Do you need a security clearance for government contracts?

No — most government contracts do not require a security clearance. The majority of federal spending is on unclassified goods and services, including IT, professional services, construction, and supplies. Only contracts involving classified national security information require clearances.

When Clearances Are Required

Security clearances are required when contract work involves access to classified national security information. This is most common in Department of Defense (DoD), intelligence community (IC), and certain Department of Energy (DOE) contracts. The solicitation will explicitly state clearance requirements — if a contract requires a clearance, it will be listed in the DD Form 254 (Contract Security Classification Specification) attached to the solicitation.

Facility vs. Personnel Clearances

There are two types of clearances, and they work differently:

• Facility Clearance (FCL) — A determination that your company is eligible to access classified information at a given level. Obtaining an FCL requires sponsorship from a government agency or cleared prime contractor, and the process typically takes 6 to 18 months through the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA).
• Personnel Security Clearance (PCL) — Individual-level clearances for employees who will access classified information. Levels include Confidential, Secret, and Top Secret. Top Secret clearances with Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) access require a more extensive Single Scope Background Investigation (SSBI).

Contracts Without Clearance Requirements

Thousands of federal contracts are awarded every day for unclassified work. Categories that almost never require clearances include civilian agency IT modernization, VA healthcare services, facilities maintenance, professional consulting, training, and most SBIR research. Even within the DoD, plenty of contracts are unclassified — particularly SBIR Phase I awards.

For more details on how clearances intersect with federal contracting, read our guide on security clearances and government contracts. You can also browse contracts that do not require a clearance to see current opportunities.