{"id":14180,"date":"2026-02-14T09:45:24","date_gmt":"2026-02-13T22:45:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/workerchecks.com\/?page_id=14180"},"modified":"2026-10-20T15:33:35","modified_gmt":"2026-10-20T04:33:35","slug":"what-shows-up-on-a-police-check-in-australia-complete-state-by-state-guide","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/workerchecks.com\/hi\/what-shows-up-on-a-police-check-in-australia-complete-state-by-state-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"What Shows Up on an Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check? State-by-State Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<!-- Worker Checks \u2014 What Shows Up on an Australian Police Check? (updated October 2026). Paste into a Custom HTML block. Includes full @graph schema. -->\n<style>\n.wcsc{--blue:#005bab;--ink:#072A4A;--sky:#bde4f7;--skyt:#e3f3fc;--bg:#F4F7FB;--line:#E2E8F0;--muted:#4a5d72;--amber:#fff6e5;--amberline:#f0c36d;font-family:'Inter',system-ui,-apple-system,'Segoe UI',sans-serif;color:var(--ink);line-height:1.65;font-size:17px;max-width:880px;margin:0 auto}\n.wcsc h2,.wcsc h3,.wcsc h4{font-family:'Space Grotesk','Inter',sans-serif;color:var(--ink);line-height:1.25;margin:2.2em 0 .6em}\n.wcsc h2{font-size:1.75rem}.wcsc h3{font-size:1.3rem}.wcsc h4{font-size:1.05rem;margin:1.4em 0 .4em}\n.wcsc p{margin:0 0 1em}.wcsc a{color:var(--blue);text-decoration:underline;text-underline-offset:2px}\n.wcsc ul{margin:0 0 1em;padding-left:1.25em}.wcsc li{margin:.3em 0}\n.wcsc .hero{background:var(--ink);color:#fff;border-radius:16px;padding:32px 28px;margin:0 0 28px}\n.wcsc .hero h2{color:#fff;margin:0 0 .5em;font-size:2rem}\n.wcsc .hero p{color:#dbe9f5;margin:0}\n.wcsc .hero .meta{font-size:.85rem;color:var(--sky);margin-top:14px}\n.wcsc .toc{background:var(--bg);border:1px solid var(--line);border-radius:12px;padding:18px 22px;margin:0 0 24px}\n.wcsc .toc strong{display:block;margin-bottom:6px}\n.wcsc .toc ol{margin:0;padding-left:1.2em}\n.wcsc .callout{background:var(--skyt);border-left:4px solid var(--blue);border-radius:10px;padding:16px 20px;margin:1.2em 0}\n.wcsc .warn{background:var(--amber);border-left:4px solid var(--amberline);border-radius:10px;padding:16px 20px;margin:1.2em 0}\n.wcsc .callout p:last-child,.wcsc .warn p:last-child{margin:0}\n.wcsc .tbl{overflow-x:auto;margin:1em 0 1.4em;border:1px solid var(--line);border-radius:12px}\n.wcsc table{border-collapse:collapse;width:100%;font-size:.92rem;min-width:620px}\n.wcsc th,.wcsc td{text-align:left;padding:10px 12px;border-bottom:1px solid var(--line);vertical-align:top}\n.wcsc th{background:var(--blue);color:#fff;font-weight:600}\n.wcsc tr:last-child td{border-bottom:0}\n.wcsc tbody tr:nth-child(even) td{background:var(--bg)}\n.wcsc .state{border:1px solid var(--line);border-radius:14px;padding:6px 22px 14px;margin:20px 0;background:#fff}\n.wcsc .state h3{margin-top:.9em;display:flex;align-items:center;gap:10px}\n.wcsc .tag{display:inline-block;font-family:'Inter',sans-serif;font-size:.72rem;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:.03em;text-transform:uppercase;padding:3px 9px;border-radius:999px;background:var(--sky);color:var(--ink)}\n.wcsc .tag.apply{background:#ffe2b3}\n.wcsc .law{font-size:.88rem;color:var(--muted);margin-top:-.3em}\n.wcsc .how{background:var(--skyt);border-radius:10px;padding:12px 18px;margin:12px 0 6px}\n.wcsc .how h4{margin-top:.4em;color:var(--blue)}\n.wcsc .cols{display:grid;grid-template-columns:1fr 1fr;gap:16px;margin:1em 0}\n.wcsc .col{background:var(--bg);border:1px solid var(--line);border-radius:12px;padding:14px 18px}\n.wcsc .col h4{margin-top:.2em}\n.wcsc details{border:1px solid var(--line);border-radius:10px;padding:12px 16px;margin:10px 0;background:#fff}\n.wcsc summary{font-weight:600;cursor:pointer}\n.wcsc details p{margin:.7em 0 0}\n.wcsc .cta{background:var(--blue);color:#fff;border-radius:16px;padding:28px;margin:32px 0;text-align:center}\n.wcsc .cta h2{color:#fff;margin:0 0 .4em}.wcsc .cta p{color:#e6f2fb}\n.wcsc .btn{display:inline-block;background:#fff;color:var(--blue)!important;text-decoration:none!important;font-weight:700;padding:12px 22px;border-radius:10px;margin:6px}\n.wcsc .btn.ghost{background:transparent;color:#fff!important;border:2px solid #fff}\n.wcsc .src{font-size:.85rem;color:var(--muted)}\n.wcsc .src li{margin:.2em 0}\n@media (max-width:640px){.wcsc{font-size:16px}.wcsc .cols{grid-template-columns:1fr}.wcsc .hero{padding:24px 18px}.wcsc .hero h2{font-size:1.55rem}.wcsc .state{padding:4px 16px 12px}}\n<\/style>\n\n<div class=\"wcsc\">\n\n<div class=\"hero\">\n<h2>What shows up on an Australian police check? State-by-state guide<\/h2>\n<p>What a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check (NCCHC) can release, how spent convictions work in every state and territory, and how to apply to have a conviction spent where the law requires an application.<\/p>\n<p class=\"meta\">Updated October 2026 \u00b7 General information only, not legal advice<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"toc\">\n<strong>On this page<\/strong>\n<ol>\n<li><a href=\"#what-appears\">What can appear on your check<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#what-doesnt\">What usually doesn&#8217;t appear<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#summary\">Spent convictions at a glance<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#by-state\">State-by-state rules and how to apply<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#still-disclosed\">When spent convictions are still released<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#wrong\">If something is on your check that shouldn&#8217;t be<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#faq\">FAQs<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>If you&#8217;re applying for a job, volunteer role or licence in Australia, you&#8217;ll probably be asked for a <strong>Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check (NCCHC)<\/strong>. Your result is either &#8220;No Disclosable Court Outcomes&#8221; or a list of the court outcomes that police are allowed to release for the purpose of your check.<\/p>\n\n<div class=\"callout\">\n<p><strong>The most important thing to know:<\/strong> a conviction does not disappear just because 10 years have passed. Whether it becomes &#8220;spent&#8221; depends on the law of the state or territory where it was recorded, the sentence you received, and the type of offence. In <strong>Western Australia<\/strong>, and for some convictions in <strong>Victoria<\/strong>, <strong>South Australia<\/strong>, the <strong>Northern Territory<\/strong> and the <strong>ACT<\/strong>, you have to <em>apply<\/em> before a conviction is spent.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<h2 id=\"what-appears\">What can appear on your police check<\/h2>\n<p>Your certificate can include <strong>Disclosable Court Outcomes (DCOs)<\/strong> from every Australian state and territory, plus Commonwealth offences. Depending on the jurisdiction and the purpose of your check, these can include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Convictions recorded by a court, and the penalty imposed (fines, community correction orders, good behaviour bonds, suspended sentences, imprisonment)<\/li>\n<li>Findings of guilt where no conviction was recorded (released in some jurisdictions; in others these are spent immediately)<\/li>\n<li>Outstanding (pending) charges, where the relevant police agency&#8217;s release policy allows it<\/li>\n<li>Court-imposed orders connected to an offence<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<h2 id=\"what-doesnt\">What usually doesn&#8217;t appear<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Charges that were withdrawn or dismissed, and acquittals (found not guilty)<\/li>\n<li>Spent convictions, for most checks (see the exceptions below)<\/li>\n<li>Police cautions, warnings and most youth diversion outcomes<\/li>\n<li>Traffic and other infringement notices that were paid and never went to court<\/li>\n<li>Police intelligence or suspicions<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<h2 id=\"summary\">Spent convictions at a glance<\/h2>\n<p>The rules of the jurisdiction <strong>where the conviction was recorded<\/strong> apply, not where you live now. A Queensland conviction follows Queensland law even if you now live in Victoria.<\/p>\n\n<div class=\"tbl\">\n<table>\n<thead><tr><th>Jurisdiction<\/th><th>Automatic?<\/th><th>Waiting period (adult \/ youth)<\/th><th>Never spent automatically<\/th><th>Can you apply?<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr><td><strong>NSW<\/strong><\/td><td>Yes<\/td><td>10 years \/ 3 years<\/td><td>Prison over 6 months, sexual offences, corporations<\/td><td>No general application process<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td><strong>VIC<\/strong><\/td><td>Yes, except serious convictions<\/td><td>10 years \/ 5 years<\/td><td>Prison over 30 months, sexual offences, serious violence offences<\/td><td><strong>Yes<\/strong> \u2014 Magistrates&#8217; Court of Victoria (serious convictions)<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td><strong>QLD<\/strong><\/td><td>Yes<\/td><td>10 years if convicted on indictment as an adult \/ 5 years otherwise<\/td><td>Prison over 30 months<\/td><td>No \u2014 courts can&#8217;t grant spent status<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td><strong>SA<\/strong><\/td><td>Yes, for eligible offences<\/td><td>10 years \/ 5 years<\/td><td>Adult prison of 12 months or more, youth prison of 24 months or more, most sex offences<\/td><td><strong>Yes<\/strong> \u2014 Magistrates Court (eligible sex offences and certain