Do Australian Police Checks Have an Expiry Date?

Answering one of the most commonly asked questions for persons seeking employment in Australia today. 

Why are Police Checks done?

Background checks are a common practice before hiring in many parts of the world, including Australia. 

According to the law, Employers are supposed to ask for access to criminal records of the potential employee, but even when there is no such legal requirement, an employer may still inquire about the employee’s criminal history or ask for a National Police Clearance Certificate. This is usually because they want to ensure the safety of their firm and everyone in it. 

So what is their expiry date?

Now the real issue arises when you present an Australian police check and they ask you to get a fresh one due to it being “quite old”. Such requests beg us to ask ourselves questions, like do police checks have an expiry date?

Although the answer to that question would be a simple “no”, it does require some explanation. Formally known as the Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check, police checks reflect your criminal history up until the point in time you obtained the certificate. They do not, in any way, are a guarantee for your future behaviors or criminal activities. Therefore, your employer may ask for a new or updated National Police Clearance certificate based on their own Human Resource Policy or risk management strategy / assessments. Considering the certificate “valid” or “invalid” is totally at their discretion due to the nature of the certificate being a “point-in-time” check.

Applying for a Police check Online in Australia:

As frustrating as the request for the new criminal history clearance certificate may be, it doesn’t have to be a time and energy consuming process. In the past where one had to go to police stations to get their new certificate, it sure was a hectic process, especially with the way our lives have become. Fast paced with no time for anything other than our planned schedule, such requests really did upset one’s routine, but not anymore. 

Police checks have now become a widely used service over the internet where application is fast and easy and the results are authentic and acceptable everywhere. 

To get this task of yours done today, you can approach an accredited police check provider that can do it online. Websites like https://www.australiannationalcharactercheck.com.au perform this task efficiently within 1 to 3 business days of application. The process is purely online and relatively easy so you don’t have to physically wander around in offices applying and tracking the results of your police check application. 

Request police checks no matter where you are in Australia through an end-to-end encrypted security while using your PC, laptop or mobile phone.

Most online providers also let you upload your documents online and are connected to the Australian government’s document verification system (DVS) to verify your identification documents online. 

You can use this Clearance certificate then for when applying for work, volunteer programs, applying for loans, houses and all sorts of licensing in Australia.