For most employers that require a criminal background check first before an offer of employment is extended, there is a time limit to how far they will go back into the criminal records to find any crimes you have been convicted of.  This time limit is because many employers figure that if you have managed to stay out of trouble for a significant period of time, there is a very low risk of you committing the crime you were convicted of again.

In most cases, the time limit for background checks is between 5 and 10 years, leading many online services to create a 7 year criminal background check for employers to use to check the criminal records of their applicants.  A 7 year criminal background check appeals to a wide range of employers because it provides a good picture of the person's past and does not penalize them for their youthful indiscretions.

There are a number of websites that provide 7 year criminal background check services online.  Some of the websites may provide the information for the background check for free while others may require the payment of a fee or the purchase of a membership to the website before the requestor is allowed to access the information in the background check.