historical offences)<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td><strong>WA<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>No<\/strong><\/td><td>10 years plus any time in prison<\/td><td>Everything \u2014 all WA convictions need an application or court order<\/td><td><strong>Yes<\/strong> \u2014 WA Police (lesser) or District Court (serious)<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td><strong>TAS<\/strong><\/td><td>Yes (&#8220;annulled&#8221;)<\/td><td>10 years \/ 5 years<\/td><td>Prison over 6 months (including suspended), sexual offences<\/td><td>No general application process<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td><strong>NT<\/strong><\/td><td>Yes<\/td><td>10 years \/ 5 years (Youth Justice Court)<\/td><td>Prison over 6 months, sexual offences<\/td><td><strong>Yes<\/strong> \u2014 Commissioner of Police (youths convicted in an adult court)<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td><strong>ACT<\/strong><\/td><td>Yes<\/td><td>10 years \/ 5 years<\/td><td>Prison over 6 months, sexual offences, corporations<\/td><td><strong>Yes<\/strong> \u2014 court (sexual offences committed as a youth only)<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td><strong>Commonwealth<\/strong><\/td><td>Yes<\/td><td>10 years \/ 5 years<\/td><td>Prison over 30 months<\/td><td>No general application process<\/td><\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>In every jurisdiction a further conviction during the waiting period can restart or extend the clock, and the waiting period is generally counted from the date of conviction. Check the detail for your state below.<\/p>\n\n<h2 id=\"by-state\">State-by-state rules and how to apply<\/h2>\n\n<!-- NSW -->\n<div class=\"state\">\n<h3>New South Wales <span class=\"tag\">Automatic<\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"law\">Criminal Records Act 1991 (NSW)<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Adult convictions are spent after <strong>10 consecutive crime-free years<\/strong>; Children&#8217;s Court convictions after <strong>3 years<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>Can&#8217;t become spent: a prison sentence of more than 6 months, sexual offences, and convictions of a company.<\/li>\n<li>A finding of guilt without conviction (such as a section 10 dismissal) is spent immediately.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"how\">\n<h4>How to apply<\/h4>\n<p>There is no application to have a conviction spent in NSW \u2014 eligible convictions become spent automatically. If your conviction can&#8217;t be spent under the Act, there is no process to change that. People with historical convictions for consensual homosexual conduct can apply to the Secretary of the Department of Communities and Justice to have them <strong>extinguished<\/strong>. Legal Aid NSW can give free advice.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<!-- VIC -->\n<div class=\"state\">\n<h3>Victoria <span class=\"tag apply\">Apply for serious convictions<\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"law\">Spent Convictions Act 2021 (Vic) \u2014 in force since 1 December 2021, and applies to convictions from before that date<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Spent immediately:<\/strong> outcomes where the court did not record a conviction, offences committed under the age of 15, Children&#8217;s Court fine-only outcomes, and infringement convictions (once any conditions attached to the penalty are completed).<\/li>\n<li><strong>Spent automatically<\/strong> after <strong>10 years<\/strong>, or <strong>5 years<\/strong> if you were a child or young offender when found guilty \u2014 unless it&#8217;s a serious conviction.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Serious convictions<\/strong> (prison or detention of more than 30 months, any sexual offence, or any serious violence offence) never become spent on their own.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"how\">\n<h4>How to apply (serious convictions)<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>Apply to the <strong>Magistrates&#8217; Court of Victoria<\/strong> for a spent conviction order, once the 10-year (or 5-year) waiting period has passed. Follow the steps on the court&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcv.vic.gov.au\/criminal-matters\/spent-convictions-scheme\/applying-spent-conviction-order\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Applying for a spent conviction order<\/a> page.<\/li>\n<li>Victoria Police and the Attorney-General are notified and can respond. A magistrate may decide without a hearing or ask you to attend court.<\/li>\n<li>If the application is refused, you generally have to wait 2 years before applying again.<\/li>\n<li>Some of the most serious convictions (for example, serious violence or sexual offences with long prison terms) can&#8217;t be spent at all.