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Resources & Technical Articles
Despite the numerous uses and importance of a Police Check certificate, applying for one is not as expensive as you might think.
We know that currently, it is almost impossible for a person to secure a job, get a license, accreditation, or any other thing in a sensitive field, without a valid Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check certificate.
However, there are different procedures to apply for a Police Check, and there might be a slight variation in the cost depending on the procedure you choose.
When you apply through ANCC’s online application portal, you not only get a valid Check completed and returned mostly within 24 to 48 hours (in most circumstances) but pay only the base cost of $48.90 (forty eight dollars and ninety cents)
Payment options include via a credit or debit Card or PayPal. Visa, Mastercard and American express are accepted.
Overall, applicants save time and cost when obtaining their police check online via ANCC.
1. Online application;
If you apply via Australian National Character Check (ANCC) portal, your application gets returned mostly within 24 to 48 hours. The checks that get referred for manual processing will take up to 15 business days. The entire application process is online and can be completed via your PC, Tablet, or mobile devices as long as you have an internet connection.
Most applicants choose this method as it is more convenient, safer and overall cheaper.
2. Through the post office or a local police authority
Individuals can also apply for a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check certificate via a local state or territory based police agency or the post office. However, this method may be in-person and may include certifying identification documents in person or getting them attested. It may not be convenient for people with tight schedules.
Prices for a check via these agencies are determined by the agency themselves however the cost will not vary substantially.
To complete an online application for the Police Check
Identification (ID) documents required for a police check can be uploaded online when completing the check application online via ANCC.
Via the entire document listed above, we must be able to verify the information provided such as;
The Police Check document is a point-in-time check which remains valid from the point of issue. It remains valid till you dump it to apply for an updated Police Check.
However, organisations interpret criminal background check certificates depending on their internal risk mitigation strategy, and will generally not accept Police Check certificates older than 3 months. Therefore, the expiry date of your Police Check depends on the requesting party.
However, if you get a conviction during this period, you must apply for an updated Check and inform the organisation.
Many people ponder about what will be displayed in their criminal record check certificate. It should be noted that not all offences are shown in your criminal history check; some offences are out of the State's or Police jurisdiction, and will not appear on the certificate.
Some of the offences that are displayed in your Police Check are;
Spent Offences or charges of each state and territory are exempted from a person's Police Check certificate under the State's legislation on exposure and use of Check certificates (Spent Convictions scheme). Either these offences meet certain criteria or are not considered "serious" to be included in a Police Check.
Some of the conditions that may qualify an offence to be regarded as "Spent charges" are;
Following that;
However, offences that don’t fall under the Spent convictions scheme will always be displayed in an individual’s Police Check. These offences are not subject to exclusion by any State legislation.
Some of the offences include;
As mentioned earlier, not all convictions or charges qualify as a Disclosable Court Outcome (DCO); some fall out either due to jurisdiction or legal standing. Also, these offences will never show up in a police Check;
A Criminal Record Check issued by ANCC is a national check and is valid in all states and territories in Australia. You can apply for the nationally coordinated criminal history check in the following states and territories:
When applying for a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check, always cross-check the information you have provided. Also, choose the purpose of the Police Check (employment, probity, and co). Once applications are completed and results are returned, it is impossible to alter the information.
Also, the cost of a police check issued by ANCC is $48.90.
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