Who pays for a check is your choice. Set a default for the whole organization, or decide per invitation.
| Option | How it works |
|---|---|
| Organization pays | You buy credits in advance; each check uses one $5 credit. |
| Volunteer pays | The volunteer pays their own $5 at apply time. Your organization spends no credits, and results & access still stay with your org. |
- For everyone: open Settings → Screening and turn on “Volunteers pay their own $5 background-check fee.”
- Per invitation: in “Send Application,” set “Who pays the $5 fee?” to Volunteer or Organization.
Your screening settings (Settings → Screening) also control what appears on reports. All default off except the interval:
| Setting | Default | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Include misdemeanors | Off | Felonies are always included; turn on to also include misdemeanors. |
| Include traffic violations | Off | Minor citations are excluded; DUI/DWI are always reported. Turn on to include traffic. |
| Offer volunteer identity verification | Off | Lets volunteers add a $5 “Identity Verified” trust badge after applying. |
| Volunteers pay their own $5 fee | Off | Volunteers pay at apply time; your organization spends no credit. |
| Re-screen interval (months) | 12 | How often you intend to re-screen volunteers. |
Do you still need credits if volunteers pay?
No — when the volunteer pays, you don't need credits for those checks. Credits are only used for checks your organization pays for.