Key points
- AFP national police certificate: $57, or $114 with fingerprints. You must use the AFP for Commonwealth or ACT purposes, such as citizenship and visas.
- State police fees differ: NSW from $58.60, Western Australia $66.00, Tasmania $70.00, Queensland $78.15, South Australia $82.00 and Victoria $91.50 for a standard check.
- Volunteers pay less in most states: Victoria $31.10, Western Australia $17.60, Tasmania $7.00, and free in South Australia for volunteers working with vulnerable groups through an authorised organisation.
- Not a Working with Children Check: work with children or vulnerable people needs the separate state or territory screening check.
- Spent convictions and findings of guilt without conviction may be left out, depending on the law and the purpose of the check.
- Wrong result? Dispute it through the organisation that lodged your check, with supporting documents.
- For advice about what your record will show, a spent conviction or a disputed result, call 1800 577 015 at any hour: free general legal information, and a 60-minute consultation with a lawyer for a fixed $295.
A national police certificate from the Australian Federal Police costs $57 ($114 with fingerprints), and the AFP must be used for Commonwealth and ACT purposes such as citizenship and visas; state police forces set their own fees, from $58.60 in NSW to $91.50 in Victoria for a standard check, and most states charge eligible volunteers much less.
Checked on 23 October 2026 against the AFP, the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission and each state police force's own fee page.
Police check fees in 2026-27
| Who issues it | Standard check | Volunteers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Federal Police (national; must be used for Commonwealth and ACT purposes) | $57; $114 with fingerprints | No separate rate listed | Apply online, or by post for fingerprint checks. Not lodged at police stations. |
| NSW Police Force | From $58.60 | Not stated on the portal | Online; NSW Police says most checks are completed within an hour. Fees rise each 1 July. |
| Victoria Police | $91.50 | $31.10 for volunteers and students on placement, with a Community Volunteer Fee number from the organisation | Fees updated 30 June 2026. |
| Queensland Police Service | $78.15 (name search); $260.60 with fingerprints | No separate rate listed | Online through Australia Post; fee schedule of 1 July 2026. |
| Western Australia Police Force | $66.00 | $17.60 | Fees updated 1 July 2026; no discounts or concessions otherwise. |
| South Australia Police | $82.00 ($59.00 concession) | $52.00 through organisations without a Volunteer Organisation Authorisation Number; free for volunteers working with vulnerable groups through organisations that have one | Lodge at a police station; processed within 15 working days. |
| Tasmania Police | $70.00 | $7.00 concession, through volunteer organisations approved in advance | Paid at Service Tasmania. |
| Northern Territory (SAFE NT) | Fee not shown on the NT Government's page | Apply online through Territory Services, or with the SAFE NT form in person or by mail. |
- Accredited bodies: the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC), which runs the National Police Checking Service, does not take applications from individuals. You apply through an Australian police force or an ACIC "accredited body", and the ACIC says no accredited body can get results faster than another.
- Volunteer checks are for genuine unpaid volunteer roles, or a student's compulsory unpaid placement. They are not available for Work for the Dole, rental applications, insurance, au pair or homestay placements, or commercial family day care, and you may be asked for evidence of the role.
- No refunds once the AFP has your application, so check that the purpose and details are right before paying.
Which check do you need?
- Commonwealth or ACT purposes: the AFP says you must apply through it, for example for Australian citizenship, permanent residence or a visa. Queensland Police and the Northern Territory also direct immigration, citizenship and residency checks to the AFP.
- Employment, volunteering and licences: any police force or accredited body can lodge the check, but follow what your employer or licensing body asks for.
- Working with children: a police check is not a Working with Children Check. The ACIC says every state and territory now requires checks for working with vulnerable people to go through its own screening unit (for example, see our page on the NSW Working with Children Check).
- For court: the AFP says a national police certificate is not suitable as a criminal record in court proceedings. Ask the police force concerned for your criminal history (WA Police, for example, provides a conviction history for court at no fee).
What appears on a police check
- What it shows: your "disclosable court outcomes" across Australia, which can include local and interstate criminal and traffic court outcomes, outstanding warrants and pending charges.
- What it may leave out: depending on the state or territory law and the purpose of the check, convictions that are "spent" and findings of guilt without a conviction. Some jobs and purposes are exempt from those rules, so they may be shown.
- The purpose matters: the information released depends on the purpose you state, so a check is for that purpose only. The AFP allows a certificate to be reused for the same purpose; the ACIC says a check is a "point in time" result, and the organisation asking for it decides how recent it must be.
