Shipt Background Check: What It Checks, How Long It Takes & What to Do If You Fail

If you're applying to deliver for Shipt, you have to clear a background check first. Shipt works with a third-party screening company, currently Checkr, to conduct a motor vehicle record check, a criminal history check, searches of key registries, and reviews of multiple federal databases.

The duration can vary, since the process depends on factors such as court processing times or whether additional manual review is required.

If inaccurate information in the report leads to a denial or deactivation, you may have rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) to review the report and dispute the error.

Were you denied or deactivated by Shipt because of information you believe is inaccurate? Consumer Attorneys can review your situation and help you understand your options.

Does Shipt Do Background Checks?

Yes. Shipt screens applicants before they can begin working through the platform as shoppers or drivers. Because these workers interact with customers and handle deliveries, the screening process helps Shipt confirm that applicants meet its basic safety and eligibility requirements.

Checkr conducts the checks, which apply to shoppers and drivers, who work as independent contractors. Applicants must complete screening and receive authorization before they can accept work on the platform.

What Does a Shipt Background Check Look For?

Shipt's screening process includes a motor vehicle report, a criminal background check, and searches of key registries and federal databases. These checks must follow applicable state and federal laws.

Criminal background check. This looks for reportable criminal records tied to your identifying information. Checkr uses details such as your name, date of birth, and address history to find potentially matching records. The search may draw on relevant courts and public databases, depending on your history and the jurisdiction.

Motor vehicle report (MVR). Shoppers generally need a valid license, auto insurance, and a reliable vehicle, so the MVR matters. It may include license status and other reportable driving information maintained by a state motor vehicle agency. Processing times vary by jurisdiction.

Registries and federal databases. Shipt's public guidance doesn't list every registry or database included in each applicant's report. Checkr offers various searches, such as national criminal databases or sex-offender-registry searches, but that doesn't mean every applicant receives every available search.

What Are the Shipt Background Check Requirements?

A background check is just one part of qualifying to shop and deliver for Shipt. Before that check even happens, applicants need to meet Shipt's basic eligibility requirements:

• Minimum age: You must be at least 18 years old (21 if you plan to deliver alcohol).
• Valid driver's license: A current, valid U.S. driver's license is required, along with a reliable vehicle from 1997 or newer.
• Social Security Number (SSN): Your SSN is required as part of Shipt's sign-up and background-check process.
• Auto insurance: You need valid auto insurance that meets your state's minimum requirements, and you must be an insured driver on the policy for the car you use.
• Other sign-up requirements: A valid mailing address, the ability to lift up to 50 pounds, and a compatible smartphone (iPhone or Android).

As part of the signup process, Shipt uses Checkr, its third-party background screening provider, to conduct the criminal background check and motor vehicle report.

How Long Does a Shipt Background Check Take?

The time a background check takes can vary depending on the individual report. Most checks are completed within a reasonable amount of time, but some may take longer if additional information needs to be reviewed.

A few things affect that timeline:

• Processing time varies by person. The timing can depend on the searches included in your report, the jurisdictions involved, and how quickly the relevant records are available.
• Court or record searches can cause delays. Some county courts still keep paper records instead of electronic ones, and pulling those can take longer, especially if a court has a backlog.
• Additional verification may be needed. Checkr may ask you to provide additional information or documents before it can complete the report.
• A delay doesn't mean you failed. Taking longer than expected doesn't automatically mean negative information was found.
• Keep an eye on your email and your status. If Checkr needs anything from you, they'll contact you directly, so checking your inbox (including spam) and your background check status regularly is the best way to keep things moving.

A delay doesn't necessarily mean there's a problem with your background check. In many cases, it simply means that some records or information are taking longer to verify.

Why Is My Shipt Background Check Taking So Long?

If your Shipt background check seems stuck or is taking forever, it's usually one of a few common, ordinary reasons:

• Checkr is waiting for additional information from you. If Checkr needs more information or documentation to complete the report, the process may remain pending until you provide it.
• A county court is slow to respond. Not every court has digital records. Some still require someone to physically go in and pull files, which takes time — and backlogs make it worse.
• Additional signup information may need verification. Shipt says it may collect employment, education, training, and reference information from third-party sources during the signup process. If additional information needs to be verified, that may extend the overall onboarding process.
• High application volume. During busy periods, more applications can mean longer wait times overall.

A delay in your background check does not always mean there is a problem. It doesn't automatically mean your application failed. Most "stuck" or "in progress" checks resolve once the missing piece of information comes through or the record search finishes.

How to Check Your Shipt Background Check Status

The most direct way to check on your background check is through Checkr's own Candidate Portal. Here's how it works:

1. Go to the Checkr Candidate Portal.
2. Enter the email address you used for your background check. Checkr will send you a one-time code to log in, or you can use the Google sign-in option.
3. Once logged in, review the status of your report and any actions or additional information Checkr may require.

