In Australia, a background check usually means a National Police Check (NPC), issued through the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission’s checking service or the Australian Federal Police. For security critical roles, such as those in aviation, maritime or critical infrastructure, an AusCheck background check applies instead. Individuals can apply through the AFP or an accredited body, and employers should get written consent before submitting any request.
TL;DR:
- Most standard background checks are conducted through the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission’s service, with fingerprints and complex cases possibly taking several weeks.
- AusCheck checks, needed for security-sensitive roles, include national security assessments and can take up to eight weeks for complex cases.
- Employers must obtain clear, written consent and handle candidate data in accordance with privacy laws to avoid legal disputes.
- The outcome of a police check reflects disclosable criminal history and can be affected by spent convictions laws that vary by jurisdiction.
- Background check results are spot-in-time and should not be reused for different roles or purposes without rechecking.
Table of Contents
- Who issues background checks in Australia and when to use each
- Types of checks and what each includes
- How to get a national police check: a step-by-step guide for individuals
- What employers must do: consent, privacy and anti-discrimination rules
- Costs, typical turnaround times and practical timing advice
- What appears on a check and the role of spent convictions laws
- If a result is unfavourable or incorrect: dispute and appeal steps
- Employer screening best practice: a practical checklist from a recruiter
- Balancing speed, fairness and safety in Australian hiring
- How The Recruitment Alternative can help with screening and hiring
- Sources
- FAQ
Who issues background checks in Australia and when to use each
Several agencies handle background checks in Australia, and the right one depends on the purpose of the check. The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission operates the National Police Checking Service (NPCS), the system that accredited bodies and police agencies use to run Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Checks. Most employers and jobseekers will go through an accredited body connected to this service rather than approach police directly.
The Australian Federal Police issues National Police Certificates for Commonwealth or ACT purposes, and individuals can also apply to the AFP directly for personal or employment reasons. AusCheck sits apart from these, coordinating checks for roles tied to national security, such as airport and port workers. State and territory screening units handle their own jurisdictional checks, including working with children checks, which fall outside the NPCS entirely.
- The ACIC’s NPCS is the backbone for most standard police checks requested by employers.
- The AFP handles National Police Certificates and accepts direct applications from individuals.
- AusCheck manages security critical roles across aviation, maritime and critical infrastructure sectors.
- State and territory units run working with children checks and other locally regulated screenings.
Types of checks and what each includes
Not every background check looks the same, and the differences matter for both employers and candidates. A standard National Police Check typically returns disclosable court outcomes, outstanding warrants and pending charges relevant to the jurisdictions searched. An AusCheck background check goes further, adding national security assessments and criminal intelligence checks coordinated across partner agencies.
Working with children checks operate under separate state legislation, with different disclosure rules because the purpose (protecting children) shapes what information is released. Some roles, particularly those involving international travel or overseas employment history, require fingerprint based checks or checks from another country’s issuing authority.
- Standard NPCs cover disclosable court outcomes, warrants and pending charges within Australia.
- AusCheck checks add national security and criminal intelligence assessments for sensitive roles.
- Working with children checks apply their own disclosure rules, set by the relevant state or territory.
- Fingerprint based or international checks are needed when identity verification or overseas history is in question.
How to get a national police check: a step-by-step guide for individuals
Getting a National Police Check is straightforward once you know the sequence.
- Decide the purpose of your check (employment, volunteering, visa or personal) and choose whether to apply through the AFP directly or via an accredited body.
- Gather identity documents that meet the 100 point identification guidance, including a primary document like a passport or birth certificate.
- Submit your application online or by post, along with the required documents and payment.
- If fingerprints are requested, arrange an appointment with an approved fingerprinting service, which adds extra processing time.
- Wait for your digital certificate, and follow up with the issuing body if the result is delayed beyond the usual timeframe.
Fees vary depending on the type of check. The AFP cites a base fee of $56 for a standard National Police Certificate, with fingerprinted checks costing more, and name plus fingerprint checks can take 15 to 30 business days to process.
Pro Tip: Apply for your National Police Check well before you need it for a job offer or visa deadline, since fingerprint requirements can add weeks to the process.
What employers must do: consent, privacy and anti-discrimination rules
Running a background check on a candidate is not just a box ticking exercise. Employers must obtain explicit, informed consent before requesting any check, and explain clearly why the information is being collected. The OAIC treats informed consent as central to lawful handling of personal information, and its guidance sets out how organisations should document that consent under the Australian Privacy Principles.
Beyond consent, candidate data collected during screening must be handled in line with the Privacy Act, with secure storage and a clear retention policy. Employers also need to be mindful of Fair Work rules: taking adverse action against a candidate for discriminatory reasons is unlawful, though rejecting someone because a conviction relates directly to the inherent requirements of the role can be lawful.
Informed consent, properly documented, is the single biggest factor in avoiding a privacy dispute during background screening.
A practical compliance checklist looks like this:
- Use a written consent form that names the specific check and its purpose.
- Provide a short privacy notice explaining how the data will be stored and for how long.
- Set a retention and deletion policy for screening records.
- Base any risk-based screening decision on the inherent requirements of the role, not assumptions.
