The Annual Meeting will be held entirely in virtual format. While you will not be able to attend the meeting at a physical location, we have endeavored to offer stockholders the same rights and opportunities to participate as they would have in-person. You will be able to attend the meeting online, vote your shares electronically, and submit questions during the virtual meeting.

The Notice of Internet Availability containing instructions on how to access this proxy statement and form of proxy card were first mailed on or about April 27, 2022.26, 2023.

By order of the Board of Directors,

This notice of annual meeting, proxy statement, and annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021,2022, are available at www.proxyvote.com or on the Securities and Exchange Commission’s, or SEC’s, website at www.sec.gov.

We continue to develop and evolve, and our board of directors continues to support and oversee, our governance framework to align with the priorities and interests of our various stakeholders. Our corporate governance highlights include:

Our board of directors acts on behalf of our stockholders and oversees MeridianLink’s business and affairs. To satisfy their duties, directors are expected to, among other things, participate in board and committee meetings, review provided materials, interact with the chief executive officer and members of management, engage with outside experts when appropriate, and assess the feedback of MeridianLink stockholders.

Our board of directors is responsible for selecting the appropriate leadership structure and, specifically, appointing the chair of our board and our chief executive officer. In making such determinations, the board of directors considers the interests of our stockholders and the current needs of the business. Currently, the board of directors has separated the two roles, with a non-employee director, Paul Zuber, serving as chair of our board of directors. Our board of directors believes that its current leadership structure recognizes the significant commitment to each role and effectively allocates authority, responsibility, and oversight between the non-employee directors and management.

Our board of directors has undertaken a review of the independence of each director and periodically evaluates all relationships between MeridianLink and each non-employee director for the purposes of determining whether a material relationship exists that might represent a potential conflict of interest or otherwise interfere with the director’s ability to satisfy their responsibilities as a director and that each of these directors is “independent” as that term is defined under the listing standards of the New York Stock Exchange, or NYSE. In making such determinations, the board of directors observes NYSE and SEC independence criteria and considers all relevant facts and circumstances. As a result of its review, the board of directors has determined that none of our directors, other than Mr. Nguyen and Mr. Vlok, who are also our officers, has a material relationship with us and, as a result, such directors are independent.

Thoma Bravo UGP, LLC and its affiliated entities, or Thoma Bravo, currently own a majority of the voting power of our outstanding common stock. The NYSE defines a controlled company as a company of which more than 50% of the voting power is held by an individual, a group, or another company. As a result, we are a controlled company within the meaning of NYSE rules.

A controlled company may elect not to comply with certain NYSE governance requirements, such as requiring (1) a majority of the board of directors to consist of independent directors as defined under the rules of the NYSE; (2) an entirely independent nominating and corporate governance committee with a written committee charter; and (3) an entirely independent compensation committee with a written committee charter. We have and, for so long as we remain a controlled company, expect to continue to use some or all of these exemptions. Currently, we rely on the exemption from the requirement for a fully independent compensation committee.committee, however, we expect to have a fully independent compensation committee following the Annual Meeting upon receipt of stockholder approval with respect to our director nominees.

Thoma Bravo would have sufficient voting power to determine the outcome of all matters requiring stockholder approval, including, but not limited to, the composition of our board of directors and amending our certificate of incorporation and bylaws. Further, pursuant to our certificate of incorporation and bylaws, for so long as Thoma Bravo beneficially owns 30% or more of our outstanding shares of common stock, Thoma Bravo will have the right to designate a majority of our board of directors. Accordingly, other stockholders may not have the same protections afforded to those of companies that are subject to all of the NYSE governance requirements.

We currently have nine directors, including seven independent directors. Upon receipt of stockholder approval with respect to Proposal No. 1 – Election of Directors, our board of directors will remain at nine directors with seven non-employee, independent directors.

In accordance with our certificate of incorporation, our board of directors is divided into three classes serving staggered three-year terms. At each annual meeting of stockholders following the initial classification, directors will be elected to succeed the class of directors whose terms have expired. Our current directors are divided as follows:

During 2021,2022, our board of directors met eightfourteen times, the audit committee met eightten times, the compensation committee met one time,six times, the cybersecurity committee met four times, and our nominating and corporate governance committee met twofour times. Each director attended at least 75% of the aggregate meetings of the board of directors and their respective regular committees. Directors are encouraged to attend our annual meeting of stockholders. The Annual Meeting is our firstAll director nominees and all other directors, except two, attended the 2022 annual meeting of stockholders as a public company.stockholders.

Our board of directors presently has four regular committees, consisting of the audit committee, compensation committee, cybersecurity committee, and nominating and corporate governance committee. All of our committees, except the audit and compensation committees, were established at various times during 2021 in preparation for our initial public offering, or IPO. The charters for each of these committees and our corporate governance guidelines are available in the “Governance” section of our investor relations website at ir.meridianlink.com. BelowThe below information reflects current composition of each committee, unless otherwise indicated.

The audit committee primarily assists the board of directors in fulfilling its oversight responsibilities by reviewing: (1) the integrity of our financial statements; (2) our compliance with legal and regulatory requirements; (3) the

independent registered public accounting firm’s qualifications, independence, and performance; and (4) the

The compensation committee primarily assists the board of directors in matters relating to: director and executive officer compensation; oversight of our overall compensation structure, policies, and programs; and review of our processes and procedures for the consideration and determination of director and executive officer compensation. In addition, the compensation committee’s responsibilities include, among others:

The cybersecurity committee primarily assists the board of directors in matters relating to: oversight of our policies, plans, and programs relating to cybersecurity and data protection risks associated with itsour products, services, and business operations; and feedback on cybersecurity related matters, not limited to strategies, objectives, capabilities, initiatives, and policies. In addition, the cybersecurity committee’s responsibilities include, among others, reviewing and advising on:

The nominating and corporate governance committee primarily assists the board of directors in matters relating to: (1) identification of director candidates, consistent with criteria approved by the board; (2) recommendation of director nominees for election at each annual meeting of stockholders; (3) development and periodic review of, and recommendations to the board of directors regarding, our corporate governance guidelines; (4) oversight of an

annual evaluation of the board, its committees, and management; and (5) oversight of our environmental, social, and corporate governance, or ESG, strategies, policies, guidelines, and practices.practices, including our internal ESG steering committee. In addition, the nominating and corporate governance committee’s responsibilities include, among others:

The nominating and corporate governance committee will consider candidates properly recommended by stockholders owning at least three percent of our common stock continuously for at least 24 months prior to the recommendation date in the same manner as candidates recommended to the committee from other sources. Such recommendations must be submitted in writing to our Corporate Secretary as set forth below and include, among other items, specified information about the recommending stockholder and the biographical information and qualifications of the recommended director candidate. Any properly submitted recommendations from stockholders will be evaluated in the same manner as candidates recommended to the nominating and corporate governance committee from other sources.

