SF85, formally Standard Form 85, Questionnaire for Non-Sensitive Positions, is the background investigation questionnaire issued by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM). You complete it after a conditional offer of employment, so the Government can check that you are suitable for the job. On this page you can fill out the SF 85 online on FillingPDF and download or print the completed PDF. The form and its printed instructions are published by the Government at the official source link.
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What is SF 85?
Standard Form 85 (SF 85), Questionnaire for Non-Sensitive Positions, is the U.S. Office of Personnel Management form on which a person who has received a conditional offer of Federal employment supplies background information used for a suitability investigation.
The form is issued under 5 CFR Parts 731 and 736 and carries OMB No. 3206-0261. The Government uses the answers primarily as the basis for a background investigation of applicants or incumbents who are employed by the Government or work for it under contract. Investigators use your answers on this form and on your Declaration for Federal Employment (OF 306) to develop information about whether you are reliable, trustworthy and of good conduct and character.
The six pages cover:
- Identity: full name, date and place of birth, Social Security number, other names used, sex and citizenship (items 1 to 7).
- Your last 5 years of residences, schools and employment activities (items 8 to 10).
- Three people who know you well (item 11).
- Selective Service, military history and illegal drugs questions (items 12 to 14).
- A certification that your answers are true (Page 5) and an Authorization for Release of Information (Page 6).
If you run out of space for residences, schools or employment, the form directs you to the continuation sheet SF 86A.
Who needs to file SF 85?
Applicants or incumbents who are employed by the Federal Government, or who work for it under contract, complete the SF 85 when the agency asks for it for a non-sensitive position. The form says to complete it only after a conditional offer of employment has been made.
- Follow the instructions of the person who gave you the form, and find out how many copies you are to turn in.
- Answering is voluntary, but the form warns that the investigation may not be completed, or may be delayed, if you leave out information. That can affect your placement or employment prospects.
- The form asks you to sign and date the certification on Page 5 and the authorization on Page 6 yourself, in ink. It names no one who may sign for you.
The form's own title limits it to non-sensitive positions. If the office that gave you the form asks for a different questionnaire, follow that office's instructions.
When to file SF 85
Complete the SF 85 only after a conditional offer of employment has been made; the form states this in its Purpose section. It prints no calendar deadline, so the timing is set by the office that gave you the form.
Two timing rules are printed on the form. The Authorization for Release of Information on Page 6 is valid for two years from the date you sign it. Your current employer must be contacted as part of the investigation, even if you have told other agencies you do not want this.
Answer every question and account for the full 5-year period in items 8, 9 and 10 before you sign. Any change you make after signing must be initialed and dated by you.
Documents you need
- Continuation sheet SF 86A: use it if you need more space for residences (item 8), schools (item 9) or employment activities (item 10).
- Blank sheets of paper, only if you need more space for any other item: each sheet must show your name and Social Security number at the top, and each answer must name the item number.
How to fill out SF 85
Enter name, birth date and place
Item 1: last, first and middle name; enter "NMN" if you have no middle name, "(IO)" if you have only initials, and put "Jr." or "II" in the box after the middle name. Item 2: date of birth. Item 3: city, county, two-letter State code and, if outside the U.S., the country.
Enter Social Security number and other names
Item 4: your Social Security Number, which you also repeat at the bottom of each page. Item 5: other names used with Month/Year dates; put "nee" before a maiden name.
Mark sex and citizenship
Item 6: mark one box. Item 7: mark the box for your current citizenship status and answer the items it points to: birthplace proof (c) for U.S. citizens not born in the U.S., dual citizenship country (d), and alien entry details and Alien Registration Number (e).
List where you have lived
Item 8: list residences for the last 5 years, most recent first, with no gaps. For any address in the last 3 years, name a person who knew you there; do not list relatives. Use the actual physical location, not a post office box.
List your schools
Item 9: list schools beyond Junior High School for the last 5 years, most recent first, with the code (1 high school, 2 college/university, 3 vocational/technical/trade), degrees and dates. If all education was over 5 years ago, list your most recent education beyond high school.
List your employment activities
Item 10: account for 5 years without breaks, including military service, self-employment and unemployment, using codes 1 to 9. You need not list jobs before your 16th birthday. Use the Previous Periods of Activity lines for repeat work at the same location.
Name three people who know you well
Item 11: list three people who live in the United States, with dates known, day and night telephone numbers with area codes and addresses. Do not list relatives, and try not to repeat anyone named elsewhere on the form.
Answer Selective Service and military items
Item 12: if you are a male born after December 31, 1959, give your Selective Service registration number or the reason for your legal exemption. Item 13: answer the military and Merchant Marine questions and list each period of service with its branch code.
