About
A National Police Certificate contains a record of releasable court outcomes from all Australian states and territories, relevant to the purpose of the National Police Check.
A National Police Certificate may be required for the following purposes:
- licence or registration applications
- for employer or volunteer organisation to make a decision on prospective applicant suitability.
Certificate formats
Depending on the type of police check, a National Police Certificate will be issued in either digital or paper format.
Digital certificates
Digital certificates are issued by our partner agency Service Victoria on behalf of Victoria Police. They are issued as a result of an online National Police Check (previously known as a National Name Check) application.
The document features:
- A secure locked PDF (to prevent changes to the document).
- The Victoria Police and Victoria State Government logo in the top right corner of the page in a blue banner.
- A watermark on the left side of the page, extending to the centre of the document.
Paper certificates
Victoria Police issued certificates are printed on secure paper. They are issued as a result of a postal National Police Check application.
The document features:
- A watermark of a padlock (with two keys which is visible when held up to the light).
- Fluorescent threads on either side (which glow blue, yellow and red under ultraviolet light).
- A MicroType border that can be read when magnified (located to the right of the police logos on the front of the document).
- Images printed in heat sensitive ink (that briefly fade or disappear with friction).
- Images printed in fluorescent ink that glow yellow under ultraviolet light
- A screened background printed in solvent reaction ink.
Organisations should request to view the original certificate to ensure its authenticity.
If you have received a National Police Certificate and wish to confirm its validity, please contact policecheckvic@police.vic.gov.au.
National Police Check Certificate Validity
A National Police Check certificate will always include, regardless of the format:
- a disclaimer
- an outline of the nationally coordinated criminal history check process
- the result of the check (record)
- the applicant’s name and other personal information
Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) accredited bodies have the option to place their branding on check results reports. This means the accredited body may include a header with their branding and contact details, watermarks, or verification codes. They may also use different fonts or colour. The report information (result), however must stay intact exactly as it is extracted from the system.
You can download a sample of a National Police Check Certificate provided by Victoria Police and/or Service Victoria above.
How long is a National Police Check Certificate valid for?
A check is considered a 'point in time' check only, which means the results only reflect police record on and up until the date and time the result is released. The organisation that requires the check will typically determine the timeframe acceptable for a check result to be valid, based on their own risk assessment or operational requirements.
The date the check has been completed can be found at the top-centre of the certificate.
Can a National Police Check Certificate be used for multiple reasons or jobs?
A National Police Check Certificate can only be used for a single reason or job. For example, a check conducted to be a volunteer netball coach cannot be used later to apply for a licence.
Each National Police Check is completed according to the specified purpose of the check. The purpose of the check determines what (if any) information can be released in compliance with state and territory spent conviction legislation and policies.
Please refer to National Police Check disclosure information and disputes for more information about Victorian disclosure, or to dispute the results of your check.
How to report a suspected fraudulent check
Should you wish to verify the validity of a check result, or suspect a fraudulent check result, please contact the accredited body as the submitting organisation.
If you suspect that the certificate you have received might be fraudulent and has Victoria Police or Service Victoria branding, you can contact us.
Fees and charges
For information on costs involved with applying for a National Police Check, visit our fees and charges pages.
Contact us
Get in touch about police checks or fingerprinting through our online enquiry form.
Apply for a National Police Check
Apply for a National Police Check and receive a National Police Certificate containing an official record of any disclosable criminal history.
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