How Often Is a Security Clearance Denied?

Ever wondered how often security clearances get denied?

If you’re aiming for a job that requires access to classified information, such as working for the military, government, or a defense contractor you might be interested to know.

Security clearances are essential for national security and ensuring that personnel will not leak classified information.

The security clearance denial rate isn’t as high as you might think actually. However it’s not negligible either.

Let’s explore below if you are in the process.

Overview of Security Clearance Denials

Common Reasons for Denial

Various factors play a role in security clearance denials.

This includes financial issues, including significant debt or unexplained wealth, frequently play a role. Criminal activities, both past and present, also can be an issue.

Connections to foreign nationals or entities with adverse interests against the United States raise red flags.

Substance abuse problems, be drugs or alcohol, are also an issue. Inconsistent or deceptive information on the SF-86 clearance application is another disqualifying factor.

Stats in Security Clearance Denials

Statistical Data Overview

So exactly what is the chance your security clearance will be denied? We got some numbers for you on that.

Between 2015 and 2020, about 2-5% of security clearance applications faced denial each year.

According to the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA), Financial Issues caused 29% of denials in 2020,which isn’t surprising considering the amount of debt most Americans carry.

Coming in 2nd place is Personal Conduct and Criminal Background which contributed to 18% of security clearance denials.

The Intelligence Community (IC) reported a slight increase in denial rates for Top Secret clearances, particularly among positions with access to sensitive compartmented information (SCI).

These stats highlight how financial issues remains a significant problem for most going for security clearances. 

Keep in mind, if you were to go into too much debt or have financial issues in the future, a Top Secret or Secret clearance could be revoked.

Factors Influencing Denial Rates

Types of Security Clearances

Security clearances are categorized into three main levels:

1. Confidential
2. Secret
3. Top Secret

Confidential clearances allow access to information that could cause damage to national security if disclosed.

Secret clearances permit access to information that could cause serious damage. 

Top Secret clearances grant access to information that could cause exceptionally grave damage if shared with a foreign entity or leaked to the public.

Confidential clearances have the lowest denial rates since they cover less sensitive information. Top Secret clearances have higher denial rates due to the extensive background checks and more stringent criteria.

For instance, in FY2020, approximately 10% of Top Secret clearances were denied, compared to 5% for Secret clearances.

An important note, Secret and Top Secret have the same criteria. However, Top Secret and SCI clearances have require a longer time to do the background check since it is more in-depth.

Variations by Agencies and Roles

Denial rates also vary by agencies and roles due to different security requirements, roles, and mission sets.

Agencies like the Department of Defense (DoD), Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), and Department of Energy (DOE) have specific criteria and risk assessments that affect approval odds.

The CIA often has more stringent requirements due to the high national security nature of its covert spy operations, leading to higher denial rates.

The DOE actually has a different set of security clearances L Clearance and Q Clearance. The L clearance is similar to a Secret. The Q Clearance is similar to a Top Secret and is required for access to classified information related to nuclear weapons and fissile material.

Roles within these different branches of the government also influence denial outcomes.

Positions with greater access to sensitive information, such as SCI clearance, undergo more rigorous scrutiny.

Roles in intelligence analysis or cybersecurity typically see higher denial rates than roles in administrative support due to the nature of the roles and access requirements.

Data from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) indicates that intelligence roles face denial rates of around 15%, compared to administrative roles at 3%.

Understanding the position and job you are applying for can help applicants better prepare to address potential issues before applying for security clearance.

How to Avoid Getting a Security Clearance Denied?

If there is one tip we can give you, be honest.

Even if you have done things in your past your not proud of or would care to forget, if you want to a Secret or Top Secret clearance you will need to upfront about any issues.

The adjudication process is there to make sure nothing can be used against you for blackmail to share gov info with others.

Gather all necessary personal information, including financial records, employment history, and foreign contacts. Make sure to be as accurate and and complete as your memory and info allow. 

We recommend maintaining a file of all submitted documents, so you know what is on the SF-86 and what you have shared.

This helps during security interviews and follow-ups. Report any significant life changes, such as financial changes, international travel, or martial status changes to the security officer conducting your background check.

Understanding the Adjudicative Guidelines

It’s also good to familiarize yourself with the 13 Adjudicative Guidelines used to evaluate applicants.

1. Allegiance to the United States (Guideline A)
2. Foreign Influence (Guideline B)
3. Foreign Preference (Guideline C)
4. Sexual Behavior (Guideline D)
5. Personal Conduct (Guideline E)
6. Financial Considerations (Guideline F)
7. Alcohol Consumption (Guideline G)
8. Drug Involvement and Substance Misuse (Guideline H)
9. Psychological Conditions (Guideline I)
10. Criminal Conduct (Guideline J)
11. Handling Protected Information (Guideline K)
12. Outside Activities (Guideline L)
13. Use of Information Technology (Guideline M)

Address any known issues upfront with the security officer and on your SF-86.

Disclose all relevant information when asked. Uncovering undisclosed issues during the investigation can lead to denial.

However, we recommend not sharing any info that isn’t asked about. Oversharing can lead to more issues we have heard.

You will reduce the likelihood of facing a security clearance denial by just being honest.

Impact of Security Clearance Denial on Career

What if you are denied a security clearance?

A security clearance denial will impact career prospects with the government, defense contracting, or in the military. Basically any work that requires access to classified information… you won’t be able to do.

This will affect current employment and future job opportunities for an individual seeking a clearance, whether that be Secret or Top Secret.

Certain industries, such as defense or intelligence, have stricter requirements, especially if you need a higher level Top Secret clearance.

Individuals denied clearance may need to seek roles outside their desired industry or accept positions with lower levels of responsibility.

If are serving in the military, you might be asked to leave or switch your MOS or job.

Continuous Evaluation

Recent changes in clearance protocols have aimed to enhance the security of the clearance evaluation process. What does this mean?

The implementation of Continuous Evaluation (CE).

This means real-time monitoring of cleared individuals, reducing risk for the military and US government.

Cleared personnel might have no issues in the above 13 adjudication guidelines. However in the future they could have financial instability or personal conduct issues right now. That is where CE comes in. 

CE programs now actively flag potential issues for instant review by security officers. This improves the response times and increasing denial rates for individuals with unresolved financial or criminal issues that come up. 

The shift toward a more continuous and real-time process to maintain security clearances shows a higher standard of scrutiny. Especially for positions require Top Secret/SCI.

Stay Calm

Try to stay calm through the security review process.

I know it can be stressful and you might feel like you will get denied.

However, review the numbers above. Depending on the role there is only a 2% – 5% chance of actually getting denied a security clearance.

You have a good chance of getting approved. 

Even if you have any issues in the one of the 13 guidelines, people get approved everyday. Why? Because they were honest and upfront.