Criminal history checks

About criminal history checks

We conduct an Australian criminal history check when you apply for registration for the first time. This is to ensure only those practitioners who are suitable and safe to practice are granted registration in Australia.

When you first apply for registration, you are required to declare any criminal history in Australia and overseas.

Once registered, you must advise us of any changes to your criminal history, including if you are:

• charged with an offence punishable by 12 months imprisonment or more, or
• convicted or found guilty of an offence punishable by imprisonment in Australia and/or overseas

Under the National Law, a National Board may obtain a report about your criminal history at any time.

Australian criminal history checks

We conduct an Australian criminal history check and obtain a criminal history report on your behalf as part of assessing your application for registration. Criminal history checks are obtained through the National Police Checking Service (NPCS) of the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC).

Where required, we will provide you with a copy of your criminal history report if a result is received.

We ask for you to consent to the criminal history check as part of your application for registration and in your application for renewal of registration. When you consent, you are consenting to a criminal history check to be obtained at any time during the period of registration, as required by the National Board in accordance with National Law.

Criminal history checks and identity

To meet the requirements of the ACIC Agreement:

• New applicants must provide sufficient evidence of their identity in line with the Proof of Identity Requirements for the purposes of registration.
• Currently registered practitioners are required to provide sufficient evidence of their identity in line with the Proof of Identity Requirements if a criminal history check is required by a National Board

Identity documents provided to Ahpra are valid for a period of ten years.

Disputing an Australian criminal history check result

If you wish to dispute your Australian criminal history result, please contact us. You cannot dispute your result directly with ACIC.

The infographic below is a general guide of how a dispute process works.

Potential outcomes of the dispute

Successful dispute: If the dispute is found by the relevant police agency to be successful, ACIC will work to have the result amended.

Unsuccessful dispute: If the dispute is deemed unsuccessful then the result will remain as is. Due to privacy concerns, ACIC may not be able to provide Ahpra with specific details about why the dispute is unsuccessful.
During the dispute process we may need further information from you to support your dispute claim. The information required may include one or all of the following:

• finger print request
• previous residential history
• photo Identification, and
• statutory declaration

Once the dispute process is completed we will be in contact with you to either request further information or to advise you of the outcome of your dispute.

Applicants from New Zealand

While it is not mandated under the Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition (TTMR) arrangements, the National Law allows a National Board to check a practitioner’s criminal history at any time. Practitioners registered under TTMR will be required to:

• provide sufficient evidence of their identity to Ahpra 
• complete International Criminal History Check (ICHC-00) form
• where required, apply for an international criminal history check from an Ahpra approved supplier

More information, including the link to Ahpra approved suppliers is available on our International criminal history checks page.