nevada Statewide search will be transitioning to their new case management platform, and will be unavailable on Monday, January 27th, 2025. Searches will resume on Tuesday, January 28th, 2025. We will provide updates as they become available.
Important Update: FastMed Clinics Change
We are writing to inform you of an important update regarding FastMed Clinics. As part of their strategic transition, FastMed will no longer be partnering with Third-Party Administrators (TPAs). Consequently, UBS will be removing FastMed Clinics from our system.
Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions.
Best regards,
UBS – DTOH Department
SUSPENDED SERVICES
All verification services out of the following countries are suspended:
Afghanistan, Haiti, Ghana, Russia, Sudan. Syria, Ukraine.
Criminal searches are currently not available in Afghanistan and Palestine at this time as well.
We will continue to monitor the situation and notify you when we are able to reinstate services.
Criminal searches are currently not available in Afghanistan and Palestine at this time as well.
We will continue to monitor the situation and notify you when we are able to reinstate services.
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, Sacramento, San Bernadino, San Diego, San Francisco, San Joaquin, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Siskiyou, 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, Sacramento, San Bernadino, San Diego, San Francisco, San Joaquin, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Siskiyou, Tulare, Ventura
Marin County, California
As of April 17, 2024, the clerks in Marin County confirmed that all cases currently on Diversion, dismissed after successful completion of Diversion, and cases that have been dismissed per P.C. 1203.4 record clearances are designated as “Confidential” in the court computer system. Clerks will not have access to the DOB information for any of these cases marked “Confidential." Please expect delays as Marin County adjusts to this change. We will provide new information as we receive it.
Bangladesh - Education Verifications
7.31.24 - We have been advised there is an indefinite strike in public universities and schools, and we are facing severe processing delays. We will post any updates we receive.