---
title: "National police check in Australia: choose the purpose and prepare your ID"
description: "Check the required provider and purpose before applying, prepare identity evidence and preserve your issued Australian police check result unchanged."
canonical: "https://dokus.app/en-au/national-police-check-documents-purpose/"
lang: "en-AU"
category: "Official documents"
reviewed: "2026-10-22"
app_store: "https://apps.apple.com/au/app/dokus-private-id-wallet/id6781915709"
translations:
  en-AU: "https://dokus.app/en-au/national-police-check-documents-purpose/"
---

# National police check in Australia: choose the purpose and prepare your ID

Before paying for an Australian police check, ask the organisation requesting it which provider, purpose and issue date it accepts. General checks can be obtained through an Australian police agency or ACIC accredited body. Follow a specific AFP requirement when one applies, including Home Affairs instructions for its Australian police certificates.

A national police check is tied to its stated purpose. Buying a check before confirming the requirement can leave you with a result the requesting organisation cannot use.

| What you have been asked for | Confirm before applying |
|---|---|
| Employment, volunteering or a licence | Accepted provider, exact role or entitlement, and acceptable issue date |
| A Home Affairs Australian police certificate | The AFP route and the purpose specified by Home Affairs |
| Working with children or vulnerable people screening | The separate state or territory screening requirement |
| Use of an existing check for another application | Whether a fresh check for the new purpose is required |

For its Australian police certificates, [Home Affairs instructs applicants](https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-support/glossary/how-to-get-police-certificate) to complete the AFP application using **Commonwealth employment / purpose** and code **33**. Follow the instructions for your own application; this is not the default purpose for every job or volunteer role.

For work with children or vulnerable people, check the [separate state or territory screening process](https://www.acic.gov.au/national-police-checking-service/find-out-more-information/working-children-checks). An ordinary police check does not replace that registration or permit.

Organise personal copies of your identity evidence and police check in Dokus behind Face ID or Touch ID. Keep the issued result unchanged and separate from application receipts or prepared copies. 4.8 out of 5 stars [Free on the App Store](https://apps.apple.com/au/app/dokus-private-id-wallet/id6781915709)

## Choose the provider before preparing files

The [ACIC applicant guide](https://www.acic.gov.au/national-police-checking-service/i-need-check-myself) explains that individuals apply through an Australian police agency or an accredited body, rather than directly to ACIC. Your employer may also organise the check through its own process.

If using a commercial provider, check its legal or trading name against the [ACIC accredited-body list](https://www.acic.gov.au/national-police-checking-service/find-out-more-information/accredited-bodies). The list distinguishes providers serving the public from organisations conducting checks for their own personnel or regulatory purposes. Accreditation does not mean every listed organisation accepts individual public applications.

## Gather ID for the route you actually use

For the process described in the ACIC applicant guide, prepare four identity documents: one commencement-of-identity document, one primary community-use document and two secondary community-use documents. The provider supplies its accepted-document list. Examples include a full Australian birth certificate or current Australian passport for commencement, a current driver's licence for primary use, and a Medicare card among the secondary options.

If names differ across your documents, ask which linkage evidence is required. If you cannot meet the identity requirements, discuss alternatives with the provider before submitting. For an AFP application, use its own current checklist rather than assuming another provider's document combination will work.

Prepare legible copies with every required edge and detail visible. Do not redact or watermark verification evidence unless the provider expressly permits it. A personal scan does not replace any live identity-linkage or original-document check the provider requires.

## Complete the application in order

1. Record the requesting organisation's purpose, provider and date requirements.
2. Open the chosen provider's application and use its current document checklist and file limits.
3. Enter your names, other requested personal details and the precise role or entitlement accurately.
4. Read the consent and privacy information before agreeing to the check and its disclosure.
5. Complete the required identity verification and save the application reference.

The [ACIC process guide](https://www.acic.gov.au/national-police-checking-service/find-out-more-information/how-service-works) explains that a potential name match can require police assessment. A delay does not by itself describe your result. [ACIC's service information](https://www.acic.gov.au/national-police-checking-service) says processing times are not guaranteed and submitting multiple checks does not speed the outcome. Contact your submitting provider about progress.

## Keep the issued result intact

Download the provider's result file itself if one is supplied. Keep any verification instructions with it. A screenshot or scan of a printed result is a personal reproduction; it should not be presented as the original issued digital file.

[ACIC's validity guidance](https://www.acic.gov.au/national-police-checking-service/find-out-more-information/nationally-coordinated-criminal-history-check-validity) says the result reflects records at the time of release. There is no universal expiry period, and a check is unsuitable for reuse across different purposes. Ask the recipient about its date requirement instead of assuming every check lasts twelve months.

Preserve the complete issued report without redacting findings, changing wording or adding your own marks. Use the provider's verification route if authenticity needs checking.

## Before submitting or sharing


- The provider and purpose match the requesting organisation's instructions.
- The identity evidence meets the chosen provider's checklist.
- Any separate screening requirement has been checked.
- The application reference is saved separately from the issued result.
- The complete result meets the recipient's date and verification requirements.

## Questions about Australian police checks

### Must every national police check come from the AFP?

No. General applications can go through an Australian police agency or ACIC accredited body. Use the AFP where the requesting authority requires it, including the Home Affairs route described above.

### Does a national police check replace a Working with Children Check?

No. There are separate state and territory screening processes. Confirm whether your role requires the relevant screening unit's registration or permit as well.

### Can I use the same result for every new job?

A check is tied to its purpose and the time it was issued. Confirm the new organisation's requirements and obtain a fresh check when the new purpose requires one.

## Sources

Reviewed on 22 October 2026

- [ACIC: I need a check on myself](https://www.acic.gov.au/national-police-checking-service/i-need-check-myself)
- [Department of Home Affairs: How to get a police certificate](https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-support/glossary/how-to-get-police-certificate)
- [ACIC: Accredited bodies](https://www.acic.gov.au/national-police-checking-service/find-out-more-information/accredited-bodies)
- [ACIC: How the Service works](https://www.acic.gov.au/national-police-checking-service/find-out-more-information/how-service-works)
- [ACIC: Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check validity](https://www.acic.gov.au/national-police-checking-service/find-out-more-information/nationally-coordinated-criminal-history-check-validity)
- [ACIC: Working with children checks](https://www.acic.gov.au/national-police-checking-service/find-out-more-information/working-children-checks)
- [ACIC: National Police Checking Service](https://www.acic.gov.au/national-police-checking-service)