National police check in NSW

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Getting a police check in New South Wales (NSW) should be a fast and hassle-free process. At Crime Check Australia, we have made the process of ordering an ACIC accredited NSW police check online as quick and easy as possible.

Discover why thousands of customers from NSW now rely on us to provide their national police checks below.

What is a national police check in NSW?

A police check in NSW is a national police check that is valid for use in NSW. Specifically for residents of the state, this document outlines any disclosable offences that an applicant has committed in any Australian state or territory.

What Other Names is a police check NSW Known By?

It is important to be aware of the fact that a “national police check” is known by a variety of names. These names are synonymous with one another, so they refer to the very same document we have outlined on this page.

Some examples of other names a police check in NSW is known by include:

  • National police check
  • NSW National Criminal History Check
  • Police check NSW
  • Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check in NSW

The reason it is crucial to recognise this fact is that companies, organisations, and government departments and agencies in NSW may refer to a national police check in NSW using any one of these terms.

Another vital consideration to be mindful of is that this document may be referred to by a name that includes a state specification. For example, some may call it a “national police clearance,” while others may call it a “police clearance.” In such cases, you can safely assume that if you reside in the state of New South Wales, the requesting party is referring to a police check that is valid in the state of NSW.

If, however, you usually reside in another Australian state or territory, you should make sure to obtain a police check that is valid in that state. As this NSW Police Force website link states, “Non-NSW residents must apply [for a criminal history check] in the state they usually reside.”

Click here if you need a police clearance from another Australian state or territory.

Police Checks in NSW

Why is it Necessary to Get a National Criminal History Check in NSW?

It may be necessary to get a national criminal history check in NSW if a company, organisation, or government department or agency asks you to provide one.

There are a number of possible consequences for not providing a police check when you have been asked for one. For example, you may:

  • Be rejected from a job you have applied for.
  • Have a job offer rescinded.
  • Not be admitted as a lawyer.
  • Not be able to move, work, or live overseas for an extended period of time.
  • Not be able to volunteer or intern at an NGO, organisation, or company.
  • Not be able to undertake a student placement.
  • Have your visa or citizenship application stalled or rejected.
  • Not be able to adopt or foster a child in Australia or overseas.

In short, if asked for this document, it is usually in your best interests to provide it. Failure to do so could impact your ability to qualify for a given job, volunteer work, student placement, or visa or citizenship status. It could also affect your ability to become a foster or adoptive parent.

What is the Difference Between Ordering a police check Online and at a Police Station?

The two main ways you can obtain your national police check in NSW are:

  • At a local NSW police station, or
  • Using an ACIC accredited NSW police check online provider

There is no difference in terms of the legitimacy of the police check you will obtain from either source, as long as the police check online provider is indeed a legitimate one that is accredited with the ACIC.

The main point of difference lies in the overall process you will need to undertake. When you order your police check online from a legitimate police check online provider (namely, Crime Check Australia), you can benefit from significantly faster turnaround times.

Our 100% online service enables you to complete your crime check application whenever and wherever is most convenient to you. All you will need is your computer, mobile phone, or tablet (as well as the same mandatory documents a police station application requires).

Our application process only takes minutes to complete. What’s more, most of our customers (70%) receive their NSW police check in just 1 business day.

Compare this with going to your local police station. You will not only need to find the time to travel there, but you will also need to allow additional time to be served. (Hint: given that police deal with many more serious matters than processing police checks, there is a good chance you will need to wait a while to be served!).

Once you hand in your application, you will usually need to wait at least a few days to receive your police check. This isn’t desirable in any situation, let alone if time is of the essence.

All in all, it is generally far easier and quicker to order your national police check online with us than at your police station.

Why Should I Order police check NSW From Crime Check Australia?

Now that you know why it’s worthwhile to order your police check online, you may be wondering why you should specifically select Crime Check Australia to process your police check.

According to our thousands of happy customers, there are many reasons why we are the best choice of provider.

First of all, Crime Check Australia is accredited by the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) as an Official National Police Checking Service (NPCS) provider. This means that when you order from us, you will have the peace of mind that your national police check in NSW is legitimate and readily accepted by various companies, organisations, and government departments and agencies.

Our service is also 100% online for optimal convenience. Thanks to our 256-bit SSL encrypted platform, you can securely use your computer, tablet, or mobile device to complete and pay for your application.

Speed is another reason we are a leading provider of police checks in NSW. Our streamlined application process only takes a couple of minutes to complete from start to finish. Speaking on speed, we have mastered quick turnaround times. Did you know that 70% of the police check results we process are returned to customers within a single day?

