A national police check for a job in Australia is usually the AFP National Police Certificate: a summary of your offender history in Australia, used for recruitment and job applications. It costs $57, or $114 if fingerprints are needed. Most online digital certificates arrive within a few days. Fingerprint checks take 15 to 30 business days and go by post. Two rules matter more than the price: the certificate can only be used for the purpose written on the application, and the employer decides how old a certificate it will accept.
The AFP police check at a glance
| Question | What the AFP says |
|---|---|
| What is it? | A National Police Certificate (NPC): a summary of your offender history in Australia |
| Who can apply? | Anyone, for their own use; nobody can apply for you without your consent |
| Cost | $57 per application, or $114 in total if fingerprints are needed |
| Identity | Documents worth at least 100 points in total |
| Timing | Most online digital certificates within a few days; fingerprint checks 15 to 30 business days, by post |
| Purpose | Only valid for the purpose stated on the application |
| How long it lasts | The organisation asking for it decides how long it will accept it |
All of this comes from the AFP's national police checks page, which is also where you apply.
Why the purpose on the form matters most
An AFP certificate is tied to the purpose you choose when you apply. A certificate for a job application is for that use. If you later need one for something else, such as a visa, plan on a new application.
Visas have their own rule. Home Affairs says an Australian police certificate for a visa must be an AFP National Police Check with the purpose Code 33 - Immigration/Citizenship, and state or territory certificates are not accepted. So a certificate you got for a job will not do for your visa, and the reverse is also worth checking with the employer before you rely on it.
How long a police check is good for
For a job, there is no fixed expiry: the AFP says the organisation asking for the certificate decides how long it will accept it. If it wants a recent one, it will say so: ask before you pay for a new one.
For an Australian visa, Home Affairs says police certificates are valid for 12 months from the issue date and must cover the time from age 16 up to the issue date, or your whole time in that country. Read the details on the Home Affairs character requirements page.
Getting your police check, step by step
- Confirm what the employer wants. Ask whether it needs an AFP National Police Certificate, for which purpose, and how recent it must be.
- Gather 100 points of ID. Have your identity documents ready before you start, so the application is not held up.
- Apply yourself, on the AFP site. Anyone can apply for their own use. Choose the purpose that matches the job.
- Pay the AFP fee. It is $57, or $114 if fingerprints are needed. Pay it to the AFP, not to a "processing agent".
- Allow the right time. Most online digital certificates come within a few days; a fingerprint check by post takes 15 to 30 business days, so start early if you need one.
- Send a copy only to a genuine employer. Share it once you are sure the job is real, and keep the original file.
Put the check on your application to-do list alongside your CV and referees. Our job application checklist covers the rest, and our guide to job references in Australia and NZ explains how a reference check differs from a police check.
Moving countries? Police certificates for a visa
If you are applying from overseas for a sponsored job, the employer's police check and the visa's police certificates are separate things. Home Affairs may ask for a police certificate from every country you lived in, usually if you are over 17 and lived there for at least 12 months in the past 10 years.
There is one useful exception for sponsored workers. If you are sponsored for a subclass 482 visa by an accredited sponsor, you do not need police certificates from countries other than Australia when you attach the sponsor's reference confirming good character and no criminal convictions. For New Zealand's AEWV, applicants must be of good character, and INZ asks applicants to check whether police certificates are needed.
Coming from the UK? JobsAbroad UK's guide to the DBS check or ACRO police certificate explains which British check does which job.
Three common situations, and what to do
- You live in Australia and a new employer asks for a check. Apply online on the AFP site for the job purpose, with 100 points of ID; most digital certificates come within a few days.
- You already have a certificate from last year. Check the purpose printed on it and ask the employer whether it accepts a certificate of that age. The employer decides, so a quick email can save you 7.
- You are overseas and applying for a sponsored job. Answer the employer's request first, then plan the visa police certificates separately: they follow Home Affairs or INZ rules, not the employer's.
Police check scams to watch for
Fake recruiters use police checks as a reason to ask for money or identity documents early. Three warning signs:
- A fee paid to someone other than the AFP. Scamwatch says to stop and check any job offer that asks you to pay money to make money.
- Identity documents before any interview. Scamwatch advises never sending your passport or identity documents unless you are certain the employer is genuine, and New Zealand's National Cyber Security Centre says job scammers often ask for sensitive information early.
- A move to WhatsApp and a rush. Unexpected contact on messaging apps and a quick hiring process with no interview are Scamwatch warning signs.
Our post on the task scam and its top-up payments shows how fast those requests escalate, and the Scamwatch jobs and employment scams page lists more signs.
Your records after you apply
The OAIC says job applicants who did not take a job, or were unsuccessful, can generally ask for access to information about them, in some cases including a referee's report, with some exceptions. Once you are employed, a private sector employer's handling of employee records directly related to the employment is exempt from the Privacy Act 1988, so ask early what will happen to your certificate.
A police check is one of several checks before you start. Our job offer checklist for Australia and New Zealand covers the contract, and our guide to your first job in Australia covers tax numbers, super and the first payslip.
Common mistakes with police checks for jobs
- Choosing the wrong purpose. The certificate only works for the purpose on the application.
- Using a job check for a visa. Visas need the AFP check with Code 33, and state or territory certificates are not accepted.
- Leaving it to the last week. A fingerprint check by post can take 15 to 30 business days.
- Paying a middleman. You can apply directly to the AFP for your own use.
- Sending ID to an unverified "employer". Confirm the job is real first.
- Assuming an old certificate is fine. The employer decides how long it accepts one.
Showing employers verified work history can save time at this stage too. Optional: a verified Talent Tabloid profile lets employers check your experience and can help your application stand out. Then browse current roles, such as those in community services jobs or this home care job in Mandurah, and read each listing's own requirements before you apply.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a national police check cost for a job?
The AFP National Police Certificate costs $57 per application, or $114 in total if fingerprints are needed. Pay it to the AFP when you apply; nobody else needs to be paid for your own certificate.
How long does an AFP police check take?
The AFP says most online digital certificates arrive within a few days. Fingerprint checks take between 15 and 30 business days and must be applied for by post, so start early if your check needs fingerprints.
Can my employer apply for a police check for me?
Not without your consent. The AFP says anyone can apply for a National Police Certificate for their own use, but cannot apply for someone else without their consent.
Can I use my job police check for a visa?
Usually not. An AFP certificate can only be used for the purpose stated on the application, and Home Affairs says a visa needs an AFP check with the purpose Code 33 - Immigration/Citizenship. State or territory certificates are not accepted for visas.
How long is a police check valid for a job in Australia?
There is no single expiry date for job use. The AFP says the organisation asking for the certificate decides how long it will accept it, so ask the employer before you apply for a new one.
Key takeaways
- An AFP National Police Certificate costs $57, or $114 with fingerprints.
- Online certificates usually take a few days; fingerprint checks 15 to 30 business days.
- The certificate only works for the purpose on the application; visas need Code 33.
- The employer decides how old a certificate it will accept; visa certificates last 12 months.
- Apply directly to the AFP, and never pay a middleman or send ID to an unverified employer.