<\/li>\n<li>Victoria Legal Aid doesn&#8217;t assist with these applications, so consider a private lawyer or a community legal centre.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<!-- QLD -->\n<div class=\"state\">\n<h3>Queensland <span class=\"tag\">Automatic<\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"law\">Criminal Law (Rehabilitation of Offenders) Act 1986 (Qld)<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The &#8220;rehabilitation period&#8221; is <strong>10 years<\/strong> for an adult convicted on indictment (usually District or Supreme Court), and <strong>5 years<\/strong> in all other cases, including juveniles.<\/li>\n<li>Can&#8217;t become spent: any conviction with a prison sentence of more than 30 months.<\/li>\n<li>Sentencing courts often decide not to record a conviction, which affects what is released.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"how\">\n<h4>How to apply<\/h4>\n<p>There is no application process in Queensland. Once the rehabilitation period passes without another conviction, the conviction is treated as spent automatically. Queensland courts have confirmed they have no power to grant &#8220;spent&#8221; status to a conviction that doesn&#8217;t qualify. Historical convictions for consensual homosexual conduct can be expunged under a separate scheme.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<!-- SA -->\n<div class=\"state\">\n<h3>South Australia <span class=\"tag apply\">Apply for some offences<\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"law\">Spent Convictions Act 2009 (SA) and Spent Convictions Regulations 2026 (SA)<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Spent immediately:<\/strong> findings of guilt where no conviction was recorded.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Spent automatically<\/strong> after <strong>10 consecutive crime-free years<\/strong> for adults, or <strong>5 years<\/strong> for offences committed as a child (unless dealt with as an adult).<\/li>\n<li>Only eligible offences qualify: for adults, no prison or a sentence of less than 12 months; for juveniles, no prison or less than 24 months.<\/li>\n<li>Can&#8217;t become spent: convictions of a company, and sex offences \u2014 unless it&#8217;s an eligible sex offence or a designated sex-related offence (see below).<\/li>\n<li>A minor later offence (discharged without penalty or fined $500 or less) doesn&#8217;t restart the clock.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"how\">\n<h4>How to apply<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Eligible sex offences<\/strong> (where no prison sentence was imposed) and certain <strong>historical consensual or same-sex offences<\/strong> only become spent if a qualified magistrate makes an order, after the waiting period.<\/li>\n<li>Apply to the <strong>Magistrates Court of South Australia<\/strong> using the Form 1Z originating application (Spent Convictions Act order) with a Form 7 affidavit. You must attach a police check processed within the last 6 months.<\/li>\n<li>If a magistrate refuses an eligible sex offence application, you can&#8217;t apply again for 2 years.<\/li>\n<li>Where a conviction is already spent, you can also apply to a magistrate to have certain exclusions (such as those for working with vulnerable people or licensing character tests) not apply to it.<\/li>\n<li>Free legal help: Legal Services Commission of SA on 1300 366 424.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<!-- WA -->\n<div class=\"state\">\n<h3>Western Australia <span class=\"tag apply\">Must apply<\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"law\">Spent Convictions Act 1988 (WA)<\/p>\n<p><strong>WA convictions are never spent automatically.<\/strong> Even after 10 years, a WA conviction keeps appearing until you apply and it&#8217;s declared spent (unless the sentencing court made a spent conviction order at the time you were sentenced).<\/p>\n<div class=\"cols\">\n<div class=\"col\">\n<h4>Lesser convictions<\/h4>\n<p>Prison of 12 months or less, and a fine of less than $15,000.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Apply to:<\/strong> the Commissioner of Police (WA Police Force).<\/p>\n<p><strong>When:<\/strong> 10 years after the conviction, plus any time served in prison, without a further conviction.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col\">\n<h4>Serious convictions<\/h4>\n<p>Prison of more than 12 months, or a fine of $15,000 or more.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Apply to:<\/strong> a judge of the District Court of WA.<\/p>\n<p><strong>When:<\/strong> after the 10-year waiting period. Convictions with life imprisonment can&#8217;t be spent.