Frequently Asked Questions

Under the Spent Convictions Act, certain older convictions in Victoria may not appear on a standard police check once enough time has passed without reoffending. This helps people move on from minor past offences without them affecting employment indefinitely.

For full details on what qualifies and the relevant waiting periods, see the Disclosure Fact Sheet.

It is important to note that not all National Police Check results arrive at the same time. Some checks take longer than expected to finalise. These reasons can include:

• The check subject may have a disclosable court outcome that requires more time to retrieve on policing systems
• The check subject having a common name, or a name that matches with many potential Persons of Interest on policing systems
• The check subject having old police information that requires manual collection and processing of hardcopy records
• The relevant police agency having inaccurate or incomplete records which need to be investigated properly before the check can be finalised
• Transferring information between the various state and territory police agencies before the information can be vetted and/or released

The NPCS recommends that because of these reasons, every customer and/or check subject allow as much time as possible for any check to be processed. Rapid Screening can now follow up on checks that have been processing for more than 10 business days (sometimes 15 business days).

The AFP Coordinated Criminal History Check is the highest level of National Police Check available in Australia. It gives a comprehensive overview of an applicant's criminal history, including previous convictions and pending charges.

It provides employers with information that helps them assess the risks of hiring people, particularly if they work with vulnerable groups like children, or in regulated industries like banking.

The Australian Department of Home Affairs will only accept an AFP Coordinated Criminal History Check for migration purposes, including migration related to employment.

Rapid Screening provides a simple and straightforward way for individuals or businesses to obtain their National Police Check. Rapid Screening is an online application that permits the submission of National Police Checks with a fast, straightforward turnaround. 70% of all checks submitted to the ACIC are completed and returned to the accredited body immediately; all other checks can take longer than 10 days to return.

A National Police Check involves identifying an individual's disclosable court outcomes and any charges. A National Police Certificate (NCCHC) is a document that lists an individual's disclosable court outcomes and pending charges, sourced from the databases of all Australian police services. Some people refer to this as a person's offender history. Certain convictions, such as spent or juvenile convictions, may not be disclosed on an NPC in accordance with the legislation and policies of the various police services.

Online Informed Consent and upload of required IDs: Rapid Screening must gain consent from all individuals that will be undertaking a National Police Check. We also require acceptable identification to meet National Police Check requirements.

Check submission and processing: A National Police Check request will be submitted once we have received your details and consent. An automatic search will be completed on the ACIC/AFP National database, which contains all individuals known to police. The police agency will extract the relevant information, match it to your input, and determine the type and amount of information released based on the category and purpose of the check.

ACIC National Police Check: 70% of all checks submitted to the ACIC are completed and returned to the accredited body immediately; all other checks can take longer than 10 days to return.

AFP Immigration/Visa purpose National Police Check: Certificates issued by the Australian Federal Police are printed on secure paper used nationally by all Australian Police Services, and arrive in the mail at your chosen address. Processing time for a routine check is typically 4–15 working days from the date it is received, though this may vary as the AFP may need to seek information from other police jurisdictions.

Employment purposes (ACIC) results will be delivered electronically so you have instant access to your information. Visa/Immigration purposes (AFP) results will be sent to your chosen address via post mail.

If you believe your National Police Check is incorrect, you are able to dispute the results by contacting us by phone on 1300 RAPID-X (1300 727 439) or (03) 9044 7260, or by email. We will discuss with you and investigate the dispute, contact ACIC/AFP to investigate further, and notify you once an outcome has been reached. Please find our Dispute Policy and Form, which will need to be attached as an email and sent to us.

There's no fixed government expiry date on a National Police Check, it reflects your record as at the date it was issued. Most employers accept a check issued within the last 3–6 months, but this varies by organisation and industry, so it's worth confirming with whoever is requesting your check.

If your police check was required for your current employment, rather than for starting a new job, it may be tax-deductible as a work-related expense. Keep your receipt and check with a registered tax agent or the ATO for your specific circumstances.