National Police Check in the ACT: AFP cost, timing and what care employers accept
National Police Checks from the AFP for the ACT in October 2026: $57, $114 with fingerprints, most posted within 48 hours, and what care employers accept.
On this page
In the ACT, National Police Certificates come from the Australian Federal Police, which handles every check for ACT or Commonwealth purposes. An application costs $57, or $114 with fingerprints, and most certificates are completed and posted within 48 hours. Digital certificates carry a QR code for validation. Aged Care accepts a National Police Check (Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check) issued within the last three years.
Key facts (as of October 2026)
| Fact | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Issuing body | Australian Federal Police (AFP) | afp.gov.au |
| Official name | National Police Certificate (Australian Federal Police) | afp.gov.au |
| Validity | 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 | afp.gov.au |
| Cost (employment) | $57, or $114 with fingerprints (GST exempt) | afp.gov.au |
| Cost (volunteer) | No volunteer or concession fee is listed by the AFP | afp.gov.au |
| Processing time | Most completed and posted within 48 hours | afp.gov.au |
| Renewal | No renewal: apply for a new check. Under the Aged Care Rules a National Police Check issued within the last 3 years is accepted, in every state and territory | health.gov.au |
| Scope | National: the check searches police records across Australia through the ACIC's National Police Checking Service, whichever police agency or accredited body submits it | acic.gov.au |
| Apply or renew | Apply online (AFP National Police Checks portal) | afp.gov.au |
| Status check or register | Scan the unique QR code on a digital certificate to validate it | afp.gov.au |
| What an employer must do | Aged Care: hold, for every worker and responsible person, a National Police Check not older than 3 years (assessed for certain offences) or an NDIS Worker Screening Check | health.gov.au |
Fees and processing times change, most often once a year. The source column links to the official page each value was checked against in October 2026.
How to apply: National Police Check (ACT)
- Apply online through the AFP National Police Checks portal. Use the AFP if the check is for ACT or Commonwealth purposes.
- Provide identity documents worth at least 100 points, including at least one primary document.
- Choose the purpose carefully, for example 'Aged Care staff/volunteers'. A certificate issued for one purpose is not appropriate for a different kind of job.
- Pay $57, or $114 if fingerprints are needed, and track progress with the AFP status check.
- Most certificates are completed and posted within 48 hours. If you lose a digital certificate, download it again from the portal for up to three months.
When you need a newer check
- A National Police Check does not renew. When an employer needs a more recent one, apply for a new check.
- You can reuse an AFP certificate for the same purpose, so a new aged care job may accept your existing 'Aged Care staff/volunteers' certificate if it is recent enough.
- For Aged Care, apply before your current check is three years old, or hold an NDIS Worker Screening Check instead and you will not need a National Police Check.
What employers must do
- Aged Care: hold either a National Police Check not older than three years or an NDIS Worker Screening Check for every worker and responsible person, and assess the check result for the offences that stop someone working for a registered provider (murder, sexual assault, and assault that led to imprisonment).
- Disability (NDIS): a risk-assessed role at a registered NDIS provider needs the NDIS Worker Screening Check, issued through Working with Vulnerable People registration, which checks national criminal history and work misconduct history. A worker who holds it does not need a National Police Check for Aged Care either.
- Childcare: child-related work needs the Working with Vulnerable People registration, which carries its own criminal history assessment.
- Validate a digital AFP certificate by scanning its QR code. Hard copies carry watermarks, fluorescent threads and heat-sensitive imagery.
What is specific to Australian Capital Territory
- The AFP is the issuer for every check requested for ACT or Commonwealth purposes, including citizenship and visas.
- Digital certificates include a unique QR code that validates the certificate; hard copies carry watermarks, fluorescent threads and heat-sensitive imagery.
- Child-related and vulnerable-people work in the ACT needs Working with Vulnerable People registration from Access Canberra.
What Koora checks
Reviewed. Koora reviews a National Police Check the 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 AFP. 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 much is an AFP police check?
$57 per application, or $114 if you need to supply fingerprints. The fees are exempt from GST, and the AFP lists no volunteer or concession rate.
How long does an AFP police check take?
The AFP completes and posts most National Police Certificates within 48 hours of receiving the application.
Can I reuse a National Police Check from the AFP for a new job?
You can use it more than once for the same purpose, provided the new organisation accepts its date. For Aged Care it must be not older than three years.
How do I verify a National Police Check from the AFP?
Scan the unique QR code on the digital certificate. Hard copies have watermarks, fluorescent threads and heat-sensitive imagery.
Related
- Do you need a new police check for a new care job?
- National Police Check in every state and territory: the comparison table
- Working with Vulnerable People (ACT) in Australian Capital Territory
- NDIS Worker Screening Check (ACT) in Australian Capital Territory
- Teacher registration (ACT) in Australian Capital Territory
- Glossary: National Police Check
- Which worker check do I need?: pick your sector, role and state
Sources
- https://www.afp.gov.au/our-services/national-police-checks
- https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/2026-03/aged-care-worker-screening-guidance-material_0.pdf
- https://www.acic.gov.au/national-police-checking-service/find-out-more-information/how-service-works
- https://www.health.gov.au/topics/aged-care-workforce/screening-requirements
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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