In addition, under our bylaws, if a stockholder wishes to nominate a director candidate for consideration at the 20232024 annual meeting of stockholders, we must receive proper written notice no earlier than the close of business on February 9, 2023,2024, and no later than the close of business on March 11, 2023,10, 2024, and must otherwise comply with the requirements of our bylaws.

Recommendations and nominations should be addressed to the attention of our Corporate Secretary at MeridianLink, Inc., 3560 Hyland Avenue, Suite 200, Costa Mesa, California 92626 and with a copy via email to InvestorRelations@meridianlink.com.

The following qualifications must be satisfied by any nominee for a position on the board:

The nominating and corporate governance committee oversees our annual board and committee performance assessment process. In its inauguralConsistent with the previous year, the nominating and corporate governance committee selected an outside firm to facilitate and report the results of the board and committee performance assessment. Each director was asked, on an anonymous, unattributed basis, to provide qualitative and quantitative feedback regarding the board’s performance and board effectiveness. The assessment spanned various areas, not limited to each committee’s performance and board alignment, responsibilities, strategy, culture, composition, and leadership.leadership, the results of which are reviewed by the nominating and corporate governance committee as well as by each respective committee and the board in executive session.

Our board of directors, as a whole and through its committees, maintains responsibility for the oversight of risk management. Oversight responsibilities are primarily conducted through each of the committees, each of which consider risks within its respective areas of responsibility. Each committee chair makes a report to the board of directors at least quarterly, highlighting oversight matters under the committee’s purview. For example, our audit committee oversees risk management activities related to our financial statements, financial controls, and legal and compliance risks; our compensation committee oversees risk management activities related to compensation policies and practices; our nominating and corporate governance committee oversees risk management activities related to corporate governance, including board composition, ESG, and succession planning; and our cybersecurity committee oversees risk management activities as discussed in further detail below, although these examples are by no means an exhaustive list of the risks overseen by each committee.

Management is responsible for the day-to-day handling of our company’s risks, implementing and supervising risk management processes and policies, and reporting regularly to the board and its committees. All committees receive regular reports from senior management responsible for monitoring and mitigating particular risk exposures within the purview of such committee, including operational, product, economic, financial, legal, regulatory, cybersecurity, and competitive risks. At the management level, we have established disclosure controls to monitor our compliance with securities disclosure obligations. Our board of directors regularly discusses with management the policies and practices utilized by management in assessing and managing long- and short-term internal and external risks and provides input on those policies and practices.

Our insider trading policy prohibits all directors, officers, employees, and designated consultants together with certain of their family members, controlled entities, and other affiliates, from engaging in any speculative transactions. We prohibit hedging transactions, such as buying or selling puts, calls, and other derivative securities. Furthermore, we also prohibit short sales and pledging our securities as collateral for loans or margin accounts.

We have adopted a code of business conduct and ethics for directors, officers (including our principal executive officer, principal financial officer, and principal accounting officer), and employees. The MeridianLink Code of Business Conduct and Ethics is available in the “Governance” section of our investor relations website at ir.meridianlink.com. A copy is also available upon written request directed to the Corporate Secretary at MeridianLink, Inc., 3560 Hyland Avenue, Suite 200, Costa Mesa, California 92626 or by email to InvestorRelations@meridianlink.com. We intend to satisfy our disclosure requirements under applicable law regarding an amendment to or waiver from a provision of our code of business conduct and ethics, if any, by posting such information on our website.

We believe stockholder engagement is an important aspect of our development, particularly in our nascency as a public company. This engagement enables us to better understand stockholder priorities and perspectives, provides an opportunity to elaborate on our policies, practices, and initiatives, and fosters constructive dialogue. We regularly engage with our various stakeholders through our quarterly earnings calls, investor meetings and conferences, and other channels for communication. We consider the feedback from such engagement when forming and evolving our practices and review such feedback with our board of directors as appropriate.

To facilitate communications with our board of directors, we have established a process in our Securityholder Communication Policy available in the “Governance” section of our investor relations website at ir.meridianlink.com. Communications can be addressed to directors in the care of the Corporate Secretary at MeridianLink, Inc., 3560 Hyland Avenue, Suite 200, Costa Mesa, California 92626 or by email to

Stockholders and interested parties may also submit questions or comments to the board of directors, including on an anonymous basis if desired, through our whistleblower hotline by phone at 800-916-7037 or online at ir.meridianlink.com/whistleblower-information/default.aspx. Concerns relating to accounting, internal control over financial reporting, or auditing matters will be brought to the attention of the audit committee and handled in accordance with our procedures with respect to such matters.

Our board of directors has adopted a formal written policy providing that our audit committee will be responsible for reviewing “related person transactions,” defined as transactions, arrangements, or relationships (or any series of similar transactions, arrangements, or relationships), to which we are a party, in which the aggregate amount involved exceeds or may be expected to exceed $120,000, and in which a related person has, had, or will have a direct or indirect material interest. For purposes of this policy, a related person is defined as a director, executive officer, nominee for director, or greater than 5% beneficial owner of our capital stock, in each case since the beginning of the most recently completed year, and any of their immediate family members. In determining whether to approve or ratify any such transaction, our audit committee will take into account, among other factors it deems appropriate, (i) whether the transaction is on terms no less favorable than terms generally available to unaffiliated third parties under the same or similar circumstances and (ii) the extent of the related party’s interest in the transaction. The audit committee has also considered and adopted standing pre-approvals under the policy for limited transactions with related persons.

If at any time we propose to register the offer and sale of shares of our common stock under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act (other than a registration on Form S-4, Form S-8, or any successor form, a registration of securities solely relating to an offering and sale to our employees, directors, members, managers, advisors, or consultants pursuant to any employee equity plan or other employee benefit plan arrangement, or a registration of non-convertible debt securities) then we must notify the holders of Registrable Securities of such

proposal to allow them to include a specified number of their shares of our common stock in such registration, subject to certain marketing and other limitations.

In addition, our bylaws provide that we will indemnify, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any person who is or was a party or is threatened to be made a party to any action, suit, or proceeding by reason of the fact that he or she is or was one of our directors or officers or is or was serving at our request as a director or officer of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, or other enterprise. Our bylaws also provide that we may indemnify, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any person who is or was a party or is threatened to be made a party to any action, suit, or proceeding by reason of the fact that he or she is or was one of our employees or agents or is or was serving at our request as an employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, or other enterprise. Our bylaws also provide that we must advance expenses incurred by or on behalf of a director or executive officer in advance of the final disposition of any action or proceeding, subject to limited exceptions.

Further, we have entered into or will enter into indemnification agreements with each of our directors and executive officers that may be broader than the specific indemnification provisions contained in the DGCL. These indemnification agreements require us, among other things, to indemnify our directors and executive officers against liabilities that may arise by reason of their status or service. These indemnification agreements also require us to advance all expenses incurred by the directors and executive officers in investigating or defending any such action, suit, or proceeding. We believe that these agreements are necessary to attract and retain qualified individuals to serve as directors and executive officers.

