Sterling

What Sterling does

Sterling Check Corp. is a global background screening and identity verification company founded in 1975 and headquartered in New York. The company serves more than 80,000 clients across 200+ countries and territories, including Fortune 500 enterprises and organizations in regulated industries such as financial services, healthcare, transportation, and staffing. Sterling processes over 190 million background screens annually and operates with 5,001-10,000 employees. Its service portfolio spans pre-hire screening (criminal background checks, employment and education verifications, motor vehicle records, drug screening), identity verification, fingerprinting (as an FBI-approved channeler), post-hire continuous monitoring, sanctions and compliance screening, due diligence investigations, and Form I-9/E-Verify compliance services.

The company's technology platform is anchored by proprietary CourtDirect technology providing direct online access to approximately 90% of US criminal records, and SmartData automation for end-to-end screening workflow. The platform supports 100+ integrations with applicant tracking systems (ATS) and HR platforms via a documented API, with additional proprietary tools including Locator Select (2,400+ jurisdictions), SSN Trace (10,000+ data sources), and an Enhanced Nationwide Criminal Database. Sterling's 17,000+ drug screening collection locations across the US and the UPS Store fingerprinting partnership covering all 50 states provide physical infrastructure scale.

Sterling generates revenue through transaction-based background check fees, subscription-based post-hire monitoring services, professional services for due diligence investigations, and per-transaction fingerprinting fees, with custom multi-year enterprise contracts. The company was acquired by First Advantage Corp. in October 2024 for approximately $2.2 billion and now operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary while maintaining the Sterling brand. Prior to the acquisition, Sterling pursued a growth-through-acquisition strategy, completing three acquisitions in 2023-2024: Socrates Ltd. (Latin America), A-Check Global (US verticals), and Vault Health (occupational health).

Name

Sterling

Legal name

Sterling Check Corp.

Website

https://sterlingcheck.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2025

Operating status

Acquired

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Sterling Check Corp. is a global background screening and identity verification company serving 80,000+ clients across 200+ countries with pre-hire screening, post-hire monitoring, and compliance services. Now a wholly-owned subsidiary of First Advantage Corp. following a $2.2 billion acquisition in October 2024.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Background Screening Services

NAICS

Investigation and Personal Background Check Services (561611)

SIC

Services-Detective, Guard & Armored Car Services (7381)

akta.pro primary industry

Pre-Employment Background Checks & Screening (BPAKAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Criminal Background Checks (National/State/County) (BPACALAA), Identity Verification (ID, SSN Trace, KYC-lite) (BPACALAD), Employment Verification (Work History & References) (BPACALAB), Credential, Education & Professional License Verification (BPAKAEAI), Continuous Monitoring & Post-Hire Screening (BPACALAJ), Global / International Background Screening (BPACALAI), Identity, Address & Reference Verification (BPAKAEAJ), Income, Employment & Cash-Flow Verification (Consumer) (FSAKAKAE), Data, Evidence & Document Verification (IDV) for KYC (FSAMAMAN)

Keywords

• Background screening services
• Identity verification solutions
• Criminal record checks
• Employment verification services
• Pre-employment screening

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices12 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Background Screening Services: One-time and recurring background check services including criminal record checks, verification services, and identity solutions. Revenue generated per transaction with volume-based pricing for enterprise clients.
2. Post-Hire Monitoring Services: Continuous monitoring services for criminal records and medical licenses with subscription-based recurring revenue model.
3. Due Diligence Investigations: Corporate due diligence and executive screening services with customized investigation packages, generating professional services revenue.
4. Fingerprinting Services: FBI-approved channeling services and electronic fingerprint capture with per-transaction pricing.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Sterling provides background screening and identity verification services for employers and organizations, including criminal record checks (via proprietary CourtDirect technology), digital identity verification, global screening across 200+ countries, employment and education verifications, drug and occupational health screening, fingerprinting, motor vehicle records, sanctions/risk compliance screening, and continuous post-hire monitoring services. The company delivers these via direct enterprise sales, an API with 100+ ATS/HR platform integrations, and self-serve portals, processing 190M+ background screens annually for 80,000+ clients.

