FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Who is Capitol City?

Since 1958, Capitol City Credit Company, LLC has been helping clients throughout many industries limit liability and make informed decisions with comprehensive background screening services.

Our secure, online system allows our clients to benefit from a paperless, online process that is secure, user friendly, and efficient.

The credit information and background screening information we provide is based on billions of updates continually received from finance companies, banks, credit unions, mortgage companies, retailers, student loan providers, utility companies, public records and more.

Credit bureau rules expressly prohibit us from selling or sending a credit report directly to the consumer. In accordance with federal law, the report can ONLY be sent to our client, the end user, appointed by the applicant, in order to facilitate tenancy, employment, or loan decisions. 

How Does The Screening Process Work? 

Capitol City is called upon when a professional entity has a permissible purpose to obtain Capitol City’s background reporting services. The professional entity must disclose a permissible purpose, and agree, in writing, to uphold the regulations outlined in the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), and any specific State laws regarding background screening.

Before a background report can be obtained, information provided by the professional entity must undergo Capitol City’s due diligence process. This includes verifying that the requesting professional entity has a legitimate need for obtaining such reports.

Once the professional entity has been vetted, it will be invited to enter our secure platform by establishing a secure username and password.

Capitol City provides system training using various training methods and once trained, the client is able to order reports. The platform is accessible from any device, 24/7, via a secure login.

The process generally goes as follows:

1. Applicant Is Invited

The client’s applicant receives a secure email invite to complete an online background questionnaire. The client typically sends the email invite.

2. Applicant Provides Consent

​The questionnaire asks the information necessary for the background check and obtains consent via the applicant’s e-signature.

3. Consumer Disclosures Are Delivered

​The appropriate compliance disclosures are delivered to the applicant within the background questionnaire. 

Report Is Processed

The completed questionnaire comes back into our system and is ready for processing.

4. Report Is Made Available For Viewing

An email confirmation is sent to client when the report is ready. Authorized users can view completed reports 24/7 via secure login, from any device, anywhere. 

5. Compliance Documents Are Delivered

Adverse action disclosures are delivered by the system or can be printed and sent to the applicant.

6. Applicant Has The Ability To Pay For Report

Where applicable, applicants have the ability to pay for the report via a secure credit card form contained within the background questionnaire.

Is Capitol City Involved in Engagement Decisions?

Decisions to engage the applicant are made exclusively by the client. Capitol City reporters provide information only and are not involved in engagement decisions.

How Long Does the Screening Process Take?

Capitol City makes every effort to provide results in a timely manner. Once the report is ordered and the applicant background information/consent is obtained, the information is submitted for processing.

Certain information returns instantly, while other information may take up to 24 to 48 hours to return, depending on the jurisdiction being search and the vetting that must occur prior to reports being made available for client viewing. There are jurisdictions, however, for which the information may take longer to be returned than the standard 24 to 48 hours.

Do Reporting Delays Happen?

Yes. If applicant does not complete the required steps in the application process and submit the completed background questionnaire/consent in a timely manner, the system will require that a new applicant invite be delivered. Clients can set applicant response times. The system will alert the client in the event that an applicant has gone beyond the pre-set response time.

In addition, as mentioned above, criminal data from non-instant state and county searches are retrieved from court resources, and as such, are dependent on the jurisdiction being searched.

While many non-instant searches return information within 24 to 48 hours, from the time of request, at times searches can take much longer. Capitol City cannot guarantee the turn around time in such cases.

Verification delays can occur when the verification sources do not respond back in a timely manner.  Capitol City will make three attempts to obtain such verification information before closing the file.

Will I Get All The Information I Need To Make An Informed Decision?

Yes. Capitol City offers cost-effective, web-based access to state-of-the art information, analytics and data delivery. Using a secure platform, working with trusted data providers, and employing “best practices” screening methodology, we continually provide the most timely and accurate consumer information available.

Can A Credit Report Be Obtained On Someone Who Does Not Have A Social Security Number?

No. A valid SSN is necessary to obtain certain consumer information and is a key identifier required in background screening.

When Are Reports Run?

Certain reports can be set up to run automatically 24 hours a day, 7 days a week as requested by registered clients. Other reports require Capitol City supervisor review before being submitted to the client.

How Flexible Is The System in Accommodating Organizations With Separate Divisions or Satellite Offices?

The system is capable of accommodating Parent/Child relationships in companies that have multiple divisions and/or offices. Reporting and billing functions can be allocated based on client requirements.