A credit check can easily be done if you have a signed release from your subject such as is found on some employment applications or credit authorization forms. There are currently three major credit bureaus that compile credit information:

Trans-Union
Experian
Equifax

The three agencies listed above are individual private agencies. Each one maintains a separate report for each individual and quite often, the information found at one agency is not the same as found at another. Under certain circumstances an individual can request their own credit report for free, however, when requesting authorized information on another individual, you will be charged a fee. Therefore it may be worthwhile to simply obtain these records using an online service due to the speed of delivery and convenience that they can offer.

Other sources which are available to you for credit information and that are of public record are uniform commercial code filing, lien and bankruptcy records. Sources on where you can obtain this information is listed within the ‘Credit’ section of the program.