Answer the illegal drugs question
Item 14: answer Yes or No for the last year. If Yes, give the dates, type of substance, nature of the activity and any treatment or counseling. The form states that a truthful response will not be used as evidence against you in a criminal proceeding.
Use continuation space if needed
Use SF 86A for more space on items 8, 9 and 10. For other items, use the continuation space on Page 5 or blank paper that shows your name and Social Security number, naming the item before each answer.
Sign the certification and release
Sign and date the Certification That My Answers Are True on Page 5, then complete, sign and date the Authorization for Release of Information on Page 6: signature, full name, date signed (mm/dd/yyyy), other names used, Social Security Number, address and home telephone.
Review and download the completed PDF
Check that every question is answered or marked "None" or "N/A", that dates use Month/Day/Year or Month/Year format, and that telephone numbers have area codes. Download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF, then sign in ink where required.
How to submit SF 85
The SF 85 prints no mailing address, portal or appointment system of its own. You return it to the office that gave you the form, following that office's instructions.
- Office that gave you the form: Find out from that office how many copies to turn in. You must sign and date the original and each copy in black ink.
- Electronic format: You may also be asked to submit the form in an approved electronic format.
- Questions: Call the office that gave you the form.
Do not send the completed form to the OPM Reports and Forms Management Officer address in the public burden notice (1900 E Street, N.W., Room CHP-500, Washington, D.C. 20415). That address is only for comments about the burden estimate. Photocopies of the signed authorization on Page 6 are valid.
FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the channels above.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Leaving the certification on Page 5 or the release on Page 6 unsigned or undated. The form says it cannot be processed unless both are signed and dated, in ink.
- Writing in pencil or in another color. The form asks for black ink or legible print, and an illegible form will not be accepted.
- Leaving a question blank instead of entering "None" or "N/A" when no answer applies; every question must be answered.
- Writing an exact-looking date you are unsure of. If you cannot give an exact date, estimate it and mark it "APPROX." or "EST."
- Using a post office box as a residence, or listing a permanent address when you actually lived at a school address (item 8).
- Leaving gaps in the 5-year history for residences or employment, including periods of unemployment, which must also be listed (items 8 and 10).
- Naming a spouse, former spouse or other relative as the person who knew you at an address (item 8) or as a person who knows you well (item 11).
- Abbreviating city or foreign country names, or using something other than the printed State codes; only State codes are abbreviated.
- Changing an answer after signing without initialing and dating the change.
- Mailing the finished form to the OPM Reports and Forms Management Officer address printed in the burden notice instead of the office that gave you the form.
Frequently asked questions
What is the SF85 form?
The SF85 is Standard Form 85, the Questionnaire for Non-Sensitive Positions issued by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. The Government uses your answers as the basis for a background investigation to decide whether you are suitable for Federal employment or for work under a Government contract.
When do I complete the SF 85?
Only after a conditional offer of employment has been made. The form's Purpose section says so. It prints no calendar deadline, so ask the office that gave you the form when it needs the completed copies back.
Can I fill out the SF 85 online?
Yes. You can fill out the PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF is an independent service and does not submit the form; you return it to the office that gave it to you, which may also ask for an approved electronic format.
How far back does the SF 85 ask me to go?
Five years for residences (item 8), schools (item 9) and employment activities (item 10), with no breaks in residences and employment. For schools, if all your education was more than 5 years ago, list your most recent education beyond high school.
Where do I send the completed SF 85?
Return it to the office that gave you the form, as that office instructs. The form prints no address for returning it, and it warns you not to send it to the OPM Reports and Forms Management Officer address, which is only for comments on the burden estimate.
What happens if I give false information on the SF 85?
The form states that knowingly falsifying or concealing a material fact violates title 18, section 1001 of the U.S. Code and is a felony punishable by fine, imprisonment or both. Federal agencies generally fire or disqualify people who deliberately falsify these forms.
How long is the SF 85 authorization valid?
The Authorization for Release of Information on Page 6 is valid for two years from the date you sign it. Photocopies of the signed authorization are valid, so the office that requested your investigation can use copies.
What if I need more room for my addresses, schools or jobs?
Use the continuation sheet SF 86A for items 8, 9 and 10. For any other item, use the continuation space on Page 5 or a blank sheet that shows your name and Social Security number, and identify the item number before each answer.
Is answering every question on the SF 85 required?
The form says all questions must be answered, entering "None" or "N/A" when nothing applies. Giving the information is voluntary, but leaving items out may prevent or delay the investigation and may affect your placement or employment prospects.
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