Summary and recommendation
Sterling's public developer API (developer.sterlingcheck.com) is scoped exclusively to background-check order lifecycle management - order submission, status polling, and report retrieval.
There is no publicly documented REST API for user or account management, no SCIM endpoint, and no user-provisioning surface exposed to developers.
Any identity graph mapping between your IdP and Sterling user accounts cannot be maintained programmatically through official, documented API calls.
Integration with HR systems such as Workday or SAP SuccessFactors is handled through certified partner connectors, not a generic user API.
API quick reference
| Has user API | No |
| SCIM available | No |
| SCIM plan required | Enterprise |
Authentication
Auth method: Not documented
User object / data model
User object field mapping is not yet verified for this app.
Core endpoints
Endpoint coverage is not yet verified for this app.
Rate limits, pagination, and events
Rate limits: Not documented
Rate-limit headers: No
Retry-After header: No
Rate-limit notes: Not documented
Pagination method: none
Default page size: 0
Max page size: 0
Pagination pointer: Not documented
Webhooks available: No
Webhook notes: No publicly documented webhook system for user-management events. Sterling's developer API focuses on background-check order lifecycle events (order status, report ready), not user provisioning.
Alternative event strategy: SSO via SAML 2.0 (Okta, Entra ID) is the documented identity integration path. User lifecycle is managed through the Sterling admin UI or ATS/HRIS partner connectors.
SCIM API status
- SCIM available: No
- SCIM version: Not documented
- Plan required: Enterprise
- Endpoint: Not documented
Limitations:
- No public SCIM documentation found on Sterling developer portal or help center.
- Sterling (now part of First Advantage) integrates primarily via SAML SSO and ATS/HRIS partner connectors rather than SCIM.
- Per-check pricing model; user provisioning is not a documented self-serve capability.
Common scenarios
No API-driven user-provisioning scenarios are documented in Sterling's public developer resources.
The only confirmed identity integration path is SAML 2.0 SSO with Okta or Entra ID, which handles authentication but does not automate provisioning or deprovisioning.
Developers needing to automate user lifecycle events should contact Sterling enterprise sales directly, as any such capability - if it exists - is not publicly documented and may vary by contract.
Scenario implementations are not yet verified for this app.
Why building this yourself is a trap
The primary API trap with Sterling is scope mismatch: the developer portal is fully functional for background-check workflows but provides zero coverage for user management, making it easy to assume a user API exists when it does not.
SAML SSO creates a false sense of automation - authentication is handled, but account creation, role assignment, and deprovisioning remain manual. Additionally, post-acquisition branding overlap between Sterling and First Advantage means documentation may be split or inconsistent across domains, increasing the risk of acting on stale or misattributed integration guidance.
Treat any undocumented provisioning capability as unsupported until confirmed in writing by your account team.
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