Category: Personnel Vetting & Clearances

SF-86 / SF-85 / SF-85P

Also known as: SF, Standard Form 86, Standard Form 85, Standard Form 85P, SF 86, SF 85, SF 85P, Questionnaire for National Security Positions (SF-86), Questionnaire for Non-Sensitive Positions (SF-85), Questionnaire for Public Trust Positions (SF-85P)

Simply put

The SF-86, SF-85, and SF-85P are standard federal questionnaires used to collect personal background information from individuals being considered for federal positions or clearances. In general, the SF-86 is used for national security positions such as Secret and Top Secret clearances, while the SF-85P is used for Public Trust positions and the SF-85 for other non-sensitive positions. The information collected is used to start the appropriate background investigation.

Formal definition

The SF-86, SF-85, and SF-85P are Standard Investigative forms used to initiate national security or suitability (public trust) background investigations. Per the evidence, the SF-86 is generally used for Secret, Top Secret, and higher national security clearances, while the SF-85P is used for Public Trust positions; related forms in this family include the SF-85, SF-85P-S (SF-85PS), and SF-86A. According to DCSA guidance cited in the evidence, these forms must be submitted to DCSA within 120 days of the date an individual completes/certifies the form. The information collected supports initiation of the required national security or suitability investigation. This entry addresses the forms' role and general use only; it does not cover investigative tiers, adjudicative standards, submission platforms, or agency-specific handling, and readers should verify current form versions and procedural requirements against official DCSA and OMB sources, as these forms and their thresholds may be revised.

Why it matters

The SF-86, SF-85, and SF-85P are the entry point for federal personnel vetting: the information an individual provides on these questionnaires initiates the background investigation that ultimately supports a clearance or suitability determination. Because they determine which investigative process is set in motion, using the correct form for the position type matters. In general, the SF-86 supports national security positions such as Secret and Top Secret clearances, the SF-85P supports Public Trust positions, and the SF-85 supports other non-sensitive positions. Selecting the wrong form for a position can delay or derail the vetting process.

Timeliness is a practical compliance concern that is easy to overlook. According to DCSA guidance cited in the evidence, standard investigative forms such as the SF-85, SF-85P, SF-85P-S, and SF-86 must be submitted to DCSA within 120 days of the date the individual completes and certifies the form. A questionnaire that sits too long before submission can require the applicant to redo or recertify it, adding avoidable friction for both the applicant and the sponsoring organization.

It is important to recognize that completing and submitting one of these forms is only the beginning of the process, not its conclusion. The questionnaire initiates an investigation; it does not by itself constitute a favorable determination, and a Public Trust process is distinct from a national security clearance process. Readers should treat the form as the mechanism that starts the appropriate investigation and should confirm current form versions, thresholds, and procedural requirements against official DCSA and OMB sources, as these forms may be revised over time.

Who it's relevant to

Security and HR professionals initiating investigations

Personnel responsible for sponsoring and initiating background investigations need to select the correct questionnaire for the position type, generally SF-86 for national security positions, SF-85P for Public Trust positions, and SF-85 for other non-sensitive positions, and ensure the completed, certified form is submitted to DCSA within the 120-day window cited in DCSA guidance. They should confirm current form versions and procedural requirements against official sources.

Applicants for federal positions and clearances

Individuals being considered for federal employment or a clearance complete and certify the applicable questionnaire, which starts the appropriate investigation. Applicants should be aware that a Public Trust process (SF-85P) is distinct from a national security clearance process (SF-86), that completing the form initiates rather than concludes vetting, and that delays past the submission window may require the form to be redone or recertified.

Government contractors and their facility security personnel

Contractors whose employees require clearances or Public Trust determinations rely on these forms to begin vetting. Facility security officers and comparable personnel should ensure applicants use the correct form for the position and meet DCSA submission timelines, while verifying agency-specific handling requirements, which this entry does not address.

Compliance officers and program managers

Those overseeing personnel vetting programs should track that the correct forms are used and submitted within the stated 120-day window, and should recognize the boundary between suitability (public trust) and national security investigations. Because forms, thresholds, and procedures may be revised, they should confirm current requirements against official DCSA and OMB sources.

Inside SF

SF-86 (Questionnaire for National Security Positions)

The standard questionnaire generally used for background investigations tied to security clearance eligibility and access to classified information or sensitive national security positions. It typically collects extensive personal history including residence, employment, education, foreign contacts and travel, financial history, and criminal and drug involvement. Applicability, adjudication, and the current form version should be verified against the sponsoring agency and the responsible investigative authority.

SF-85 (Questionnaire for Non-Sensitive Positions)

The questionnaire generally used for investigations supporting suitability or fitness determinations for non-sensitive federal positions that do not involve national security duties. It collects a comparatively narrower scope of personal history than the SF-86. The specific investigative tier and scope depend on the position designation established by the employing agency.

SF-85P (Questionnaire for Public Trust Positions)

The questionnaire generally used for investigations supporting Public Trust position determinations, which involve a level of responsibility or risk that falls between non-sensitive and national security roles. It typically requests more detail than the SF-85, such as certain financial and residence information, consistent with the heightened trust involved. Exact scope is driven by the agency's position risk designation.

Position designation as the trigger

Which form applies is generally determined by how the employing agency designates the position (non-sensitive, public trust, or national security sensitivity level), rather than by the individual's preference. The designation drives the investigative tier and, in turn, the applicable questionnaire. Confirm the designation with the sponsoring agency's personnel security or human capital office.

Release and authorization components

These questionnaires are generally accompanied by signed releases authorizing the government to obtain records (such as employment, financial, medical, or law enforcement records) as part of the investigation. The specific releases and certifications packaged with each form should be confirmed against the current official version.

Submission and processing environment

In most current implementations these questionnaires are completed and submitted electronically through a government personnel security system rather than solely on paper. The specific system, workflow, and the investigative service provider responsible for adjudication should be verified against current authoritative guidance, as these arrangements have evolved.

Common questions

Answers to the questions practitioners most commonly ask about SF.

Does completing an SF-86 mean I have been granted a security clearance?

No. The SF-86 (Questionnaire for National Security Positions) is an investigative questionnaire used to initiate and support a background investigation; it is not a clearance grant. Submission of the form does not confer eligibility. A clearance eligibility determination is a separate adjudicative decision made by the appropriate authority after the investigation is completed, and the form is only one input to that process. Readers should confirm current adjudicative procedures against the applicable authoritative guidance.

Are the SF-86, SF-85, and SF-85P interchangeable forms?

No. These are distinct forms tied to different position sensitivity and risk levels. The SF-86 is generally used for national security positions, while the SF-85 (Questionnaire for Non-Sensitive Positions) and SF-85P (Questionnaire for Public Trust Positions) are used for other categories. Selecting the correct form depends on how the position is designated. Treating them as interchangeable can result in the wrong level of investigation being initiated. Confirm the appropriate form for a given position designation against current official guidance.

How do I determine which form applies to a particular position?

The applicable form generally follows from the position's sensitivity or public trust designation, which is established during the position designation process rather than chosen by the applicant. Because designation criteria and mappings can change, verify the correct form for a specific role against the current authoritative designation guidance and your agency or sponsor's instructions before initiating a submission.

What information does an applicant typically need to gather before completing one of these forms?

These questionnaires generally request detailed personal history, which in most implementations may include residence, employment, education, and other background information over a defined lookback period. Because the specific fields, coverage periods, and requirements can vary by form and revision, applicants should review the current official version of the applicable form and follow the instructions provided, rather than relying on prior experience with an earlier version.

How are these questionnaires usually submitted?

In most current implementations these questionnaires are submitted through an electronic system designated by the responsible authority rather than as standalone paper forms. Because the specific platform and submission workflow are set by the sponsoring organization and the responsible investigative authority, confirm the required submission method and system with your security office and against current official guidance.

What should be verified before treating a submitted questionnaire as complete?

Confirm that the correct form was used for the position designation, that all required sections were completed according to the current instructions, and that the submission followed the process specified by the sponsoring organization and responsible authority. Because form contents, coverage periods, and procedures can change across revisions, verify completeness and current requirements against the applicable official version rather than assuming continuity with prior submissions.

Common misconceptions

Completing an SF-86 grants a security clearance.

The questionnaire is an input to the investigation, not the decision. Submitting an SF-86 initiates a background investigation; a separate adjudication determines eligibility, and access still depends on a need-to-know and other conditions. Assessment and investigation should not be confused with the favorable adjudication that supports access.

The three forms are interchangeable and the applicant chooses which one to complete.

The applicable form is generally driven by the employing agency's position designation (non-sensitive, public trust, or national security), not by applicant choice. The SF-86, SF-85, and SF-85P correspond to distinct sensitivity and trust levels with different investigative scopes, and using the wrong form for a position can invalidate or delay processing.

Once an investigation is complete, the resulting eligibility is permanent.

Eligibility determinations are not permanent. They are generally subject to periodic reinvestigation or continuous vetting and can be affected by new adverse information. Practitioners should treat personnel security status as time-bound and monitored, and confirm current reinvestigation and continuous vetting requirements with the responsible authority.

Best practices

Confirm the position sensitivity or risk designation with the sponsoring agency before selecting a questionnaire, so that the correct form (SF-86, SF-85, or SF-85P) and investigative tier are used.

Verify the current official version of the form and the correct submission system with the responsible investigative service provider, since forms and electronic workflows have evolved over time.

Complete all history sections fully and accurately, including required coverage periods for residence, employment, and other items, because omissions and inconsistencies are common causes of delay or adverse findings.

Retain copies of submitted questionnaires and signed releases, and treat the collected personal information as sensitive, protecting it in accordance with applicable privacy and safeguarding requirements.

Track reinvestigation and continuous vetting obligations rather than assuming a completed investigation is permanent, and confirm current requirements with the responsible personnel security authority.

Coordinate with the agency personnel security office on adjudication timelines and reciprocity questions, and do not assume that a favorable determination automatically satisfies every agency's or program's access requirements.