Published 2026-01-10

What Disqualifies You From a Security Clearance?

One of the most common questions people have before applying for a cleared job is: "Will my past disqualify me?"

The short answer: probably not automatically. The government uses what's called the "whole person" concept, meaning they look at your entire life, not just isolated incidents^[2]. Derogatory information does not automatically disqualify you. Denials happen when serious issues cannot be resolved or mitigated^[3].

That said, some factors carry more weight than others, and certain situations make clearance very difficult to obtain. Here's what the official sources actually say.

The "Whole Person" Concept

Before diving into specific disqualifiers, you need to understand how adjudicators actually make decisions.

According to one federal agency, "We don't have automatic disqualifiers, so every person is looked at via this 'whole person' concept"^[2]. Adjudicators consider:

• How recent the issue was
• How serious it was
• The circumstances that led to it
• Evidence of change or rehabilitation
• Your honesty about the issue

Someone who had a DUI ten years ago, took responsibility, completed treatment, and hasn't had an incident since is in a very different position than someone who had a DUI last month and is minimizing it.

What Actually Causes Denials

Approximately 75% of security clearance denials involve three areas:

1. Financial considerations (the most common)
2. Personal conduct (including dishonesty)
3. Foreign influence

Let's break down each major category based on what the official adjudicative guidelines actually say^[1].

Financial Problems

Financial issues are the number one reason for clearance denials^[2]. This includes:

• Failure to pay debts (credit cards, student loans, child support)
• Tax liens or failure to pay federal/state taxes
• Bankruptcies
• Foreclosures
• Gambling problems that affect finances

Why it matters: Financial instability can indicate poor judgment, unreliability, or create vulnerability to bribery or coercion.

What helps: A debt collector cannot revoke your clearance^[8]. What matters is how you're responding to the problem. Making payment arrangements, working with credit counselors, and having a plan to address debt can mitigate concerns. Living beyond your means with no plan to address it is the real problem.

Dishonesty and Personal Conduct

Lying on your SF-86 or during your investigation is one of the fastest ways to get denied.

Knowingly falsifying or concealing information is a federal felony^[10]. Beyond the legal consequences, dishonesty tells the adjudicator that you cannot be trusted with classified information.

The key principle: The government would rather know about your past mistakes than discover you tried to hide them. Investigators often uncover things applicants tried to conceal, and the cover-up is viewed as worse than the original issue.

Foreign Influence and Foreign Preference

Having foreign contacts, foreign financial interests, or dual citizenship raises questions about potential divided loyalties or vulnerability to foreign pressure.

What's evaluated:

• Close relationships with foreign nationals
• Foreign financial interests (property, investments, business ties)
• Foreign government service
• Dual citizenship

Important clarification: Dual citizenship does not automatically disqualify you^[6]. The Department of State explicitly notes that "dual citizenship with another country, in addition to the United States, does not automatically result in a security clearance denial." However, you must demonstrate unquestioned allegiance to the United States and freedom from undue foreign influence.

Drug Use

Drug involvement is a significant concern, but policies are evolving, particularly around marijuana.

Current federal position: Despite state legalization, marijuana remains illegal under federal law. The Director of National Intelligence has issued guidance that past marijuana use is "relevant, but not determinative" to clearance decisions^[7].

What this means in practice:

• Experimental use years ago is viewed differently than recent, regular use
• Current use of any illegal drug will almost certainly result in denial
• Investing in marijuana businesses can also raise concerns
• Lying about past drug use is worse than the use itself

Agency-specific rules: Some agencies have stricter policies and may require no marijuana use within one year of application.

Criminal Conduct

People with criminal records can still obtain security clearances. According to USAJOBS, "People with criminal records are eligible to compete for the vast majority of federal jobs"^[9].

Factors considered:

• Nature and seriousness of the offense
• How long ago it occurred
• Circumstances of the offense
• Age at the time
• Evidence of rehabilitation

Exceptions: Certain crimes carry statutory bars. Treason, for example, results in a lifelong ban on federal employment. Espionage and other crimes against national security are essentially disqualifying.

Alcohol Consumption

Alcohol-related incidents (DUIs, public intoxication, alcohol-related violence) raise concerns about judgment and reliability.

What matters: Pattern of behavior is more concerning than an isolated incident. Someone with multiple DUIs or who drinks to the point of impaired judgment regularly faces serious obstacles. A single incident from years ago with no recurrence is more easily mitigated.

What Does NOT Disqualify You

Several factors are commonly believed to be disqualifying but are not:

Mental Health Treatment

Multiple government agencies have stated clearly that seeking mental health counseling does not disqualify you:

• "The mere fact of counseling or therapy will not, by itself, result in the denial or revocation of an access authorization. To the contrary, the act of seeking help is seen as a sensible step and evidence of good judgment."^[4]

• "Mental health treatment and counseling, in and of itself, is not a reason to revoke or deny eligibility."^[5]

According to one federal law enforcement agency, over 99% of employees with psychological conditions obtain or retain their security clearance. Only 0.2% of clearances were denied or revoked due to psychological conditions^[5].

The SF-86 specifically states that you do not need to disclose counseling unless it was court-ordered or related to violence, sexual behavior issues, or specific diagnosed conditions^[10].

Bottom line: Getting therapy is not a security risk. It's often viewed as evidence of good judgment.

Having Debt

Debt itself is not disqualifying. Most Americans have debt. What matters is:

• Are you managing it responsibly?
• Are you making payments or working on a plan?
• Is it creating a vulnerability to coercion?

Student loans, a mortgage, and reasonable car payments are normal. Overwhelming debt with no plan to address it, or hiding debts, is the concern.

Being Foreign-Born or Having Foreign Family

Naturalized citizens can and do hold the highest security clearances. Having family members who are foreign nationals is common and not disqualifying by itself.

As long as you declare your foreign family members and contacts on your SF-86, there usually isn't an issue. The question is whether these relationships create undue foreign influence or vulnerability to coercion—not whether they exist.

Past Mistakes

Having made mistakes in your past does not automatically disqualify you. The whole-person concept exists specifically because the government recognizes that people grow and change.

What Makes Mitigation Difficult

Some situations are harder to mitigate:

• Recency: Issues from last month are harder to explain than issues from ten years ago
• Pattern: A single incident is different from repeated behavior
• Lack of rehabilitation: No evidence of change or growth
• Ongoing issues: A problem that's still happening
• Dishonesty: Trying to hide or minimize issues
• Lack of insight: Not understanding why something was wrong

The Most Important Factor: Honesty

If there's one theme across all government guidance, it's this: be honest.

The SF-86 warns that deliberately falsifying information is a federal crime^[10]. But beyond legal consequences, dishonesty is itself disqualifying because it goes directly to the question of whether you can be trusted.

Investigators often discover things that applicants tried to hide. When they do, the cover-up becomes the bigger issue. An adjudicator may be willing to overlook past marijuana use but cannot overlook an applicant who lied about it.

If you have concerns about something in your past, the answer is almost always to disclose it honestly and explain the circumstances, what you learned, and how you've changed.

Related

• How to Get a Security Clearance
• Security Clearance Levels Explained
• How Investigations Work

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