Federal security clearances, in plain English.

What a federal security clearance actually is

A federal security clearance is the U.S. government's official determination that a specific person can be trusted with classified national security information. The clearance is held by the person, sponsored by an employer, and tied to a specific level of classified access. It is not a credential a person owns independently of an employer or a contract; it has to be active and in use for the right reasons.

Three things make a clearance real. First, an investigation conducted by the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) or another agency-specific investigator. Second, an adjudication by the agency that determines, based on the investigation, whether the person meets the standards in the adjudicative guidelines. Third, a sponsoring employer with the appropriate facility security clearance (FCL) and a specific position requiring classified access.

The clearance levels

Public Trust (no classified access)

Public Trust positions are positions of public trust — fiduciary, public-facing, and access-to-protected-information roles — that do not involve classified information. The investigation is a Tier 1 (formerly NACI) for low-risk public trust positions, or Tier 2 (formerly MBI) for moderate-risk positions. The bar is "able to handle protected information responsibly" rather than "trusted with classified information."

Confidential

The lowest classified clearance level. Less common in 2026 because most positions calling for it have moved to Secret. Investigation is a Tier 3 (formerly NACLC).

Secret

Access to information whose unauthorized disclosure could cause serious damage to national security. Investigation is a Tier 3. Reinvestigation cycle is typically 10 years for federal employees and contractors. The standard clearance for many DoD and federal contractor roles.

Top Secret

Access to information whose unauthorized disclosure could cause exceptionally grave damage to national security. Investigation is a Tier 5 (formerly Single Scope Background Investigation, SSBI). Reinvestigation cycle is typically 5 years.

TS/SCI

Top Secret with Sensitive Compartmented Information access. SCI access is granted for specific compartmented programs after the underlying TS investigation completes plus a program-specific eligibility review. Required for IC positions and many DoD intel positions. Reinvestigation typically aligns with the underlying TS plus periodic SCI review.

TS/SCI with polygraph

TS/SCI plus a polygraph examination. The polygraph type matters: counterintelligence (CI) polygraph, lifestyle polygraph, or full-scope (CI plus lifestyle). Required for the most sensitive IC programs. Reciprocity between agencies for polygraphed positions is more limited than non-polygraphed reciprocity.

Investigation timelines

In 2026, new clearance investigation timelines have improved meaningfully from the post-2018 backlog era but still vary by level and complexity. Realistic averages: new Secret investigations 3 to 6 months. New Top Secret 6 to 12 months. SCI access on top of an existing TS, often 30 to 90 days because the underlying investigation is already complete. Full-scope polygraph TS/SCI, 9 to 18 months for the entire end-to-end process.

Reciprocity (transferring an active clearance from one agency or sponsoring employer to another) is much faster: typically 30 to 60 days for non-polygraphed positions and 60 to 120 days for polygraphed positions. Reciprocity is the strongest reason to keep a clearance active and not let it lapse.

The adjudicative guidelines (SEAD 4)

Security Executive Agent Directive 4 (SEAD 4) defines the adjudicative guidelines. There are 13 categories: allegiance to the United States, foreign influence, foreign preference, sexual behavior, personal conduct, financial considerations, alcohol consumption, drug involvement (including marijuana), psychological conditions, criminal conduct, handling protected information, outside activities, and use of information technology systems.

The crucial point most candidates miss: the existence of an issue is not necessarily disqualifying. Honest disclosure during the investigation matters more than the underlying issue in most cases. Mitigation factors — recency, frequency, voluntary disclosure, completion of treatment, restitution, time elapsed, change in circumstances — are central to adjudication. The fastest way to lose a clearance is to lie about an issue the investigator was likely to find anyway.

What happens to your clearance when you leave a cleared job

When a sponsoring employer ends, the clearance enters an inactive window. For most clearances, this window is 24 months — during that period, a new sponsoring employer can reactivate the clearance without a fresh investigation. After 24 months without a sponsor, the clearance lapses and a new investigation is required if the candidate returns to cleared work. SCI access typically expires faster than the underlying TS; reactivation may require updated program-specific eligibility review even within the inactive window.

Practical implications for candidates and hiring managers

For candidates: keeping a clearance active is meaningful career capital. A 24-month gap turns into a one- to twelve-month re-investigation when a new role appears. For hiring managers: the candidate market for active TS/SCI is a fraction of the candidate market for active Secret. Clearance reciprocity windows are predictable; planning around them is not.

For both: clearance integrity matters. Federal Group Talent Partners verifies all clearance claims through approved channels before any candidate submission. We never inflate or misrepresent clearance posture. The cleared community is small and remembers.