National Police Check vs. Australian Federal Police check

By CVCheck

September 6, 2018

Last updated on February 18, 2021

You need to get a police check, but you’re not sure whether you need a National Police Check or a Federal Police Check. In most instances (such as employment), you will only need to obtain a National Police Check. Below we break down exactly what each check is and what they’re used for, so you can get a quick overview of which check you need.

Regardless of the type of police check you need, we’ve got you covered. Order any Australian police checks comfortably from our fast and secure online platform. Find out what the difference is between a National Police Check and an Australian Federal Police Check, and how to obtain them.

You need a police check but unsure which one to order? We put together a bit of information for you to easily navigate within our police check product portfolio. Find out what purpose the National Police Check and the Australian Federal Police Check serve, when to order them, and why it’s best to get them from CVCheck.

What’s the difference between a National Police Check and an Australian Federal Police Check?

	National Police Check	Australian Federal Police Check
What is it?	A National Police Check (NPC) is a document that lists an individual’s disclosable court outcomes and pending charges sourced from the databases of all Australian police jurisdictions provided by the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC).	An Australian Federal Police Check (AFP) is a document that lists an individual’s disclosable court outcomes and pending charges sourced from the databases of all Australian police jurisdictions provided by the Federal Police.
What will this show?	All disclosable court outcomes and pending charges sourced from the databases of all Australian police jurisdictions.
What will this show?	Certain convictions, such as spent or juvenile convictions, may not be disclosed on a NPC in accordance with the legislation of the various police jurisdictions.	Certain convictions are not disclosed if they fall within the classification of Spent Convictions.
Which check should you order?	Order a National Police Check (NPC) anytime a Police Check is required, unless you fall into one of the categories in the right-hand column.	The Australian Federal Police (AFP) can provide police checks for: People seeking employment with the Commonwealth Government Work-related checks due to legislation or regulations Industry-specific standards/compliance requirement (e.g. Banking and Financial Services Industry) People who reside overseas Overseas employment Residents of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), Jervis Bay Territory and external Commonwealth territories
What do we need to process the order?	Candidates need to upload a self-capture photo and four ID documents to the CVCheck portal.	Candidates need to upload 100 points of ID to the CVCheck portal.
When will you receive the check?	Estimated turnaround time is 1 business day*.	Estimated turnaround time is 5-15 business days*.
When will you receive the check?	*Read our article on why your police check might be referred.

Why you should order your next police check from CVCheck?

	Business orders	Individual orders
Convenient ordering	1. Pay for your order. 2. Your candidate creates their account and submit their paperwork.	Create your account, pay for your order and submit your paperwork.
Information safety	Your documents are uploaded to CVCheck’s technologically advanced online platform, from where they’re sent directly to the police department. All data is encrypted while it’s being transmitted electronically and when it’s stored in the system.
24/7 accessibility	You can check the status of your order online any time.
24/7 accessibility	No need to wait for candidates to supply paper results. Once the check is complete, you’ll get a notification and you can check the results online.	Once your check is complete, your results are available online. Simply log into your CVCheck account and download your certificate whenever you need it.
Local support team	If you have any issues or questions, our support team is always happy to help.

To find out more or to order a police check, please visit CVCheck.

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CVCheck is a leading provider of background screening services in Australia and New Zealand, conducting over 300,000 checks every year for businesses, government organisations, and individuals. Request a consultation with a member of our team to find out how we can help.