If your status remains "in progress" or "pending" beyond the usual processing period, check the Candidate Portal for an estimated completion date or any request for additional information.

How Far Back Does a Shipt Background Check Go?

Shipt does not publish one single lookback period that applies to every type of record. How far back a report can go depends on the kind of information involved, and on the laws of the state and jurisdiction where the search is being run.

A few points worth understanding:

• There's no universal number of years. Shipt describes its background check as "comprehensive" and does not specify a fixed reporting window for all records.
• Reporting periods can depend on the type of record. Criminal history, driving records, and other categories of information aren't necessarily treated the same way or pulled from the same time frame.
• State and federal law can limit what's reported. The FCRA sets some general limits on how far back certain non-conviction information can be reported, but many states have their own, sometimes stricter, rules — and criminal convictions in particular can often be reported without the same time limit, depending on the state.
• Different categories of information may be handled differently. A misdemeanor, a felony, and a driving violation aren't automatically subject to the same rules or the same lookback window.

If you're unsure how far back your own report goes, the most reliable way to find out is to review your actual report through the Checkr Candidate Portal.

What Can Cause You to Fail a Shipt Background Check?

There are two very different situations that can lead to a failed background check, and it's worth understanding which one you're dealing with.

Accurate Information That Raises Eligibility Concerns. Sometimes a background check accurately reflects something in your history that Shipt considers relevant to eligibility. Shipt's screening covers a criminal background check and a motor vehicle report, so the concerns usually come from these areas:

• Criminal history, such as certain convictions that raise safety concerns.
• Driving-related issues, such as license suspensions or a history that affects your ability to safely operate a vehicle.
• Other safety-related information that falls within the scope of what Shipt's screening is designed to catch.

If the report is accurate, these are the areas where an eligibility concern is most likely to come from.

Incorrect Information on the Background Report. Failing a background check doesn't necessarily mean your actual record contains something disqualifying. It may mean the report itself contains an error.

Background check reports can be wrong for a number of reasons, including:

• Inaccurate criminal records, such as a dismissed charge incorrectly reported as pending or as a conviction, or a record reported when applicable law no longer permits it to appear.
• Records that belong to someone else, especially with common names.
• Outdated information, like an old charge that should no longer be reportable.
• Incorrect driving information, such as a violation that isn't actually yours.
• Mixed files or identity mismatches, where your report gets confused with another person's records.

If any of this applies to you, you have the right to review your report and dispute inaccurate or incomplete information with the consumer reporting agency.

Can a DUI Disqualify You From Shipt?

A DUI can potentially show up in either the criminal history or the driving record portion of a Shipt background check, depending on how the offense was charged and recorded. Not every DUI results in automatic disqualification, and there is no confirmed blanket rule. If a DUI on your report is inaccurate, outdated, or belongs to someone else, you have the right to review the report and dispute it. The best first step is to pull your full report through the Candidate Portal and check that the information is actually correct and actually yours.

What Should You Do If Shipt Denied or Disqualified You After a Background Check?

Being denied or deactivated by Shipt because of a background check can be frustrating, especially when you're not sure what went wrong or what your options are. The best next step is to figure out whether the report itself is accurate or if it contains errors that may have led to an unfair decision.

If Shipt has denied your application or deactivated your account because of a background check, the first thing to figure out is which of these two situations you're actually in — because they call for very different responses.

Case 1: The Report Is Accurate

Sometimes the background check simply reflects something real in your history, and Shipt made its decision based on accurate information. In that case, your options are limited, though you may still be able to ask Shipt to reconsider depending on the circumstances.

Case 2: The Report Is Inaccurate

Other times, the report contains information that's wrong, incomplete, outdated, or belongs to someone else entirely. If that's what happened to you, here's what to do:

• Get a copy of your full background report and actually read through it.
• Identify the exact error — don't just assume something is wrong; point to the specific line or record that's incorrect.
• Keep every communication from Shipt about your denial or deactivation, including emails and any notices.
• Gather documents that support your side, such as court records or ID documents.
• Dispute the inaccurate information with the background check company.
• Consider a legal review if the error cost you work, income, or a job opportunity.

Reviewing the report carefully can help you understand why Shipt made its decision and determine your next steps. If the information is inaccurate, disputing the error may give you a chance to have the decision reconsidered.

Incorrect background check information cost you a Shipt opportunity or income? Get a free case review to find out what options may be available.

Common Errors That Can Affect a Shipt Background Check

Background check reports aren't always accurate. A few common problems include:

• A criminal record that actually belongs to someone else with a similar name.
• An old case that's listed with the wrong outcome or an outdated status.
• A sealed or expunged record that shows up when it shouldn't.
• Incorrect driver's license or motor vehicle information.
• Mixed files, where your report gets tangled up with someone else's identifiers.

