Did you serve in the military? Work in national security previously but leave for a stint in the private sector?
Knowing if your clearance is current or expired is important if you’re looking to get back into a national security career. The important dates to remember are when you last held a cleared position, or your last investigation date.
If you are unsure of the status of your security clearance, the first place to start is with your security officer. As a contractor, your Facility Security Officer will be able to access the Defense Information System for Security or the appropriate security clearance system of record. Using your social security number, a FSO or security officer can quickly tell you your clearance status.
If your last cleared role was in the US military, you can reach out to your Special Security Officer (or SSO) at your last unit.
Request a Copy of Your Security Clearance Investigation
Made more enemies than friends during your last government or military job? There’s still a way to figure our your clearance status.
You can request a copy of your clearance investigation through a privacy act request through the agency that sponsored your security clearance. Submit an email, snail mail or fax (yes, they exist) request to the agency.
A general rule of thumb is this: As soon as you leave a cleared billet where you were using your clearance, it is technically no longer active.
A security clearance remains current for two years following your departure from the cleared position so once you do get it reinstated, think about the jobs you are applying for. The simplest way to maintain your security clearance is by continuing to work on cleared projects.