Product overview

Sterling, now a First Advantage company, offers a comprehensive suite of background check and identity services organized across pre-hire, post-hire, and ongoing monitoring categories. The core offerings include Criminal Background Checks (powered by CourtDirect and SmartData proprietary technology), Digital Identity verification, Global Screening (spanning 200+ countries), and Employment Verification services. Post-hire services include Sterling Monitoring (criminal and NSOPW monitoring), Medical License Monitoring, Drug & Occupational Health Screening, and Form I-9/E-Verify compliance tools. The portfolio also includes specialized services for financial services (Liens, Judgments, Bankruptcies + Credit with FINRA compliance), Due Diligence investigations, Social Media Screening, Motor Vehicle Records, Fingerprinting (FBI-approved channeler), and Contingent Workforce Screening. Technology products include the First Advantage API for programmatic access, Client Hub dashboard for order management and reporting, and Candidate Hub for streamlined candidate experience.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Sterling Diligence: Corporate due diligence, executive screening, and global investigations firm providing in-depth investigations to manage reputational and operational risks.

Products and services

• Criminal Background Checks Pre-employment criminal record checks using CourtDirect technology for direct access to approximately 90% of US criminal records and SmartData automation. Targeted at employers needing faster, more accurate criminal screening with 90% of US criminal searches completed within one day.
• Digital Identity Verification Identity verification solution that identifies discrepancies in candidate-submitted identity data and flags potential identity fraud attempts. Cloud-based digital document verification technology used before or as part of background screening to increase accuracy.
• Global Screening International background check services covering 200+ countries and territories with in-house researchers for criminal records, verifications, and identity services. Targeted at multinational employers with cross-border hiring needs.
• Sterling Monitoring (Continuous Post-Hire Criminal Monitoring) Continuous post-hire criminal monitoring service using Enhanced Nationwide Criminal Database and Locator Select to proactively identify employee criminal activity after hire. Subscription-based recurring service for ongoing workforce risk management.
• Medical License Monitoring Continuous monitoring of medical license status changes and expirations across thousands of licensing bodies with proactive renewal reminders. Targeted at healthcare employers managing clinical workforce credentialing.
• Drug & Occupational Health Screening Comprehensive drug and health screening services including DOT and non-DOT panels, instant screening, physical exams, and access to 17,000+ collection locations across the US. Targeted at employers with workforce drug testing and occupational health requirements.
• Form I-9 and E-Verify Electronic I-9 completion and E-Verify integration for employment eligibility verification with virtual document review and multiple Section 2 verifier options. Targeted at employers needing compliant onboarding and remote document verification.
• Fingerprinting FBI-approved channeler for fingerprint-based background checks with live-scan collection network through UPS Store locations and patented biometric capture devices. Targeted at FINRA-regulated, financial services, and other industries requiring fingerprint-based CHRI reports.
• Employment Verifications Verification of employment history, education credentials, professional licenses, and reference checks conducted in the US and globally. Targeted at employers validating candidate credentials.
• Motor Vehicle Records (MVR) Driver's license and driving record checks including CDL verification, FMCSA PSP data, and National Driver Register searches. Targeted at transportation employers and DOT-regulated companies.
• Liens, Judgments, Bankruptcies + Credit (LJB+C) Financial responsibility checks for FINRA-regulated roles including public record validation, nationwide bankruptcy coverage, and CRD reporting. Targeted at financial services employers and FINRA-regulated firms.
• Due Diligence Investigations Corporate due diligence and executive investigations for pre-investment assessment, acquisition due diligence, and citizenship-by-investment programs. Targeted at investors, acquirers, and organizations managing reputational and operational risk.
• Sanctions, Risk and Compliance Screening Global sanctions screening including OFAC, FACIS, OIG, and FBI watchlist searches for healthcare, financial services, and regulated industries. Targeted at regulated employers needing sanctions and exclusion screening.
• Social Media Screening Tech-enabled social media checks analyzing publicly available online content for potential workplace misconduct across multiple languages. Targeted at employers seeking additional pre-hire risk signals from public online activity.
• Civil Court Records Search Civil court records search covering county and federal civil settlements for breach of contracts, judgments, lawsuits, and restraining orders. Targeted at employers screening for civil litigation risk.
• Contingent Workforce Screening Background screening services designed for gig economy and temporary workforce including verification and criminal checks. Targeted at staffing agencies and gig economy platforms needing rapid screening for contingent workers.
