A felony on your record does not mean that Amazon is off the table.
Amazon is now the No. 1 company on the 2026 Fortune Global 500, a spot it took from Walmart on July 28, 2026, after posting $716.9 billion in revenue; a business that size hires for hundreds of roles every week.
A felony doesn’t close the door on Amazon the way most applicants assume. But it also doesn’t mean a free pass for you; the job type you pick decides almost everything.
This blog breaks down what Amazon actually checks at each stage, which convictions get the closest look, and how warehouse work, delivery driving, and corporate roles differ in strictness.
Does Amazon Hire Felons?
Yes, but the strictness of the review depends entirely on which of Amazon’s three hiring paths you enter, and that’s the part most applicants miss.
In 2018, Amazon dropped the felony question from its job application.
In 2021, it signed the Fair Chance Business Pledge, meaning it reviews each applicant’s record individually instead of rejecting anyone with a conviction on sight.
Amazon runs more than 1,000 fulfillment centers, delivery stations, and sortation centers worldwide, and employs roughly 1.1 million people in the U.S., out of about 1.58 million employees globally as of its most recent reported headcount.
It’s constantly hiring warehouse associates, which is why it’s the easiest door in for someone with a record.
Amazon Felony Review
Depending on which job you apply for, a completely different employer is actually the one checking your record. This is how hiring happens.
| Hiring path | Who employs you | How strict is the felony review |
| Warehouse/fulfillment center | Amazon, directly | Most lenient. Case-by-case, high-volume hiring |
| Delivery driver | An independent Delivery Service Partner (DSP), not Amazon | Varies by DSP. Often stricter on theft and DUI |
| Amazon Flex |
Amazon, as gig or contract work |
Runs its own check per delivery block signup |
| Corporate or tech (including AWS) | Amazon, directly | Individual review, but closer scrutiny on financial and violent crimes due to data access |
What is Amazon’s Fair Chance Hiring Policy?
Amazon’s Fair Chance policy reads your application before it reads your record.
Amazon weighs your record against what the conviction was for, how long ago it happened, and whether it’s related to the job you’re applying for.
- Application question removed (2018): No felony conviction question on Amazon’s initial job application
- Fair Chance Business Pledge (2021): Formal commitment to individualized review, not automatic rejection
- Background check consent: Given during the online application, for hourly roles
- Background check timing: Screening runs after your conditional offer and pre-hire appointment
- Lookback window: Generally around 7 years, in line with FCRA limits. Longer in states without a “clean slate” cap
- Review basis: Conviction type, time elapsed, and fit with the specific role
Sharing that much personal data with a third party is also why it’s worth knowing how employment identity theft occurs during hiring before you submit anything.
Which Felony Convictions Disqualify You From Amazon?
Amazon doesn’t publish a fixed disqualification list under its workplace policies, but the pattern across warehouse, driver, and corporate reviews is consistent.
Violent Crimes
Assault, robbery, and similar convictions get the strictest review across nearly every role, and they weigh even more heavily for driver positions where you’re alone with a company vehicle and customer property.
Theft and Fraud
Several DSPs won’t move forward with a theft conviction within the last 5 years, and warehouse roles with inventory access face more questions than, say, a sortation center intake position.
Drug Offenses
These are reviewed based on recency and state law. Amazon is generally more concerned with theft and violence than with older drug charges, and marijuana-related convictions in states where it’s now legal tend to carry less weight.
DUI Convictions
This one is specific to Amazon because of the driver pathway. A DUI within the past 5 years is close to a hard stop for delivery driver and Flex roles, even when the same conviction wouldn’t affect a warehouse application.
Weapons and Sex Offenses
These stay the most consistently disqualifying categories across every role, regardless of how much time has passed. Even a decades-old conviction in this category rarely clears Amazon’s individualized review.
Disclaimer: This section reflects general hiring patterns, not legal advice. Rules vary by state, and DSP-level decisions for driver roles are set by the individual delivery partner, not by Amazon corporate. If you need certainty on a specific charge, an employment attorney or legal aid clinic can review your record directly.
How Does Amazon’s Background Check Process Work?
Amazon’s process depends on the type of role. So, you should expect different things if you are applying for hourly roles versus a corporate role.
Hourly Roles
For hourly positions, consent is built into the online application, and the check runs after your conditional offer and pre-hire appointment, with no interview in between for most roles.
