Attachment C to Subpart B of Part 147 – Standard C – Single Scope Background Investigation Periodic Reinvestigation (SSBI-PR)

Quick Answer: What This Section Does

Standard C—known as the Single Scope Background Investigation Periodic Reinvestigation (SSBI-PR)—defines how the government re-evaluates individuals who already hold Top Secret or equivalent clearance.

It governs:

• reinvestigations every five years
• updated background checks
• verification of recent conduct
• continued eligibility for access

👉 In practice, this section answers a critical question:

“What happens after you already have a Top Secret clearance?”

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What This Means in Practice

Most clearance holders assume:

👉 once they are approved, they are “safe”

That is not how the system works.

Clearance eligibility is not permanent.

It is continuously evaluated.

Under Standard C:

• your background is rechecked
• your recent behavior is reviewed
• your prior record is compared to current disclosures

Adjudicators are not asking:

👉 “Were you approved before?”

They are asking:

👉 “Do you still meet the standard today?”

That distinction matters.

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How This Standard Is Actually Used

Reinvestigations occur:

• at least every five years for Top Secret
• or earlier if concerns arise

During a reinvestigation, the government reviews:

• what has changed since the last investigation
• whether new issues have developed
• whether prior issues were truly resolved

👉 This is where many clearance problems surface

This is closely tied to how ongoing monitoring works, as explained in continuous evaluation for security clearances and how issues are flagged over time.

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Full Text of Standard C (SSBI-PR)

Attachment C to Subpart B of Part 147 – Standard C – Single Scope Background Investigation Periodic Reinvestigation (SSBI-PR)(a) Applicability. Standard C applies to reinvestigation for;

1. Access to TOP SECRET (including TOP SECRET Special Access Programs) and Sensitive Compartmented Information;
2. “Q” access authorizations.

(b) When to Reinvestigate. The reinvestigation may be initiated at any time following completion of, but not later than five years from the date of, the previous investigation (see Attachment D to this subpart, Table 2).

(c) Reinvestigative Requirements. Reinvestigative requirements are as follows:

1. Completion of Forms: Completion of Standard Form 86, including applicable releases and supporting documentation.
2. National Agency Check: Completion of a National Agency Check (fingerprint cards are required only if there has not been a previous valid technical check of the FBI).
3. National Agency Check for the Spouse or Cohabitant (if applicable): Completion of a National Agency Check, without fingerprint cards, for the spouse or cohabitant. The National Agency Check for the spouse or cohabitant is not required if already completed in conjunction with a previous investigation or investigation.
4. Employment: Verification of all employments since the last investigation. Attempts to interview a sufficient number of sources (supervisors, coworkers, or both) at all employments of six months or more. For military members, all services within one branch of the armed forces will be considered as one employment, regardless of assignments.
5. References: Interviews with two character references who are knowledgeable of the subject; at least one will be a developed reference. To the extent practical, both should have social knowledge of the subject and collectively span the entire period of the reinvestigation. As appropriate, additional interviews may be conducted, including with cohabitants and relatives.
6. Neighborhoods: Interviews of two neighbors in the vicinity of the subject’s most recent residence of six months or more. Confirmation of current residence regardless of length.
7. Financial Review—Financial Status: Verification of the subject’s financial status, including credit bureau checks covering all locations where subject has resided, been employed, and/or attended school for six months or more for the period covered by the investigation;
   1. Check of Treasury’s Financial Data Base: Agencies may request the Department of the Treasury, under terms and conditions prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury, to search automated data bases consisting of reports of currency transactions by financial institutions, international transportation of currency or monetary instruments, foreign bank and financial accounts, and transactions under $10,000 that are reported as possible money laundering violations.
8. Local Agency Checks: A check of appropriate criminal history records covering all locations where, during the period covered by the reinvestigation, the subject has resided, been employed, and/or attended school for six months or more, including current residence regardless of duration. (Note: If no residence, employment, or education exceeds six months, local agency checks should be performed as deemed appropriate.)
9. Former Spouse: An interview with any former spouse unless the divorce took place before the date of the last investigation or investigation.
10. Public Records: Verification of divorces, bankruptcies, and other court actions, whether civil or criminal, involving the subject since the date of the last investigation.
11. Subject Interview: A subject interview, conducted by trained security, investigative, or counterintelligence personnel. During the reinvestigation, additional subject interviews may be conducted to collect relevant information, to resolve significant inconsistencies, or both. Sworn statements and unsworn declarations may be taken whenever appropriate.