- No preview: the AFP cannot tell you in advance what your certificate will show; ask the criminal records section of the relevant state or territory police.
Applying and how long it takes
- Identity: the AFP needs identity documents worth at least 100 points. Through an accredited body, the ACIC process asks for 4 identity documents, one of them a "commencement of identity" document such as a full Australian birth certificate, a current Australian passport or a valid Australian visa.
- Consent and your own record only: anyone can apply for their own check, but not for someone else without their consent. Under 18, a parent or guardian must co-sign the AFP application.
- How long it takes: the ACIC says about 70% of checks are completed within minutes and the rest are referred to police for manual processing, with no fixed time limit. The AFP completes and posts most certificates within 48 hours of receiving the application; checks with fingerprints take 15 to 30 business days. Queensland checks that need further investigation generally take 5 to 10 working days, plus postage.
- False information in an AFP application can lead to prosecution under the Criminal Code.
Disputing a result
- Who to contact: the accredited body or police force that lodged your check, with your reasons and any documents that support them. The ACIC does not resolve disputes itself.
- What happens: the police force that released the information investigates. If the dispute succeeds, the result is amended; if not, you can challenge the outcome with further documents.
- Fingerprints: WA and Queensland Police may ask for comparison fingerprints to resolve a dispute, at no fee.
Who to contact
| Service | Contact |
|---|---|
| AFP National Police Checks (help with an application or a problem with a check) | +61 2 6140 6502 |
| ACIC National Police Checking Service (questions about volunteer checks) | (02) 6268 7900 |
| SAFE NT (Northern Territory checks) | 1800 723 368 |
| Tasmania Police Criminal History Services (volunteer concession rate) | 03 6173 2928 |
How Go To Court Lawyers can help
Our free line, 1800 577 015, answers at any hour. Jen, our AI legal information assistant, gives general legal information and takes your details; Jen is not a lawyer and does not give advice about your case. A 60-minute consultation with a lawyer who practises in your state is a fixed $295, by phone, video or in person where the lawyer offers it. The lawyer can explain what is likely to appear on your check for a particular purpose, whether a conviction is spent, and how to dispute an incorrect result or deal with an employer about it. Requests are taken at any hour; how soon a lawyer can see you depends on who is available. Request a $295 consultation.
General information only, not legal advice. Updated 23 October 2026. Checked against the Australian Federal Police's page on applying for a National Police Certificate; the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission's National Police Checking Service pages; Victoria Police's National Police Check fees (updated 30 June 2026); Queensland Police's National Police Certificates page and fee schedule (1 July 2026); WA Police Force information access fees (updated 1 July 2026); Tasmania Police's National Police Record Check page; South Australia Police's police record check page and fee schedule; the NSW Police Force check portal; and the Northern Territory Government's criminal history check page, on 23 October 2026. Fees change, usually on 1 July each year.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a national police check cost?
Through the Australian Federal Police, $57, or $114 if fingerprints are needed. State police forces charge their own fees for a standard check: NSW from $58.60, Western Australia $66.00, Tasmania $70.00, Queensland $78.15, South Australia $82.00 and Victoria $91.50.
Is a police check cheaper for volunteers?
In most states, yes, for genuine unpaid volunteer roles and students on compulsory unpaid placements: Victoria $31.10, Western Australia $17.60, Tasmania $7.00, and South Australia $52.00, or free through an organisation with a Volunteer Organisation Authorisation Number. Volunteer rates do not apply to rental applications or Work for the Dole.
Which police check do I need for citizenship or a visa?
The AFP's national police certificate. The AFP says you must apply through it for Commonwealth purposes, including Australian citizenship, permanent residence and visas, and for ACT purposes. Queensland Police and the Northern Territory also refer immigration and citizenship checks to the AFP.
How long does a police check take?
The national checking service says about 70% of checks are completed within minutes, while the rest go to police for manual processing with no fixed time limit. The AFP completes and posts most certificates within 48 hours of receiving them; checks with fingerprints take 15 to 30 business days.
Will a spent conviction show on my police check?
Often not, but it depends on the state or territory law and the purpose of the check. Spent convictions and findings of guilt without a conviction may be left out, but some jobs and purposes are exempt from those rules. The AFP cannot tell you in advance what your certificate will show.
What can I do if my police check is wrong?
Contact the accredited body or police force that lodged your check, explain why the result is wrong and include supporting documents. The police force that released the information investigates and may amend the result; if it does not, you can challenge the outcome again with more documents.
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