We have obtained insurance policies under which, subject to the limitations of the policies, coverage is provided to our directors and executive officers against loss arising from claims made by reason of breach of fiduciary duty or other wrongful acts as a director or executive officer, including claims relating to public securities matters, and to us with respect to payments that may be made by us to these directors and executive officers pursuant to our indemnification obligations or otherwise as a matter of law.

Certain of our non-employee directors may, through their relationships with their employers, be insured and/or indemnified against certain liabilities incurred in their capacity as members of our board of directors.

The underwriting agreement entered into in connection with our IPO provides for indemnification by the underwriters of us and our officers and directors for certain liabilities arising under the Securities Act and otherwise with respect to information provided by the underwriters specifically for inclusion in the registration statement for our IPO.

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, executive officers, or persons controlling our company pursuant to the foregoing provisions, we have been informed that, in the opinion of the SEC, such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.

From time to time, we engage in certain transactions with other companies affiliated with our directors, executive officers, and significant stockholders, or their respective immediate family members. We believe that all such arrangements have been entered into in the ordinary course of business and have been conducted on an arm’s-length basis and do not represent a material interest to such directors, executive officers, or significant stockholders.

Our board of directors, upon the recommendation of the nominating and corporate governance committee following an evaluation of each person’s qualifications and prior board service, has nominated the following Class III directors for election as a director, each to hold office until the annual meeting of stockholders in 20252026 and until their successors are duly elected and qualified:

Each of the director nominees currently serves as a member of our board of directors.

Ms. Poddar has served on our board of directors since November 2021. Ms. Poddar has served as executive vice president and general manager of the diagnostic and pathway informatics business at Philips, a health technology company, since June 2022. Prior to that, Ms. Poddar served as the chief product officer of Teradata Corporation from January 2019 until January 2020. Prior to that, Ms. Poddar served as executive vice president, product and technology of Teradata Corporation from October 2018 to January 2019 and as senior vice president of product development from June 2017 to October 2018. Prior to Teradata, from 2016 to 2017, Ms. Poddar served as chief operating officer for AdFender Inc., a security software startup. Ms. Poddar spent 14 years at General Electric from 2002 to 2016 serving in several executive positions, including executive vice president of asset performance management product technology at GE Digital, a subsidiary of General Electric, from 2014 to 2016. Ms. Poddar is currently a director of Accion Labs Group Holdings, Inc. and on the Boardboard of Advisorsadvisors of Optimeyes.ai and previously served on the Corporate Council Boardcorporate council board of Advisorsadvisors to the Dean of UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering. Ms. Poddar holds a master’s degree in computer applications from Bangalore University, India and a master’s degree in Physicsphysics from Mahatma Gandhi University, India. Our board of directors believes that Ms. Poddar’s executive leadership experience and product development and technology expertise qualify her for re-election on our board of directors.

Mr. Sachleben has served on our board of directors since March 2023. Mr. Sachleben has served as advisor to servethe chief financial officer at New Relic, Inc., a SaaS company that delivers an all-in-one observability platform for engineers, since August 2022. Prior to that, Mr. Sachleben served as the chief financial officer of New Relic from April 2008 and its corporate secretary from February 2018, each until August 2022. From 1999 to 2006, Mr. Sachleben served as vice president of finance at Wily Technology, Inc., an application management software company. Mr. Sachleben is currently a director of Acuity Brands, Inc. (NYSE: AYI) and serves on the compensation and management development and governance committees. Mr. Sachleben holds an A.B. in engineering science and B.S. in fluid and mechanical engineering from Dartmouth College and an M.B.A. from Stanford University. Our board of directors believes that Mr. Sachleben’s executive leadership, board, and technology experience and his financial expertise qualify him for re-election on our board of directors.

Ms. Zheng has served on our board of directors since December 2021. Ms. Zheng served as the chief marketing officer at Bill.com,BILL, a provider of cloud-based software that simplifies, digitizes, and automates back-office financial processes for small and mid-sized businesses, from March 2018 until January 2021. Prior to that, Ms. Zheng served as the chief marketing officer of Tintri from May 2014 to July 2017. From 2004 to 2012, Ms. Zheng held marketing leadership roles at numerous software companies, including at VMware during its IPO and at Medallia. Ms. Zheng is currently a director of Poly (NYSE: POLY)LivePerson (NASDAQ: LPSN), Billtrust, and Splashtop and previously served on the boardboards of Poly and Stella Connect. Ms. Zheng holds a B.S. in materials science and engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a master of business administrationan M.B.A. from UC Berkeley Haas School of Business and is NACD Directorship Certified™. Our board of directors believes that Ms. Zheng’s technology marketing experience and leadership roles in companies from early stage to public qualify her for re-election on our board of directors.

Mr. Nguyen has served as our chief strategy officer since September 2019 and on our board of directors since May 2018. Prior to that, Mr. Nguyen served as our president and chief executive officer from May 2018 to September 2019, and in various leadership roles with the company since 1998. Mr. Nguyen currently serves on the board of directors of SavvyMoney, Inc. Mr. Nguyen holds a B.S. in computer science from the University of California, Irvine. Our board of directors believes that, based on Mr. Nguyen’s knowledge of our company and our business and experience as our chief strategy officer and co-founder, Mr. Nguyen is qualified to serve on our board of directors.

The service terms of the following directors will expire at the annual meeting of stockholders to be held in 2024.

Mr. Jangalapalli has served on our board of directors since May 2018. Mr. Jangalapalli has served as a Principalprincipal at Thoma Bravo since January 2020. Mr. Jangalapalli joined Thoma Bravo as a Vice Presidentvice president in July 2016. Prior to joining Thoma Bravo, he worked as a software investor at JMI Equity from July 2011 to June 2014 and as an investment banker at Deutsche Bank from July 2009 to June 2011. Mr. Jangalapalli currently serves, and has previously served, as a director of several software and technology service companies in which certain investment funds advised by Thoma Bravo hold an investment, including Greenphire, Inc., Riskonnect, Inc., Syntellis Performance Solutions, LLC, and Zipari, Inc. Mr. Jangalapalli holds a B.A. in Economicseconomics from Dartmouth College and an M.B.A. from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. Our board of directors believes that Mr. Jangalapalli’s board and industry experience and his overall knowledge of our business qualify him to serve on our board of directors.

