Massachusetts Background Check Guide · 2025
Whether you are applying for a hospital position in Boston, a teaching role in Worcester, or a state license through the Department of Professional Licensure, the people reviewing your record already have a picture of your past before they ever meet you. In Massachusetts that picture is called your CORI, Criminal Offender Record Information, and you have the legal right to see exactly what it contains.
This guide explains how to request your own CORI from the Department of Criminal Justice Information Services (DCJIS), how to check Massachusetts court records, and how state and federal laws shape what employers can see and how they can use it.
Most people in Massachusetts only think about their CORI when an employer requests one. But Massachusetts' CORI system is unusual: different "levels" of access mean different employers see different versions of your record. A self CORI request shows you the broadest view, and a few weeks before any job application is exactly when you want that information in your hands.
Massachusetts criminal records pass through district, superior, and BMC (Boston Municipal Court) systems, the probation department, and the DCJIS central CORI system. Common issues include:
When you find these problems on your personal CORI, you have time to file a correction with DCJIS or petition for sealing before applying.
If your Social Security number or Massachusetts driver's license has been exposed in a data breach, a CORI request can surface unfamiliar court appearances, arrests, or address records under your name.
Massachusetts employers, hospital systems, universities, biotech, financial services, regularly review candidates online before interviews. Searching your own name lets you clean up old content before it shapes someone's opinion.
If your record includes an old case, the interview is not the place to figure out how to talk about it. Knowing what will appear on your CORI lets you respond calmly and accurately.
What appears in a Massachusetts background check depends heavily on the employer's "CORI access level", Standard, Required, or Open, and what they are legally allowed to see. Most reports, though, draw from these sources.
Screening companies start by confirming your identity using your name, date of birth, and Social Security number. They then assemble an address history across Massachusetts and any other states you have lived in, which determines which courts and out-of-state searches to run.
Massachusetts criminal background checks typically combine:
Older convictions can still appear unless they have been sealed. Under the 2018 reform, the waiting periods to seal are 3 years for misdemeanors and 7 years for felonies, but the petition must actually be filed and granted.
For Massachusetts jobs that involve driving, employers typically pull a driving record from the Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV). This shows traffic citations, accidents, OUI history, suspensions, and current license status.
Many Massachusetts background packages also confirm what you list on the application itself:
Some Massachusetts employers, particularly in healthcare, education, and customer-facing roles, review publicly visible social media. Federal anti-discrimination laws still apply, but anything publicly visible is fair game to review.
Two paths work in Massachusetts: request your CORI directly from DCJIS, or order a personal background report from a consumer reporting agency. Doing both at least once gives you the clearest picture.
The DIY route is slower but cheaper and connects you directly with the agencies that hold your records:
The other path is to order a personal report from a consumer reporting agency that follows the Fair Credit Reporting Act and Massachusetts-specific CORI rules. This kind of report consolidates Massachusetts CORI, court records, federal data, and any other states you have lived in.
Typical advantages include:
Massachusetts has some of the strongest privacy protections in the country around criminal records, and some of the most aggressive sealing rules. Understanding these laws helps you know what should and should not appear in a CORI report.
The FCRA is the primary federal law governing employment background checks. It requires Massachusetts employers to:
In Massachusetts, federal FCRA rules layer on top of the state CORI rules, which are stricter in several respects.
Title VII prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. EEOC guidance encourages Massachusetts employers to make individualized assessments of criminal records rather than applying blanket disqualifications.
Massachusetts was one of the first states to pass Ban-the-Box legislation. Chapter 514, signed in 2010, prohibits most Massachusetts employers from asking about criminal history on the initial job application. The law applies broadly to private employers (with limited carve-outs for jobs where state or federal law requires a clean record, such as some healthcare and education positions). 2018 reforms further tightened what employers can ask about and how they must word their inquiries.
The 2018 CORI reform legislation dramatically shortened the waiting periods to seal criminal records in Massachusetts:
Sealed CORI records do not appear on standard employment background checks and are removed from public Trial Court access. The 2018 law also expanded eligibility for expungement (full destruction of the record), particularly for offenses committed before age 21 and for cannabis-related offenses that are no longer criminal.
Unlike many states, Massachusetts assigns different employers different "levels" of CORI access, Standard, Required, or Open, based on the role. A hospital evaluating a candidate for a direct-patient-care position sees more than a coffee shop hiring a barista. As a result, two employers running a "CORI check" on the same person may legitimately see different records. Your personal CORI request shows you everything at the broadest level.
Massachusetts does not impose its own statewide cap on how far back conviction records can be reported in employment screening, but its sealing rules and CORI access levels function as a meaningful equivalent, a sealed record simply does not appear on most CORI reports.
Several Massachusetts industries have additional fingerprint-based background-check requirements set by state or federal law, including:
For nearly everyone applying for a Massachusetts job, license, rental, or volunteer position, the answer is yes. A self CORI request gives you three practical advantages:
Take a few minutes to request your CORI and review what is on file before someone else does. Fix the errors. File a sealing petition if you qualify. Then apply with confidence.
Order a Personal Background CheckUse your report to confirm what is on file with DCJIS, the Massachusetts Trial Court, and the RMV, then work with the right agency, or a Massachusetts attorney, to fix anything that does not belong there.
The most thorough approach starts with a personal CORI request through the iCORI online system for $25, or by mail with a notarized form. Combine that with court-level lookups through MassCourts in counties where you have lived, plus a driving record from the RMV. You can also order a personal report from a consumer reporting agency to see something closer to what a multi-state employer would receive.
Massachusetts does not have a simple statewide time limit. Instead, the 2018 CORI reform created sealing waiting periods of 3 years for misdemeanors and 7 years for felonies, after which most convictions can be sealed and removed from standard CORI reports. Federal FCRA rules also apply to non-conviction information, generally capping it at seven years.
Properly sealed records do not appear on standard CORI employment background checks. They are also removed from public Trial Court access. However, sealing only works if a petition has been filed and granted, older third-party databases can lag, and certain high-access employers (some healthcare and law-enforcement positions) may still see them. If a sealed record is appearing on a report, dispute it with the screening company and consider consulting a Massachusetts attorney.
A personal CORI request through iCORI costs $25. DCJIS does not accept personal checks for mailed requests, you must use a money order. Fee waivers are available for individuals who meet specific financial criteria. A consolidated personal background check from a consumer reporting agency typically costs more but bundles multi-source records into one report.
Yes. Under the federal FCRA, any employer in Massachusetts must give you a clear written disclosure and get your written authorization before ordering a background check. Massachusetts CORI law adds additional protections, including the right to receive a copy of any CORI used in an employment decision before adverse action is taken, and the right to challenge inaccuracies through a formal DCJIS process.
Disclaimer: This article is for general educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Massachusetts CORI, sealing, expungement, and fair-chance hiring laws are complex and change frequently. For guidance on your specific situation, consult a qualified Massachusetts attorney or legal aid organization such as Greater Boston Legal Services.