Since Checkr conducts Shipt's background checks, errors in the screening report may affect an application or account. These issues are often referred to as Checkr background check errors and may involve inaccurate, incomplete, outdated, or misidentified information.

How to Dispute an Incorrect Shipt Background Check

Background checks can sometimes contain outdated, incomplete, or incorrect information that may affect your ability to work as a Shipt Shopper.

If Shipt denied your Shopper application or deactivated your account because of a background-check error, you may be able to dispute the information. Read below to learn how to review the report, identify the mistake, and gather documents that support your dispute.

Review the Background Report

Start by pulling your full report and reading it carefully. You're looking for the exact piece of information that caused the problem — not just a general sense that "something's wrong."

Gather Supporting Evidence

What you need depends on the type of error. That might include:

• Court records
• Dismissal records
• Expungement orders
• Driver's license information
• Identity documents
• Any other record that shows the reported information isn't accurate

For example, provide a court record for a dismissed case, identity documents if the report belongs to someone else, or corrected records from your state motor-vehicle agency for driving-history errors.

Dispute the Incorrect Information

Once you identify the error and gather your supporting documents, dispute the inaccurate or incomplete information directly with the consumer reporting agency that prepared the report. If Checkr prepared your Shipt report, you can initiate a dispute through your report in the Checkr Candidate Portal and provide documentation supporting the correction.

Under 15 U.S.C. § 1681i, a consumer reporting agency generally must conduct a reasonable reinvestigation within 30 days after receiving the dispute. The period may be extended by up to 15 additional days if you provide relevant additional information during the initial 30-day period, subject to the statute's limitations. If disputed information is inaccurate, incomplete, or cannot be verified, the agency must delete or modify it as appropriate.

For a full Checkr dispute walkthrough, see our Checkr background check errors article.

Keep Records of the Shipt Denial or Deactivation

Hold on to everything related to what happened:

• The denial or deactivation notice itself
• Any emails between you and Shipt
• A copy of your background report
• Copies of your dispute and any responses
• Anything showing lost work or income as a result

These records matter if you need to take the issue further later.

Your Rights If a Shipt Background Check Is Wrong

Once you meet the basic eligibility requirements and submit your application, Shipt runs a background check before approving you as a shopper. Because this report can affect whether you're approved to work, it's important to know that federal law gives you certain rights in the process.

Your Shipt background check is covered by the FCRA. If an error in your report leads Shipt to deny your application or deactivate your account, you can request and review the report used in that decision.

If you dispute an error, the background check company generally investigates it. If it can't verify the information or confirms it is inaccurate, it generally corrects or removes it and notifies you. You can then ask Shipt to reconsider, though a corrected report doesn't guarantee approval or reactivation.

Shipt classifies shoppers and drivers as independent contractors. Where the FCRA's employment-related adverse-action requirements apply, 15 U.S.C. § 1681b(b)(3) requires the person intending to take adverse action based in whole or in part on the report to first provide the consumer with a copy of the report and a written Summary of Your Rights under the FCRA. If adverse action is ultimately taken, additional FCRA notice requirements may also apply. Violations that cause harm may give rise to legal remedies depending on the facts.

Can You Sue Over an Incorrect Shipt Background Check?

If you believe Shipt denied or limited your work based on incorrect information in a background report, your legal options depend on who made the mistake and what steps each party took.

If the inaccurate information originated with the background check company, the claim may involve that company rather than Shipt itself. That said, Shipt's own conduct may also matter if it failed to comply with FCRA requirements applicable to its use of the report or any adverse-action process that applies in the circumstances. A claim concerning an inadequate reinvestigation or failure to correct inaccurate report information would generally focus on the consumer reporting agency responsible for those duties.

Some signs that point toward a potentially stronger case include:

• The information in the report was actually false or inaccurate.
• That information led to your denial or deactivation.
• You lost income or a job opportunity because of it.
• Your dispute wasn't properly investigated.
• A confirmed error was never corrected.
• There may have been a procedural violation of the FCRA.

None of this guarantees compensation or a successful lawsuit — every case depends on its own facts.

When to Contact a Background Check Attorney

A denial or deactivation can disrupt your income and make it difficult to move forward, particularly when you do not receive a clear explanation of the decision.

Consider contacting a background check attorney if Shipt denied or deactivated you because of information you believe is inaccurate. Examples include a criminal record that belongs to someone else, a dismissed, sealed, or expunged case, or incorrect driving history.

If any of this sounds like your situation, contact Consumer Attorneys for a free case review. We can review what happened and help you understand whether employment background check errors may have affected your rights or opportunities. Our consumer protection attorneys will explain your legal options in clear terms and guide you toward the best path forward.