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"how\">\n<h4>How to apply<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Lesser convictions:<\/strong> complete the WA Police <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wa.gov.au\/service\/justice\/criminal-law\/apply-spent-conviction\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Application for Certificate that Lesser Conviction is Spent<\/a>. There&#8217;s no fee, and you can email it to npc@police.wa.gov.au or post it. Alternatively, applying for a National Police Certificate directly through WA Police automatically includes a request to spend any eligible WA convictions.<\/li>\n<li>If your application meets the requirements, the Commissioner must issue the certificate \u2014 there&#8217;s no discretion to refuse.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Serious convictions:<\/strong> apply to the <a href=\"https:\/\/districtcourt.wa.gov.au\/S\/spent_convictions.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">District Court of WA<\/a>. Legal Aid WA publishes a free self-help kit for the application, and a judge will consider a range of factors.<\/li>\n<li>This process only covers convictions recorded in WA. Convictions from other states follow that state&#8217;s rules.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<!-- TAS -->\n<div class=\"state\">\n<h3>Tasmania <span class=\"tag\">Automatic<\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"law\">Annulled Convictions Act 2003 (Tas)<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>A &#8220;minor conviction&#8221; is <strong>annulled<\/strong> automatically after <strong>10 years<\/strong> of good behaviour (adults) or <strong>5 years<\/strong> (under 18), counted from the day it was recorded.<\/li>\n<li>Good behaviour means no further conviction for an offence punishable by imprisonment; a new conviction restarts the period.<\/li>\n<li>Can&#8217;t be annulled: a prison sentence of more than 6 months (including wholly or partly suspended sentences), sexual offences, and prescribed convictions.<\/li>\n<li>In Tasmania a finding of guilt without a conviction recorded is still treated as a conviction under this Act, so it goes through the same waiting period.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"how\">\n<h4>How to apply<\/h4>\n<p>There is no application process \u2014 annulment happens automatically once the conditions are met. Convictions excluded from the scheme can&#8217;t be annulled by application.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<!-- NT -->\n<div class=\"state\">\n<h3>Northern Territory <span class=\"tag apply\">Apply in limited cases<\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"law\">Criminal Records (Spent Convictions) Act 1992 (NT)<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Spent automatically after <strong>10 years<\/strong> for adults, or <strong>5 years<\/strong> for convictions in the Youth Justice Court.<\/li>\n<li>Can&#8217;t become spent: a prison sentence of more than 6 months (suspended or not), sexual offences, and offences by a company.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"how\">\n<h4>How to apply<\/h4>\n<p>If you were under 18 when you committed the offence but were convicted in an adult court, the conviction becomes spent automatically after 10 years \u2014 or you can apply to the <strong>NT Commissioner of Police<\/strong> after 5 years to have it declared spent sooner. There is no application process for other convictions.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<!-- ACT -->\n<div class=\"state\">\n<h3>Australian Capital Territory <span class=\"tag apply\">Apply in limited cases<\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"law\">Spent Convictions Act 2000 (ACT)<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Spent automatically after a crime-free period of <strong>10 years<\/strong> for adults or <strong>5 years<\/strong> for juveniles.<\/li>\n<li>Non-conviction orders (where the court finds the offence proved but doesn&#8217;t convict) are spent immediately.<\/li>\n<li>Can&#8217;t become spent automatically: a prison sentence of more than 6 months, sexual offences, and convictions of a corporation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"how\">\n<h4>How to apply<\/h4>\n<p>A person convicted of a sexual offence committed when they were under 18 can apply to the court for an order that the conviction is spent. Adults convicted of sexual offences can&#8217;t apply. Separately, historical convictions for consensual homosexual conduct can be extinguished on application.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<!-- CTH -->\n<div class=\"state\">\n<h3>Commonwealth offences <span class=\"tag\">Automatic<\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"law\">Crimes Act 1914 (Cth), Part VIIC<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Federal convictions (for example, Centrelink fraud, drug importation or immigration offences) are spent automatically after <strong>10 years<\/strong>, or <strong>5 years<\/strong> if you were a minor.