Mr. Zuber has served as chair of our board of directors since May 2018. Mr. Zuber has been an Operating Partneroperating partner with Thoma Bravo since 2010. Previously, he served as founding Chief Executive Officerchief executive officer of Dilithium Networks Inc. from July 2001 to July 2010 and as Chief Executive Officerchief executive officer of Bluegum Group from 1995 to 2000. Mr. Zuber also served in senior positions at Ready Systems Inc. from 1986 to 1990. Mr. Zuber currently serves on the board of directors of Dynatrace, Inc. (NYSE: DT), a software intelligence platform provider, and Houlihan Lokey, Inc (NYSE: HLI), a global independent investment bank, as well as several software and technology service companies in which certain private equity funds advised by Thoma Bravo hold an

investment, including ABC Fitness Solutions, Barracuda Networks, Inc., Condeco, Cority Software Inc., Frontline Education Technologies, LLC, Imprivata,Eptura, LogRhythm, Inc., iOffice,Mercell, Sophos Group plc, and Syntellis Performance Solutions, LLC, Kofax, Ltd., LogRhythm,and Mr. Zuber also served on the board of directors of Dynatrace, Inc., QAD, and Sophos Group plc. (NYSE: DT) until August 2022. Mr. Zuber holds B.A. degrees in International Relationsinternational relations and Economicseconomics from Stanford University and an M.B.A. from the Stanford Graduate School of Business. Our board of directors believes that Mr. Zuber’s board and industry experience and his knowledge of our business qualify him to serve on our board of directors.

The following table sets forth the compensation paid to our non-employee directors for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021.2022. Members of our board of directors who are also officers or employees of our company, currently Messrs. Nguyen and Vlok, do not receive compensation for their services as a director. Mr. Sachleben is not included in the table below as he joined our board of directors in March 2023. Other than as set forth in the table below, we did not pay any compensation or make any equity awards to our non-employee directors during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021.2022.

We adopted aOur non-employee director compensation policy, which became effective upon the completion of our IPO. The policy is designed to enable us to attract and retain, on a long-term basis, highly qualified non-employee directors.

Under the policy, each director who is not an employee is paid cash compensation, from and after the completion of the IPO, as set forth below. Annual cash retainers are paid in quarterly installments in arrears and are pro-rated for any partial calendar quarter of service.

Retainers for chairs and committee membership are in addition to retainers for board of director membership. No additional compensation is paid for attending individual meetings of the board of directors or committee meetings of the board of directors.

A substantial portion of each non-employee director’s annual retainer is in the form of equity awards.

Director equity awards are subject to full accelerated vesting upon the sale of the company.

We will also reimburse all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by non-employee directors in attending board or committee meetings.

Mr. ArnoldBlitchok has served as our chief operatingfinancial officer since March 2018. Prior to that, he served as the President, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Technology Officer, Executive Vice President, and served on the board of directors of Vision Solutions, Inc., a data recovery software company, from August 2001 to March 2017, where he led the company’s business strategy and global operations.June 2022. Prior to that, Mr. ArnoldBlitchok served as the senior vice president of finance and operations at BlackLine, Inc., a Senior Managercloud-based financial operations management platform specializing in accounting software development, from August 2021 to June 2022. Mr. Blitchok served as the vice president of Ernst & Young, LLPfinance and strategy at Salesforce, Inc., a cloud-based software company providing relationship management software and applications to consumers, from 1995June 2017 to 2001.August 2021, and as its vice president of operations and shared services from January 2013 to June 2017. Mr. Arnold attended Chapman UniversityBlitchok previously served as senior finance director, finance director, and enterprise risk manager at the Hewlett-Packard Company, a multinational information technology company, from June 2004 to January 2013. Mr. Blitchok holds a B.S. in Businesssociology and Managementbusiness law from theWestern Michigan University and an M.B.A. from Michigan State University, Eli Broad College of Redlands.Business.

Mr. MartinMaloof has served as our chief financial officerpresident, Go To Market since May 2018. Previously, he served as the Chief Financial Officer of DealerSocket, Inc., which provides solutions for automotive CRM, websites, inventory management, and DMS for independent car dealers, from July 2016 to May 2018.June 2022. Prior to that, Mr. MartinMaloof served as our chief product officer from October 2019 to June 2022. Mr. Maloof served as senior vice president of product management, professional services & sales engineering at Rogue Wave Software from July 2018 to August 2019 and as vice president, strategy and corporate development at Aspira from October 2017 to July 2018. Before joining Aspira, Mr. Maloof held various leadership positions at ACTIVE Network, including vice president, operations, and began his career in engineering at General Electric. Mr. Maloof currently serves on the Chief Financial Officerboard of P2 Energy Solutions, which providesdirectors of Motus LLC, a software and solutions to the upstream and mid-stream oil and gas sectors, from January 2012 to July 2016.technology service company in which certain investment funds advised by Thoma Bravo hold an investment. Mr. Martin previously served as President and Chief Financial Officer of Home Care Assistance, LLC from February 2011 to January 2012; Chief Financial Officer of Pacific Pulmonary Services, LP from 2004 to 2011; and Vice President, Technology, Media, and Telecommunications Group, Investment Banking Division, of Goldman, Sachs & Co. from 1996 to 2004. Mr. MartinMaloof holds a B.B.A. degreeB.S. in Business (Finance)electrical engineering from Texas ChristianBoston University and an M.B.A. from the Stanford Graduate School of Business.Harvard Business School.

Mr. Nguyen’s biographical information appears under Proposal No. 1 - Election of Directors herein.

Mr. Vlok’s biographical information appears under Proposal No. 1 - Election of Directors herein.

Our named executive officers, or NEOs, for 20212022 are as follows:

The following table, footnotes, and accompanying narratives set forth the compensation paid to our NEOs for the fiscal years indicated.

Our board of directors and compensation committee review compensation annually for our executive officers. In setting executive base salaries and annual incentives and granting equity incentive awards, we consider compensation for comparable positions in the market, the historical compensation levels of our executives, individual performance as compared to our expectations and objectives, our desire to motivate our employees to

achieve short- and long-term results that are in the best interests of our stockholders, and a long-term commitment to our company. We target a general competitive position, based on independent third-party benchmark analytics to inform the mix of compensation of base salary, annual incentives, and/or long-term incentives.

Our compensation committee is responsible for reviewing and recommending to the board of directors the compensation for all of our executive officers. Our compensation committee and board of directors typically review and discuss management’s proposed compensation with the chief executive officer for all executive officers other than the chief executive officer. Based on those discussions and its discretion, taking into account the factors noted above, the compensation committee recommends the compensation for the executive officers to our board of directors for approval. Our board of directors discusses the compensation committee’s recommendation and ultimately approves the compensation of our executive officers.

Our compensation committee is authorized to retain the services of one or more executive compensation advisors, as it sees fit, in connection with the establishment and evaluation of our executive compensation programs and related policies. In 2021,2022, the compensation committee retained the services of Semler Brossy Consulting Group, or Semler Brossy, and Compensia, Inc., or Compensia, as its external independent compensation consultants. During 2021, Semler Brossy and2022, Compensia did not provide services to us other than the services to our compensation committee described herein. Our compensation committee performs an annual assessment of its compensation consultants’consultant’s independence to determine whether the consultants areconsultant is independent. Based on its evaluation, the compensation committee determined that Semler Brossy was and Compensia is independent and that theirits work has not raised any conflicts of interest.