• Employment Credit Checks Credit reports and financial health checks for candidates in financial, managerial, or accounting roles. Targeted at employers in financial services and roles with fiduciary responsibility.
• First Advantage API (Sterling API) Programmatic API enabling developers to integrate Sterling's background screening services including criminal checks, verifications, and monitoring into ATS and HR systems. Supports 100+ integration options with documentation portal at apidocs.sterlingcheck.app. Targeted at technical integrators and ATS/HR platform partners.
• Client Hub Centralized dashboard for managing screening orders, viewing results, administering random drug programs, and monitoring compliance. Targeted at client HR, compliance, and operations teams managing screening programs.
• Candidate Hub Streamlined candidate experience portal for completing background check requirements including document submission and status tracking. Targeted at job candidates completing background checks as part of employment onboarding.
• Virtual I-9 Document Review Remote I-9 document verification service using ID.me identity verification technology. I-9 Document Review Specialists examine documents virtually for convenient completion of employment eligibility requirements. Targeted at employers modernizing onboarding and reducing in-person verification friction.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduces background criminal check turnaround times by up to 50% while increasing search accuracy
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The UPS StorecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNationwide live-scan fingerprinting collection network partnership covering all 50 states and Washington D.C. with nearly 70% of US population within 30-minute drive of locations. Strategic partnership enables convenient candidate fingerprinting services.
• SolarWindsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSolarWinds was named Sterling's 2025 Software Partner of the Year at the Sterling Technology Summit. Recognition highlights sustained investment in partner enablement, co-selling, and ongoing collaboration between organizations for IT environment solutions.
• FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFBI-approved channeler status enabling Sterling to process fingerprints directly with FBI database for authorized recipients. Enables Criminal History Record Information (CHRI) reports for employment purposes in regulated industries.
• FINRA (Financial Industry Regulatory Authority)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesignated fingerprint provider for FINRA, enabling processing of fingerprints for securities industry professionals. Supports financial services compliance requirements.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• First Advantage: Direct competitor in pre-employment background screening, drug screening, and identity verification; Sterling's parent company since October 2024 and the most natural competitor in enterprise HR screening. Comparable product portfolio, customer base, and global footprint.
• Checkr: Tech-enabled background screening provider focused on API-first delivery, rapid turnaround, and consumer-grade candidate experience. Direct competitor across criminal, identity, and motor vehicle checks, particularly in mid-market and gig economy segments.
• HireRight: Global background screening provider serving enterprise and mid-market employers with a similar suite of pre-hire, post-hire, and identity verification services. Closely comparable product breadth, customer overlap, and international footprint.
• Accurate Background: US-focused background screening company offering criminal, employment, education, drug, and health screening with ATS integrations. Comparable mid-market and enterprise focus with similar core product categories.

Broad incumbents

• Pinkerton: Broad corporate risk and investigations firm (part of Securitas) that includes background screening and due diligence alongside physical security, compliance, and consulting. Comparable in corporate due diligence and executive investigations (overlap with Sterling Diligence).
• ADP Screening and Selection Services: Background screening offered as part of ADP's broader payroll/HR outsourcing stack. Competes with Sterling primarily through bundled HR services rather than standalone screening depth.
• Kroll: Global risk and investigations firm offering due diligence, background checks, and compliance services. Comparable in corporate due diligence and executive investigations (Sterling Diligence) and in serving regulated, enterprise clients.

Emerging players

• Veremark: Tech-enabled global background screening provider focused on API integrations and continuous screening. Comparable in global checks and recurring monitoring, with a younger platform targeting similar ATS/HRIS distribution channels.
• Certn: API-first background screening platform emphasizing fast turnaround and developer-friendly integration. Competes with Sterling in identity verification and pre-hire checks, particularly with mid-market and high-volume employers.

Others

• ID.me: Identity verification platform that Sterling has partnered with for Virtual I-9 Document Review. Adjacent in identity verification technology and a partner in Sterling's I-9 compliance workflow.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/sterlingcheck

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A3 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sterling