Licensing and vetting services
Log on to submit vetting applications
An organisation may request any information held by New Zealand Police about a potential employee.
Requests for this information are best made before that person starts their employment, contract, or volunteer work with the organisation.
People must provide their written consent for an organisation to request a Police vetting check.
Purpose of Police vetting
Police vetting aims to protect our more vulnerable members of society (children, older people and those with special needs) from any risks posed by people who may have displayed behaviour that could be detrimental to others' safety and wellbeing.
What is Police vetting?
Police vetting searches the Police database for any information held about the person being vetted.
Criminal conviction information is released in accordance with the Criminal Records (Clean Slate) Act 2004.
Information released may include:
- conviction history,
- location of the court,
- the date of the offence,
- the offence itself, and
- the sentence imposed.
Information about traffic infringements, other than those resulting in demerit points or a suspended driver's licence, is not available.
A family violence report may be included in a vetting check. This may include information about:
- behaviours of a violent or sexual nature that may not have resulted in a conviction
- any interaction, including as a victim, with Police, whether it resulted in a criminal conviction or not.
In cases where this sort of information exists, further inquiry may be carried out. The vetting response may be "red stamped" or flagged for further review.
The organisation will be informed prior to any employment decision.
This assists the organisation to evaluate any likely risk.
Where the person being vetted is concerned about the accuracy of information, Police welcome correction.
IMPORTANT: Police vetting is not a complete background check. It should be used only as part of a robust recruiting and screening process.
Useful further information
A robust recruiting and screening process is outlined in the publication
"Safe Not Sorry" by Anthea Simock from the Institute for Child Protection Studies, PO Box 679, Hamilton.
Requesting your personal information from Police
Individuals cannot request a Police vet on themselves. See our FAQ on how to request information that Police hold about you.
Criminal record or "clearance certificates"
Police vetting is different and unrelated to a criminal check or a clearance certificate.
New Zealand does not have a document known as a "police clearance certificate". If you want a copy of your criminal record you should request this from the Ministry of Justice.
Your own Criminal Record is like a "clearance certificate" that other countries have. You can obtain a copy of your Criminal Record from the Ministry of Justice.
How to request a copy of your own criminal record [Ministry of Justice Website]
For information on how to access another person's criminal record as a third party, contact:
Ministry of Justice Privacy Unit
Telephone 64-4-918 8800 or fax 64-4-918 8820
or write to: Ministry of Justice Privacy Unit
PO Box 2750, Wellington.
Further Information
If you require more information you can contact the Police vetting service.
Also see:
