If you're using background checks for employment purposes, the Fair Credit Reporting Act limits the lookback window for criminal charges to seven years. However, regulations vary by state, and some jurisdictions make exceptions for jobs with higher salaries. Services not limited by FCRA restrictions can search records going back decades, though this can also vary by jurisdiction and depend on how far back digital records are available. For example, PeopleFinders searches records that date back more than 40 years.