Police Check Perth

A police check in Perth is important for both employers and employees because they provide peace of mind for everyone. A national police check from Perth provides a summary of a person’s offender history in Australia.

Even though you might be required to present a police check for work in Perth, it’s important to know that an employer or organisation can only be provided with your police check results if you consent to it. If you do not give consent, then any organisation, department or individual seeking your police check results has to show that they legitimately require your records. Such requirements include the investigation of a potential risk, a suspected offence, or the prosecution of an offender. Note that they must also specify the exact section of legislation which provides them with these powers.

Police in Western Australia are bound by state legislation (Spent Convictions Act 1988) when determining what to disclose on the police check results.

This act makes “provision for a person who has been convicted of an offence against the law of this State or of a foreign country and who has not re-offended during a specified period to be rehabilitated by limiting the effects of the conviction.”

In other words, if a conviction is considered spent, the individual is not obliged to disclose any details of that conviction. And any questions concerning an individual’s criminal history (such as the results of a police check) are taken to refer only to any convictions that are not spent.

In most cases, a conviction is considered spent after ten years. The exception to this is when you are getting checked for working with children or vulnerable people (such as people who are disabled or in aged care). It is also possible for the WA Police Force to spend a lesser conviction (less than $15,000 in fines or 12 months in prison) that was heard in a WA court.

Who Is Required to Obtain a Police Check in Perth?

In Perth, a police check is typically requested by organisations as part of their process to ensure the integrity of staff or volunteers. Whether for recruitment and job applications or volunteer and not-for-profit positions, a police check is usually required. Three areas in particular are childcare, working with vulnerable groups and licensing or registration scheme applications.

Childcare: Children across Australia come into contact every day with various organisations such as schools, childcare centres, etc. To protect them from potential harm, anyone working (paid or volunteer) with children under the age of 18 must receive a police check as well as a full Working With Children Check (which is provided through the Department of Communities).
Working with vulnerable groups: Police checks are required to reduce the risk of harm or neglect when working (paid or volunteer) with vulnerable people such as the elderly or disabled, or with community services such as mental health, homelessness, migrant services, women’s services, and youth support services. If you work for a Commonwealth-funded aged-care employer, you also need Aged Care Worker Screening.
Licensing or registration scheme applications: Statutory bodies such as ASIC have stringent requirements, including police checks, for lawyers, applicants for an Australian Financial Services Licence, Australian credit licensees, application service providers and professionals working in financial services, amongst others.

What Details Are Included in a National Police Check in Perth?

In Perth, the police check by the Western Australia Police Force is issued as a National Police Certificate. It contains a list of a person’s disclosable court outcomes and pending charges from all Australian police jurisdictions. This includes traffic and non-police prosecuted matters. The police check accesses the National Names Index (using police databases across the country) and requires the person’s date of birth and residential address. In some cases, fingerprints might be required.

Your National Police Certificate will disclose any pending matters awaiting trial, charges and court convictions (including the sentence or penalty). Also included are guilty findings without conviction, good behaviour bonds, restraining orders, intervention orders, diversions, cautions and expiable matters (reparations)

If you have no criminal or WA traffic court outcomes or pending charges, the certificate will show this.

Any conviction that has been “spent” is not listed on a National Police Certificate. However, there are special exceptions regarding spent convictions for some jobs involving children and health services, which are detailed in the Spent Convictions Act 1988 (WA).

How to Apply for a Police Check in Perth

In Perth, you can only apply for your national police check online. Australia Post ceased providing their in-person police check service on 2 October 2023.

Filling out the form can be a time-consuming process, taking days or weeks, including having to verify 100 points of identification. Fortunately, Crimcheck streamlines this entire process and makes it easy for you. It’s possible, with a phone call and online verification tools, to have the results in as little as twenty-four hours. Or even a few hours if the application doesn’t require any further investigation.

Crimcheck is the only not-for-profit organisation providing National Criminal History Checks. Any surplus we make is returned to the community. For your protection, Crimcheck is accredited with the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC),

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Need Group or Business Police Checks in Perth?

Strictly speaking, a police check in Perth, Western Australia doesn’t have an expiry date. But its information is only valid up until the date of issue. What about any offences committed since then? It’s up to the individual employer or organisation to determine how long they consider a check to be valid. For peace of mind, many employers prefer a police check issued within the last three months.

CrimCheck's expertise in fast, secure and affordable police checks for large groups and businesses in Perth reduces the hassle for your group or business and streamlines the entire process.

Seeking Police Checks in Different Regions?

Crimcheck provides quick and convenient police checks to applicants from all over Australia. Just click on the link for your area:

Police Check Victoria

Police Check in Brisbane