Security Clearance Issue Checker
Three questions that point to the SEAD 4 guideline and the pages that explain a clearance concern.
Answer three questions about what happened, your role and the area of concern. The checker then lists the SEAD 4 adjudicative guidelines that usually address that area, with the pages on this site that explain the related issues and procedures. It points to information; it does not assess a case or predict an outcome.
Information matching your answers
SEAD 4 guidelines that usually address this area
- Guideline A: Allegiance to the United States
SEAD 4, Appendix A, paragraphs 3 to 5. Concerns about an individual's allegiance to the United States, including involvement in or support for acts against the United States.
- Guideline B: Foreign Influence
SEAD 4, Appendix A, paragraphs 6 to 8. Concerns arising from foreign contacts and interests, including business, financial and property interests.
- Guideline C: Foreign Preference
SEAD 4, Appendix A, paragraphs 9 to 11. Concerns arising when an individual acts in a way that indicates a preference for a foreign country over the United States.
- Guideline D: Sexual Behavior
SEAD 4, Appendix A, paragraphs 12 to 14. Concerns arising from sexual behavior that involves a criminal offense, reflects a lack of judgment or discretion, or may subject the individual to undue influence of coercion, exploitation or duress.
- Guideline E: Personal Conduct
SEAD 4, Appendix A, paragraphs 15 to 17. Concerns arising from conduct involving questionable judgment, lack of candor, dishonesty, or unwillingness to comply with rules and regulations.
- Guideline F: Financial Considerations
SEAD 4, Appendix A, paragraphs 18 to 20. Concerns arising from a failure to live within one's means, satisfy debts and meet financial obligations.
- Guideline G: Alcohol Consumption
SEAD 4, Appendix A, paragraphs 21 to 23. Concerns arising from excessive alcohol consumption.
- Guideline H: Drug Involvement and Substance Misuse
SEAD 4, Appendix A, paragraphs 24 to 26. Concerns arising from the illegal use of controlled substances, including the misuse of prescription and non-prescription drugs, and the use of other substances that cause physical or mental impairment or are used in a manner inconsistent with their intended purpose.
- Guideline I: Psychological Conditions
SEAD 4, Appendix A, paragraphs 27 to 29. Concerns arising from emotional, mental and personality conditions that can impair judgment, reliability or trustworthiness.
- Guideline J: Criminal Conduct
SEAD 4, Appendix A, paragraphs 30 to 32. Concerns arising from criminal activity, which calls into question a person's ability or willingness to comply with laws, rules and regulations.
- Guideline K: Handling Protected Information
SEAD 4, Appendix A, paragraphs 33 to 35. Concerns arising from a deliberate or negligent failure to comply with rules and regulations for handling protected information, which includes classified and other sensitive government information, and proprietary information.
- Guideline L: Outside Activities
SEAD 4, Appendix A, paragraphs 36 to 38. Concerns arising from outside employment or activities that pose a conflict of interest with an individual's security responsibilities.
- Guideline M: Use of Information Technology
SEAD 4, Appendix A, paragraphs 39 to 41. Concerns arising from a failure to comply with rules, procedures, guidelines or regulations pertaining to information technology systems.
See these guidelines in the Adjudicative Guidelines Explorer
Clearance issue pages for this area
- Debt and Security Clearances
- Tax Debt and Security Clearances
- Unpaid Taxes and Security Clearances
- Collections and Security Clearances
- Bankruptcy and Security Clearances
- Foreclosure and Security Clearances
- Gambling Debt and Security Clearances
- Late Payments and Security Clearances
- Student Loan Debt and Security Clearances
- Mitigating Financial Concerns and Security Clearances
- Foreign Contacts and Security Clearances
- Foreign Family Members and Security Clearances
- Foreign Spouse and Security Clearances
- Dual Citizenship and Security Clearances
- Foreign Travel and Security Clearances
- Foreign Property and Security Clearances
- Foreign Bank Accounts and Security Clearances
- Foreign Business Interests and Security Clearances
- Marijuana and Security Clearances
- Drug Use and Security Clearances
- Prescription Drug Misuse and Security Clearances
- Alcohol Abuse and Security Clearances
- DUI and Security Clearances
- Arrest and Security Clearances
- Criminal Charges and Security Clearances
- Personal Conduct and Security Clearances
- Lying on the SF-86 and Security Clearances
- SF-86 Omissions and Security Clearances
Pages on this stage of the process
- Security Clearance Background Investigation
- Security Clearance Interview
- Continuous Vetting and Security Clearances
- SF-86 Mistakes
- Correcting an SF-86
- SF-86 Omissions
- Lying on an SF-86
- Statement of Reasons
- What to Do After Receiving a Statement of Reasons
- How to Respond to a Security Clearance SOR
- Letter of Intent Security Clearance
- Security Clearance LOI Response
- Security Clearance Mitigation
- Security Clearance Due Process
- DOHA Written Decision / FORM Process
- Security Clearance Hearing
- DOHA Security Clearance Hearing
- DOHA Hearing Process
- Preparing for a DOHA Hearing
- Security Clearance Personal Appearance
- DOHA Security Clearance Decisions
- Security Clearance Denial
- Security Clearance Revocation
- Security Clearance Suspension
- Security Clearance Appeal
- DOHA Appeal
- Security Clearance Reconsideration
- Security Clearance Reinstatement
- Reapplying After Security Clearance Denial
Your role and the procedure that applies
For DoD contractor employees, DoD Directive 5220.6, Enclosure 3, sets out the procedure from the Statement of Reasons through hearings and appeals.
For DoD civilian employees and military members, DoD Manual 5200.02, paragraph 10.4, sets out the procedure.
Agencies outside the Department of Defense run their own review procedures under Executive Order 12968, Access to Classified Information. The Security Clearance Process Guide on this site covers the DoD tracks only.
- Security Clearance Process Guide: the DoD contractor track
- Security Clearance Process Guide: the DoD civilian and military track
- Defense Contractor Security Clearance Lawyer
- Government Contractor Security Clearance Lawyer
- Federal Employee Security Clearance Lawyer
- Military Security Clearance Lawyer
- Military Member Security Clearance Denial
- Federal Applicant Security Clearance Issues
- Intelligence Community Security Clearance Lawyer
About this tool
The checker gives general information only. It matches each answer to a fixed list of SEAD 4 guidelines and pages on this site. It does not review the facts of any case, predict a result or provide legal advice.
The guideline names, letters and paragraph numbers come from SEAD 4, Appendix A. The notes on procedure name the document that sets out each Department of Defense track: DoD Directive 5220.6 for contractor employees, and DoD Manual 5200.02 for civilian employees and military members.