> For clean Markdown of any page, append .md to the page URL.
> For a complete documentation index, see https://docs.confirm.global/llms.txt.
> For AI client integration (Claude Code, Cursor, etc.), connect to the MCP server at https://docs.confirm.global/_mcp/server.

# Initiate a background check

POST https://api.confirm.global/api/v1/background-checks
Content-Type: application/json

Creates a pending background check for an application and returns a consent URL for the candidate to complete.


Reference: https://docs.confirm.global/api-reference/background-checks/initiate-background-check

## Authentication

- `Authorization` header (bearer token, required) — Supabase-issued user JWT. Send as Authorization Bearer header. Dedicated API keys are planned for a future release.

## Request

### Body (application/json)

This endpoint expects an object.

- `application_id` (string, required)
- `checks_requested` (list of enum, required)
  - Allowed values: `identity_verification`, `ssn_trace`, `criminal_national`, `criminal_county`, `criminal_state`, `employment_verification`, `education_verification`, `professional_license`, `motor_vehicle`, `credit_report`, `drug_screening`, `reference_check`
- `documents_required` (list of string, optional)

## Response

### 201

Background check created.

- `background_check` (BackgroundCheck, optional)
- `consent_url` (string, optional)

## Errors

### 400 Bad Request Error

The request was invalid (missing or malformed fields, or an invalid stage transition).

- `error` (ErrorError, optional)

### 401 Unauthorized Error

Missing or invalid bearer token, or insufficient permissions.

- `error` (ErrorError, optional)

### 404 Not Found Error

The requested resource was not found in your organization.

- `error` (ErrorError, optional)

## Types

### BackgroundCheck

- `check_id` (string, optional)
- `org_id` (string, optional)
- `application_id` (string, optional)
- `candidate_id` (string, optional)
- `check_type` (enum, optional)
  - Allowed values: `identity_verification`, `ssn_trace`, `criminal_national`, `criminal_county`, `criminal_state`, `employment_verification`, `education_verification`, `professional_license`, `motor_vehicle`, `credit_report`, `drug_screening`, `reference_check`
- `status` (string, optional) — pending, consent_received, in_progress, completed, or failed.
- `vendor_check_id` (string, optional, nullable)
- `consent_given` (boolean, optional, nullable)
- `consent_given_at` (datetime, optional, nullable)
- `submitted_at` (datetime, optional, nullable)
- `completed_at` (datetime, optional, nullable)
- `created_at` (datetime, optional)

### ErrorError

- `code` (string, optional) — Machine-readable error code, e.g. VALIDATION_ERROR or CANDIDATE_NOT_FOUND.
- `message` (string, optional)
- `request_id` (string, optional) — Identifier for this request, useful when contacting support.

## Examples

**Request**

```json
{
  "application_id": "string",
  "checks_requested": [
    "identity_verification"
  ]
}
```

**Response**

```json
{
  "background_check": {
    "check_id": "string",
    "org_id": "string",
    "application_id": "string",
    "candidate_id": "string",
    "check_type": "identity_verification",
    "status": "string",
    "vendor_check_id": "string",
    "consent_given": true,
    "consent_given_at": "2024-01-15T09:30:00Z",
    "submitted_at": "2024-01-15T09:30:00Z",
    "completed_at": "2024-01-15T09:30:00Z",
    "created_at": "2024-01-15T09:30:00Z"
  },
  "consent_url": "string"
}
```

