The association is pairing a mandatory high-level screening for new members with a voluntary in-depth verification option for companies seeking to signal additional transparency.

As private lending grows in scale and visibility, so does the responsibility to protect the integrity of industry professionals. AAPL is taking a proactive step in that direction with two important updates: the transition to a new background check provider and the rollout of a new member screening process designed to safeguard the association and its members.

These changes are not about creating barriers. They are about reinforcing what AAPL membership has always signaled to the market: professionalism, accountability, and trust.

Growth Requires Stronger Infrastructure

AAPL membership has grown to more than 900 companies and professionals nationwide. The industry itself has expanded just as rapidly, fueled by new technology, increased capital flows, and a wider range of entry points into private lending.

That growth is a positive sign. It also means the environment looks very different than it did when the industry was smaller and more relationship-based. Today, AAPL represents a broad cross-section of lenders, brokers, service providers, and capital partners operating in diverse markets and structures.

As the oldest and largest professional trade association in private lending, AAPL sees it as its responsibility to evolve with the industry. Maintaining a high-caliber membership base cannot rely on reactive enforcement alone; it requires proactive safeguards that reinforce ethical conduct and professional standards from the start.

Business Screen for Verification Background Checks

AAPL will be moving its existing (voluntary) verification background check program to a new provider, Business Screen.

This Business Screen Verification program remains a company-level, in-depth background check for members who want to demonstrate an additional level of transparency and commitment to borrower trust. Members who complete the verification process can display a verification emblem in marketing materials and receive differentiation in AAPL’s Member Directory.

This offering is not changing in purpose or positioning. It continues to serve as a way for members to go above and beyond baseline requirements and signal to borrowers, partners, and capital sources that their business has undergone a deeper level of third-party review.

The transition to Business Screen strengthens the technical foundation behind the program while maintaining the same core goal: giving members a credible, visible way to stand out for professionalism and transparency.

A New Member Background Check

In addition to the verification program, AAPL is introducing a mandatory background check for all new members, which will also be conducted through Business Screen.

It is important to understand how this differs from the voluntary verification process.

The new-member check is a high-level review of the business entity and the individual with controlling interest. It is not a deep-dive investigation into every operational detail. Instead, it serves as an initial safeguard to help ensure that new entrants to the association do not have a history of conduct that directly conflicts with AAPL’s Code of Ethics.

This process is focused on identifying systemic patterns of serious misconduct or willful disregard for industry best practices—not minor, technical, or accidental missteps. The goal is to reduce the risk of bad actors entering the membership, not to create a punitive or intimidating experience for legitimate professionals.

The new standard sets a clear baseline for participation in a professional association whose name carries true weight in the marketplace.

Two Checks, Two Purposes

To avoid confusion, AAPL is emphasizing the distinction between the two types of background checks:

New Member Background Check (Mandatory): A high-level screening of the business and controlling individual. Its purpose is to protect the association and its existing members by identifying serious red flags before membership begins.

Verification Background Check (Voluntary, Comprehensive): A thorough review for members who want to showcase their commitment to transparency and borrower trust, along with visible recognition through AAPL channels, including the member directory.

One establishes a professional floor. The other allows members to raise their hands and demonstrate an even higher standard.

Built with Fairness and Oversight

AAPL recognizes that background check processes must be handled carefully and consistently. The association is working closely with its Ethics Committee to ensure the new procedures include clear standards, checks, and balances, as well as an emphasis on impartiality and fairness.

This is not a “set it and forget it” policy. As the process rolls out, AAPL will continue refining procedures to ensure they are applied equitably and aligned with the association’s professional mission.

Members should view this as part of a broader effort to strengthen the ecosystem, not as an administrative hurdle. Protecting the credibility of AAPL membership ultimately protects every member who operates in good faith.

Protecting the Meaning of Membership

Borrowers, brokers, capital partners, and service providers all look for signals they can trust when choosing whom to work with. For many, AAPL membership is one of those signals.

These new steps help ensure the signal remains strong.

By pairing a baseline safeguard for new members with an enhanced, voluntary verification option, AAPL is building a more resilient membership structure —one that reflects the realities of a growing, evolving industry while staying grounded in professional standards.

AAPL membership has long represented trust and excellence in private lending. These updates are designed to ensure it continues to do so.

In a market where reputation matters and trust drives business, AAPL is choosing to lead—with clearer standards, stronger safeguards, and a commitment to keeping AAPL membership synonymous with quality and excellence.