An active clearance is for those who have a current clearance eligibility and a demonstrated need for access to classified information. In this status, the employee is briefed to the level of access eligibility and has a valid need for access to classified information at the appropriate level.

What does it mean to have active clearance?

An “active” clearance is one in which the candidate is presently eligible for access to classified information. A “current” clearance is one in which a candidate has been determined eligible for access to classified information but is not currently eligible without a reinstatement.

Do you have an active security clearance?

HOW DO I KNOW IF MY CLEARANCE IS ACTIVE? Your clearance is active as long as you're in a job requiring access to classified information. In the midst of investigation delays, the Department of Defense clarified eligibility doesn't expire – even if your investigation technically does.

What does it mean to possess a security clearance?

A security clearance is an authorization that allows access to information that would otherwise be forbidden. ... In order to obtain a security clearance, a person must meet certain requirements concerning character, criminal record, and credit history.

How do I get active clearance?

In order to obtain a security clearance, you must first obtain a job that requires one. Your employer – either the federal government or a government contractor – will walk you through the process of obtaining a clearance, after they've decided they want you for the job.

3 Common Myths About Security Clearances

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Do you currently or have you previously held a security clearance?

If a nongovernment employer asks if you've ever held a security clearance, he's likely probing into your status as a former or current government employee. By revealing that you currently or previously held a security clearance, you reassure the employer that former background checks didn't reveal any red flags.

What are the 5 levels of security clearance?

National Security Clearances are a hierarchy of five levels, depending on the classification of materials that can be accessed—Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS), Counter-Terrorist Check (CTC), Enhanced Baseline Standard (EBS), Security Check (SC) and Developed Vetting (DV).

What level of active security clearance do you have meaning?

There are three basic levels of security clearance: Confidential, Secret, and Top Secret. Each clearance level is granted based on the sensitivity of the position and the need-to-know. If your position only requires access to basic systems or facilities, you may only need a Confidential clearance.

What disqualifies you from a security clearance?

Those include criminal convictions that lead to a prison sentence of a year or longer, receiving a dishonorable discharge, “criminal incompetence,” and drug addiction.

What is included in a security clearance?

The security clearance process typically includes a FBI reference check of former employers, coworkers, friends, neighbors, landlords, and schools along with a review of credit, tax, and police records.

Is my security clearance active or inactive?

A security clearance becomes “inactive” once a person leaves the military or if their job responsibilities change and their need for clearance ends. Even after it has expired, a security clearance can be re-activated up to 24 months after its lapse date without having to go through the application process again.

How long is secret clearance active?

A government security clearance requires a periodic reinvestigation every 15 years for a “confidential” clearance, every 10 years for “secret,” and every 5 years for “top secret.” When a clearance is inactivated (because of switching jobs or leaving the military), it can be fairly easy to reinstate within the first 24 ...

What is DoD secret clearance?

A secret classification is assigned to information which, if obtained by unauthorized personnel, could cause grave harm to the country's national security interests. You cannot request a clearance on your own -- only a potential employer within DoD or a related contractor can request you be granted a clearance.

How do I reactivate my security clearance?

If you left your clearance when you left your last job, you're still 'current' – assuming your investigation hasn't expired. Simply accept a new cleared position and your security officer can easily reinstate your access in the Joint Personnel Adjudication System (JPAS).

How do I check my Army security clearance status?

Log in to the Army's Human Resources Command (HRC) website using a valid AKO username and password. Select the option to view your Official Military Personnel File (OMPF) by clicking "View Your Records." Select "View My ERB."

Can a civilian get a security clearance?

You cannot obtain a security clearance for yourself. Your current or prospective employer has to do this for you. Since the process is costly and time-consuming, organizations won't do it unless it's absolutely essential.

Do security clearances check Internet history?

Security clearance background investigators do not check your browsing history, read your emails, surveil your every move, bug your telephones, or photograph you commuting to work.

Is it hard to get secret clearance?

Obtaining a security clearance is no easy task, and not everyone who applies will be granted access. ... Stringent suitability requirements, particularly in the intelligence community, weed out many unqualified applicants before they ever reach security clearance processing.

How hard is top secret clearance?

The process generally takes between four and eight months, but with the current Department of Defense backlog it can take more than a year to receive top secret clearance. ... Top secret clearances must be renewed every five years, which contributes to the backlog as well.

Is SCI a Top Secret clearance?

“TS/SCI” stands for Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmentalized Information and while some may confused the “SCI” designation as an additional security clearance, it is not. ... Not all who are vetted for Top Secret clearances are approved to handle or access Sensitive Compartmented Information.

What is the highest level security clearance?

There are three levels of security clearance, with the highest level being Top Secret. Secret is the next level of clearance and Confidential is the final.

What are the 5 levels of security clearance UK?

There are 5 levels of national security vetting;

• Counter Terrorist Check ( CTC )
• Security Check ( SC )
• Enhanced Security Check ( eSC )
• Developed Vetting ( DV ) including Developed Vetting ( DV ) Renewal and Enhanced Developed Vetting ( eDV ).

What does TS SCI clearance mean?

Special Sensitive work requires access to Sensitive Compartmented Information and therefore a Top Secret / Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) clearance. When TTS employees need a clearance, it is typically a TS/SCI.

What is a Yankee White clearance?

Yankee White is an administrative nickname for a background check undertaken in the United States of America for Department of Defense personnel and contractor employees working with the president and vice president. ... Individuals with Yankee White clearance undergo extensive background investigation.

What is Tier 3 security clearance?

A Tier 3 investigation is required for a Confidential or Secret clearance, for a Department of Energy (DOE) “L” access authorization, or to hold a non-critical sensitive position.