How Long Is a Police Check Valid?
Police checks in Australia have no fixed expiry date and reflect criminal history at the time of issue. Employers and industries may require checks within 3-12 months or periodic renewals. Confirm specific requirements before applying for a new check.
There is no nationally legislated expiry date for a police check in Australia. An NCCHC is a point-in-time document — it reflects your criminal history as at the date it was issued.
- 3 months: Many employers only accept a police check issued within the last 3 months.
- 12 months: Some industries and licensing bodies accept checks up to 12 months old.
- Ongoing/periodic: Some roles require police checks to be renewed annually or every 2–3 years.
Before applying, confirm the recency requirement with the organisation requesting the check to avoid unnecessary reapplication.
If your existing certificate is no longer current enough, you can submit a new application at any time through your National Clearance Australia account. Previous certificates remain accessible in your dashboard history.
Need your result faster? Add Priority Processing to your application for just $20. Up to 70% of priority checks are completed the same day. If we are unable to process your check the same day, the $20 Priority Processing fee will be fully refunded.