Many types of defense-related jobs in the United States require a particular kind of security clearance. Currently, there are four different types you could apply for: top secret, secret, confidential, and Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI).

Secret security clearance is applied to information that could reasonably be expected to cause serious damage to national security if it was disclosed without authorization. It usually must be reinvestigated every 10 years, 5 years shorter than the lowest level of clearance, confidential.

If you’ve already been granted secret clearance, federal agencies will generally accept another agency’s investigation as the basis for granting a security clearance when changing jobs. However, your last security clearance investigation must have been completed within the past 10 years to be still valid, and there must not have been any significant changes in your situation since the last investigation.

It generally takes people about 120 days to get their security clearance, during which time the Department of State (DOS) investigates the individual to make its assessment. The DOS has recently tried to reduce the amount of time to 90 days, however, so the final length may vary.

The type of investigation will also vary depending on what type of job you hold. National Agency Check with Local Agency Checks and Credit Check (NACLC), Access National Agency Check with Inquiries (ANACI), and Single Scope Background Investigation (SSBI) might all be used in secret security clearance investigations, but might differ for military and contractor personnel and new federal employees.

If you need help applying for a particular type of security clearance, or you need to appeal a security clearance denial, contact our experienced security clearance attorneys today. The Edmunds Law Firm helps people all over the country resolve their clearance cases. We are nationally recognized for representing individuals and corporations in their national security clearance issues and are dedicated to getting results. Our firm has more than three decades of experience to offer your case. To get started, contact us at (800) 481-2526 or fill out our online form with your case information. We look forward to hearing about your situation and seeing how we can help.