<\/li>\n<li>Can&#8217;t become spent: a prison sentence of more than 30 months.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"how\">\n<h4>How to apply<\/h4>\n<p>There is no application process. If you believe a spent Commonwealth conviction has been disclosed improperly, you can complain to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<h2 id=\"still-disclosed\">When spent convictions are still released<\/h2>\n<p>Every scheme has exclusions. A spent conviction may still be released \u2014 and you may have to disclose it \u2014 when your check or application relates to roles such as:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Working with children (teaching, childcare, youth work, foster care)<\/li>\n<li>Working with vulnerable people, including aged care, disability and NDIS support<\/li>\n<li>Police, corrections, courts and some security roles<\/li>\n<li>Registration or licensing that involves a &#8220;fit and proper person&#8221; or character test, such as health practitioners, lawyers and some licences<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The exact list differs between jurisdictions. Working with Children Checks and NDIS Worker Screening Checks are separate from an NCCHC and apply their own rules.<\/p>\n\n<h2 id=\"wrong\">If something is on your check that shouldn&#8217;t be<\/h2>\n<p>Worker Checks is an accredited body that submits your check to the National Police Checking Service. <strong>We can&#8217;t remove, change or &#8220;spend&#8221; anything on your criminal history<\/strong> \u2014 the record is held by the police agency of the state or territory where the outcome was recorded, and each agency applies its own spent convictions law before releasing anything.<\/p>\n<div class=\"cols\">\n<div class=\"col\">\n<h4>The information is wrong<\/h4>\n<p>If an outcome isn&#8217;t yours, a charge has been finalised, or a conviction should already be spent under the rules above, you can raise a dispute from your certificate or your CheckHub. The relevant police agency reviews the record. Have your court documents ready.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col\">\n<h4>The information is correct but old<\/h4>\n<p>If the conviction hasn&#8217;t been spent yet because your state requires an application (for example, any WA conviction), apply to the authority listed for that state above. Once it&#8217;s formally spent, it won&#8217;t be released on a standard employment check.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"warn\">\n<p><strong>Applying in WA?<\/strong> Get your spent conviction certificate or court order first, then apply for your new police check. A new check won&#8217;t reflect the change until the authority has declared the conviction spent.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<h2 id=\"faq\">FAQs<\/h2>\n\n<details>\n<summary>My conviction is more than 10 years old. Why is it still on my check?<\/summary>\n<p>The most common reasons are that it was recorded in Western Australia (where you must apply), it&#8217;s a serious conviction in Victoria (where you must apply to the Magistrates&#8217; Court), the sentence was too long for that jurisdiction&#8217;s scheme, it&#8217;s a sexual offence, a later conviction restarted the waiting period, or your check is for a role where spent convictions are still released.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n<details>\n<summary>Can Worker Checks remove a conviction from my record?<\/summary>\n<p>No. No police check provider can. Spent convictions are decided by the law of the jurisdiction where the conviction was recorded, and only the police agency, or a court where the law requires an application, can treat a conviction as spent.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n<details>\n<summary>I was convicted in WA but now live in another state. Where do I apply?<\/summary>\n<p>To WA. Lesser WA convictions go to the WA Police Force, and serious WA convictions go to the District Court of WA, regardless of where you live now.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n<details>\n<summary>Will an old speeding fine show up?<\/summary>\n<p>Generally not, if it was an infringement notice you paid and it never went to court. Traffic matters that went to court and resulted in a conviction, such as drink driving, can appear until they&#8217;re spent.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n<details>\n<summary>Do pending charges appear?<\/summary>\n<p>They can. Most police agencies release outstanding charges, subject to their own release policies. Pending charges are not convictions, and an employer should assess them with care.