HUD HCV Guidebook § 10.1
Criminal Background Screening (HUD HCV Guidebook)
Operative Text
PHAs must59 ask all household members to provide a list of the states in which they have lived and whether their name appears on any lifetime sex offender registry. PHAs must conduct criminal background screenings necessary to determine if each household member is subject to a lifetime sex offender registration. Law enforcement agencies may charge a reasonable fee for providing the records to the PHA. Such charges must60 not be passed along to the applicant family. 55 24 CFR § 5.216(g)(1) 56 24 CFR § 5.216(h)(2)(i) 57 24 CFR § 5.856; § 5.905; PIH Notice 2012-28 State Registered Lifetime Sex Offenders in Federally Assisted Housing 58 24 CFR § 5.903(d)(1) 59 PIH Notice 2012-28 60 PIH Notice 2009-39 Prohibition on Public Housing Agencies
Under HUD Housing Choice Voucher Guidebook § 10.1, Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) are required to ask all household members to disclose the states where they have lived and whether they appear on any lifetime sex offender registry. PHAs must then conduct criminal background screenings to verify whether any household member is subject to a lifetime sex offender registration requirement. While law enforcement agencies may charge fees for providing these records, those costs cannot be passed on to the applicant family.
Plain English — not legal advice.
As a Housing Choice Voucher program participant, property owners work with PHAs that are responsible for conducting the sex offender registry screening process outlined in HUD Housing Choice Voucher Guidebook § 10.1 before a household is approved. Compliant PHAs collect residency history from all household members and cross-reference applicable state registries as part of their standard admissions process. Landlords participating in the voucher program can generally expect that this screening has been completed by the PHA prior to a household's placement.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under HUD Housing Choice Voucher Guidebook § 10.1, applicant families have a right to know that any fees charged by law enforcement agencies for registry record checks cannot be billed to them — those costs must be absorbed by the PHA. All household members will be asked to provide a residential history and disclose any lifetime sex offender registry status as part of the application process. Tenants who believe a PHA has improperly charged them for these screening costs may consider contacting the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development or a local tenant-rights organization to understand available options.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated September 26, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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