Please be ready with your application reference number starting with 'P'. For example P1234567
The information on this webpage is to be read in conjunction with this disclaimer:
Australian National Character Check (ANCC) makes every effort to provide updated and accurate information to its customers. However due to the continuously changing nature of legislations for the Commonwealth and various States and Territories, it is inevitable that some information may not be up to date. The information on the website is general information only. The contents on the website do not constitute legal or professional advice and should not be relied upon as a substitute for legal or professional advice. While we endeavour to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, suitability, accuracy or availability with respect to the information.
When you apply for a police check in Australia, your certificate can either return with;
When your police check certificate comes out with an NDCO, it means you have no releasable criminal records and you "have passed" your police check.
The NDCO on a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check is the most desired result every employer, decision maker or candidate wants to see.
The police check is a nationwide method of tracing a person’s legal/criminal history in Australia. The National Police Checking Service in Australia conducts the check by comparing the details the applicant submits with the data on the Australian Criminal database.
The police check certificate or result contains the list of all the person's Disclosable convictions (if available). However, if the applicant has no records or any that can be released, the police check returns as an NDCO.
The DCO is the conviction records that you will find displayed on the police check certificate.
The details of Disclosable Court Outcomes (DCOs);
All violations on your criminal records but cannot be released on your police check are called the NCOs. Your police check will also return as NDCO if there are no convictions on your criminal records at all.
A person with a clean record will have an NDCO as a result.
Not all violations or offences appear on the police check in Australia; these offences fall outside the scope of the criminal records.
The criminal records only contain offences given by an Australian court within Australian laws.
The following offences will not appear on your police check; these offences are all in some way part of the NDCO.
While these "offences" may be found in other records/checks, they will not appear on your Criminal records or your police check certificate. Some examples of the offences that will not appear on your Police records in Australia include;
The Court can decide against sentencing an offender and instead commit them to diversionary programs. If the Court issues a diversionary program, the offender will have to obey the conditions that the Court includes.
Where the Court does not find the person guilty of the offence on completion of the hearing, it will discharge and acquit the offender. If the Court acquits or releases a person, there is no record of it on the criminal records.
The Police can issue cautions to an offender instead of charging them to Court. The Police will usually issue cautions for less severe offences that would be "too insignificant" to the law. The Police may/not attach a condition depending on the offence. However, Police Cautions do not appear on a police check.
Minor Traffic offences and other offences can be settled through Police fines or tickets. The Police or official issues an infringement notice informing the offender of the breach and their penalty. Once the offender settles the fine or tickets, the infringement notice is wiped off with no other effect.
The law does not record an infringement notice as part of a criminal record.
The Court can order a restriction order against a person if they "find" them potentially harmful to another person or property. Although the Restriction orders are issued in a Court, they do not enter the criminal record unless their conditions are breached.
Your Restriction or Court Orders will not show up in a police check, so they are an NDCO.
All convictions given in an overseas court or by Overseas legislation do not form part of your criminal record. The police check only reveals convictions in a criminal record regarding Australian laws.
An employer or agency seeking to access a candidate's overseas records must employ other means to source these checks.
The police check certificate is a standard check-in of various sectors and industries in Australia. Employers assess a candidate based on the Disclosable Court Outcomes in their criminal records. If you do not have a DCO on your police check, you stand a better chance of getting the role or position you apply for.
When you have NDCO, you become the most suitable candidate for the role. The Employer does not have further questions for you based on your criminal records.
The NDCO is not restricted by time or any other factor. As long as the person does not receive a new conviction, their police check will continue to return an NDCO anytime it is updated.
The NDCO will only be replaced with the relevant convictions if the person gets a sentence.
Police checks are meant to be on-the-point information about the holder's criminal records. A police check older by more than six months or one year may contain gaps in the candidate's criminal records. To solve this, most organisations or decision makers limit the age of the police check certificate they accept.
For example, most organisations do not accept a police check certificate older than three (3) months. While a police check may not "expire", it can become obsolete for use depending on the organisation's internal risk mitigation policies.
The police check certificate has become a standard document for vetting and evaluating candidates for various applications. When you have to submit your police check certificate, employers or other organisations prefer the check result with an NDCO.
You will need a police check for;
Employers in various sectors of Australia refer to the police check to differentiate applications they receive. The Employer uses all possible means to hire the "most suitable" candidates for the role.
Having an NDCO on a police check result is the most desirable outcome for the check.
Applying for specific licenses will require the applicants to obtain a police check for licensing. You cannot operate some businesses or groups without these licenses.
