Do I need to have a background check?

Some lodges require candidates to verify the information they provide on their petition. The Grand Lodge of Ohio recommends a commercial service that churches, schools, and other nonprofits often use to screen volunteers and applicants. Learn more about the background check process.

If the lodge you have petitioned requires a background check, you should use the service they recommend if it is different from the site noted above.

Freemasons are expected to be men of good character and reputation. In earlier times, men generally joined the lodge where they grew up and lived. They were well known in their communities or had a family, church, or neighbor to vouch for them. In today’s highly mobile society, those connections often do not exist. To protect the membership and the reputation of the organization, any man asking to join our fraternity must be willing to undergo a vetting process. The Grand Lodge of Ohio recommends that lodges ask for background checks on all applicants without a family member or friend as a sponsor.