National Police Check · QLD

National Police Check in Queensland: cost, timing and what care employers accept

National Police Checks from Queensland Police, October 2026: $78.15 name check, emailed in about 30 minutes if nothing matches, and what employers accept.

Published 6 October 2026Facts checked October 2026

On this page

A Queensland Police Service National Police Certificate is a point-in-time search of police records across Australia. You apply online and prove your identity with Australia Post Digital iD. The name-only certificate fee is $78.15 from 1 July 2026, and a result with no potential match is emailed within about 30 minutes. 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	Queensland Police Service	police.qld.gov.au
Official name	National Police Certificate (Queensland Police Service)	police.qld.gov.au
Validity	Check with Queensland Police Service	Not confirmed
Cost (employment)	$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	police.qld.gov.au
Cost (volunteer)	No volunteer or concession fee is listed in the QPS fee schedule	police.qld.gov.au
Processing time	About 30 minutes by email when there is no potential match; up to 28 days when there is; posted hard copies take up to 2 weeks to arrive	police.qld.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 (Australia Post Digital iD)	police.qld.gov.au
Status check or register	Check with Queensland Police Service	Not confirmed
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 (QLD)

Start the online application from the Queensland Police Service National Police Certificates page.
Verify your identity with Australia Post Digital iD, using at least one primary and one commencement document (one document can be both).
Pay the $78.15 name-only certificate fee (from 1 July 2026).
With no potential match, the certificate reaches your Australia Post Secure Document Vault within about 30 minutes and stays there for 12 months. A potential match can take up to 28 days, and a certificate with disclosable history is posted rather than delivered online.

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.
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 clearance from Disability Worker Screening, 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 blue card, which carries its own criminal history assessment.
Hard-copy certificates are printed on security paper with built-in security features; ask to see the original.

What is specific to Queensland

Identity is verified through Australia Post Digital iD, and clear certificates are delivered to the Australia Post Secure Document Vault.
A certificate with disclosable history is posted rather than delivered online.
Child-related work in Queensland needs a blue card, which goes beyond a police check by weighing child protection and domestic and family violence information.

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 Queensland Police Service. 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 a police check in Queensland?

The Queensland Police Service charges $78.15 for a name-only National Police Certificate from 1 July 2026, or $260.60 with fingerprints. Its fee schedule lists no volunteer or concession rate.

How long does a Queensland police check take?

If nothing in your details matches police records, the certificate is emailed within about 30 minutes. A potential match can take up to 28 days.

Is a National Police Check from Queensland Police accepted for aged care?

Yes, if it is not older than three years. The provider assesses it for certain offences. An NDIS Worker Screening Check is accepted instead.

Do I need a police check to work in childcare in Queensland?

Child-related work needs a blue card, which includes a national criminal history check and more. A separate National Police Check is not the screening for that work.

Do you need a new police check for a new care job?
National Police Check in every state and territory: the comparison table
Blue Card (QLD) in Queensland
NDIS Worker Screening Check (QLD) in Queensland
Teacher registration (QLD) in Queensland
Glossary: National Police Check
Which worker check do I need?: pick your sector, role and state

Sources

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.

See which checks apply to you.

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A National Police Check can be valid for three years, but valid is not the same as current. Why a fresh, purpose-specific check before you start is best practice, and what Koora accepts.

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