For example, you need a desirable police check for a Legal firearm possession license. If the agency evaluates the police check and finds certain compromising offences, you may be denied the licenses.
Real Estate Licenses
Having the NDCO as the police check result will increase your chances of getting the Real Estate license. If the licensing agency finds DCO of frauds, deception or other compromising offences, it can refuse you the License to invest in Real Estate.
Driver Operator Licenses
Every public vehicle operator or transport operator needs a license to operate in Australia. Getting such licenses to require the applicant to present a "desirable" police check certificate for driver accreditation and licensing. The agency can refuse you the License if it finds serious traffic offences in your criminal records.
Generally, you will need a “desirable” criminal history check certificate for any of these roles;
The laws encourage all employers to outline and explain the details of their internal company policies before implementing it. An employer can dismiss an employee if they think their recent conviction can negatively affect their role and if the criminal record will impact the inherent requirements of the role.
However, the Employer must be cautious of such decisions and ensure that such decisions do not amount to discrimination based on a criminal record.
Individuals
If you are an individual, you can obtain a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check certificate online via Australian National Character Check’s police check application form. The results are dispatched via email.
Business and Enterprise Customers
Business and Enterprise customers are able to sign up to ANCC’s business portal where they can order, manage, track and view candidates’ criminal history check results on their business portal. Organisations will undergo a process for approval prior to being granted access to ANCC’s business portal.
ANCC sends an invite to the applicant to complete their Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check online and handles the application and informed consent form. Contact ANCC’s business and enterprise partnerships team today to enquire about setting up a business portal for your organisation.
The content on this website is communicated to you on behalf of Australian National Character Check™ (ANCC®) pursuant to Part VB of the Copyright Act 1968 (the Act).
The material in this communication may be subject to copyright under the Act. Any further reproduction of this material may be the subject of copyright protection under the Act.
You may include a link on your website pointing to this content for commercial, educational, governmental or personal use.
The contents of this website do not constitute legal advice and should not be relied upon as a substitute for legal or professional advice.
Need discount police checks? We beat prices!
About ANCC
ANCC® enables individuals and approved legal entities to apply for a nationally coordinated criminal history check, which is commonly referred to as a national police check. The nationally coordinated criminal history check is valid all over Australia and can be used when applying for Employment, Probity, Licencing, or Commonwealth check purposes. Get discount police checks online. We beat prices!
Helped of customers and counting.
Danny
Business portal user
"A reliable online platform to get nationally coordinated criminal history checks."
Vicki
Individual applicant
"For someone not very tech savvy, I found this to be very easy to get my police check."
Bec
Individual applicant
"Clear, and precise directions and requests allowing the information required to be supplied and/or uploaded. Prompt and professional responses."
Steve
Business portal user
"Very detailed and covers all avenues regarding the applicant. Perfect for any job application."
Rosalba
Individual applicant
"Cost effective, super fast, efficient processing of applications. Excellent service."
Renato
Business portal user
"Very objective and clear to what is required and plenty of options to choose for available support documents."
Ron
Business portal user
"A highly efficient service with a simple online facility. A highly recommended service."
Sharon
Individual applicant
"The form was very clear and feedback on errors very quick. Thank you ANCC."
Not sure where to start?
Book in a free consultation with us to discuss your organisation's employment background check needs, or to get an overview of the ANCC Business Portal.
Need discount police checks? We beat prices!
About ANCC
ANCC® enables individuals and approved legal entities to apply for a nationally coordinated criminal history check, which is commonly referred to as a national police check. The nationally coordinated criminal history check is valid all over Australia and can be used when applying for Employment, Probity, Licencing, or Commonwealth check purposes. Get discount police checks online. We beat prices!
Helped of customers and counting.
Danny
Business portal user
"A reliable online platform to get nationally coordinated criminal history checks."
Vicki
Individual applicant
"For someone not very tech savvy, I found this to be very easy to get my police check."
Bec
Individual applicant
"Clear, and precise directions and requests allowing the information required to be supplied and/or uploaded. Prompt and professional responses."
Steve
Business portal user
"Very detailed and covers all avenues regarding the applicant. Perfect for any job application."
Rosalba
Individual applicant
"Cost effective, super fast, efficient processing of applications. Excellent service."
Renato
Business portal user
"Very objective and clear to what is required and plenty of options to choose for available support documents."
Ron
Business portal user
"A highly efficient service with a simple online facility. A highly recommended service."
Sharon
Individual applicant
"The form was very clear and feedback on errors very quick. Thank you ANCC."
Not sure where to start?
Book in a free consultation with us to discuss your organisation's employment background check needs, or to get an overview of the ANCC Business Portal.
