If you actual concern is, “How long will a conviction show up on a background check?” – well, that’s a different answer! Under the Fair Credit and Reporting Act, companies that perform background checks can only report convictions from the previous 7 years. Again, there is no different standard applied to misdemeanors vs. felonies in this record. So, if you are convicted of Virginia First Offense Marijuana Possession and 4 years later you apply for a job, that Possession of Marijuana conviction will show up on the background check.