**SDK Code**

```python
import requests

url = "https://api.confirm.global/api/v1/background-checks"

payload = {
    "application_id": "string",
    "checks_requested": ["identity_verification"]
}
headers = {
    "Authorization": "Bearer <token>",
    "Content-Type": "application/json"
}

response = requests.post(url, json=payload, headers=headers)

print(response.json())
```

```javascript
const url = 'https://api.confirm.global/api/v1/background-checks';
const options = {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: {Authorization: 'Bearer <token>', 'Content-Type': 'application/json'},
  body: '{"application_id":"string","checks_requested":["identity_verification"]}'
};

try {
  const response = await fetch(url, options);
  const data = await response.json();
  console.log(data);
} catch (error) {
  console.error(error);
}
```

```go
package main

import (
	"fmt"
	"strings"
	"net/http"
	"io"
)

func main() {

	url := "https://api.confirm.global/api/v1/background-checks"

	payload := strings.NewReader("{\n  \"application_id\": \"string\",\n  \"checks_requested\": [\n    \"identity_verification\"\n  ]\n}")

	req, _ := http.NewRequest("POST", url, payload)

	req.Header.Add("Authorization", "Bearer <token>")
	req.Header.Add("Content-Type", "application/json")

	res, _ := http.DefaultClient.Do(req)

	defer res.Body.Close()
	body, _ := io.ReadAll(res.Body)

	fmt.Println(res)
	fmt.Println(string(body))

}
```

```ruby
require 'uri'
require 'net/http'

url = URI("https://api.confirm.global/api/v1/background-checks")

http = Net::HTTP.new(url.host, url.port)
http.use_ssl = true

request = Net::HTTP::Post.new(url)
request["Authorization"] = 'Bearer <token>'
request["Content-Type"] = 'application/json'
request.body = "{\n  \"application_id\": \"string\",\n  \"checks_requested\": [\n    \"identity_verification\"\n  ]\n}"

response = http.request(request)
puts response.read_body
```

```java
import com.mashape.unirest.http.HttpResponse;
import com.mashape.unirest.http.Unirest;

HttpResponse<String> response = Unirest.post("https://api.confirm.global/api/v1/background-checks")
  .header("Authorization", "Bearer <token>")
  .header("Content-Type", "application/json")
  .body("{\n  \"application_id\": \"string\",\n  \"checks_requested\": [\n    \"identity_verification\"\n  ]\n}")
  .asString();
```

```php
<?php
require_once('vendor/autoload.php');

$client = new \GuzzleHttp\Client();

$response = $client->request('POST', 'https://api.confirm.global/api/v1/background-checks', [
  'body' => '{
  "application_id": "string",
  "checks_requested": [
    "identity_verification"
  ]
}',
  'headers' => [
    'Authorization' => 'Bearer <token>',
    'Content-Type' => 'application/json',
  ],
]);

echo $response->getBody();
```

```csharp
using RestSharp;

var client = new RestClient("https://api.confirm.global/api/v1/background-checks");
var request = new RestRequest(Method.POST);
request.AddHeader("Authorization", "Bearer <token>");
request.AddHeader("Content-Type", "application/json");
request.AddParameter("application/json", "{\n  \"application_id\": \"string\",\n  \"checks_requested\": [\n    \"identity_verification\"\n  ]\n}", ParameterType.RequestBody);
IRestResponse response = client.Execute(request);
```

```swift
import Foundation

let headers = [
  "Authorization": "Bearer <token>",
  "Content-Type": "application/json"
]
let parameters = [
  "application_id": "string",
  "checks_requested": ["identity_verification"]
] as [String : Any]

let postData = JSONSerialization.data(withJSONObject: parameters, options: [])

let request = NSMutableURLRequest(url: NSURL(string: "https://api.confirm.global/api/v1/background-checks")! as URL,
                                        cachePolicy: .useProtocolCachePolicy,
                                    timeoutInterval: 10.0)
request.httpMethod = "POST"
request.allHTTPHeaderFields = headers
request.httpBody = postData as Data

let session = URLSession.shared
let dataTask = session.dataTask(with: request as URLRequest, completionHandler: { (data, response, error) -> Void in
  if (error != nil) {
    print(error as Any)
  } else {
    let httpResponse = response as? HTTPURLResponse
    print(httpResponse)
  }
})

dataTask.resume()
```