Updated: 02/12/2026

Quick Answer

Walgreens may hire individuals with felony convictions for retail and warehouse positions. Pharmacy jobs are typically restricted because state licensing laws often prohibit individuals with certain felony convictions from becoming pharmacy technicians.

Bottom line: Retail roles may be possible. Pharmacy roles are usually not, or nearly impossible.

Felon-Friendly Score™

Overall Score: 13 / 25 (Low chance of being hired but not impossible)

Walgreens has been evaluated using the HelpForFelons Felon-Friendly Score™, which measures employer accessibility to felons based on policy transparency, hiring flexibility, background screening practices, regulatory restrictions, and documented hiring patterns.

Score Breakdown

• Public Policy Transparency: 2/5
• Case-by-Case Hiring: 3/5
• Background Check Strictness: 3/5
• Licensing Restrictions (Pharmacy): 1/5
• Real-World Hiring Reports: 4/5

Walgreens’ score is lowered primarily due to pharmacy licensing restrictions.

Walgreens Background Check

Walgreens always conducts background checks after a conditional job offer. Background screening is done by a third party, GoodHire and includes the following checks.

• Criminal history is typically run for the past 7 years but may be run farther back depending on the position you are applying for.
• Employment verification
• Education verification

You can find more information on Walgreens career page.

Background Check Laws & Hiring (IMPORTANT)

Background check results can vary by state. Some states have laws regarding how far back employers can check your criminal history, often 7 years. This can have a major impact on who Walgreens hires and where they will hire them. Learn more about how background check laws work and how they may affect employment screening.

Pharmacy Positions

Pharmacy employment is regulated at the state level. Most pharmacy roles require the following.

• State pharmacy technician licensure
• Approval from a state board of pharmacy
• Authorization to handle prescription medication
• Compliance with federal healthcare regulations

Many states restrict pharmacy technician licensing for individuals with convictions involving:

• Drug distribution or trafficking
• Prescription fraud
• Property theft
• Identity theft
• Financial fraud
• Healthcare-related crimes

If state law prohibits licensure, Walgreens cannot legally employ the applicant in a pharmacy role. Pharmacy positions are therefore highly restricted for individuals with felony convictions. Only in rare instances can you work in a pharmacy with a criminal history.

Retail Positions

Retail store positions do not require pharmacy licensing. Common positions include the following.

• Customer Service Associate
• Cashier
• Shift Lead
• Stock Associate
• Inventory Specialist

Eligibility to be hired depends on a number of factors including the following.

• Nature of the offense
• Time since conviction
• Relevance to job duties
• Employment history

Theft-related offenses may affect cash-handling roles.

Warehouse and Distribution Positions

Walgreens operates distribution centers and logistics facilities. These positions do not involve pharmacy licensing and may present more accessible opportunities, depending on the applicant’s background. These are labor type jobs like loading and unloading trucks.

Comparison to Other Retail Employers

Walgreens ranks lower than general retail employers due to pharmacy regulatory restrictions and stiff hiring policies.

Related Employer Information

If Walgreens doesn’t hire you may want to take a look at our jobs page or at other companies.

• Does Wendy’s Hire Felons
• Does Target Hire Felons
• Does Costco Hire Felons
• Does Amazon Hire Felons
• Does Dollar General Hire Felons
• Does Waste Management Hire Felons

Disclaimer

Hiring policies vary by location and change over time. Information on this page is based on reported hiring experiences and publicly available data and is not a guarantee of employment. Nothing on this site should be considered legal advice.

FAQ – Walgreens and criminal records