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PreHireBadge

Scale & Automate

Free · $5 per check

A background check API with no platform fee.

Create an invite with one POST, get signed webhooks as it moves, and download the furnished report PDF when it's done. Test keys let you build against every outcome without spending a credit.

  • REST endpoints for checks, candidates, and credits
  • HMAC-SHA256 signed webhooks with retries
  • Test keys with clear, records_found, and unverifiable
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POST/api/v1/checks
// Authorization: Bearer phb_test_…
{
  "firstName": "Jordan",
  "lastName": "Lee",
  "email": "jordan@example.com",
  "locationId": "loc_…",
  "positionTitle": "Delivery driver",
  "payBand": "25_75k",
  "certifyPermissiblePurpose": true,
  "sendInvite": false
}
webhook check.completed · X-PHB-Signature: 9f2c…

Illustrative example with sample data.

How it works

4 steps, start to finish

  1. 1

    Create a test key

    Owners and admins create keys on the API page. The full key is shown once.

  2. 2

    Build against fixtures

    Use X-PHB-Test-Outcome to walk through every result without spending credits.

  3. 3

    Register a webhook

    Add an https endpoint on the API page or with POST /api/v1/hooks. Copy the signing secret.

  4. 4

    Go live

    Swap in a live key. Each POST /api/v1/checks spends one $5 credit and sends a real invite.

Why it matters

What you get with api & webhooks

Invite-first by design

No identifiers in your requests. Send the returned invite URL yourself or let the API email it.

Signed, retried webhooks

X-PHB-Timestamp and X-PHB-Signature on every POST. Retries at 1m, 5m, 30m, 2h, 6h, 12h, and 24h.

Real test mode

Test keys finish from fixtures with no charge and no screening call. Set X-PHB-Test-Outcome to clear, records_found, or unverifiable.

Adverse-action events

Pre-notice sent, response received, dispute opened and resolved, and final notice sent — all as webhooks.

No platform fee

API access is free. Every check is $5 from the same credit balance as the dashboard.

The same invite as the dashboard, from your code

The PreHireBadge API is a contractor and employee background check API built around the invite model. POST /api/v1/checks with the candidate's name, an email or phone, a work location, the position, the pay band, and the permissible-purpose flag. You get back an invite URL. The body rejects ssn and dob outright — the candidate enters those on the invite.

Read checks with GET /api/v1/checks and GET /api/v1/checks/:id, read credits and candidates, and download the furnished report PDF from GET /api/v1/checks/:id/report through a link that lasts ten minutes. Authenticate with a live key (phb_live_), a test key (phb_test_), or an OAuth token. Requests are limited to sixty a minute.

Webhooks cover invite.sent, invite.completed, invite.expired, check.completed, check.records_found, check.unverifiable, check.error, and every adverse-action step. Each delivery is signed with HMAC-SHA256 over the timestamp and raw body, and failures retry on a schedule from one minute to 24 hours.

FAQ

Questions employers ask about api & webhooks

Still unsure? Ask Peter, our assistant, in the bottom-right corner, or browse the help center.

How much does the PreHireBadge API cost?

API access is free. Each check spends one credit — $5, or less per check with a pack.

Can I send the SSN through the API?

No. A request body that includes ssn or dob is rejected, even when empty. The candidate enters identifiers on the invite.

How do I verify webhook signatures?

Compute HMAC-SHA256 hex over the X-PHB-Timestamp value, a dot, and the raw body, using your endpoint secret, and compare it to X-PHB-Signature. Reject timestamps more than five minutes from now.

Is there a sandbox?

Yes. Test keys (phb_test_) finish from fixtures with no charge and no screening call. Set X-PHB-Test-Outcome to choose the result. Test-key creates do not emit webhooks.

Can I cancel or resend an invite over the API?

Not yet. The API creates and reads checks; resend and cancel happen on the dashboard.

Pairs well with api & webhooks

Every feature

Your next candidate is one $5 report away.

No credit card to sign up, no expiration on what you buy. Run one report for $5, or stock up with the 10-pack for $45 and use them whenever hiring picks up.

  • No monthly fees
  • FCRA compliant
  • Most clear reports same day. Records verified within 72 hours.
  • No contracts
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