Consent given: During the online application
Check runs: After conditional offer + pre-hire appointment
What’s reviewed: Criminal history, 7-year lookback
Source: Confirmed via hiring.amazon.com
Salaried / Corporate Roles
These roles work differently: you go through a phone screen and interview loop first, then give consent only after accepting a written offer.
Consent given: After accepting the written offer
Check runs: After offer acceptance, before start date
What’s reviewed: Criminal history, plus credit checks for finance/data roles
Source: Based on secondary sources, not confirmed by Amazon directly
What are Real Applicants Saying About Getting Hired at Amazon?
Reddit discussions show that Amazon hiring outcomes can vary based on the conviction, how old it is, and the type of job you apply for.
Applicant With Drug Felonies Was Hired
An applicant on parole asked about getting hired with a nonviolent drug felony. One commenter said they had two felony distribution convictions and were still hired by Amazon. Other users said the outcome can depend on the offense and state. – Reddit
Takeaway: A drug felony does not automatically prevent someone from getting an Amazon warehouse job.
Driver With Felonies Worked for Multiple DSPs
One applicant said a Georgia DSP told them that no delivery partner would hire someone with a felony. A commenter with felony convictions said they had worked for four different DSPs and were hired when their convictions were around three to four years old. – Reddit
Takeaway: DSP hiring rules can differ from one delivery company to another.
Amazon Flex Applicant Was Accepted With a DUI
An Amazon Flex applicant reported a DUI from 2018 along with a speeding ticket. They later updated the thread to say the DUI appeared on the background report, but Amazon Flex still accepted them. Another commenter also reported being approved with an older DUI. – Reddit
Takeaway: An older DUI may not automatically disqualify someone from Amazon Flex.
Recent Felony Triggered a Pre-Adverse Action Notice
A former Amazon delivery worker with a felony less than a year old said they received a pre-adverse action notice while trying to return as a driver. Another driver said they were on felony probation for possession and had still been hired after the conviction appeared on the background check.- Reddit
Takeaway: Recent convictions may receive more scrutiny, but outcomes can still vary between applicants and DSPs.
Fraud and Theft Convictions Had Mixed Results
An applicant with a six-year-old felony fraud conviction said Amazon warned that the record could affect their offer. Commenters reported very different experiences. Some said they had been hired with fraud, embezzlement, or theft convictions, while others said theft-related records had led to rejection. – Reddit
Takeaway: Fraud and theft cases appear to receive closer review, and approval is not consistent across applicants.
Battery Charge Produced Different Hiring Outcomes
A 2026 Amazon applicant with an older battery charge asked about a pending background check. One commenter said a felonious battery charge that had been reduced to a misdemeanor still resulted in rejection, while another said they had a more serious record and were hired. – Reddit
Takeaway: Violent-offense records may face closer review, but individual hiring outcomes are not always the same.
The Bottom Line
Your job type matters more than your record. A theft conviction that clears warehouse hiring can still sink a driver application, since a separate DSP employer makes that call, not Amazon itself.
If you have a theft, fraud, or DUI history, start with warehouse or fulfillment roles. Save driver and Flex applications for once those convictions are a few years old.
Pull your own background check first through Checkr, Accurate, or a similar service. It costs $10 to $30, and it means nothing in the official report catches you off guard.
If a pre-adverse action notice shows up, act fast. You get about 5 business days to dispute anything inaccurate, and the screening company must pause the decision until that’s resolved.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Felonies Will Amazon Not Hire For?
Weapons and sex offense convictions are the most consistently disqualifying, regardless of role. Violent crimes and recent theft or fraud convictions also face close scrutiny, especially for driver roles and any position with inventory or financial access.
How Strict is Amazon’s Background Check?
It’s thorough. Amazon checks criminal history and identity, and driving records for driver roles. But it’s not an automatic rejection just for having a felony. Amazon and its DSPs weigh the offense, its age, and whether it relates to the job before deciding.
What Disqualifies You from Working at Amazon?
It depends on the role. Driver and Flex applicants are often disqualified by recent DUIs or theft convictions. Warehouse roles are mainly disqualified by violent crimes, weapons or sex offense convictions, or by giving false information on the application.
Does Amazon Hire Felons for Remote or Corporate Jobs?
Yes. Corporate and remote roles get the same individual review as any other position, though fraud and theft convictions draw closer scrutiny for roles with financial or data access.