(d) Expanding the Reinvestigation: The reinvestigation may be expanded as necessary. As appropriate, interviews with anyone able to provide information or to resolve issues, including but not limited to cohabitants, relatives, psychiatrists, psychologists, other medical professionals, and law enforcement professionals may be conducted.

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Why This Matters for Your Case

This section reflects one of the most important principles in clearance law:

👉 clearance eligibility is continuously tested

Two individuals with the same history:

• one maintains clearance
• one loses it

Because:

👉 something changed in the record

This is why issues often arise years later, as explained in why security clearance problems reappear during reinvestigations and career transitions.

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Where Reinvestigation Cases Go Wrong

Most problems arise when:

• issues develop after initial approval
• prior problems were not fully resolved
• disclosures differ from earlier filings
• financial, legal, or personal issues arise
• applicants assume prior approval protects them

From the applicant’s perspective:

👉 “I’ve already been cleared”

From the system’s perspective:

👉 “We are evaluating current risk”

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How This Section Connects to the Record

Reinvestigations are not independent.

They rely on:

👉 your existing clearance file

Investigators compare:

• prior disclosures
• current disclosures
• historical records
• new information

👉 This is why your file matters long-term

This concept is explained in how security clearance records are built, reused, and evaluated over time.

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How This Section Fits Into the Clearance Process

Standard C operates within the broader framework of the security clearance statutes and regulations governing investigation and adjudication standards.

It directly affects:

• continued eligibility
• career longevity
• access to higher-level programs
• long-term clearance stability

Those findings are evaluated under the security clearance adjudication process and how risk is reassessed over time.

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Related Statutes and Guidance

Return to the full statute list in the Security Clearance Statutes and Regulations resource page, or explore how these rules are applied in practice in the Security Clearance Lawyers Resource Center.

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Why Insight Into the System Matters

Security clearance decisions are not made in a vacuum.

They are made by:

• adjudicators
• administrative judges
• agency decision-makers
• reviewers who rely on the written record

Understanding how these individuals evaluate risk, credibility, and mitigation is not theoretical—it is structural.

At National Security Law Firm, our security clearance lawyers include attorneys who have worked:

• as administrative judges and adjudicators responsible for deciding clearance cases
• inside federal agencies evaluating whether individuals should be approved or denied
• within military legal systems handling sensitive national security matters
• in roles directly applying the adjudicative guidelines to real-world cases

Our cases are not handled by a single attorney working in isolation.

They are reviewed through our internal Attorney Review Board, where multiple experienced attorneys analyze the record, test arguments, and refine strategy before submission.

This mirrors how the government evaluates cases—through layered review and institutional scrutiny.

Clients often come to us after receiving advice that focuses only on:

• legal arguments
• explanations of past conduct

But security clearance cases are not decided that way.

They are decided based on:

👉 how the record will be read, reused, and defended by decision-makers

That is the difference between a response that explains—and a record that supports approval.

You can read what clients say about their experience working with our team in our 4.9-star Google reviews, which reflect both outcomes and the level of strategic guidance we provide throughout the process.

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Speak With a Security Clearance Lawyer Before Reinvestigation Issues Escalate

The most important question is not:

👉 “Will I be reinvestigated?”

It is:

👉 “What has changed in my record since my last investigation?”

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The Record Controls the Case.