The Certn integration enables organizations to perform background checks for new hires directly through Drata. By connecting Certn, companies can streamline employee onboarding while automatically storing background check summaries in Drata for compliance and audit readiness.
Note:
The Certn integration is not available for EU-based customers. EU customers can instead use supported background check providers such as Checkr or KarmaCheck.
Key Capabilities
Background Check Automation: Initiate background checks for personnel directly from Drata
Centralized Records: Store background check summaries within Drata for compliance tracking
Streamlined Onboarding: Simplify the employee screening process during onboarding
Prerequisites & Data Access
Certn Access Requirements
You must have a Certn account for your organization.
You must create the following credentials in Certn:
API Key
Webhook Secret Key
Drata Role Requirements
To create or modify connections, you must have one of the following Drata roles with write access:
Admin
Workspace Manager
DevOps Engineer
Access Reviewers can view the connection page but cannot modify connection settings.
Step-by-Step Setup
Step 1: Create a Certn API Key
Log in to your Certn account.
Navigate to Settings.
Select the appropriate Team.
Open Team Settings.
Select API Keys from the left menu.
Select Add API Key.
Copy the generated API Key.
Store this key securely, as it will be required to connect Certn to Drata.
Expected outcome:
You have generated the Certn API Key required for the integration.
Step 2: Register the Certn Webhook
Drata uses a webhook to receive background check status updates from Certn.
In Certn, navigate to Settings → Team → Team Settings.
Locate the Webhook configuration section.
Enter the following webhook URL:
https://api.drata.com/certn/webhook
Save the configuration.
Copy the generated Webhook Secret Key.
Expected outcome:
The webhook is registered and Certn will send background check updates to Drata.
Step 3: Connect Certn in Drata
Log in to Drata → go to the Connections page.
Navigate to your Available Connections.
Search for and start the Certn connection process.
Enter the following information when prompted:
API Key
Webhook Secret Key
Select Continue.
Next, select the background check packages configured in your Certn account.
Note: OneID (Enhanced Identity Verification) is required for Canadian and International background checks, and is also recommended for U.S. background checks.
Select Save & Test Connection.
Expected outcome:
Certn is successfully connected to Drata.
Enable Certn for Background Checks
After the connection is established, enable Certn as your background check provider.
Navigate to Settings → Personnel Compliance → Human Resources tab in Drata.
Locate the Background Checks section.
Select Use Drata's partner Certn for background checks.
Expected outcome:
Certn is now configured as the background check provider for your organization.
How Personnel Complete Background Checks
When a background check is required:
The employee logs in to My Drata.
Navigate to the Background Check section.
Select Certn.
Choose the appropriate screening type:
U.S.
Canada
International
Start the background check process.
Expected outcome:
Background check results are sent to Drata and stored for compliance and audit purposes.
Important Notes
Regional limitation: Certn is not supported for EU-based customers.
Webhook requirement: The webhook must be configured for background check updates to sync properly.
Background check packages: Only packages configured in Certn can be selected during the connection process.