National police check for employers: how to order one, read it and store it safely
A national police check for employers is arranged with the candidate, never behind their back. In Australia you either ask the candidate to apply to the Australian Federal Police or an Australian police agency, or you use an ACIC accredited body that lodges the check with the candidate's consent. Either way, the result reflects police records on one day only, can be used only for the purpose it was requested for, and must be stored securely, then destroyed when you no longer need it.
What a national police check is, in plain terms
The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) works with police agencies and accredited bodies to run the National Police Checking Service. The official name for the result is a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check, previously called a police check. The ACIC lists recruitment and pre-employment screening among the purposes it supports.
The Australian Federal Police issues its own version, the National Police Certificate: a summary of a person's offender history in Australia. The AFP says it must be used when a check is requested for Commonwealth or ACT reasons.
A police check is one tool, not a full screen. Our guide to candidate verification for employers shows where it fits next to references, licences, identity and work rights.
Choosing a route: the official options
The ACIC does not accept police check applications directly from individuals. People get checks through ACIC accredited bodies or police agencies. On its page for organisations that need to check employees, the ACIC sets out 3 ways an organisation can get a check done.
| Route | How it works | Often suits |
|---|---|---|
| Direct the candidate to an accredited body or police agency | The candidate applies and shares the result. The ACIC recommends this, or the police agency where the person lives, for ad-hoc checks. | Businesses that hire a few people a year |
| Candidate applies to the AFP | The candidate gets a National Police Certificate and shares it. | Commonwealth or ACT purposes |
| Become a customer of an accredited body | The accredited body runs the consent and identity steps with the candidate and returns the result to you. | Employers and agencies that check people often |
| Become an accredited body | Your organisation is accredited and lodges checks itself. | High, steady volumes |
Speed should not drive the choice. The ACIC says all accredited bodies have equal access to the system, none can provide faster results than another, and lodging several checks will not speed things up. Choose on cost and ease for the candidate. Agencies ordering checks for clients should also agree who holds the result: our page for recruitment agencies covers where Talent Tabloid fits their screening.
Consent comes first
The AFP says anyone can apply for a National Police Certificate for their own use, but no one can apply for one for someone else without their consent. The ACIC says a check can only be conducted with the applicant's informed consent, which includes allowing a potential employer to use the result to assess their suitability for the job.
Consent is tied to one purpose. The ACIC says an applicant consents to the specific purpose of a check and must give informed consent again for a different purpose. A check done for a volunteer role is not consent for a paid one.
Privacy law points the same way. Under the Privacy Act, criminal record information is sensitive information. Under APP 3.3, unless an exception applies, an organisation covered by the Act may collect it only if it is reasonably necessary and the person consents, and the OAIC says organisations should generally seek express consent. It also says consent cannot be inferred just because you gave notice.
So "police checks apply" in the job ad is notice, not consent. Ask each shortlisted candidate in writing, and say why the role needs it.
Who to check, and when
The OAIC's APP 3 guidelines give, as an example of a collection that may not be reasonably necessary, collecting information about all job applicants when it is only needed for shortlisted ones. Check your preferred candidate or final few. Business.gov.au says an employer can give a conditional offer and confirm it once reference checks raise no issues; many employers name the police check as a condition in the same way.
Identity: why the candidate does the paperwork
The ACIC says applicants must prove their identity with supporting documents, and the accredited body must establish a verifiable link between those documents and the person. For the AFP, applicants send identity documents worth at least 100 points, plus any other names they are or have been known by. Remind candidates to list every name, including names before marriage and other spellings on overseas papers.
The AFP also says applicants certify their details are correct, and anyone giving false or misleading information may be prosecuted under the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth).
How long it takes
The ACIC says the service aims to process 95 per cent of checks within 10 business days. Around 70 per cent are completed within minutes, and around 30 per cent are referred to one or more police agencies because a potential match is found. With over 5 million checks a year, the ACIC gives no fixed turnaround. The AFP says it completes most certificates within 48 hours, while name and fingerprint checks may take 15 to 30 business days.
A slow result is not a warning sign. New Zealand Police, which also submits Australian checks, says a delayed result is not an indicator that an applicant has criminal history to disclose. Leave room for a referral before the start date.
Reading the result
The AFP says its check uses information from all Australian police services to list disclosable criminal and traffic court outcomes, outstanding warrants and pending charges. What appears is decided case by case: the ACIC says police agencies decide what to release according to the purpose of the check and spent convictions laws, a step called vetting. The AFP adds that, depending on state or territory law, spent convictions or guilty findings without conviction may not appear.