Plus, we will either send you an email or SMS as soon as we have an update on your application. When it is ready, we will send a digital copy of it straight to your inbox. The benefit of ordering a digital copy of your criminal record is that unlike a physical copy, you won’t need to go through the hassle of printing, mailing, or scanning it. Instead, you can swiftly email your digital criminal record certificate straight to the party requesting it.

One final reason you can rely on us to process your police check NSW is that you will have access to our world-class support team. They are always ready to assist in answering any questions you have and help you to feel at ease with the entire criminal history check process.

As you can see, there is no shortage of reasons why you should order your NSW police check from us.

Police check in NSW: What Information Will Show Up on Criminal Record Check?

A criminal record check provides a record of an applicant’s disclosable criminal history, if they have one. To be more specific, the following details will appear on your document (if applicable to your circumstances):

  • Offences
  • Records
  • Disclosable court outcomes (DCOs)
  • Court sentences
  • Pending Australian cases within Australia

What Information Will Not Show Up?

In accordance with disclosure guidelines outlined in the Spent Convictions Scheme, certain offences will be omitted from your criminal record check. For instance, information about your conviction will not show up if:

  • You were a minor when you were convicted of it and a period of 5 years has already elapsed since your conviction (during which time you did not re-offend).
  • You were an adult when you were convicted of it and a period of 10 years has already elapsed since your conviction (during which time you did not re-offend).

How Can I Prepare for My Police Clearance?

To make the process of ordering your police clearance as quick and smooth as possible, we suggest preparing all necessary documents in advance. These documents are the same whether you order a police check in NSW or one from another state or territory.

It is mandatory to provide the following documents:

  • 1 commencement document (e.g. your current Australian passport or Australian Visa current at the time of entry to Australia as a resident or tourist)
  • 1 primary document (e.g. your Australian marriage certificate or current Australian drivers licence)
  • 2 secondary documents (e.g. your credit card and document of identity issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade)

N.B. If one of your identity documents is written in a language other than English, you will need to obtain and provide an accredited translation from the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters.

In order for us to verify your identity, we also request that you submit a selfie holding one of the documents above (the document you choose must feature a photograph of you).

Finally, you should be prepared to provide the following information about yourself:

  • Legal names (and your previous names, if any)
  • Date of birth
  • Place of birth
  • Gender
  • Address history (for the last 5 years)
  • Email address
  • Phone number

When Does the Document Expire?

A police check in NSW does not have an official date of expiry.

It is up to the party requesting it to decide whether to impose a date of expiry. If they choose to do so, they have the prerogative to decide how long they will consider a police check in NSW to be valid.

Generally speaking, the majority of companies, organisations, government departments and agencies in NSW will accept a police check issued within 3 months of the request.

For example, say that on July 1, 2021, your new employer asks for a NSW police check that has been issued within the past 3 months. Only a police check issued from April 1, 2021 onwards will be considered valid in the eyes of the company.

Instead of risking making an error when calculating if an older police check will get the green light, it is always safest to order a brand new one.

What Types of police checks Can I Choose Between When I Place an Order?

If you want to ensure your police check is readily accepted by the party requesting it, you will need to provide them with the correct type of police check for your circumstances.

The requesting party will usually specify which of the two types they require: either a volunteer police check or an employment police check.

As the name suggests, a volunteer police check is specifically for those entering volunteer positions. On the other hand, an employment police check is designed for those entering salaried positions. If you require a police check that does not fall neatly into these two categories, an employment police check will most likely be suitable.

Unfortunately, we will be unable to issue you a refund if you order the incorrect type of police check for your circumstances. That is why we strongly suggest checking directly with the requesting party if you are unsure which one you need.

What Should I Do if I Wish to Dispute the Results of My police check?

If you disagree with the results of National Police Check in NSW for whatever reason, you will have the opportunity to dispute your results.

At Crime Check Australia, we aim to make this process straightforward. Simply contact us as soon as possible using one of the two methods listed below, and we will reach out to the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission on your behalf. Alternatively, we can help you to sort the matter out with the relevant police agency in question.

Who Can I Contact to Find Out More Information?

Our customer support team is always happy to answer any questions you have about ordering a police check in NSW. You can reach out to them either by filling out our contact us form, or emailing us at info@crimecheckaustralia.com.au.

We also have a comprehensive list of frequently asked questions that address general questions about police checks, as well as other practical questions, like pricing.