§731.104. Investigation and reciprocity requirements.
5 C.F.R. § 731.104
To establish an individual's suitability or fitness, employment subject to investigation (see definitions § 731.101(a)) requires the individual to undergo investigation by an agency with authority to conduct investigations except as described in paragraphs (a)(1) through (3) of this section.
An agency must reciprocally accept a prior background investigation in the event of promotion, demotion, reassignment, or transfer from employment subject to investigation to other employment subject to investigation without a break in service, unless the new employment is at a higher risk level.
An agency must reciprocally accept a prior background investigation when the person entering employment subject to investigation has undergone a background investigation that is at or above the level required for the position as determined by position designation and has a qualifying break in service specified in supplemental guidance, unless the agency obtains new information in connection with the person's employment that calls into question the person's suitability or fitness under § 731.202. Agencies must request such checks as may be specified in implementing guidance and must enroll individuals re-entering service after a break in service into continuous vetting, consistent with the requirements in § 731.106(d).
Positions that are intermittent, per diem, or temporary in nature, not to exceed an aggregate of 180 days per year in either a single continuous appointment or series of appointments, do not require a background investigation for suitability or fitness. The employing agency, however, must conduct such checks as it deems appropriate to ensure the suitability or fitness of the person. The employing agency must conduct such vetting as required under OPM issuances.
An individual does not have to serve a new probationary or trial period in the Civil Service merely because the individual's employment is subject to investigation under this section. An individual's probationary or trial period in the Civil Service is not extended because the individual's employment is subject to investigation under this section.
A suitability determination must be made for each appointment in the competitive service or career Senior Executive Service and a fitness determination must be made for each appointment in the excepted service, except as described in paragraph (c)(2) of this section.
In the case of a prior investigation that is reciprocally accepted, if the record in the Central Verification System or its successor system does not reflect a prior favorable suitability or fitness determination, the agency must review the prior investigation for the purpose of making a suitability or fitness determination.
In the case of a prior investigation that is reciprocally accepted, if the prior investigation was favorably adjudicated for suitability or fitness, the agency must accept the prior determination except that the agency must make a new determination where:
The investigative record on file for the individual shows conduct that is incompatible with the core duties of the relevant position; or
The agency has prescribed additional factors as permitted under § 731.202(b) that were not addressed in the prior favorable adjudication, in which case the agency must conduct an adjudication using only those additional factors.
Continuous vetting requirements under § 731.106 are not affected by this section.
Notes, amendments, and revision history
Amendments
[89 FR 102691, Dec. 18, 2024, as amended at 91 FR 39380, June 30, 2026]
Source
Source: 89 FR 102691, Dec. 18, 2024, unless otherwise noted.
Authority
Authority: 5 U.S.C. 1302, 2301, 2302, 3301, 7301. E.O. 10577, 19 FR 7521, 3 CFR, 1954-1958 Comp., p. 218, as amended. E.O. 13467, 73 FR 38103, 3 CFR, 2009 Comp., p. 198, as amended. E.O. 13488, 74 FR 4111, 3 CFR, 2010 Comp., p. 189, as amended. E.O. 13764, 82 FR 8115, 3 CFR, 2017 Comp., p. 243. E.O. 14210, 90 FR 9669. Presidential Memorandum of January 31, 2014, 3 CFR, 2014 Comp., p. 340. Presidential Memorandum of March 20, 2025, 90 FR 13683. 5 CFR parts 1, 2, 5, and 6. Link to an amendment published at 91 FR 49065, Aug. 3, 2026.
Source
Source: 73 FR 20154, Apr. 15, 2008, unless otherwise noted.
Amendments
[89 FR 102691, Dec. 18, 2024, as amended at 91 FR 39380, June 30, 2026]