National Police Check by state: cost, timing and what care employers accept
Compare National Police Check fees, turnaround and application routes for every state police force, and what Aged Care, Disability and Childcare accept.
On this page
A National Police Check (Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check) is a point-in-time search of police records across Australia, run through the ACIC's National Police Checking Service. You apply through your state or territory police (the AFP in the ACT) or an ACIC accredited body. Published fees run from $57 (AFP) to $92 (SAFE NT). Aged Care accepts a National Police Check not older than three years.
National Police Check by state (as of October 2026)
| State | Name | Issuing body | Validity | Cost (employment) / Cost (volunteer) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NSW | National Police Check (NSW Police Force) | NSW Police Force | Check with the issuer | Check with the issuer |
| VIC | National Police Check (Victoria Police) | Victoria Police | No set expiry: a point-in-time check that reflects police records up to its release. The organisation asking for it decides how recent it must be | $91.50 (GST exempt; fees rise each 1 July) / $31.10 for Victorian volunteers and students on placement, with a Community Volunteer Fee number |
| QLD | National Police Certificate (Queensland Police Service) | Queensland Police Service | Check with the issuer | $78.15 for a name-only national search; $260.60 with fingerprints (from 1 July 2026). The schedule also lists a $6.95 processing fee for the national police checking service / No volunteer or concession fee is listed in the QPS fee schedule |
| WA | National Police Certificate (WA Police Force) | WA Police Force | No period of validity: certificates are current as of the date of issue | $66 (from 1 July 2026) / $17.60, lodged by a registered volunteer-involving organisation through the Volunteer National Police Certificate Program |
| SA | National Police Certificate (South Australia Police) | South Australia Police (SAPOL) | Check with the issuer | $82; $59 concession (GST exempt) / Free for volunteers who work with vulnerable groups, through an organisation with a Volunteer Organisation Authorisation Number (VOAN) |
| TAS | National Police Record Check (Tasmania Police) | Tasmania Police | No set validity: correct as of the date of release. The employer decides how long it remains valid | $70 (standard fee) / $7 for volunteers and concessions through an organisation approved by Criminal History Services |
| ACT | National Police Certificate (Australian Federal Police) | Australian Federal Police (AFP) | Valid from the date of application, but records nothing after it. The organisation decides how recent it must be, and you can reuse it for the same purpose | $57, or $114 with fingerprints (GST exempt) / No volunteer or concession fee is listed by the AFP |
| NT | National Police Check (SAFE NT) | SAFE NT (NT Police, Fire and Emergency Services) | No set validity. Where no law applies, the employer decides how often employees update their check | $92 (effective 1 July 2026) / $17 for registered, unpaid volunteers with an organisation statement |
Each state page carries the full key facts, with a link to the official page every value was checked against in October 2026.
What care employers accept
- Aged Care: every worker and responsible person needs either a National Police Check not older than three years that does not record certain offences, or an NDIS Worker Screening Check. A worker with an NDIS check does not need a National Police Check.
- Disability (NDIS): risk-assessed roles at a registered NDIS provider need the NDIS Worker Screening Check, which checks national criminal history and work misconduct history.
- Childcare: child-related work needs the state or territory Working with Children Check, which carries its own criminal history assessment.
- A National Police Check does not renew. It reflects records up to its issue date. Outside Aged Care, the organisation asking for it decides how recent it must be; under the Aged Care Rules a check issued within the last three years is accepted, in every state and territory.
- Aged Care also needs a statutory declaration from a worker who starts while their National Police Check or NDIS application is pending, or who has been a citizen or permanent resident of another country after turning 16. A statutory declaration never replaces a National Police Check that is more than three years old.
- In South Australia, an aged care worker or responsible person can hold the Aged Care Sector Employment Check, issued under South Australian screening law, in place of a National Police Check.
- You can apply through an Australian police agency or an ACIC accredited body. Either way, the check runs against national records.
Sources: Department of Health, Disability and Ageing: screening requirements, Aged Care Worker Screening Guidance Material, ACIC: how the National Police Checking Service works, ACIC: check validity, ACIC: I need a check on myself.
What Koora checks
Reviewed. Koora reviews a National Police Check that a worker uploads: a person looks at the check result when the worker shares their Career Passport or a provider requests access, or across an organisation's own records where Crew is attached. Koora does not verify an uploaded check with the police force that issued it. The compliance engine records the issue date so a provider can see when a check passes the three-year age Aged Care accepts.
Your team reviews each credential in Koora, or Crew does it for you. The provider keeps the legal responsibility for who they engage.
Frequently asked questions
How long is a police check valid for aged care?
Aged Care accepts a National Police Check that is not older than three years and does not record certain offences, assessed by the provider. An NDIS Worker Screening Check is accepted instead of a National Police Check, though some providers ask for a National Police Check as well as their own policy.
Do police checks expire?
No. A National Police Check is a point-in-time result that reflects records up to its issue date. The organisation asking for it decides how recent it must be.
Which police force do I apply to?
Usually the police in the state or territory where you live; in the ACT, and for Commonwealth purposes, the Australian Federal Police. You can also apply through an ACIC accredited body.
Do I need a police check for NDIS or childcare work?
The screening for those roles is a different check. Risk-assessed NDIS roles need the NDIS Worker Screening Check, and child-related work needs the state's Working with Children Check.
State and territory pages
- National Police Check (NSW): New South Wales
- National Police Check (VIC): Victoria
- National Police Check (QLD): Queensland
- National Police Check (WA): Western Australia
- National Police Check (SA): South Australia
- National Police Check (TAS): Tasmania
- National Police Check (ACT): Australian Capital Territory
- National Police Check (NT): Northern Territory
For the wider picture, read Do you need a new police check for a new care job?, or use the which worker check tool to match a sector, role and state.
This is general information, not compliance advice. Always confirm requirements with the relevant regulator, and remember that providers keep the legal responsibility to sight credentials and decide who can work.
We work hard to keep everything accurate, and our compliance engine keeps up with the rules as they change. Even so, we might get a detail slightly wrong or miss something. No one's perfect. If you think something here needs updating, email us at resources@koora.care. We would genuinely rather know, because we all do better when we help each other get it right.
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