Every government contractor eventually faces the same question from a program manager: when can the new hire start? If the candidate needs a new clearance, the honest answer depends on federal processing times. Here is where those stand in 2026 and what they mean for your hiring plan.
Where processing times stand
The most recent published figures, as compiled by ClearedJobs.Net from government reporting in July 2026, look like this:
| Measure | Top Secret | Secret |
|---|---|---|
| End to end, initial clearance (FY2026 Q1, Oct to Dec 2025) | 205 days | 92 days |
| Investigation phase only, fastest 90% (FY2026 Q2, Jan to Mar 2026) | 57 days | 44 days |
The gap between those rows is the point. The investigation itself is only one stage. Submission, adjudication, and administrative steps add months. Adjudication alone averaged about 40 days in late FY2025, well above its 15-day goal.
Treat the numbers as a floor, not a promise
Two caveats matter for planning:
- They describe the fastest 90% of cases. The slowest 10% are not reflected, and those are often the cases with foreign contacts, complex finances, or extensive travel. Government reporting is expected to shift to covering all cases starting in FY2026 Q3, which will likely push reported averages up.
- Accuracy has been questioned. A Government Accountability Office review found that most of the timeliness statistics it examined were inaccurate. Use published averages as a rough guide, not a commitment to a hiring manager.
What this means for hiring
Cleared candidates are worth the premium. A candidate who already holds an active clearance can often start in weeks. A candidate who needs a new Top Secret may not be fully cleared for more than six months. For most program needs, paying more for someone already cleared costs less than an empty seat.
Interim and temporary eligibility helps, with limits. Preliminary determinations can let some candidates begin work before a final clearance. Reported averages for those determinations in early 2026 ran about 23 days for high-risk positions and 8 days for moderate-risk. But temporary eligibility can be withdrawn, does not grant access to every category of classified information, and has no published timeline. Plan for it as a possibility, not a guarantee.
Reinstatement beats initiation. Candidates whose clearance is current or recently inactive can often be reinstated far faster than a new investigation. Ask candidates when their last investigation closed and whether they are enrolled in continuous vetting.
How to plan around clearance timelines
- Decide early whether you can sponsor. If your contract allows sponsoring new clearances, set expectations with the program office about start dates before you recruit.
- Build a bench before you need it. Cleared candidates who are open to a move are your fastest path. Keep relationships warm between requirements.
- Set honest start dates. Give hiring managers a realistic range for uncleared hires and build it into project staffing plans.
- Keep sponsored candidates engaged. Months of waiting is when candidates accept other offers. Regular check-ins keep them committed.
- Verify, then trust the process. Confirm clearance details early and let your Facility Security Officer handle official verification.
The bottom line
Clearance timelines are improving in some stages, but end-to-end processing for a new Top Secret still runs well over six months, and the published numbers likely understate the hardest cases. Contractors that recruit already cleared talent and plan honestly around sponsorship timelines fill seats faster and keep programs on schedule.
Need cleared talent who can start sooner? Koger Talent focuses on candidates who already hold the clearance and polygraph your contract requires.