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Police checks for care work in WA

Almost every care employer in Perth asks for one, and it is the cheapest and fastest of all the documents you need. It is also the one people confuse with the NDIS Check, which is a different thing entirely.

Checked against WA Police on 2026-10-25. Read the official page. Fees are reviewed, so confirm before paying.

What it costs

Both figures include GST, and the volunteer rate is reviewed each year. Accredited third-party providers will also sell you a nationally coordinated criminal history check, typically around $77. They are faster to sign up for and more expensive; the WA Police route is the cheaper one.

How to apply

Online only. You apply through WA Police, verify your identity through Australia Post, and the finished certificate lands in your Australia Post Secure Document Vault rather than in the post.

That last detail matters: the certificate is a digital document in a vault you need an account to reach. Download a copy and keep it somewhere you can find it, because you will be asked for it repeatedly.

How long it takes

If nothing needs investigating, it can come back within the hour. If something does, it can take up to 10 business days. Of all the documents in this stack, this is the one least likely to hold you up.

How long it lasts

Formally, it does not expire. Practically, it does. A police certificate is a snapshot of the day it was issued, so every employer sets its own rule for how recent it has to be, and in care work that is usually within the last 12 months.

This is why we treat a police certificate differently from the others. It has no expiry date to track, so we track its issue date instead, and once it passes twelve months we flag it as older than most providers accept rather than pretending it is current.

It is not the same as the NDIS Check

People conflate these constantly and it costs them time. A police certificate is a record of criminal history. The NDIS Worker Screening Check is a risk assessment carried out by the WA Department of Communities, which uses police history among other things and returns a clearance or an exclusion.

Most NDIS providers want both. Aged care employers outside the NDIS will usually want only the police certificate. If you are heading into aged care rather than disability, you may not need the NDIS Check at all, which saves you $145 and several weeks.

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Common questions

How much is a National Police Certificate in WA?

WA Police list the fee at $66.00 including GST. The Volunteer National Police Certificate is $17.60 and is reviewed annually. Accredited third-party providers charge more, around $77.

How long does a police check take in WA?

Applications that need no further investigation can finish within an hour. Those that do require further investigation can take up to 10 business days.

How do you apply for a police check in WA?

Online only, through WA Police. Identity is verified through Australia Post, and the finished certificate is delivered to your Australia Post Secure Document Vault.

How long is a police certificate valid for?

It has no formal expiry. It is a snapshot of the day it was issued, so the employer decides how recent it must be. Most care providers want one issued within the last 12 months.

Do I need a police check if I already have an NDIS Worker Screening Check?

Usually yes, because they are different things. The NDIS Check is a risk assessment run by the Department of Communities; a police certificate is a criminal history record. Most providers ask for both, and aged care employers who sit outside the NDIS will ask only for the police certificate.

Accurate on 2026-10-25 against WA Police. This is a summary, not legal advice.