Costs, typical turnaround times and practical timing advice
Budgeting time and money for background checks helps avoid last minute hiring delays. A standard AFP National Police Certificate costs around $56, rising to roughly $113 when fingerprints are required, and those fingerprinted checks can take 15 to 30 business days. The ACIC’s NPCS completes around 70% of checks within minutes, but the remaining 30% are referred for manual processing, which can extend the wait considerably.
- Standard NPCs submitted through an accredited body are often returned within a few business days when no manual referral is needed.
- AusCheck background checks can take up to 6 to 8 weeks for complex, multi-agency cases.
- Fingerprint requirements typically add one to four weeks to any check.
- Peak hiring periods can slow turnaround further, so build a buffer into your onboarding timeline.
What appears on a check and the role of spent convictions laws
A National Police Check reveals disclosable court outcomes, meaning convictions, findings of guilt without conviction, and in some cases pending charges or outstanding warrants relevant to the purpose of the check. What actually shows up depends heavily on spent convictions legislation, which varies by state and territory and by the purpose for which the check was requested.
Spent convictions schemes allow certain older or minor convictions to be excluded from a check after a set period of good behaviour, though exemptions exist for particular occupations such as those working with children. Because of this, results are not static or reusable: a check reflects information available at the point it was run, and ACIC guidance makes clear there is no single national validity period, so a check for one purpose cannot substitute for another.
- Disclosable court outcomes include convictions, findings of guilt and, in some cases, pending charges.
- Spent convictions rules vary by jurisdiction and can exclude older, minor offences from disclosure.
- A check is a point in time result and cannot be reused for a different purpose or role.
If a result is unfavourable or incorrect: dispute and appeal steps
An unfavourable or inaccurate result does not have to be the end of the road for a candidate, provided the right steps are followed promptly.
- Contact the accredited body or police agency that issued the check to request a review or correction of any inaccurate information.
- For AusCheck decisions, individuals generally have a set window, commonly around 28 days, to lodge representations, with further review available through the Administrative Review Tribunal in appropriate cases.
- Employers should invite the candidate to explain any disclosed outcome, document the reasoning behind any decision, and base that decision strictly on the inherent requirements of the role.
Employer screening best practice: a practical checklist from a recruiter
Good screening practice starts with matching the depth of the check to the actual risk of the role, rather than applying the same process to every hire. A warehouse assistant and a finance manager handling client funds do not need the same level of scrutiny.
- Build a simple risk matrix that flags which roles need a standard NPC versus a deeper AusCheck style review.
- Use a plain language consent script so candidates understand exactly what is being checked and why.
- Pair criminal history checks with reference checks and right to work verification for a fuller picture.
- Know when to hand the process to an accredited body or recruitment partner, and what turnaround times to expect from them.
Pro Tip: Sharing a one paragraph explanation of why each check is required, alongside a named contact for questions, speeds up candidate cooperation and reduces disputes later.
Balancing speed, fairness and safety in Australian hiring
Employers often want results fast, but thorough screening takes time, and that tension does not disappear with better software. Telling candidates plainly what you check and why cuts down on disputes far more than any legal disclaimer does. A recruitment partner who already knows the accredited body process can shorten that gap without cutting corners on fairness.
— Josh Townsend
How The Recruitment Alternative can help with screening and hiring
Managing consent forms, accredited body submissions and record keeping alongside everyday hiring is a lot to carry for a small team. The Recruitment Alternative offers fixed fee recruitment across Australia and New Zealand, covering sales, administration, finance, engineering, healthcare, technology and executive roles, with pricing set upfront rather than as a percentage of salary.
- Optional criminal check support is available for $129 per candidate, handled alongside the recruitment process.
- Our Recruit and Recruit+ services include structured screening steps built into the placement process.
- A replacement campaign is available for $1,000 if a placement does not work out in the early months.
Get in touch through our pricing page to see how a fixed fee approach fits your next hire.
This article is general information, not a substitute for advice from a qualified lawyer. Consult a qualified legal professional about your own circumstances before acting on anything here.
Sources
- National Police Checking Service | Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission
- Apply for a National Police Certificate | Australian Federal Police
- Background checks | AusCheck
FAQ
What does a background check involve in Australia?
A background check in Australia usually means a National Police Check, which searches court records across states and territories for disclosable outcomes. For security sensitive roles, an AusCheck background check adds national security and criminal intelligence assessments coordinated across agencies.
What actually shows up on a background check?
A standard check reveals disclosable court outcomes such as convictions and findings of guilt, along with pending charges or outstanding warrants relevant to the purpose stated. Older or minor convictions may be excluded under spent convictions laws, which vary by state and by the type of check requested.
Can you look up someone’s criminal record in Australia?
You cannot look up another person’s criminal record yourself. A National Police Check must be requested with the individual’s informed consent, submitted through the AFP or an accredited body connected to the National Police Checking Service.
What is a red flag in a background check?
A red flag is typically a disclosed conviction, pending charge or outstanding warrant that relates directly to the inherent requirements of the role being filled. Employers should assess relevance case by case and document their reasoning, since Fair Work rules prohibit rejecting a candidate for discriminatory reasons unrelated to the job itself.
