What Is Public Trust Clearance and How Do You Get It?

Public trust security clearance is the lowest level of additional background screening that the federal government requires for applicants for certain jobs.

Government jobs can have lengthy employment applications and even lengthier screening processes. Many government jobs require a security clearance. By understanding what security clearance you'll need and taking proactive steps, you can ensure you're more prepared than other applicants for the same position.

How does security clearance work?

The federal government requires a security clearance for many jobs because of the work involved. Even if the daily duties don't require knowledge of confidential material, it's common to see some confidential material pass across your desk from time to time. Because of this, it's important for national security and public safety that many federal government employees receive a security clearance.

There are three different levels of national security clearances available. The level of clearance you receive will depend upon the agency you work for and the sensitivity of the confidential information you’ll be dealing with.

• Top Secret: This is the highest clearance level, and is pretty rare and hard to get. Those with top-secret clearance get access to highly sensitive classified information.
• Secret: As the mid-level clearance, this gives access to sensitive classified information and is for moderate-risk positions.
• Confidential: This is the lowest level of security clearance and is the easiest to obtain. It's most common in a low-risk position.

Note that public trust is not actually a security clearance.  According to the U.S. Department of State, “public trust and low-risk/non-sensitive are national security eligibility determinations, not security clearances.” Public trust positions do, however, require additional background screening because of the confidential nature of the position. The most basic background check for federal jobs that won't have access to any confidential information is run by the National Agency Check with Inquiries (NACI).

What is public trust clearance?

Public trust security clearances are a type of background check that ensures someone is eligible for jobs that work with sensitive or confidential information. This type of government employment often requires a background check for national security.

During this type of background check, the prospective employer may interview your family, friends, and colleagues, as well as review financial and medical records and check your credit history and criminal record.

When you apply for a position with the federal government, you will fill out many forms. One of those forms is Standard Form 85 (SF 85). All public trust positions require completion of this form.

SF 85 is seven pages long and will require you to release certain confidential information to the federal government for review. Providing false information on this form is a federal crime punishable by up to five years in prison. 

If you think you may have something in your background that would prevent you from qualifying for a public trust position, consider seeking professional legal services to help you navigate the form.

During your application process and on the SF 85, you will have to disclose information such as:

• Medical records
• Financial records
• Marriage and divorce records
• Child support information
• Employment history
• Residential history

It's important to note that because public trust positions require employment history for the past seven years, your job search will no longer be kept confidential from your current employer. The federal government will contact your current employer for information on you, your work ethic, and your work history. 

If you reach this point in the application process for a federal government position, you need to be sure you have told your current employer you are applying for other jobs.

How to get public trust clearance

If you’re planning to apply for a government job or one in the private sector that handles sensitive government information, it can be helpful to understand the process of applying for public trust clearance prior to starting your application.

This process is generally multi-step and will require you to collect and disclose historical information about yourself. 

1. Submit an application

Before the background investigation process can begin, you first need to apply for the job. Like any other open job position, you’ll submit a job application in the way requested by the job poster. 

If you’re applying for a position with the federal government, it’s important to note that you must be a U.S. citizen to be eligible for those roles.

If you’re chosen to move forward with the interview process, the next step will be to fill out the questionnaire. For public trust clearance, you’ll fill out SF 85. For security clearance, you’ll fill out SF 86.

The forms ask for your:

• Name, nicknames, previous names
• Address
• Previously addresses where you’ve lived
• Education history
• Employment history
• Name and contact information for family, friends, colleagues, and others you might be close to
• Foreign friends or connections
• Travel you’ve done outside of the U.S.
• Financial history, including debts
• Military service records
• Criminal record
• Civil court involvement
• Information about prior clearance investigations you’ve gone through

Depending on the form, agency, and level of national security, you might be asked for either seven or 10 years of past information.

This form assesses your honesty, values, criminal history, and mental fitness for the job. It’s vital to be truthful and fill out the form completely. Dishonesty and/or incomplete information can disqualify you from the application process. 

2. Undergo background investigation

Once your SF 85 form has been submitted, it will be reviewed, and the background investigation will be conducted. This process can take several months.

The investigation is run by the Office of Personnel Management, Defense Department, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

The investigators will fact-check your application and interview many of the people in your life. This might include:

• Family members
• Close friends
• Current and former colleagues
• Classmates
• Neighbors
• Anyone else you have a close relationship with

In addition to interviewing people close to you, you will also be interviewed. There may be additional interviews to clarify answers or ask additional questions.

Once all of the interviews have been completed, the agents will review all of the information to determine if the candidate is eligible for public trust clearance.

3. Wait for eligibility to process

During this phase of the investigation, you, as the candidate, are simply waiting. 

The agents conducting the investigation will need to compile all of the information they learned and check it for accuracy and eligibility. This is known as adjudication. The average investigation takes 120 days, with adjudication taking another 30-90 days.

Because this process takes so long, some agencies will grant interim clearance, allowing you to begin your job on a provisional basis. This probation period will end when you receive your full clearance. 

4. Watch for status updates

As you near the end of the adjudication phase, it’s important to watch for updates. 

Once the adjudicator has completed their investigation, you will be notified as to whether or not you’ve received clearance. 

• Notice of Determination: This signals that you’ve received approval for clearance. It will also include any rules you must abide by while holding that level of clearance. 
• Statement of Reasons: This means that you have been denied clearance. It will list the reasons for the denial and a process to appeal. 

Public trust security clearance is valid for between five and fifteen years from the day it was issued. The length of time before renewal depends on the level of clearance you have. Before it expires, you’ll need to go through the renewal process in order to maintain your clearance. You may need to go through an additional background check during the renewal process.

What are the requirements for public trust clearance? 

To be eligible for public trust clearance, you must meet certain criteria depending on the job duties and the requirements of the department you’ll be working for. During the application process, you will need to provide accurate historical information about yourself and properly fill out the application.

You can be disqualified from receiving public trust clearance for:

• Improperly filling out the application
• Lying on the application
• Criminal record
• Involvement with foreign nationals
• Drug or alcohol abuse
• Unexplained wealth gain or debts
• Misuse of technology
• Violating rules at your current agency

Public trust positions require honesty

When you're applying for a public trust position with the federal government, the best advice you can receive is to be honest. Lying can literally put you in jail.

Public trust positions require trust. Your federal government must trust you to review and hold confidential information that deals with national security. Starting your relationship off with a lie is the worst thing you can do and is a sure way to have your application removed from consideration.

The federal government will dig deep when you apply for a public trust position. It would be beneficial for you to know what's in your background before they do so you can prepare yourself.

FAQs

What types of jobs require public trust clearance?

Most jobs with the federal government require public trust clearance or an even higher level of security clearance. Some private sector jobs that require you to work with sensitive information may also require public trust clearance.

If the job requires security clearances, this should be included in the job description. 

Does public trust clearance expire?

How long your clearance lasts depends upon the level of clearance you have. 

• Top secret: Five years
• Secret: 10 years
• Confidential: 15 years

You will need to keep your security clearance up to date for the entire time you hold that position. Your agency might also run random background checks in between renewal periods. 

How much does it cost to get public trust clearance?

In the majority of cases, the applicant should not incur any cost due to applying for and attaining public trust clearance. 

Whether the job is for the government or a private entity, the employer should shoulder the cost of the investigation. The cost of the investigation can range from $200 to $40,000, depending on the level of clearance.