Each NEO’s base salary is a fixed component of annual compensation for performing specific duties and functions and has been established by our board of directors taking into account each individual’s role, responsibilities, skills, and expertise. Base salaries are reviewed by our compensation committee, typically in connection with our annual performance review process, approved by our board of directors, and adjusted from time to time to realign salaries with market levels after taking into account individual responsibilities, performance, and experience. The annual base salaries of the NEOs as of December 31, 20212022 were $600,000 for Mr. Vlok, $406,061$440,000 for Mr. Martin,Blitchok, and $348,387$486,000 for Mr. Arnold.Maloof. Mr. Martin’sVlok’s 2022 base salary remained the same as his 2021 base salary, Mr. Blitchok’s base salary was set in connection with his hire, and Mr. Maloof’s base salary was increased from $365,000$357,143 to $406,061 and Mr. Arnold’s base salary was increased from $320,000 to $348,387,$486,000, in each case effective May 10, 2021.connection with his promotion in June 2022.

For fiscal year ended December 31, 2021,2022, the target annual bonusincentive compensation for each of the NEOs was as follows: 85% of base salary for Mr. Vlok, 65%75% of base salary for Mr. Martin,Blitchok, and 55%75% of base salary for Mr. Arnold.Maloof. Mr. Blitchok’s target annual incentive compensation opportunity and actual 2022 annual incentive compensation was prorated to reflect his date of hire. In January 2023, the compensation committee determined to modify the original adjusted EBITDA target to reflect, among other things, acquisitions completed by the company during the year, leadership changes over the course of the year and associated costs, acceleration of the company’s data center migration, and other market headwinds, and determined that bonuses were earned at 100% of target levels due to our performance against the modified adjusted EBITDA target metric, which was achieved at 100% of the target. The annual bonuses earned by Messrs. Vlok, Martin,Blitchok, and ArnoldMaloof for the fiscal year ended December 31, 20212022 are reported in the “Non-Equity Incentive Plan Compensation” column of the 20212022 Summary Compensation Table above. The earned bonuses exceeded the target percentages due to our actual over performance relative to the EBITDA target metric, which was achieved at 148.6% of target.

We believe long-term equity incentive awards encourage retention, provide our executives with a strong link to our long-term performance, create an ownership culture, and help to align the interests of our executives and our stockholders. Accordingly, our board of directors and compensation committee periodically review the equity incentive compensation of our NEOs and may grant equity incentive awards to them from time to time.

In connection with our IPO,2022, under our 2021 Plan, we granted restricted stock unit awards and stock options to our NEOs, which are described in more detail in the “Outstanding Equity Awards at 20212022 Fiscal Year-End” table below.

In connection with our IPO, weWe have entered into new employment agreements with each of Messrs. Arnold, Martin,Vlok, Blitchok, and Vlok.Maloof, each of which was amended in March 2023 to amend certain definitions in the agreements. In addition, each of our NEOs has entered into an agreement including confidentiality obligations, requiring the assignment of inventions, and containing other restrictive covenants.

Pursuant to his employment agreement, in the event that Mr. Vlok’s employment is terminated by us without cause or if Mr. Vlok terminates his employment for good reason, as such terms are defined therein, subject to his execution and the effectiveness of a separation agreement and release, we will be obligated to (i) pay him a cash severance payment equal to the sum of 12 months of his then-current base salary, the amount of any bonus earned but unpaid in respect of the prior fiscal year that would have been paid if Mr. Vlok’s employment had not been terminated, and 100% of his target bonus for the then-current year, and (ii) continue for a period of up to 12 months to make monthly payments equal to the monthly employer contribution that we would have made to provide health insurance as if he had remained employed by us. In lieu of the foregoing payments and benefits, if Mr. Vlok’s employment with us is terminated by us without cause or Mr. Vlok terminates his employment for good reason within the period beginning three months before and ending 12 months after a change in control and subject to his execution and the effectiveness of a separation agreement and release, we will be obligated to (i) pay him a lump-sum cash severance payment equal to the sum of 24 months of his then-current base salary and the amount of any bonus earned but unpaid in respect of the prior fiscal year that would have been paid if his employment had not been terminated, (ii) accelerate the vesting of all of the unvested equity awards held that were granted immediately on or after the effectiveness of the registration statement filed in connection with our IPO as of the later of (A) the date of termination or (B) the effective date of a separation agreement and release, and (iii) continue for a period of up to 18 months to make monthly payments equal to the monthly employer contribution that we would have made to provide health insurance as if he had remained employed by us. In addition, equity awards held by Mr. Vlok that were granted prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement filed in connection with our IPO will immediately accelerate and become fully exercisable or non-forfeitable in the event of a change in control during his employment with us.

Blitchok received (i) a one-time cash signing bonus equal to $350,000 (which is subject to repayment in whole or in part in the event that Mr. MartinBlitchok’s employment is terminated by us for cause, as such term is defined in the employment agreement, or he resigns for any reason prior to the second anniversary of his start date as follows: if such termination occurs within six months of the start date, 100% of the signing bonus; if such termination occurs after six months but prior to one year after the start date, 75% of the signing bonus; if such termination occurs after one year but prior to 18 months after the start date, 50% of the signing bonus; and if such termination occurs after 18 months but prior to two years after the start date, 25% of the signing bonus) and (ii) equity awards with a value of approximately $5,200,000 in the aggregate (25% of the value of which is in the form of stock options and 75% of the value of which is in the form of restricted stock units). Mr. Blitchok is also entitled to participate in all employee benefit plans and vacation policies in effect for our employees.

Pursuant to his employment agreement, in the event that Mr. Martin’sBlitchok’s employment is terminated by us without cause or if Mr. MartinBlitchok terminates his employment for good reason, as such terms areterm is defined therein, subject to his execution and the effectiveness of a separation agreement and release, we will be obligated to (i) pay him a cash severance payment equal to the sum of 12 months of his then-current base salary, the amount of any bonus earned but unpaid in respect of the prior fiscal year that would have been paid if Mr. Martin’sBlitchok’s employment had not been terminated, and a pro-rated amount of his target bonus for the year in which the termination occurs, and (ii) continue for a period of up to 12 months to make monthly payments equal to the monthly employer contribution that we would have made to provide health insurance as if he had remained employed by us. In lieu of the foregoing payments and benefits, if Mr. Martin’sBlitchok’s employment with us is terminated by us without cause or Mr. MartinBlitchok terminates his employment for good reason within the period beginning three months before and ending 12 months after a change in control and subject to his execution and the effectiveness of a separation agreement and release, we will be obligated to (i) pay him a lump-sum cash severance payment equal to the sum of 18 months of Mr. Martin’sBlitchok’s then-current base salary and the amount of any bonus earned but unpaid in respect of the prior fiscal year that would have been paid if his employment had not been terminated, (ii) accelerate the vesting of all of the unvested equity awards held that were granted immediately on or after the effectiveness of the registration

