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NZ Police Vetting Service


This page refers to the Policing (Police Vetting) Amendment Bill (“Vetting Bill”), which is expected to amend the Policing Act 2008.

Webpage content may be updated following enactment.
 

 

Police vetting helps approved agencies assess an individual’s suitability for a particular role, contributing to public safety and national security. This service is provided by New Zealand Police through the Police Vetting Service (PVS).

An agency wishing to request a Police vet must first be assessed and approved - based on the nature, functions, activities, and any legal requirements, of the agency. Once approved, agencies can request a Police vet for a named individual, provided the request meets the criteria outlined below. The Police vet may disclose certain information (if any) held by Police about the individual.

Vetting is provided to approved agencies who are considering employing or engaging individuals in roles that relate to:

  • the care and safety of children, young persons, or other vulnerable persons
  • the education of children and young persons
  • law enforcement
  • national security
  • New Zealand citizenship/visa


To check that you meet the above criteria, refer to our registration page.

 

General Notices

Current Vetting Processing Time:  As of the 25th of May 2025 the Police Vetting Service is processing 96.3% of all requests within 20 working days.

Contact:  If you need to contact the Vetting Service, please email us at queryme@police.govt.nz.

 


New vetting agency?


Already an approved agency?

* If this is your first time accessing the Vetting service, you will need to login with RealMe, then enter a Police ID and Activation code which was emailed to you by the Police Vetting team.


Important:

Responsibility of the approved agency. Any decision regarding an applicant’s suitability for a position is the responsibility of the approved agency. The vetting service does not make a recommendation or decision regarding someone’s suitability for a position. A Police vetting result is a point-in-time check that should form one part of any process for determining an applicant’s suitability for any professional registration, appointment, employment, or visa.

A Police vet is not a National Security Clearance. For information about obtaining a National Security Clearance, refer to the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service (NZSIS).

The Vetting Bill provides a statutory framework for the Police Vetting Service. For more on this, refer to Legislation and useful links.

Please note - organisations that do not meet our criteria and individuals wishing to obtain their own Conviction History report can request a Criminal Record Check from the Ministry of Justice.

Things we do

  • We process vetting requests submitted by approved agencies.
  • We process vetting requests that we agree are required as part of a Children’s Worker Safety Check under the Children's Act 2014.
  • We process requests for visas to selected countries.
  • We release information to an approved agency that is relevant to the purpose of the vetting request and has a degree of substantiation.
  • We help approved agencies submit an Australian Criminal History Check (Australian criminal checks will incur a fee.)

Things we don't do

  • We don’t process vetting requests from individuals (Ministry of Justice).
  • We don’t issue ‘Police Clearance certificates’. We do not have Police Certificate Clearance in New Zealand.
  • We don’t make recommendations on the suitability of an individual for employment. (Our role is to provide relevant information to an agency to allow them to make an informed decision.) 
  • We don’t accept paper copies of forms. Vetting requests must be done online.