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n<div class=\"cta\">\n<h2>Ready to apply?<\/h2>\n<p>Apply 100% online with an ACIC-accredited, Australian-owned provider. Most checks are returned within minutes.<\/p>\n<a class=\"btn\" href=\"https:\/\/workerchecks.com\/checkout-link\/?products=2804\">Start your police check<\/a>\n<a class=\"btn ghost\" href=\"https:\/\/workerchecks.com\/checkout-link\/?products=6573\">Volunteer check<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n<h3>Sources<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"src\">\n<li>Criminal Records Act 1991 (NSW); <a href=\"https:\/\/www.legalaid.nsw.gov.au\/lawprompt\/legal-topics\/crime-and-offences\/criminal-records\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Legal Aid NSW \u2014 Criminal records<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Spent Convictions Act 2021 (Vic); <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcv.vic.gov.au\/criminal-matters\/spent-convictions-scheme\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Magistrates&#8217; Court of Victoria \u2014 Spent Convictions Scheme<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Criminal Law (Rehabilitation of Offenders) Act 1986 (Qld)<\/li>\n<li>Spent Convictions Act 2009 (SA); <a href=\"https:\/\/lawhandbook.sa.gov.au\/ch13s08.php\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Law Handbook SA \u2014 Effects of criminal convictions<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Spent Convictions Act 1988 (WA); <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wa.gov.au\/service\/justice\/criminal-law\/apply-spent-conviction\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">WA Police \u2014 Apply for a spent conviction<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.legalaid.wa.gov.au\/find-legal-answers\/crime\/criminal-records-and-spent-convictions\/applying-old-convictions-be-spent\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Legal Aid WA \u2014 Applying for old convictions to be spent<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.legislation.tas.gov.au\/view\/whole\/html\/inforce\/current\/act-2003-046\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Annulled Convictions Act 2003 (Tas)<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Criminal Records (Spent Convictions) Act 1992 (NT)<\/li>\n<li>Spent Convictions Act 2000 (ACT)<\/li>\n<li>Crimes Act 1914 (Cth) Part VIIC<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"src\">This guide is general information, not legal advice. Spent convictions law is complex and changes over time \u2014 for advice about your own record, contact Legal Aid or a community legal centre in the state where the conviction was recorded.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">\n{\n  \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n  \"@graph\": [\n    {\n      \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n      \"@id\": \"https:\/\/workerchecks.com\/#organization\",\n      \"name\": \"Worker Checks\",\n      \"legalName\": \"Worker Checks Pty Ltd\",\n      \"url\": \"https:\/\/workerchecks.com\/\",\n      \"logo\": {\n        \"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n        \"@id\": \"https:\/\/workerchecks.com\/#logo\",\n        \"url\": \"https:\/\/workerchecks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/cropped-reversed_colour_no_tagline.png\"\n      },\n      \"telephone\": \"+61-1300-609-970\",\n      \"taxID\": \"85 624 296 313\",\n      \"address\": {\n        \"@type\": \"PostalAddress\",\n        \"streetAddress\": \"Level 2, 260 Collins Street\",\n        \"addressLocality\": \"Melbourne\",\n        \"addressRegion\": \"VIC\",\n        \"postalCode\": \"3000\",\n        \"addressCountry\": \"AU\"\n      },\n      \"areaServed\": {\n        \"@type\": \"Country\",\n        \"name\": \"Australia\"\n      },\n      \"sameAs\": [\n        \"https:\/\/facebook.com\/workerchecks\",\n        \"https:\/\/instagram.com\/workerchecks\",\n        \"https:\/\/linkedin.com\/company\/workerchecks-com\",\n        \"https:\/\/youtube.com\/@workerchecks6088\"\n      ]\n    },\n    {\n      \"@type\": \"WebSite\",\n      \"@id\": \"https:\/\/workerchecks.com\/#website\",\n      \"url\": \"https:\/\/workerchecks.com\/\",\n      \"name\": \"Worker Checks\",\n      \"inLanguage\": \"en-AU\",\n      \"publisher\": {\n        \"@id\": \"https:\/\/workerchecks.com\/#organization\"\n      }\n    },\n    {\n      \"@type\": \"WebPage\",\n      \"@id\": \"https:\/\/workerchecks.com\/what-shows-up-on-a-police-check-in-australia-complete-state-by-state-guide\/#webpage\",\n      \"url\": \"https:\/\/workerchecks.com\/what-shows-up-on-a-police-check-in-australia-complete-state-by-state-guide\/\",\n      \"name\": \"What Shows Up on an Australian Police Check? 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