Pursuant to his employment agreement, in the event that Mr. Arnold’sMaloof’s employment is terminated by us without cause or if Mr. ArnoldMaloof terminates his employment for good reason, as such terms are defined therein, subject to his execution and the effectiveness of a separation agreement and release, we will be obligated to (i) pay him a cash severance payment equal to the sum of 12 months of his then-current base salary, the amount of any bonus earned but unpaid in respect of the prior fiscal year that would have been paid if Mr. Arnold’sMaloof’s employment had not been terminated, and a pro-rated amount of his target bonus for the year in which the termination occurs, and (ii) continue for a period of up to 12 months to make monthly payments equal to the monthly employer contribution that we would have made to provide health insurance as if he had remained employed by us. In lieu of the foregoing payments and benefits, if Mr. Arnold’sMaloof’s employment with us is terminated by us without cause or Mr. ArnoldMaloof terminates his employment for good reason within the period beginning three months before and ending 12 months after a change in control and subject to his execution and the effectiveness of a separation agreement and release, we will be obligated to (i) pay him a lump-sum cash severance payment equal to the sum of 18 months of Mr. Arnold’sMaloof’s then-current base salary and the amount of any bonus earned but unpaid in respect of the prior fiscal year that would have been paid if his employment had not been terminated, (ii) accelerate the vesting of all of the unvested equity awards held that were granted immediately on or after the effectiveness of the registration statement filed in connection with our IPO as of the later of (A) the date of termination or (B) the effective date of a separation and release agreement, and (iii) continue for a period of up to 18 months to make monthly payments equal to the monthly employer contribution that we would have made to provide health insurance as if he had

remained employed by us. In addition, equity awards held by Mr. ArnoldMaloof that were granted prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement filed in connection with our IPO will immediately accelerate and become fully exercisable or non-forfeitable in the event of a change in control during his employment with us.

The following table sets forth information regarding outstanding equity awards held by our NEOs as of December 31, 2021.2022.

We believe that although a portion of the compensation provided to our executive officers and other employees is performance-based, our executive compensation program does not encourage excessive or unnecessary risk taking. This is primarily due to the fact that our compensation programs are designed to encourage our executive officers and other employees to remain focused on both short-term and long-term strategic goals. As a result, we do not believe that our compensation programs are reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on us.

We participate in a retirement savings plan, or 401(k) plan, that is intended to qualify for favorable tax treatment under Section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code, or the Code, and contains a cash or deferred feature that is intended to meet the requirements of Section 401(k) of the Code. U.S. employees who are at least 18 years of age are generally eligible to participate in the 401(k) plan, subject to certain criteria, including attaining at least three months of service with us. Participants may make pre-tax and certain after-tax salary deferral contributions to the plan from their eligible earnings up to the statutorily prescribed annual limit under the Code. Participants who are 50 years of age or older may contribute additional amounts based on the statutory limits for catch-up contributions. Participant contributions are held in trust as required by law. An employee’s interest in his or her salary deferral contributions is 100% vested when contributed. Our 401(k) plan allows for discretionary matching contributions under the plan equal to 50% of up to the first 8% of eligible compensation, capped at $4,000 annually per employee. In addition, we have the ability to make discretionary non-elective contributions under the 401(k) plan. Matching and non-elective contributions made by us are generally subject to a vesting schedule whereby 100% of such contributions are vested as of the participants’ sixth year of service.

The audit committee of the board of directors operates pursuant to a charter that is available in the “Governance” section of our investor relations website at ir.meridianlink.com. The audit committee is appointed by the board of directors to assist the board of directors in fulfilling its oversight responsibilities by reviewing: (1) the integrity of our financial statements; (2) our compliance with legal and regulatory requirements; (3) the independent registered public accounting firm’s qualifications, independence, and performance; and (4) the performance of our internal audit department, if any.department.

The audit committee also appoints, compensates, and oversees the work of the independent registered public accounting firm. The audit committee reviews with the independent registered public accounting firm the plans and results of the audit engagement, approves and pre-approves professional services provided, considers the range of audit and non-audit fees, and reviews the adequacy of MeridianLink’s financial reporting process.

Management is responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and the reporting process. The independent registered public accounting firm has the responsibility for the examination of the financial statements and expressing an opinion on the conformity of the audited consolidated financial statements with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States and as to the effectiveness of MeridianLink’s internal control over financial reporting. The audit committee monitors and oversees these processes.

In performing its responsibilities, the audit committee reviewed and discussed with management and BDO USA, LLP, or BDO, our independent registered public accounting firm, the audited consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2021.2022. The audit committee has also discussed with BDO the matters required to be discussed by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, or PCAOB, and the SEC.

The audit committee received written disclosures and the letter from the independent registered public accounting firm pursuant to the applicable requirements of the PCAOB regarding BDO’s communications with the audit committee concerning independence and has discussed with BDO its independence.

Based on the reviews and discussions referred to above, the audit committee recommended to the board of directors that the audited consolidated financial statements be included in MeridianLink’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021,2022, as filed with the SEC. The information contained in this report shall not be deemed to be (1) “soliciting material,” (2) “filed” with the SEC, (3) subject to Regulations 14A or 14C of the Exchange Act, or (4) subject to the liabilities of Section 18 of the Exchange Act. This report shall not be deemed incorporated by reference into any of our other filings under the Exchange Act or the Securities Act, except to the extent that we specifically incorporate it by reference into such filing.

This report has been furnished by the current members of the audit committee.

April 27, 202226, 2023

The audit committee has appointed BDO USA, LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2022,2023, and we are asking our stockholders to ratify this appointment.

BDO has served as our independent registered public accounting firm since 2020. In making the determination to appoint BDO for the next fiscal year, the audit committee annually reviews and considers, among other factors, BDO’s independence and performance. The audit committee believes that the continued retention of BDO as our independent registered public accounting firm is in the best interests of MeridianLink and our stockholders. Although ratification of the audit committee’s appointment of BDO is not required, we value the opinions of our stockholders and believe that such stockholder ratification is a good corporate governance practice. If the stockholders do not ratify the selection, however, the audit committee will reconsider whether it is appropriate to select a different independent registered public accounting firm. In such event, the audit committee may retain BDO, notwithstanding the fact that the stockholders did not ratify the selection, or may select another independent registered public accounting firm without re-submitting the matter to the stockholders. Even if the selection is ratified, the audit committee may appoint a different independent registered public accounting firm at any time during the year if it determines that such a change would be in the best interests of MeridianLink and its stockholders.

A representative of BDO is expected to be present at the Annual Meeting and will have an opportunity to make a statement if so desired and to answer appropriate questions from the stockholders.

