If you are applying to Wag, the background check is one of the main gates between signup and your first paid service. Mileage tracking is not the point of the screening step, but setting it up early keeps your first business trips from disappearing once you are approved. The fastest way to make the application harder on yourself is to treat the screening step like a black box and fail to save the notices, ID requests, vendor messages, and approval dates tied to the application.
This guide answers the screening question directly and then walks through what the background check can review, what to prepare, what can slow approval, how to track status, and what to do after you clear the screening step. A mileage tracker app can wait for approval, but your mileage logs and taxes are easier if the setup is ready before the first booking.
If you want the driving side organized before your first approved booking, MyCarTracks automatic mileage tracking can be set up before activation, and the official Wag caregiver signup page plus the dog-walker onboarding guide explain the screening and onboarding path.
What the Wag background check can review
The Wag caregiver signup page says every caregiver must pass an extensive background check. The onboarding guide says screening is handled by third-party provider Vetty and may include:
- identity verification
- address history
- employment history
- education history
- criminal record checks
- credit history
- motor vehicle records
- license records
The same guide also says you need a valid form of ID for the screening process.
How the screening flow works
The practical flow is:
- Submit your application.
- Watch for the screening request from the vendor flow.
- Upload or confirm the requested identity information.
- Track status until the result is resolved.
- Move into the quiz, app, test-walk, and Stripe steps once approved.
The Wag Terms make clear that Wag uses third-party vendors for background checks and verifications. That matters because your documents, status updates, and dispute path may live partly outside the main caregiver app.
What to prepare
Prepare the file before the request arrives:
- legal name
- current contact details
- recent address history
- valid ID
- app login access
- email access
- notes about any record details you may need to explain later
If you are also preparing the business side early, save the same application date in the folder where you plan to keep your mileage tracking and payout records later.
Common reasons approval can feel slow
The onboarding guide says approval averages about 14 days, but timing can vary. Delays are easier to manage when you keep the record trail clean. Common friction points can include missing ID details, address-history mismatches, missed emails, or simply a queue on the vendor side.
How to track the status
Do not rely on memory. Save:
- the date you applied
- the date you completed the screening step
- confirmation emails
- vendor status messages
- any upload confirmations
- the final approval notice
Those dates matter if the process stalls or if you later need to prove when the approval window started.
What to save if screening stalls
When approval runs longer than expected, keep one folder with every document tied to the delay:
- the original application confirmation
- the screening invitation
- the ID upload confirmation
- vendor follow-up emails
- support replies
- any corrected information you resubmitted
That folder makes it easier to explain the issue without guessing about dates or missing attachments.
What if something in the report looks wrong?
If a report contains wrong information, keep the issue factual and organized. Save the notice, identify the mismatch, collect the supporting documents, and follow the official dispute or support path provided in the screening flow. Do not wait until you can no longer access the original notice.
Why mileage tracking still matters in a background-check article
Mileage tracking still matters because approval is not the end of recordkeeping. The first live week can already create business driving for onboarding, supply runs, and paid services. That is why Wag Mileage Guide and Wag Tax Guide should be set up before the first route feels busy.
After approval
Once you clear the background check, finish the rest of the setup immediately:
- pet-care quiz
- app download
- test walk
- Stripe setup
- mileage tracking
- receipt storage
If you want the broader setup flow, use Wag Caregiver Requirements.
US-first market note
The official screening flow is part of the US-focused caregiver signup process. For Canada or Europe, use local marketplace and local tax rules rather than assuming the Wag approval path applies.
MyCarTracks workflow
Use MyCarTracks to set up a Wag tag before your first approved service so the first business miles do not disappear. If you want the setup page directly, use automatic mileage tracking.