What Is the SF-86?
The SF-86 is the form you complete to start a background investigation for a security clearance. Here's what it is, what it asks, and how to get ready without the last-minute scramble.
The Short Answer
The SF-86, Questionnaire for National Security Positions, is a standard federal form published by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). Investigators use your answers as the starting point for the background investigation behind a Secret or Top Secret clearance.
Who Fills It Out
- Service members, federal employees, and contractors whose jobs need access to classified information.
- You can't start one on your own. A sponsoring agency or employer, usually through a facility security officer (FSO), starts your case and sends you a link.
Where You Fill It Out
You complete the SF-86 online in NBIS eApp, which replaced the older e-QIP system. The OPM PDF version is useful for reading ahead, but you submit only through eApp when your sponsor invites you.
What It Asks
The form covers your identity, citizenship, where you've lived, school, work, military service, people who know you, relatives, foreign contacts and travel, and several "have you ever" sections. Lookback periods differ by section:
| Section | How far back |
|---|---|
| Where you have lived (Section 11) | 10 years, with no breaks |
| Schools (Section 12) | 10 years, plus a degree earned earlier |
| Employment activities (Section 13A) | 10 years, with no breaks |
| Police record, drug use, foreign travel | 7 years for most questions |
| Many financial questions | 7 years |
For addresses and schools in the last 3 years, you also list someone who knew you there.
What Happens After You Submit
Your sponsor reviews and releases the form. An investigation follows, which may include an interview, and then an adjudicator decides eligibility. See How Long Does a Security Clearance Take? for the latest reported timelines.
Honesty Beats Perfection
- If you don't know an exact date, give your best estimate and check the Estimated box. Estimates are allowed.
- Never invent an address, job, or reference. Knowingly false statements are a federal offense (18 U.S.C. 1001).
- Use the comment boxes to explain gaps and overlaps in plain language.
Get Ready Before the Link Arrives
- List every address and job for the last 10 years, newest first.
- Find the gaps, then fill them using these free sources.
- Collect names and current contact info for people who knew you.
- Note foreign travel and foreign contacts from the last 7 years.
What's Changing
Under the government's Trusted Workforce 2.0 reforms, DCSA plans to deploy a new Personnel Vetting Questionnaire (PVQ) in NBIS. Until your sponsor says otherwise, prepare for the SF-86 as written.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the SF-86 the same as e-QIP or eApp?
No. The SF-86 is the form. e-QIP was the old system used to fill it out, and NBIS eApp is the current one.
Can I fill out the SF-86 without a sponsor?
No. A sponsoring agency or employer has to start your case and send you an invitation to eApp.
How far back does the SF-86 go?
Residences, schools, and employment go back 10 years. Many other sections, such as police record, drug use, and foreign travel, go back 7 years.