The audit committee maintains a policy regarding the approval of all audit and permissible non-audit services to be performed by our independent registered public accounting firm. Pursuant to this policy, all audit or non-audit services must be approved in advance by our audit committee or in accordance with pre-approval procedures. A service will be considered pre-approved by the audit committee (without any further action) if specified as a pre-approved service, as determined by the audit committee from time to time. Any such pre-approval details the particular service or type of services to be provided and may also be subject to a maximum dollar amount.

If the service is not specified as pre-approved, separate approval must be obtained from the audit committee, or its delegate with the authority to grant pre-approvals, prior to the provision of service from the independent registered public accounting firm. If pre-approval is obtained from a delegate, the auditor may be engaged to commence the service, but the decision must be reported to the audit committee at its next scheduled meeting.

Our audit committee has pre-approved all services performed by the independent registered public accounting firm since the pre-approval policy was adopted prior to our IPO.in 2022.

The following table sets forth the billed fees for services provided by BDO for the years ended December 31, 20212022 and 2020.2021.

Ratification of the appointment of BDO USA, LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 20222023 requires an affirmative vote of a majority of votes properly cast. Abstentions are not treated as cast either for or against a matter, and therefore will not affect the outcome of the vote. Broker non-votes are not considered votes cast and will have no effect on the outcome of the vote.

The following table sets forth information regarding our equity compensation plans as of December 31, 2021.2022.

The following table sets forth information as of April 13, 2022,12, 2023, unless otherwise indicated, regarding the beneficial ownership of our common stock by: (1) each director and nominee; (2) each NEO; (3) all current directors and executive officers as a group; and (4) each person known to us to beneficially own more than 5% of our outstanding common stock. Unless otherwise indicated, the named beneficial owner has sole voting power and sole investment power with respect to the shares indicated as beneficially owned.

Beneficial ownership is determined in accordance with the rules and regulations of the SEC and includes voting or investment power with respect to our common stock. Shares of our common stock subject to options that are currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days of April 12, 2023, as well as shares of common stock issuable upon the vesting and settlement of restricted stock unit awards within 60 days of April 13, 202212, 2023 are considered outstanding and beneficially owned by the person holding the options or restricted stock unit awards for the purpose of calculating the percentage ownership of that person, but not for the purpose of calculating the percentage ownership of any other person. The number of shares beneficially owned excludes shares of our common stock that may be purchased pursuant to our ESPP within 60 days of April 12, 2023, as the current offering period under our ESPP remains open as of the date of this proxy statement, and, therefore, we cannot definitively calculate the number of

shares of our common stock subject that will be purchasable pursuant to the ESPP. As of April 13, 2022,12, 2023, there were 80,508,90080,679,490 shares of our common stock outstanding.

Unless otherwise indicated, the address of each beneficial owner listed in the table below is c/o MeridianLink, Inc., 3560 Hyland Avenue, Suite 200, Costa Mesa, CA 92626.

Stockholders as of April 13, 2022,12, 2023, or the Record Date, and those who hold a valid proxy are permitted to attend and participate in the Annual Meeting to be held on Thursday, June 9, 20228, 2023 at 10:00 a.m., Pacific Time. The meeting will be held entirely in virtual format via webcast at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/MLNK2022.MLNK2023. While you will not be able to attend the meeting at a physical location, we have endeavored to offer stockholders the same rights and opportunities to participate as they would have in-person. You will be able to attend the meeting online, vote your shares electronically, and submit questions during the virtual meeting.

To attend, vote, and submit questions during the Annual Meeting, visit www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/MLNK2022MLNK2023 and enter the 16-digit control number included on your Notice of Internet Availability, proxy card, or voting instruction form or within the body of the email for electronic delivery recipients. You may also submit a question approximately 15 minutes prior to the Annual Meeting start time after logging in with your control number. Questions submitted that are pertinent to the company and the meeting matters will be read aloud and answered, as time permits and in accordance with meeting procedures and rules of conduct for the Annual Meeting. If we receive substantially similar questions, we may group such questions together and provide a single response to avoid repetition.

If you are a beneficial owner and your Notice of Internet Availability or voting instruction form indicates that you may vote those shares through the www.proxyvote.com website, then you may access, participate in, and vote at the Annual Meeting with the 16-digit access code indicated therein. Otherwise, beneficial owners should contact their bank, broker, or other institution where they hold their account, preferably at least five days in advance of the Annual Meeting, and obtain a “legal proxy” in order to be able to participate in the Annual Meeting.

Whether or not you expect to attend the Annual Meeting, we urge you to vote and submit your proxy in advance of the meeting via the Internet at www.proxyvote.com using your control number; telephone by calling 1-800-690-6903 or the number on your proxy card or voting instruction form; or, if you received printed proxy materials, by mail by marking, signing, dating, and returning your proxy card - in each case the deadline for voting is 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, on Wednesday, June 8, 2022.7, 2023.

Interested persons who were not stockholders as of the Record Date or do not hold a valid proxy may view the Annual Meeting using the same link but will be unable to otherwise participate.

We encourage you to access the Annual Meeting prior to the start time. Online access will open approximately 15 minutes before the Annual Meeting. If you have difficulty accessing the Annual Meeting during check-in or during the Annual Meeting, please call the numbers found on the virtual meeting page.

We are making this proxy statement and additional proxy materials available to you in connection with the solicitation of proxies by our board of directors for the Annual Meeting. Stockholders as of the Record Date are invited to attend the Annual Meeting and are requested to vote on the items of business described in this proxy statement. This proxy statement includes information that we are required to provide to you under the SEC rules and is designed to assist you in voting your shares.

The proxy materials for our Annual Meeting include the notice of annual meeting, this proxy statement, and our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021.2022. If you requested printed versions of these materials by mail, these materials also include a proxy card or voting instruction form; otherwise, these materials also include the Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials.

Pursuant to SEC rules, we are furnishing proxy materials primarily over the Internet. Accordingly, on or about April 27, 2021,26, 2023, we sent a Notice of Internet Availability to most of our stockholders with instructions on how to access your proxy materials online or request a printed copy of the proxy materials by mail. The Notice of Internet Availability also contains instructions on how you may request to receive an electronic copy of our proxy materials by email. We encourage stockholders to take advantage of the availability of the proxy materials online to expedite receipt of proxy materials by our stockholders, assist in sustainable environmental practices, and reduce the cost to print and distribute the proxy materials.

If you and other residents at your mailing address own shares of common stock in street name, your bank or broker may deliver a single Notice of Internet Availability, or, if you requested printed versions by mail, this proxy statement and our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021,2022, along with individual proxy cards, unless contrary instructions have been received from you. This procedure known as “householding” is designed to reduce the environmental impact of annual meetings as well as printing and postage costs and the volume of duplicate information stockholders receive. Stockholders may revoke their consent to future householding or enroll in householding by contacting Broadridge at 1-866-540-7095, or by writing to Broadridge, Householding Department, 51 Mercedes Way, Edgewood, New York 11717.