Two limits matter:
- It covers Australia only. For someone who lived abroad, ask for overseas police certificates too: see our guide to background checks for overseas candidates.
- It is a point-in-time record. The ACIC says there is no standard validity period, and the organisation asking for the check decides what age it accepts.
If a result lists an outcome, do not decide on the spot. Compare it with the role's actual duties, let the candidate explain, record your reasons, and get advice before withdrawing an offer.
Checking that a result is genuine
The AFP says its digital certificates come as a secure PDF with a unique QR code that can be scanned to validate them. For other checks, the ACIC says to contact the accredited body that submitted it, and suspected fraudulent results can be reported to the ACIC. A candidate who thinks a result is wrong disputes it through the body or police agency that submitted the check.
Step by step: a national police check for a new hire
- Decide whether the role needs a check, and write down why, before you advertise.
- Choose a route from the table and decide who pays.
- Shortlist first; ask only your preferred candidate or final few.
- Send a written request naming the purpose, who sees the result and how long you keep it. Get signed consent.
- The candidate completes the application and identity steps, listing all previous names.
- Check the name and date of birth match the candidate's ID, and validate the result.
- Assess any listed outcome against the duties, talk with the candidate, and record your decision.
- Store the result securely and set a date to destroy it.
Storing and destroying the result
Under APP 11, an organisation covered by the Privacy Act must take reasonable steps to protect personal information from misuse, loss and unauthorised access, and to destroy or de-identify it once no longer needed, unless a law or court order requires it to be kept. The OAIC notes that keeping too much personal information increases the harm of a data breach.
The OAIC says the employee records exemption does not cover applicants who are never employed, so their results stay under the Privacy Act. Once someone is hired, records of their pre-employment checks become exempt, but that is no reason to keep a certificate longer than needed. Most businesses with an annual turnover of $3 million or less are not covered by the Act, the OAIC says, but some are: treat every result as confidential.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Rules can change: check the official government website, or get advice for your situation, before you act.
Common mistakes
- Treating the job ad as consent. Get each candidate's written agreement for this purpose.
- Checking every applicant. Wait until the shortlist.
- Accepting a check made for another purpose. A certificate for a visa or a volunteer role was released for that purpose.
- Paying more for "faster" checks. No accredited body can get results faster than another.
- Assuming it covers time abroad. It covers Australia only.
- Keeping certificates forever. Destroy unsuccessful candidates' results once the decision is final.
If an agency says the check is done, ask for the date, the purpose on the application and who holds the result; our guide to pre-screened overseas candidates lists more questions. For the full order when the person is overseas, see our checks before hiring overseas workers.
Where Talent Tabloid fits
Talent Tabloid does not run police checks; that stays with the AFP, police agencies and accredited bodies. It helps with the other half of screening: a candidate's profile can show work history and qualifications with a badge where a role was confirmed by the person the candidate nominates, or through document review. See how it works for employers, or read the Talent Tabloid FAQ.
Frequently asked questions
Can an employer get a national police check without the candidate's consent?
No. The AFP says no one can apply for a check on someone else without their consent, and the ACIC says a check can only be run with the applicant's informed consent, including consent for a potential employer to use the result. Put the request in writing and keep the signed consent with your hiring notes.
How much does a national police check cost an employer?
The AFP says each National Police Certificate application costs $57, or $114 in total if fingerprints are needed, and the fees are exempt from GST. If you use an ACIC accredited body instead, ask for its price before you start, and agree in advance whether you or the candidate pays.
How long is a police check valid for employment?
There is no standard validity period. The ACIC says a result is a point-in-time check that reflects police records only on the date it is released, and the organisation asking for it decides what age it will accept. Write your own limit into your hiring policy and apply it to every candidate.
Can I accept a police check the candidate got for a visa or another job?
Usually not. The ACIC says a check is not suitable for reuse for multiple purposes, because the purpose on the application may decide what police information is released. The AFP also says a certificate can only be used for the purpose it was issued for.
Key takeaways
- Use an accredited body, a police agency or the AFP, always with written consent.
- Check only shortlisted candidates, for roles that need it.
- A result covers one day, one purpose and Australia only.
- Validate it and talk with the candidate before deciding.
- Store results securely and destroy them when no longer needed.
