Driver Accreditation police check in Australia

Australian National Character Check (ANCC) is a provider of Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Checks for the purpose of driver accreditation and licensing requirements across Australia.

Applicants can apply via the online application form. Most police check results are returned to applicants within 24 to 48 hours, with the remainder that get referred for manual processing taking up to 15+ days. Police check results are instantly dispatched via email when they become available, with an optional hard copy certificate available at the payment stage.

The cost of a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check for the purpose of driver accreditation and licensing is $52.90 + GST. Applicants can make payment securely online using PayPal, debit card or credit card.

It is important to note that when you are asked to enter the purpose of the check on the police check application form, you should enter “Driver Accreditation/ Licensing” as the check purpose. For example, if you are applying for a police check to get your public driver accreditation as a bus driver, taxi driver, rideshare driver (e.g. uber, ola, didi, etc), hire car driver etc., then you should enter “Driver Accreditation and Licensing” as the purpose of the check when promoted to do so.

Anyone who intends to drive a public vehicle like a car, bus, any (Commercial Passenger Vehicles) or other heavy vehicles in any state or territory in Australia must be accredited through “various” checks in addition to possessing a valid Australian Driver’s license.

However, there is a gap in information about Driver Accreditation and Licensing police checks in Australia. The information below is intended to provide our Australian community with information regarding the requirements for police checks when obtaining driver accreditation.

The Driver accreditation in Australia is a State and Territory based scheme that helps Commercial Passenger travellers to be safer, and passengers more secure. It shows that drivers meet certain assessments and the Australian safety standards on commuting and transporting people.

From a simple perspective, it is the highest vetting or checks process for anyone who aspires to be a Commercial Passenger Vehicle (CPVs) Driver or Operator or similar roles in Australia.

Generally, the process for a Driver accreditation involves the following checks;

✔ Driver History (from the Australian Traffic Database)

✔ Medical history

Due to the rising and worrisome cases of irregularities, offences and contract breaches between (CPV) drivers and passengers, States considered it pertinent to introduce a vetting system to protect passengers and citizens.

The Driver accreditation assures potential passengers and other citizens who use your service, of their safety and security. It also ascertains that the driver is qualified and trustworthy to commute them to their destination.

A police check is a “point in time check” meaning it has no set expiry date or validity period. The check released results up until the date of issue. The expiry of the check is determined by the driver accreditation authorities based on their own risk assessment strategies. Generally most government offices don’t accept police checks for the purpose of driver licensing and accreditation that are older than three months.

A confusing part for some drivers when obtaining their Driver accreditation is choosing the correct category for the license. Different accreditation types are depending on the vehicle the holder operates;

• Public Buses
• School buses
• Hire Cars
• Motorcycles
• Heavy Trucks
• Taxis, and so on

Before you apply for a driver accreditation, get familiar with the State’s legislation regarding Driver accreditation. Since the Driver accreditation is a State-wide scheme, your Driver accreditation may not be inter-usable in different States in Australia.

If you want to apply for a Driver accreditation in Australia and have been asked to present a nationally coordinated criminal history check certificate, below are the things you should be aware of for the different states and territories. The information below was last updated in March 2021.

The Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check has become a national document to improve risk mitigation strategy, improve work relations, and know criminal history for persons in charge of making decisions for the safety of the broader community. It is also important for getting a Commercial Passenger Driver Accreditation in various states and territories accessories Australia. Police check certificates for the purpose of Driver Accreditation / Licensing can be obtained by Australian National Character Check.

Disclaimer

The material on this webpage is for general information only. The material does not reflect all the technicalities of the relevant law in your state or territory and you should seek legal advice in relation to your individual circumstances. Australian National Character Check does not accept any liability for any action taken in reliance on this webpage. If you need advice, please contact the local licensing and accreditation government screening unit of your state or territory.