Alternatively, if you wish to receive a separate set of this year’s proxy materials, we will, promptly and without charge, deliver them to stockholders upon request to our Corporate Secretary at MeridianLink, Inc., 3560 Hyland Avenue, Suite 200, Costa Mesa, California 92626 or by email to InvestorRelations@meridianlink.com.

The Notice of Internet Availability, proxy card, or voting instruction form will contain instructions on how to:

Our proxy materials are also available on our investor relations website at ir.meridianlink.com.

Only stockholders of record of our common stock as of the close of business on the Record Date are entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the Annual Meeting and any adjournments or postponements of the meeting. As of the Record Date, there were 80,508,90080,679,490 shares of our common stock outstanding and entitled to vote. Each share of our common stock is entitled to one vote.

A list of stockholders of record as of the Record Date will be available for inspection by stockholders for any legally valid purpose germane to the Annual Meeting during the Annual Meeting at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/MLNK2022MLNK2023 and during the 10 days prior to the meeting upon request to review by emailing InvestorRelations@meridianlink.com.

If your shares are registered directly in your name with our registrar and transfer agent, Computershare Trust Company, N.A,N.A., you are considered the “stockholder of record” with respect to those shares. If your shares are

held in an account at a bank, brokerage, or other institution, you are considered the “beneficial owner” of those shares held in “street name.”

Whether or not you expect to attend the Annual Meeting, we urge you to vote and submit your proxy in advance to ensure that your vote will be represented at the Annual Meeting. Whether you are a stockholder of record or a beneficial owner, you may direct how your shares are voted in any one of four ways:

The effect of not voting or not instructing your vote depends on whether you are a stockholder of record or a beneficial owner.

Proposal No. 2 for the ratification of the appointment of the independent registered public accounting firm is considered a routine matter.

The presence, in person or by proxy, of holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of common stock entitled to vote as of the Record Date will constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at the Annual Meeting. Both abstentions and broker non-votes are counted for the purpose of determining the presence of a quorum. Unless a quorum is present at the Annual Meeting, no action may be taken at the meeting except the adjournment thereof until a later time.

Assuming a quorum is present at the Annual Meeting:

You may revoke your proxy and change your vote at any time before the final vote at the Annual Meeting by: (1) voting again via the Internet prior to or during the Annual Meeting; (2) delivering another valid proxy bearing a later date; or (3) timely delivering a written revocation to the attention of our Corporate Secretary at MeridianLink, Inc., 3560 Hyland Avenue, Suite 200, Costa Mesa, California 92626. Only your latest dated proxy that we receive at or prior to the Annual Meeting will be counted. Virtually attending the Annual Meeting will not automatically revoke your proxy unless you vote again.

Proxy instructions, ballots, and voting tabulations that identify individual stockholders are handled in a manner that protects your voting privacy. Your vote will not be disclosed, either within MeridianLink or to third parties, except: (1) as necessary to meet applicable legal requirements; (2) to assert claims for or defend claims against us; (3) to allow for the tabulation of votes and certification of the vote; and (4) to facilitate a successful proxy solicitation. Occasionally, stockholders provide on their proxy card written comments, which are then forwarded to management.

Broadridge will conduct the tabulation. Votes will be counted and certified by the inspector of election.

We bear all expenses incurred in connection with the solicitations of proxies. We use Broadridge to assist in the distribution of proxy materials to our stockholders as well as reimburse brokers, fiduciaries, custodians, and other similar institutions for their costs in forwarding proxy materials to our beneficial owners. Our directors, officers, and employees, without additional compensation, may solicit proxies on our behalf in person or by mail, telephone, electronically, or other appropriate means of communication.

We expect to announce preliminary voting results at the Annual Meeting. We will also report the final voting results in a Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC within four business days following the Annual Meeting.

The board of directors knows of no matters, other than the proposals identified in this proxy statement and accompanying Notice of Annual Meeting, which may properly come before the Annual Meeting. If any other matter, however, properly comes before the Annual Meeting for action, it is intended that the persons named as proxies will vote or refrain from voting in accordance with their best judgment pursuant to the discretionary authority conferred by the proxy.

If a stockholder wishes to present a proposal for inclusion in our proxy statement with respect to and for consideration at the 20232024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, we must receive the proposal in writing on or before the close of business on December 28, 20222023 and the proposal must otherwise comply with Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act and with the SEC regulations under Rule 14a-8 regarding the inclusion of stockholder proposals in company-sponsored proxy materials. Rule 14a-8 proposals must be delivered by mail to the attention of our Corporate Secretary at MeridianLink, Inc., 3560 Hyland Avenue, Suite 200, Costa Mesa, California 92626 and with a copy via email to InvestorRelations@meridianlink.com.

Under our bylaws, if a stockholder wishes to present other business or nominate a director candidate for consideration at the 20232024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, which shall not be included in our proxy statement, we must receive proper written notice of any such business or nomination no earlier than the close of business on February 9, 20232024 and no later than the close of business on March 11, 202310, 2024 and must otherwise comply with the requirements of our bylaws.

If, however, the 20232024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders is not within 30 days before or 60 days after the anniversary of this year’s Annual Meeting, or if no annual meeting were held in the preceding year, we must receive such notice no earlier than the close of business on the 120th day prior to such meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the 90th day prior to such meeting or the 10th day following the public announcement of the meeting date. Any such notice must include the information specified in the bylaws.

All notices of proposals or nominations, as applicable, must be addresseddelivered by mail to the attention of our Corporate Secretary at MeridianLink, Inc., 3560 Hyland Avenue, Suite 200, Costa Mesa, California 92626 and with a copy via email to InvestorRelations@meridianlink.com.

To comply with the universal proxy rules, (once effective), stockholders who intend to solicit proxies in support of director nominees other than MeridianLink’s nominees must provide notice that sets forth the information required by Rule 14a-1914a-19(b) under the Exchange Act no later than April 10, 2023.9, 2024.

Our website contains our corporate governance guidelines, committee charters, and code of business conduct and ethics found in the “Governance” section of our investor relations website at ir.meridianlink.com. Copies of these documents, as well as a copy of our bylaws, are also available upon written request directed to the Corporate Secretary at MeridianLink, Inc., 3560 Hyland Avenue, Suite 200, Costa Mesa, California 92626 or by email to InvestorRelations@meridianlink.com.

To the extent that this proxy statement has been or will be specifically incorporated by reference into any other filing of MeridianLink with the SEC, the section herein titled “Audit Committee Report,” to the extent permitted by the rules of the SEC, shall not be deemed to be so incorporated nor shall such information be deemed “filed,” unless specifically stated otherwise in such filing.

Links to websites included in this proxy statement are provided solely for convenience purposes. Content on the websites named, hyperlinked, or otherwise referenced herein is not, and shall not be deemed to be, incorporated by reference into this proxy statement or in any other report or document we file with the SEC.