An Australian police check is a national clearance certificate provided by Australian accredited agencies listing an individual's disclosable criminal history. More and more businesses and organisations throughout Australia are requesting a criminal record check as standard operating procedures to ensure that the environments and services they create and provide are safe for everyone to enjoy. Many volunteer associations, such as the Rural Fire Service (RFS), will also require that you undertake a national criminal history check as part of their membership process. Often individuals will also be required to provide updated or renewed Australian police checks to ensure the information they have provided is current and correct.
Individuals are not able to apply for a criminal background check directly with the government database and must instead submit a completed application form to an authorised agent. Authorised agents include your local police station in your state or territory, and providers like Checked Australia.
We offer you a completely online application process which could see your check returned to you in as little as one hour after submission. Not only are we authorised to accept and manage your Australian police check application, we can prioritise your express application.
Most fast-tracked applications are returned to applicants within an hour of processing. In some instances, however, the relevant police agencies may delay your application and flag it for what’s known as a ‘manual review’. When this happens, the relevant police agencies must manually sight your application before it can be returned. Unfortunately, we are not aware ahead of time whether your application will be flagged but if it has been delayed then we will refund you the express service fee.
Sometimes, you may be asked to get a police clearance certificate or a national police certificate and in these cases, it is important to confirm whether you require a check that is issued from one of the state-based police agencies or the Australian Federal Police. Situations like this often include where you require a check for Australian Visa applications, or for IVF in Victoria.
How long is an Australian police check valid for?
Your police check doesn't have a define validity or expiry date, but it is common for a requesting organisation to look at the date in which your check was issued, and determine whether they will accept it (commonly they may require one no older than 3 months, 6 months or 1 year old for example). This means that often you will need to provide regular clearance renewals to whichever organisation has originally requested your details to ensure that you remain compliant. How often you are required to provide a police check will depend on the organisation.
We also offer a host of corporate services which can ensure that organisations manage their Australian police checks with a fully integrated online platform. This reduces unnecessary data entry and streamlines the process from submission to processing and return.
If you are unsure whether your current national police check or national police clearance is valid, double-check with the requestor. If you need to renew your national police check then we can help you get it done in next to no time using our intuitive online platform and fast-tracked service.
How do I get an Australian police check?
There are two types of Australian National Police Checks available for applicants. One is designated for members of volunteer organisations and the other is for employment purposes. Ensure you know which type of clearance you are required to provide because if you provide the wrong certificate, you may need to restart your police check and purchase the correct clearance.
An Australian police check (commonly called a national police check) covers all states and territories, so if you are required to produce one then it will contain information relating to any disclosable offences received in any Australian state and territory. Please see below some further information about obtaining a police check across the following states and territories:
The good news is you don't need to fill out a separate application form or process for each of the individual states and territories of Australia, however, if you have been asked to provide an Australian Federal Police (AFP) check for immigration purposes, then this is a different type of Australian police check. You will need to obtain your clearance directly from the AFP. If you are unsure how or where to obtain that information from, return to the organisation or authority which has asked to you to provide your clearance and clarify with them exactly which type you need and where you can obtain it from.
How long does an Australian police check take?
If you were to complete your Australian police check application using the paper-based forms, then you will also need to have copies of your identification verified before you can submit that form. Allowing for a couple of days to complete your paperwork and submit it to an authorised agency such as your local police station in New South Wales, Victoria or Queensland, you are then likely to wait weeks for that application to be received, processed and your certificate mailed back to you.
Checked offer an online alternative which means that your entire application can be completed in a single sitting. Checked are able to verify your documents using VerifyID™ which requires either a camera or scanner, allowing you to submit your application at the click of your mouse. In about 70% of cases, express applications submitted during business hours result in your certificate is emailed back to you within an hour. Using Checked is the difference between waiting minutes for your police clearance and waiting weeks.
Jump online and start your application for an Australian police check now. Let us help you get what you need, when you need it.